I start school next week, so I hope I'll be able to write more.

Thanks for reading!

-CL


"Let's go," Maxon whispers, leading us into the warehouse. I check my earpiece, making sure it's on, and follow. The guards pour out of the van in front of me. I make it over to Maxon and grab his hand. "It'll be ok, my dear. Let's get Ames back." He squeezes my hand and kisses my head. I look up and he gently grabs my face, kissing me. I moan when his tongue meets mine and he pulls away. "Just follow me. I don't want to lose you." He touches his nose to mine, gently rubbing them together.

I nod. "I love you," I whisper, kissing him on the lips one last time.

"I love you, too," he says. He starts walking, keeping my hand in his. We enter the warehouse, trailing behind the guards. The plan is for the guards to distract the rebels and for Maxon and me to grab America and get the hell out of there as soon as possible. So far, so good. "Shit, get down, Bella!" Maxon dives down, throwing his body on top of mine. I hit the ground hard, my stomach taking the brunt of it.

I scream in pain. "Shh, Bella. I know, just be quiet." He gently covers my mouth with his hand and I try to bite back my screams. "I'm so sorry, my dear." I just nod, showing him it's ok, trying not to cry. The pressure is building, and I resist biting Maxon's hand.

The next thing I know Maxon is getting off of me. It's been a while, so much so that I think I went unconscious. I moan, thanking God that's over. "Get up, Princess," I hear a gruff voice say before being roughly pulled off the ground.

"What the fuck?" I say. "Maxon!" Why the hell is a guard doing this to me? I reach for my earpiece, but it's not there.

"Your lover isn't here, sweetheart," the voice responds. "He was, but he went to search for our prisoner. Now, you're ours."

"What do you mean?" I ask, taking in my surroundings. Before I can get a glance of the man, a bag is thrown over my head and a sting in my arm. Then nothing.


"Bella?" I whisper. Bella doesn't stir, probably because she blacked out from the pain. "I'm so sorry, my dear," I say, kissing her forehead. "I love you." Before I can talk myself out of it, I leave Bella on the floor and head to where the ping is-where Ames is. I avoid the rebels, ducking into rooms and halls, and finally reach the place. I open the door quietly, knowing that there are rebel guards close by. I quietly shut it and whip around with my gun drawn. Surprisingly, Ames is not being guarded, but she's tied up and has duct tape on her mouth. She starts straining against her restraints, her screams muffled. I rush over to her and take off the duct tape. "Ames, can you walk?" I ask, working on her restraints.

"I'll have to try," Ames responds in a gruff tone. "I haven't moved or talked for who knows how long."

"Fuck, Ames, I should have tried to grab you. I'm so sorry. I panicked," I say, her restraints dropping to the ground. "I could have saved you."

"Maxon, it's not your fault," Ames says, inspecting her raw wrists. "Oh, fuck, everything hurts." She tries to stand and ends up collapsing back to the ground. I reach out to grab her, but she holds out her hand. "I need to do it myself, Maxon." I sigh and step back.

After a few more tries, Ames ends up standing and staying up. "Ames, hurry. I left Bella hidden by herself."

"Why the fuck did you do that, Maxon?! They are going to take her. Can't you see? This was just a trap to get Bella, the Queen who's carrying the heir! They were never after me!" America exclaims, holding onto the wall.

I feel the blood drain from my face, America's words sinking in. "Fuck!" I grab Ames and run out the door. I drop my pin to some guards nearby and they rush in. "Take the Princess to our vans. And you three," I point to three guards, "come with me."

"Maxon!" Ames protests but the two guards carry her out of the warehouse before she can protest more.

I start sprinting down the hallway and make it to the room I left Bella in. I poke my head discreetly through the door, assessing the situation. And that's when I see Bella unconscious with a bag over her head in the arms of a rebel. All I can see is red. "Put her down!" I shout, bursting into the room. The guards follow me, drawing their guns. I draw mine and point it directly at the rebel's head.

"I don't think so, Your Majesty," he drawls. And that's when he whips out a knife and holds it over Bella's swollen stomach. "Put the gun down. Or otherwise, I will extract your heir right here and now."

I don't even think. I let the gun fall from my hands and direct the guards to do the same. "Don't hurt her." I hold my ground and look the rebel in the eyes. "Now, give her to me."

"I'd rather not. Good day, Your Majesty," he says, mocking a bow. And a smoke bomb goes off, knocking me off of my feet.

I stand up and try to clear the smoke away, trying to locate the rebel. "Bella!" I shout, walking toward where I believe she is. "Bella!" The smoke finally clears and I see…nothing. "Bella!" I scream, frantically trying to find an exit where the rebel could have taken her.

I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I whip around. "Your Majesty," a guard says, "we have to go. We have to leave her."

"No," I say, shaking my head. "We are not leaving without the Queen."

"We have to, Your Majesty. We need to leave."

"I said no!" I shout, turning to the other guards. And that's when I see America walk in.

"Maxon," she says, tears reflecting in her eyes. "We have to go. The kingdom needs you."

I shake my head, tears starting to fall. "I can't leave her," I whisper. America walks over and hugs me. "I can't leave her, Ames."

"You have to. For her. For your child. You need to leave. They need you alive."

I relent and nod my head. "Then let's go," I say in a resigned voice. We start walking out and I turn around one last time, hoping that just maybe Bella escaped. Of course, she isn't, and I vow to her that I will get her back. I will get her back alive.