by A. C. Katt
Rene dialed Armand over the speaker. “We’ve got them, we’re coming in.”
“Are those the pups screaming in the background?”
“Yeah, I have them. Martin has Adele and the enforcers have Bernard. He didn’t put up much of a fight.”
“I’ll have Lillian here to take care of the pups. Bring Bernard and Adele straight to the main house.”
* * * *
Sean went in and out of consciousness. He felt the shot beginning to wear off. Figuring it would go better for him if he played it like he was still out, he didn’t open his eyes. It took less time for the shot to wear off this round. My body is becoming accustomed to the drug. I don’t know if that is a good or a bad thing. He looked up, the light was fading. It was around four in the afternoon. It was seven hours since he was taken from the museum. Another voice came from the general direction of the kitchen he noticed when Dimitri first dragged him into the house.
“Did he shift?” the voice asked Dimitri. Sean couldn’t place the voice.
“I don’t think he knows how. He’s only a half-blood,” Dimitri answered.
“This place is a shithole.” Sean heard some banging.
“You told me to lay low and close to the compound,” Dimitri said.
Sean thought, They don’t know I can shift. The chains are tight for a human but are they tight for a small wolf?
There was a door tantalizingly close to his chair. If he could shift…
Sean heard a cell phone ring. “La Farge. How long before the others get there? I’ll leave now with your Enforcer. Did you issue a formal challenge through Keller?”
“He won’t be able to concentrate enough to fight because I have his mate. La Marche dies tomorrow.”
They’re going to use me against Armand. I can’t let them do that. I’ve got to escape. Think, Sean, think. He had his cell in his pants pocket and his wallet, that ass Dimitri hadn’t checked.
But I don’t know where I am. Stupid man. If you turn the damn thing on, they can track you. But you need to get out of here first.
He tried to wiggle around in the chain. Dimitri’s plan was to keep him insensible. Well, he underestimated how much drug that would take. He worked one foot out of the chain, then, a second. He had to shift, but his hands were broken at an unnatural angle. He wiggled out of the chains on his torso; praying that the two men would keep talking loudly in the kitchen. He was now turned around kneeling in the chair. The cuffs were tight. Wait a minute, I’m a very small were. If I shift…Sean tried to shift. It was hard to concentrate with the pain but he remembered what Armand told him. He centered himself and pulled at the light. He shifted. He was still in pain and could barely walk on his front paws, but it was easy for his smaller self to slip through the chains and get his paws out of the cuffs.
“Keep him here until I call, then you can take him wherever you want.”
He shifted back. Grabbing the remnants of his clothing, shoes, and his phone, he ran through the door and kept on going.
* * * *
Rene and Martin arrived with Adele and the pups. Martin threw her on the floor of the shed outside of the Alpha’s house that was sometimes used as a prison for recalcitrant wolves. Bernard was already lying on the concrete floor when Adele and the pups arrived.
Lillian took the pups as she spat at Adele. “The Alpha Mate is the only reason you had a live birth. If I have anything to say about this, you won’t be seeing them again.” Adele broke down in gasping sobs. “Cry all you like. You should have known this would happen. Your husband is a fuck up, always has been.”
“You can’t do that, you can’t take the pups away from their mother,” barked Bernard.
“Try me.” Lillian took the pups. “If one hair on the Alpha Mate’s head is harmed, I will personally challenge you to the death, Adele.”
“And I will challenge Bernard.” Rene looked at Adele and said tightly, “I thought you were better than this, to think I felt sorry for you.” He spat at her feet and took one of the pups from Lillian before walking away, leaving Adele on the cold floor next to her mate.
* * * *
Sean walked for what seemed like hours, sitting down on the ground when he got too dizzy to put one foot in front of the other. The only light was from the sky. He stumbled around a lot until his night vision adjusted. He lost his shoes on the way out of the house. I could be going in circles.
He finally was able to focus when the pain when the pain in his head lessened and ceased to pound. He looked up at the stars and found the North Star. He knew they traveled north to get to that dinky little house. Dimitri had spoken to La Farge saying they were near the compound. All he had to do was keep walking. He would find someone to help him. Finally he saw lights indicating civilization. He walked for about fifteen minutes and saw houses. If I show up on someone’s doorstep like this they’ll call the cops. The cops can’t be involved in shifter business.
Ahead there were brighter lights, a shopping center of some kind. He kept walking. Gods, I’m exhausted. I have to make it to the shopping center to call Armand. They’ll know where I am. I can stop when I see Armand. I’ve got to keep going.
