Exposing ELE (ELE Series #3) Read Free

“Willow, please stop crying and listen to me.”
    I can’t for the life of me figure out why he is acting so blasé about the death of three people that I care so deeply about. He takes my chin in his hand and lifts my face so I can see him. I am instantly lost in his beautifully haunting, dark blue eyes, and a sense of peace moves over me. “They’re not dead, Willow. The guns the ‘soldiers’ were carrying were loaded with special bullets that contained tranquilizers. It apparently knocks them out just long enough to get them transported to wherever they are going.”
    My heart begins hammering in my chest. My parents, Tony, they’re alive? I think it to myself over and over again. It’s as if grief and elation are fighting an internal battle inside me. I can’t grasp my mind around it.
    As if to reassure me that I heard him correctly Tony states, “Willow, Tony and your parents are alive. One of our soldiers who escaped came and told us what happened. He was able to tell us that, along with information about where they are keeping them locked up.”
    I take a moment to wrap my mind around everything Alec just said. I’m sure my mother and father are going to be okay, especially if they're together. For goodness sakes, my mother has been leading one of the largest militias around for the past several months. She can handle her own. Tony, however, I can’t be sure. He’s strong and smart but my heart is tugging at my feet to move and find him immediately. I have an uneasy feeling about his fate.
    I voice this to Alec, “I need to find Tony.”
    Alec looks flustered the moment I say it aloud. “Look, Willow.” Alec runs his hand through his hair.
    Worried about what he's going to express, I cut him off, “He saved us! We can't leave him. I have to help him. And I have to help my parents too.”
    My words seem to wound Alec even more and that ricochets back onto me. I don't want to hurt Alec. Can't he just see that I have to help Tony and my parents? He seems to be at a loss for words, so I muster my strength and stand up. I start to walk past him towards the door. “I have to help them.”
    Alec grabs my arm and prevents me from reaching the door. I turn to face him.
    “I have to go, Alec.” I plead with him to understand. I have no idea how long I've been out, but I know that any amount of time is too long. I need to find the person who knows where they’re being kept. God only knows what they’re going through right now.
    Alec's eyes heat with a fire I haven't seen before. “You have to go? Just like you had to go in the middle of the night? You left me with your little brother. You left without saying a word!” His hand on my arm seems to squeeze a little harder. “We have sent a search team to retrieve all of our people, Willow. There’s no need for you to go on a suicide mission!”
    I take a deep breath, knowing he's right to be upset. “I know, Alec. I'm sorry, I am. I feel like it’s my responsibility to rescue them though. I felt like I had to do it back then too.”
    “You didn't trust me to tell me your plans or to have me go with you the first time. But you trusted him?” Alec spits out the last word. He looks royally pissed.
    “It's not about trust!” I yank my arm free from his and tuck my hair behind my ears. “Look, I don't have time for this right now. I have to go.”
    “You don't have time for me?” he asks.
    I huff, not sure what else to do. I have to mentally make myself not stomp my foot. “It's not that I don't have time for you. I have a duty to help them. Tony saved me and I at least owe him the same respect in return.”
    “Who are you trying to kid, Willow? It’s more obvious than the nose on your face. You have more than a duty to help Tony! I see the way you look at him and the way he looks at you.” His voice grows quiet as he takes a deep breath, holding my stare with his.
    My face falls as the realization of what he’s saying dawns on my heart. I want to