Dawn

by Sherry Foster

  Marcus was nervous about leaving his pack so short of fighters even if Gammon, Trey and Santiago had all provided a few men each to replace the thirty he had taken on this mission. Getting away without Craig had been easier than he thought in the long run. The mission had been a week in the planning and another five days trying to get everything in place. As soon as the three aliens sent word the team would move out.

  “Move out. Stay in constant touch through the pack and remember Santiago and his men can’t hear you nor can these others.” Marcus gestured to the men holding the tranq guns.”

  Marcus and Casey watched the men strap in. As soon as the birds had lifted off Casey turned to Marcus, “What happens if Jamie gets hit with the mate-bond pull while flying the bird?”

  “I thought of that which is why Gammon is in his bird. Gammon will force Jamie to land the bird before tranqing him. Santiago’s pilots are mated so they are not a concern. Edward is in the bird with Roberts. We know the risk but those females are ours to protect. It is our jobs to protect them to the best of our ability and give them room to grow into whoever they want to be, not whoever a males choses them to be.”

  Marcus and Casey sat in the plane and watched the computer screen tracking the birds. Twenty minutes later they watched as the birds made one last circle, the closest they would get to the compound before the mission started. Marcus’ heart was hurting for him men. He hoped, just once, at least one of his men would feel the bond. A few minutes later Casey turned shocked eyes away from the screen to follow Marcus as he ran from the plane yelling. She followed him to find him staring in the direction the birds had gone. His normal calm composure was broken as he swore and demanded answers. She knew he had to be speaking through the pack bond with his men but he was so upset he was also yelling his instructions out loud, as if that would help the non-pack members hear him.

  “Get those birds on the ground, get them down NOW. Get them, shit get them down. Gammon only had two tranq darts get those birds on the ground. Grab the men they are going to ruin the whole mission shoot their asses! Shoot them! Shit don’t let them get away. I don’t care, shoot them.”

  Casey watched Marcus until he stopped yelling. She watched him until he walked back toward the plane and leaned his forehead against it, eyes closed. “What happened Marcus? What went wrong? Is everyone alright?”

  She squeaked when he slammed his fist against the plane.

  “What went wrong? Everything. Jamie got hit by the mating bond as did four others, all on his bird. Gammon shot the first two but he was so busy fighting the other two away from the doors he didn’t realize Jamie had turned the bird toward the compound. By the time he did the others were asking each other what was happening and screaming instructions through the bond. While Gammon went for Jamie the four men who did not get hit with the bond were fighting to keep the two Gammon couldn’t tranq on the bird. Fueled by the bond the two men made it off the bird and took off running toward the compound while Jaden was trying to get down and over to Jamie to tranq him. The birds are headed back here while we try to sort through to a solution. We have at least eight men down and one pilot before the mission even kicked off.”

  “How do you have eight men down if only four got tranqed?”

  “Because those two who did not get tranqed went through the other four to get off the plane. I don’t know the extent of their injuries but the two managed to get far enough away they had to be chased down and fought to a standstill before the ones with the guns could get in range. Right now we have four tranqed and four injured badly enough they are out. We will have to evaluate the others when they get back.”

  “Do you have a back up plan?”

  “If he will cooperate we do.”

  “I don’t understand. If who will cooperate?”

  “Every qualified fighter I had was on those birds, except for Craig. I have less trained men in my territory, but to succeed I can’t send anyone but the best. I just lost a quarter of my team in a matter of minutes. I have talked with Kate’s parents. I know what your people are capable of accomplishing. I have heard their stories of the powers available to hybrid mates. At least, I have heard what they could tell me. I know an awful lot of knowledge is locked up in your oaths but what they could explain, they did. I wanted to hit the compound hard and fast. But with this setback we are going to have to go home and start all over. We need Craig.”

  Chapter Twenty

  “You said they would be back in a couple of days. How long is the mission going to last? We have been here four days now. What are they even doing?” Dawn was tired of being cooped up in the house and had started getting cabin fever. At the prison she had plenty of things to do throughout the day and several friends to visit. She had given no thought to what she would do with her days if she was free of captivity. The last week in the new compound she had secluded herself from the others by choice. She wasn’t even sure what activities the place had, but here, she had nothing to do and few people to visit. The only female even close to her age was Stormie and she had not been able to forgive her enough to even try to build a friendship. She wished, if Trey was going to be gone much longer he would at least send Gabby back, though if Gabby and Stormie were best friends she didn’t figure they would get along well.

  Since she found out Charles and Leah were considering keeping Alice with them she had been even more anxious to leave. At least Leah took Alice to the plant with her every morning but since Charles also left most days she had no one pass the time with at all. She was still mindful of the reasoning Alice had used to keep their escape from the compound a secret and the guilt of knowing they had killed someone to get out weighed heavy on her mind. She had accepted she might have to kill people to leave, but the reality of knowing even if she didn’t personally kill the lady, the lady still died to enable their escape. That made two people dead in close proximity to her in two weeks.

