Saving Tragedy Chapter 107

**Rose’s POV**

The house was a frenzy of movement, a storm of bodies and hushed, urgent voices filling the halls as Ashton and his men rushed to leave but remained cautious of waking up my sleeping son... 

The sound of heavy boots pounding against the hardwood floor was unmistakeable regardless of how hard they tried to whisper, as I continued to glance in the direction of Tommy’s room - expecting to see him there any minute now. 

But I prayed that he wouldn’t come - that he wouldn’t have to see his father on high alert for the second time in only the past few hours. 

Extra weapons clanked as they were strapped to belts and slung over shoulders - maps being passed between the groups to clarify the target zone as everything seemed to move in a blur around me. 

The tension in the air was instantly becoming suffocating — thick with urgency, with fear, with a raw, desperate need to act before it was too late to help Sawyer, Millie and the poor baby all trapped in this. 

I stood near the base of the stairs, my heart slamming against my ribs as I watched Ashton storm through the foyer, his face a mask of hardened resolve. His broad shoulders were stiff, his movements sharp and unyielding as he checked the clips in his silver bullet guns, his jaw clenched so tightly that I thought it might snap.

“Ashton, please,” I begged in a hushed tone, my voice barely above a whisper but full of everything I was feeling — dread, helplessness, the terrible knowledge that I couldn’t stop him. “You don’t even know what you’re walking into yet. You’re short on men too, and if this is a trap what if—”

“I already know that it’s a trap Rose,” he cut in, not even looking up as he slammed a loaded clip into place. “That’s why I have to go now, before they disappear completely and make me go hunting for them. I’ll fight them to the death if I have to - whatever way they want to do it!” 

My stomach twisted violently. He’s always been fearless, powerful and intelligent, but in times like these I couldn’t help but wonder would it be enough?  

Sawyer. Millie. Their baby girl. Somewhere out there, trapped, waiting — if they were even still alive.

I swallowed back my fear and reached for him, gripping his arm with trembling fingers. “Then let someone else go! Send another team, send—”

“There is no one else,” Ashton ground out sharply, finally looking at me. His glowing eyes burned with an intensity that made my breath hitch. “My warriors are already spread thin trying to track Jacob. If I wait for more reinforcements, they’ll be gone. We have some of our ally’s joining us - we will be fine. I won’t just sit back and let them fucking die. I’m the Alpha here, you know what you signed up for!” 

His words were way harsher than intended, as my lip trembled to digest what he was saying. 

He’s right. He has to go. He’s the only one who can help them… 

A strangled noise caught in my throat as I shook my head. “Ashton, I’m scared,” I whispered again, gripping his arm harder now, as if I could physically attempt to hold him in place. “For me. For Tommy. I don’t want to lose you. This all feels wrong!” 

His eyes flickered, just for a second, softening at the mention of our son. For a fleeting moment, I thought maybe, just maybe he’d listen - that he’d think up some other way around this. But then his expression steeled up again, and he pried my fingers from his arm, holding my hand against his chest instead.

“Listen to me, I have to do this, Rose,” he murmured, voice tight with restrained emotion. “Sawyer would do the same for me. You know that.”

Tears burned my eyes. I hated that he was right. I hated that there was nothing I could say that would make him stay but I wouldn’t forgive myself had I not tried… 

The front door swung open, a gust of cold night air sweeping through the foyer as the men began to pile out crates and bags to load up the waiting cars. 

Footsteps were heard behind us on the stairs, as I turned to see Hunt coming down - followed by Lydia. His expression was drawn, his usual easy-going demeanor replaced with something grim, something heavy. But what made my chest ache wasn’t the urgency in his movements — it was Lydia, the way she was trailing behind him, her tear-streaked face pale as she clutched his arm just like I had done with Ashton.

She wasn’t even trying to hold back her sobs… 

“Hunt, you have a son to think about now,” Lydia whispered brokenly, gripping his sleeve like her life depended on it.

Hunt exhaled sharply, his hand cupping her cheek for a brief moment before dropping away. “This is my job! I’ll be back before you know it,” he promised, though his voice was hoarse, strained. “I can’t stay, Lyds. You know I can’t.”

Lydia’s shoulders shook as silent tears slipped down her cheeks. I understood her pain all too well, the raw, gut-wrenching fear of watching the person you love walk out that door to fight, knowing they might never come back through it again.

Ashton took a step forward, his voice calm but firm. “Neither of you are to leave this house while I’m gone. There will be guards surrounding the property at all times. You stay inside with the boys, do you both understand?”

Lydia let out a shaky breath, nodding, while I forced myself to find my voice. “And if something happens? If the pack is attacked while you’re gone?”

His burning eyes met mine, unwavering. “Then you know what to do. But don’t you dare step outside those doors, Rose.” 

My throat tightened. He was trying to protect me, trying to reassure me, but I wasn’t blind to the risk. If this was a coordinated attack, if Jacob had planned all of this — if he was working with someone else— then none of us were safe here.

“I love you.” He breathed the words, pulling me to him in a crushing hug as his lips found my head. “Let me fix this.” 

I sniffled, clutching at the fabric covering his body, as Ashton sighed, stepping back to break our contact, his gaze flicking between me and Lydia one last time, before he turned toward the door. “We need to go. Now.”

Lydia let out another soft cry as Hunt untangled himself from her grip, murmuring quiet reassurances that didn’t seem to reach her ears. I could only stand there in stunned silence as Ashton strode out the door without another word, his long strides carrying him toward the convoy of waiting vehicles in the driveway.

I felt paralysed, my breath coming in shallow bursts as I watched them load up. Men piled into SUVs and trucks, their faces set with the harrowing understanding that some of them might not even return. 

Ashton climbed into the driver’s seat of one of the lead vehicles, Hunt sliding in beside him. The rumble of engines filled the air, headlights cutting through the darkness as the convoy prepared to roll out.

Lydia and I stood together in the doorway, clutching each other’s hands as the first car pulled away, followed by another, and another.

And then, just like that, they were gone.

Disappearing into the night.

Walking straight Into the unknown.

I pressed a hand over my mouth, trying to smother the sob that tore from my throat. Beside me, Lydia was shaking, her fingers digging into my arm as we clung to each other.

“They managed to take down Sawyer and his guards! What are they doing?! It’s foolish!” Lydia whimpered, her entire body trembling as my eyes scanned the guards that now surrounded our property. 

“They’re going to come back to us,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince — her or myself.

Lydia just let out a broken breath. “They have to.”

But deep in my chest, in the cold, gnawing pit of my stomach, I wasn’t so sure about anything anymore.

Why was our happy little bubble suddenly growing close to being popped?