He finally found the source of the lights. There was a Walmart. It was late but Walmart was open twenty-four hours and it was just before Thanksgiving.
Gods, I’m cold. The parking lot was full. If they caught up with him, they couldn’t shift or take him in a crowd. He still had his wallet and phone. Thank God for incompetent kidnappers.
He went up to the greeter, an older man of about sixty-five. His throat was parched but he managed to get the words out. “Can you tell me where we are?” Sean asked trying to stay standing.
The man grabbed him arm and sat him down on the bench closest to the door. He looked a little wary, noticing Sean’s injuries. “Can I get you some help? Call security?”
“No thanks.” Sean rasped, took a breath and winced.
“Do you want me to call the police?”
“No thank you.” His voice was hoarse from the gag and the lack of water. Sean handed the man the cell phone and prayed he would do what Sean asked him to do and nothing else. “Could you please dial two on the phone and tell them where I am?”
“Sure kid. Then I’ll get you some water.”
“No, my friend will take care of me.” At this point, Sean didn’t trust anyone except Armand, so he wasn’t drinking from anything until they got him home.
* * * *
Sean watched the man push two and the greeter put his phone on speaker.
“Yes?” It was Armand and he sounded exhausted. He couldn’t possibly survive a challenge in this condition. Sean’s throat was raw, he tried to shout to his lover but nothing would come out. He had to hold on and wait.
Armand had answered the phone.
“I’m the greeter at the Walmart on the corner of 528 and Enchanted Hills. I’ve got a kid by the name of Sean here, he’s hurt. I think he needs a doctor…”
“Please don’t let him out of your sight,” Sean heard Armand say.
“No, I’ll watch him…”
“Tell him someone will be there in about fifteen minutes.”
“About fifteen minutes. I’ll tell him.”
I just have to hold it together for fifteen more minutes. He sat and waited again refusing the water the greeter offered.
Just as he was about to pass out he saw Armand, he fell into his arms.
“You came.” Armand opened a bottle of water and Sean guzzled it down. “I couldn’t dial, my fingers are broken.”
“I’m going to kill him. Who did this to you?”
“Dimitri Petrovich and Alpha La Farge. Bernard and Adele lured me to the bathroom with Elena. I’m so sorry, I should have been more careful. I’ve caused terrible disruption. I’m sorry.” He rasped out the words.
Armand gave him more water. “It’s not your fault. It was always going to end like this. Dimitri is crazy and La Farge is power hungry. Those taken together are a rec
ipe for disaster. You only brought things to a head. I’m taking you home to Artis.”
* * * *
Rene still had Bernard and Adele locked in a small shed off the main house. He proceeded to interrogate him. Bernard was battered. His cheek bones were broken as was his nose. His eyes were blackened and Bernard was sure he had a few broken ribs. Rene had no mercy. He made Adele watch. “Bernard, you better talk quick, I’m running out of patience, I’ll go after Adele next. If I have to send both of you back to the gods, I will but you are going to talk.”
“I owed so much money,” he whined.
Rene kicked him again. “Who hired you? Who did you deal with?”
“Dimitri Petrovich gave me the money.”
Rene kicked him again. “Who paid Petrovich?”
Bernard put his hands over his face. Rene was a much bigger man and even a larger wolf. He couldn’t win this fight. He needed to save Adele.
“If I tell, will you leave Adele alone?”
Rene kicked him again. “This isn’t a negotiation.”
“Please, don’t hurt Adele, I’ll tell you everything.”
“Tell me and I’ll see if it’s worth the trouble of keeping her alive.”
“Alpha La Farge…he was behind it. Dimitri came to him and he hired me.” Rene raised his fist again.
“Where is the Alpha Mate?” Just as another blow was about to rain down on his head, someone came to the door.
“They got him. He’s headed home, but he’s hurt, bad.”
Rene left him on the floor with another kick.
Rene grabbed Adele by the neck of her blouse taking her out of the shed and dragging her across the compound.
* * * *
Adele sat in a small room off the kitchen wing. It was usually used as Blanche’s sewing room but everything was removed save the chair she sat on. She was lucky they gave her a chair. She wondered if Bernard was still alive. Both of them faced a death sentence. She sobbed loudly.
Rene came into the room. “If you don’t shut up, I’ll make it so you do.”
That was it, I’ll never see my babies again. How could I have done this when all he did was help me? She heard noises out in the kitchen. She tried to stop crying and listen.