  The screams of the other females when they had found the male Kate killed caused her to wake in a cold sweat most nights. She had seen the blood drenched body when they brought him to the medical wing. Now she had a faceless female chasing through her dreams at night also. She wanted someone to talk to, needed someone. Charles had said Gammon did not go on rescues, ever, but she knew Gammon was with the others. At least, he was the first day when David had called Trey. She clearly remembered hearing Trey say he would be seeing Gammon and Santiago and would have them call. They never called. If Gammon was wherever Trey was and Trey was helping with a rescue mission then Charles had lied.

  If Charles had lied about one thing then everything else he said, or any of the others in this pack, was suspect. So although Dawn had just asked Charles a question she had no idea if he would answer truthfully and she didn’t yet know how to smell a lie. She assumed that ability came with age but it could come with the wolf. Some things you never think to ask when you are growing up.

  “The mission should have been completed two days ago. But several of the men were hurt and they had to make new plans. I don’t know the new plans, for that matter I didn’t know the old plans so I can’t tell you what they are doing. Some things they keep quiet so no one can jeopardize the mission.”

  “But you are Trey’s dad, are you saying he doesn’t even tell you what he is doing? I don’t understand, if you are older than him why aren’t you the Alpha?”

  “Trey won the leadership by might. Have you ever heard the saying might makes right? Well there are only two paths to leadership in a pack. The first way is the most often sought path. The Alpha and the challenger fight and whoever wins becomes the new Alpha for he has proven himself the stronger of the two. A good Alpha won’t face many challenges in his lifetime and he will rarely lose because he beat the strongest pack member to get the position in the first place. A bad Alpha might keep his position for awhile, but when he is challenged it is almost always to the death. He doesn’t get the option of yielding.”

  “So what is the second way to win the position?�
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  “The Alpha steps down, or dies, or is killed in an accident, the pack for whatever reason is left without a leader. The remaining pack members can choose someone to follow, usually if the former Alpha trained someone, like a son, that male takes over the position. If no one can agree on who to give the pack oath to then the males in the pack fight among themselves to determine who is the strongest. Usually though they know before it reaches that point because they will have grown up sparring with each other, or spent years sparring to keep in shape. But Trey, well he found out the former Alpha had kidnapped a female and he challenged him and won. He is, to my knowledge the youngest most inexperienced Alpha of any acknowledged pack.”

  “I see. So until he comes back no one will take me to Gammon’s and no one will tell me what is going on?”

  “No one can take you to Gammon’s. No one in this pack even knows how to get to his territory and if we did then the answer would still be no because that isn’t how things are done. Why are you so anxious to get to Gammon’s? I know you think he will help you find your friends, but in reality he will have others do that kind of research. Marcus’ pack for instance specializes in research and finding females, but at some point you are going to have to tell someone something for them to be able to begin the search.”

  “Tell me Charles, if Gammon doesn’t go on missions why is he with the others who you say are on a mission. Was that a lie?”

  “I can’t tell you what I don’t know but I will tell you this, if in return you tell me your real name, I will tell you where Gammon is and what I believe him to be doing.”

  Dawn thought over what Charles had said. He was right, if she never told anyone then no one would be able to help her. It was fine for Alice to tell her not to say anything but every day she kept her mouth shut was one more day someone could have been looking for her friends. Finally she nodded, “Alright, you tell me why Gammon hasn’t called and is off where ever Trey is but yet isn’t on a mission that you do claim is happening, and I will tell you my real name and the names of my friends. In return I want you to promise to call this other pack you said does research and get them to look for my friends.”

  Charles smiled, his Leah had been right, let the girl alone and she would drive herself crazy and he could get the answers he wanted, “Deal.”

  Charles reached out his hand to Dawn, who looked at it in confusion for a moment before she realized Charles was offering to shake on the deal. This time she was the one to smile before asking, “Who goes first?”

  “Why my dear, I will. You see, I can smell the truth from a lie and I know you did not lie on the deal. You on the other hand either do not have the ability, or you don’t know how to use the ability. You wouldn’t have asked me if I lied earlier if you could tell. So your question, if Gammon does not do missions then why is he clearly with the pack who is doing the mission? The mission is, from what limited amount I have been told, the largest rescue mission the packs have ever undertaken. Large missions require more men to accomplish them. More men means less protection is left to guard the territory. Our pack sent four men to Marcus to guard his people while he and his men are away. Trey and the others aren’t on the mission, they would hinder the mission more than they could help. They don’t belong to Marcus’ pack and therefore they have no pack bond with him. They would have to verbalize every communication whereas Marcus and his men can run a silent mission by using their pack bond to keep all communication only in their heads. As for why Gammon hasn’t called, I honestly can’t tell you that. Now, your turn.”

  Dawn took a deep breath and looked down at her feet before looking back up at Charles. “My name is Dawn. Two weeks ago my best friend and roommate found her mate, or I guess he found her? I bonded her wolf to his, sight unseen and she collapsed. The men holding us in the prison freaked out later that day and abandoned the prison taking me and the other girls with them. Kate they left behind along with Julie. Allison jumped from the helicopter. They wouldn’t go back for any of them. They left them there. But I will tell you this much, they said Gammon was there and they were terrified of him. So you see, if Gammon was there then how can you say he doesn’t go on rescues. Alice was from the compound where they relocated us and she overheard the men talking. Someone walked out of that prison with three females. We left three females behind. I want to know where my friends are and Gammon is the only link I have right now.”

