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Robin's fears were realised two days later when Satine left to rejoin Roger. Not long after the former housekeeper had left, a massive explosion was reported in downtown Manhattan, and chaos had ensued as a result. The explosion had taken out two whole city blocks, and, notably, Roger's packhouse was amongs the destroyed buildings. Almost all of his pack had been wiped out, with the surviving members fleeing to join the Green Arches pack to take refuge.
But they never made it, with White Spring pack members hunting them down and exterminating them before they could reach safety. Satine had survived, since she had still been a good few blocks away when the explosion happened, but she was now being hunted as well, and Robin feared the worst.
"I knew he'd do something like this," she fumed, pacing up and down. Ashton sighed, his face like stone. He'd liked Satine, and they'd worked well together despite her abrasive manner. Her loss had stung him deeply, and he ached for revenge on his half brother.
"I've no idea how he managed it," the former butler said, shaking his head. "But he must not be as absorbed in his rituals as I thought. We must act fast, my dear, or we're going to be next."
Robin nodded, fear surging along her veins. They'd leave tonight and cross the city limits under the cover of darkness. There was still chaos in the city following the explosion, but Ashton had secured permission from the authorities to leave, once it had been established he'd had nothing to do with the attack that had killed Roger and most of his pack. "We're going to have to be very careful," she warned her lover.
Ashton squeezed her hand. "We've got this," he assured her. "I promise you, one way or another, we will get out of the city and out from under Asher's thumb."
"I hope so," Robin muttered. She had a nasty feeling Asher wasn't done yet.
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The hour was late, and Robin shivered as she waited at the station. Ashton would shortly be joining her, and they'd take the train to Poughkeepsie. From there, they'd take the Amtrak to Albany, connecting with Ashton's family once they arrived. It would be a long journey, fraught with danger; twice Robin had been forced to hide as White Spring pack members hunted her down with ruthless ferocity. Her bond to Ashton meant they couldn't use her now-broken bond to Asher to force her to return to the mansion, but they could and did use all the means they had at her disposal.
But she'd made it to the station, and she paced nervously. Ashton was close; she could feel him approaching. But she could also sense his desperation; pack members were closing in on him, and she felt the desperation turn to fear. Heart pounding, she got ready to run back up to the barriers to try and forestall disaster, but even as she tried making her way back through the passengers already waiting on the platform, she felt something stab her, and she gasped, eyes going wide. Then she realised what it was, and she had to bite her lip to keep from screaming as she realised the source of her lover's pain. But she had no time to mourn; black chains were already reaching out to her, ready to snare her and force her back under the thumb of her estranged husband. 93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbImWcSm6oK
Ashton wasn't letting her go, though; golden light from his still-active bond to her shattered the chains, and she could hear Asher's scream of rage in her mind, before his will frayed away under the love his half-brother carried for his mate. 93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsGesLijE6
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Robin staggered as Ashton called one last time to her. Go to Albany! he urged her. My family will take care of you. They won't let Asher get hold of you, and you're my mate. You have full Luna rights to use their resources at need. Hurry! I can only hold Asher off for so long. Once you've reached Poughkeepsie, you'll be well out of range, but go with care! He can't read your intentions yet, but if someone sees you when you get there, the game will be up. Use our bond to hide yourself; it's still there, and even Asher can't snap it now that his influence over you is broken. 93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJI58qyI6B
Robin took a deep breath, forcing the tears down as she felt her mate's hold on life finally snap. Her heart felt ready to break in two, but she could still feel his love inside her, and that, she knew, would carry her through the long, lonely journey to come.
But she had to move; the train was coming, and her former pack were now making their way through each platform in search of her. She could sense them, and when the train arrived, she jumped on, praying for the doors to close quickly. Mercifully they did, and Robin sighed as she sank in her seat, heart still pounding as the train pulled out of the station. As the platform sped by, she could sense her pursuers running onto the platform, but, much to her relief, they hadn't spotted her, and she sighed, the tears she hadn't allowed herself to shed now sliding down her cheeks. But even as she let them fall, she felt triumph. She was still firmly bonded to Ashton, and no matter what happened, that bond could never be broken.
Asher was going to have to use more conventional methods to track her down.
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