Sins Among Royals
Chapter 27

Three vehicles sat outside the home for a minute staring at the potential carnage before them. The home that they had been in just days before now looked eerily quiet.

The back doors flew open quickly, “stay put until we search the home.” The larger of the two men that had been a psychologist before joining the security team almost growled as they closed the doors and disappeared up into the house.

“This doesn’t feel right,” Leo grumbled as they waited.

Noah couldn’t say a thing as he stared out the window wondering what had happened.

“Fuck it I can’t sit here and do nothing. We’re going in,” Leo flicked the button on the glove box and watched it open slowly. Inside there was a small gun case. Pulling it open a black handgun sat inside, popping open the bullet casing Leo filled it with silver bullets. Before loading it and cocking it. “You ready?” Leo smiled as he handed the gun to Noah.

“Let’s go,” Noah nodded his head and pushed the drivers side door open.

As he stepped out a chill ran down Noah’s spine as he suddenly found himself unable to move.

What were they going to replace.

Reluctantly stepping forward he and Leo made it up to the front door and looked into the home that had clearly bore witness to something sinister.

Peering in through the open doorway Noah noted the door had been torn clean from its hinges and lay embedded in two parts of the wall in the hallway. It had been thrown with such force that it had broken through the ornately decorated walls to the bones of the house. No doubt a frightful sight for those that witnessed it.

Leo and Noah headed toward the kitchen with their guns pointing into thin air just I’m case the creature that damaged the home still lurked.

As they crept down the hallway the smell of blood filled his nose instantly as the grim reality of what happened settled over him.

Taking in a deep breath to determine who the blood belonged to a wave of relief washed over him when he found out that it was neither his sister nor his nephews.

Taking in another deep breath his nostrils filled with the scent of a wolf. It was angered and completely wild. A chaotic feeling accompanied the scent as well as gigantic claw marks marked the walls and the floor. It seemed like whoever was responsible for the mess had enjoyed it.

Slowly but surely the pair made it into the kitchen, the scent of the wolf only growing stronger and as they went Leo frowned, “smells like a bloody wet dog has been dragged through the place,” the smell was strong and offensive that it made the pairs nostrils burn and tingle.

“Look out for movement,” Noah whispered harshly as they separated to search around the kitchen and informal dining area.

A pool of blood lay drying on the floor. The dark, almost burgundy red was a stark contrast against the white marble floor tiles on which it sat. Taking in another breath Noah closed his eyes and felt the scent curl through his nose the smoke from a slow burning fire. He faintly recognised the scent of the blood, “Looks like the housekeeper wasn’t too lucky.”

Noah glanced across at Leo and saw his friend standing oddly with a strange look on his face. “You’re telling me mate,” he mumbled as his eyes locked with Noah’s. “You might want to see this,” Leo sighed heavily as a suddenly worried Noah strode towards him quickly.

Their eyes fell to the form of one of the housekeepers who sat impaled against the wall bleeding heavily from the chest.

Kneeling in front of her Noah saw her taking in heavy, rasping breaths and as he looked over her wound he found it miraculous that she was even alive.

“Can you tell me what happened?” He questioned her carefully. A soft tone falling over his voice as his eyes searched her face for any clues.

The woman frowned and winced with pain as her hands clutched the rod sticking out of her chest. “Raif,” she sputtered as she coughed then began choking on her own blood. “Took Ebony,” she coughed up blood as she let out a cry of pain. Noah couldn’t imagine what she was going through but persisted with his questions.

“Where are the boys?” He needed to know what had become of his nephews and hoped that Raif was at least man enough to leave his own flesh and blood alone and in tact.

“Hiding,” the woman coughed again as she took in another raspy, raking breath. “P-p-please,” she pleaded with Noah, “t-tell my parents I’m s-s-sorry. Tell t-t-them I love them,” she looked up into Noah’s eyes and he noticed then that she’d been crying. Her blood stained face also marked with dried up tears. She had been sitting there a while.

Noah glanced at Leo as the woman succumb to her wounds. What had happened? A sense of urgency filled Noah suddenly as she sprang to his feet and turned to Leo. “We’ve got to replace out what’s happened here.”

Both turned abruptly when they heard Noah’s name being called. It was a faint call that meant it came from one end of the house. Stepping back out into the hallway both Noah and Leo listened again and heard his name being called again. “I think it’s in the guest wing,” Noah exclaimed as they turned and headed for the staircase in the guest wing.