  “My god. Dawn.” Charles shook his head, “My girl if you had told us who you were from the beginning.”

  “Why would that have mattered? You say my name like you know me, but you can’t.”

  “No, but Kate does and from what I understand our little witch hybrid is the reason for the mission. She wants her best friend and she had the means to track you down. If you had left the compound earlier? I don’t know, I guess you would still be here but the men would have no idea where the compound is located. Kate used you to track down the compound. I don’t know much beyond that information but I do know who to call to put you in touch with Kate. Kate was rescued, she is with her mate, they both recovered, and she belongs to Marcus’ pack. I am going to make a couple of calls and see if I can’t get Kate on the phone for you. If you start crying I am going to haul my ass out that door and come back later now, none of that. You are safe, your friends are safe and you have your entire life ahead of you. So go wash your face and I will start making some calls.”

  Dawn wasn’t crying, maybe a bit of dust got in her eyes but she told herself it was not tears. When Charles made no move to call anyone she realized he was serious, he was waiting on her to clean her face. At least this time the tears that were not there were tears of relief and joy. Why did men have such a problem with happy tears. Not that she would admit to crying this time.

  Charles watched her run out of the room before he called Trey.

  Yeah dad, what’s up. Charles could hear the weariness in his son’s voice.

  “Found out who our little shifter is for you.”

  I already know who the little one is, Santiago told us who she was the day she showed up in our territory.

  “Oh, I wouldn’t mind hearing that story, but no, I mean the older one.”

  Oh, who is she?

  “Turns out her name is Dawn and she is looking for her friend Kate.”

  The fuck. Do you mean to tell me we have a rescue mission out looking for her and she isn’t even there? Shit. Let me call you back, wait no hold on, Gammon man call Marcus, quick I don’t want to hang up my phone but I got some news he needs to hear before they hit the ground. Yeah, that female at my dad’s place, no not Santiago’s granddaughter, the other one. Name’s Dawn. Yeah, no I would hate for them to spend time looking for her and taking risks when she isn’t there. No, hell man you know as much as me. Yeah. Shit Trevor how the hell am I suppose to know. Hell no you are not going to my territory without me there. The fuck? As soon as the team gets back we can go.

  Charles listened to the men talk on the other end of the line while he eyed the doorway. He could hear the water running in the bathroom so he knew Dawn could not have overheard the conversation. He was going to have to call Trey back later, he wanted to know how some unknown male who he knew had only been in the country a few days had gotten the idea Dawn could be his mate. And why Santiago even entertained for one minute his proposal to adopt the little one if she was his granddaughter.

  Dad, you still there? Listen, Kate and Craig went on the rescue mission so I had to let them know not to look for Dawn, but Gammon feels Dawn might want to talk to Allison and Julie so he is going to call up there and locate them and have one of them call your phone. They don’t know about the mission so tell Dawn not to say anything. Don’t go too far from her. I will call you back a little later, or you call me when you get the chance to talk uninterrupted. Tell mom I said hello.

  Charles hung the phone up just as Dawn stepped back in the room. He could see the excitement shining from her face.

  “Well, Kate wasn�
��t around where Trey could locate her, however, Gammon was there and he seems to think you might enjoy talking to Allison and Julie so he is making a few calls himself. If all goes well one of the girls will be calling you back,”

  “Allison will call. Julie doesn’t talk.”

  “That is not what I understood. Gammon clearly said he would have either Julie or Allison call. I don’t think he would have Julie call if she can’t talk.”

  “No, you don’t understand. Julie can talk but she doesn’t talk. I mean, she talks in her nightmares sometimes. And she has said a word or two, I think. But she is, well, she isn’t all there. Like a little kid maybe?”

  “I am going to have to take your word for it because I don’t know them. I am not sure how your friends got to Gammon’s because well, Trey didn’t say much about them. We mainly spoke of Kate because of what she is and what her mating made Craig.”

  “I don’t understand, what is she? I mean, I knew she was different, but we were never certain why exactly.”

  “Kate is a hybrid. The child of a witch and a shifter.”

  “Okay, well that is different. I didn’t know we had witches. Oh your phone is ringing, is it them?

  “Hello?”

  Mr. Caveno? This is Delany, from Gammon’s pack. Gammon just called me and said Dawn had made it to your territory, or rather to Trey’s. I have a couple of young ladies here who would appreciate more than you can imagine if you would hand your phone over to Dawn. They want to say hello.

  Charles held his phone out and hid a grin as Dawn snatched it from his hand almost dropping it in the process. “Hello?”

  Dawn, oh my god Dawn you made it. Did they send a rescue party to get you? How did you get out? Why didn’t you jump that day? Where are you?

  “Allison, I tried to jump. Adam caught me and forced me back in my seat. What happened to you and how did you get to Alaska? Tell me, is that, did I hear Julie talking? I mean like having a conversation talking?”