Heading passed the door of his room he noticed many, many scratches marking the door. Whatever the beast wanted inside it didn’t quite get there. Though the gashes in the heavy wood door looked deep the metal behind the wood was designed for such events. Being royal they had all learned long ago that safety was top priority and there were always new, more extreme ways for them to protect themselves.

Something in Noah told him to go into the roo. The small voice inside wouldn’t let him continue on to the staircase at the far end of the hallway as he motioned for Leo to follow him.

“What are you doing?” Leo whispered harshly as Noah leaned against the damaged door heavily.

“Just help me get the bloody door open will you,” Noah demanded quickly. Pushing the door handle down and leaning all his weight against it he found the door only moved a little. “Something’s barricading it.” He struggled as Leo quickly leaned his weight against the door too.

It budged just a little and both Noah and Leo heard a petrified scream ring out from inside as the door was forced shut again.

Both men looked at each other curiously before pushing again, “open the door. You are safe.” Noah demanded quickly.

Both Noah and Leo heard a muffled voice from behind the door but whoever was in there made no attempt to make themselves known. “It is Alpha Noah and his friend Leo, you are safe. We promise.”

All fell silent behind the door as the two men looked at each other a little concerned. What was going on in there? Noah was more than a little anxious to replace out just who was hiding. Was it his nephews? Was it his sister?

Hope blazed fiercely in his heart as they pressed themselves to the door they heard furniture being dragged about and soon the door flew open. To Noah’s dismay it wasn’t his sister but he was greeted by two housekeepers who rushed from the room and wrapped their arms around both Noah and Leo. The two women shook violently, “what happened?” Noah asked quickly as he pried the woman’s arms from around his shoulders.

“It was master Raif!” One of the ladies cried as she wrapped her arms around herself.“When you left he was angry at miss Ebony. They fought and he turned.”

Leo was shocked. Raif had always come across as loyal and interested in pack affairs but he saw now that maybe it was all a show.

“Where are the boys?” Noah asked almost completely ignoring the women’s fear. His anxiety had almost reached peak levels. He needed to know their fate and was ready to hunt Raif down should he have done the unthinkable.

One of the women stepped to the side and motioned towards the room, “They’re asleep in there,” she mumbled as her voice failed her. “Poor Timothy tried to stop his father but master Raif was relentless.”

Panic again gripped Noah as he rushed into the room and noticed the mattress from the bed had been tossed into the corner. The boys were sleeping soundly, wrapped in blankets. The bed frame and drawers had been pushed towards the door and Noah now saw what it was that kept them safe.

“Go,” he spoke gently. “Go to your families but speak a word of this to anyone and you will regret it.” He knew they had just been through something that would likely traumatise them for life but he needed time with his nephews.

“Where is Ebony?” Leo asked before the women left.

“She ran into the forest to distract master Raif,” one of the women muttered as the put her arms around the other in an attempt to comfort her. “We don’t know what’s happened to her but when security arrived they told us to lock ourselves in the room till help arrived.” She muttered as her brow furrowed in annoyance, “they left to chase master Raif and no one came back.”

Noah knelt in front of his nephews and looked upon their sleeping faces with sadness. The innocence on their faces looked marked with trouble and fear. It broke his heart.

He placed his hand against Timothy’s head and watched as his nephew sprang from his sleep into a panicked state, “no daddy please!” He screamed fearfully as tears began falling instantly. When he noticed who had woken him he jumped at his uncle and wrapped an arm around him. Noah thought it odd and when he looked down he noticed Timothy’s other arm was bound in a sling.

Soon Ryan too woke screaming and howling as he opened his eyes and saw his uncle and brother sitting there, “Unkie Noah,” he cried as he too wrapped his arms tightly around both of his nephews.

It was clear that Raif had chosen to traumatize his sons and ruin his family. There was no going back for him and Noah made a silent promise to make him pay for what he’d done. With his sister’s fate still uncertain he bumbled his nephews into the back of the S.U.V while Leo briefed the rest of the security team.

They would take the boys to safety while the rest of the team secured the property and pieced together what happened. It was hoped that another team would join them quickly to take care of the bodies.

Noah knew one thing for sure. Someone was trying to make him look like a fool and when he figured out who they would have hell to pay!