* * * *
Armand was horrified at what was done to his baby’s face. The fact that Sean escaped and made it to somewhere Armand could find him was a miracle. Armand supported him on one side, Martin the other. They got him out of the store and into the Navigator. Pierre had a blanket that Armand tucked around him. They drove quickly and got to the house in ten minutes. Sean groaned over every bump in the road.
As he got out of the car, Armand shouted, “Go to the meeting room. Call all of our people in from Albuquerque, even Santa Fe and Cuba. I want every available wolf at the compound within four hours. I want witnesses. Call the wolves in California, Arizona, and Mexico. Set them up on Skype, everyone must see this.”
Armand carried Sean into the house and back to the master suite. Dr. Artis and Meg stood by. Sean was conscious. Armand undressed him gasping at the bruising on his ribs and side.
* * * *
Dr. Artis pushed Armand aside. Armand growled his eyes turning red. Meg put her hand on the Alpha’s arm. “He has to examine him in order to help. You don’t have to leave the room, but let him check Sean.”
It took Artis about thirty minutes before he was satisfied. “His ribs are badly bruised, but not broken now.”
“Could they have been broken and healed, he’s been gone over ten hours?” Armand asked.
“That’s a possibility but I’d need x-rays to be sure, I’ll bring up the portable machine from the clinic.”
“He’s shivering,” Meg said. “Do you need blankets?”
“He has hypothermia. Get some warm broth into him.”
“What can I do?” Armand asked feeling helpless.
“Alpha, get him some hot water bottles, covered by a towel to keep his core warm. His nose isn’t broken, nor are any bones on his face. He has a slight concussion but his fingers are broken. I can set the fingers and they’ll be healed by morning. I’ll have to be careful setting the fingers because he’s a potter. Have one of the pack bring the portable x-ray up to the house. I can check his ribs at the same time.”
“Meg, have Edward get the machine. Artis, tell Edward what it looks like.”
Edward appeared. “He doesn’t need to tell me Alpha, I’ve seen it before. I’ll get Martin to help me.”
Artis said, “I’ll wrap the ribs, it really doesn’t help the healing however, it may make it easier for him to move.”
Armand left for the hot water bottles.
“How much pain is he in?” Armand asked coming back into the room with the bottles wrapped in towels.
“There will be a lot of pain. I’m prescribing lidocaine patches and Percocet I’m going to wash the wounds on his feet with antiseptic. It will sting. Then I’ll dress them with antibiotic cream and gauze.”
“Do we have the medication on hand or do we need to send someone to the drugstore?” Armand asked.
“Send someone out to fill the prescriptions. I’ll prescribe a hefty dose and double the amount of pills once they get here so they give him some relief because we are so resistant to drugs. If someone asks questions, he has rheumatoid arthritis.”
Armand called. “Pierre!” Pierre came running into the room.
“Yes, Alpha.”
“Here is a prescription. Fill it at Walmart, they are still open, but hurry, it’s almost time for their pharmacy to close.” Armand handed him the prescription and Pierre took off.
“I’d like to know what they gave him to knock him out but he seems to be aware, I’ll draw blood and run it at the lab in the clinic. Thank gods we can’t get addicted. The tests will tell me what they gave him and if I need to counter it with something else.”
Armand’s mouth went tight. “Bastards…”
“Considering a loup-garou’s healing rate he should be okay in a day or two. What he needs most is rest. Don’t let him do anything. Baby him.” Dr. Artis paused. “For tonight just keep him warm, feed him broth, and wake him up every few hours. He’ll be in a lot of pain but he’ll recover. Oh, and he’ll need an icepack for his eyes, once he’s warm.”
“Is there anything else I can do?”
“Yes, get the bastard that did this to us. Sean belongs to all of us, Alpha.”
Armand heard someone at the door. He saw one of the pack bitches holding Elena by the shoulder to prevent her from entering the room.
“I tried to stop her Alpha, but she wouldn’t settle until she saw him.”
“Papa…Papa, Daddy is back?”
Armand went to the door to the master suite. “He’s hurt and in bed, sweetie. He doesn’t look so good but the doctor says he’s going to get better.”
“Can I see?”
“You can’t touch him but you can say hello and tell him you love him.” Armand picked her up and carried her over to the bed. Sean’s eyes were open.
“Hi sweetie,” he croaked.
“Daddy, I love you. Papa loves you too.”
Tears ran down Armand’s cheeks. “Nothing matters but you. I swear to the gods they’ll pay for this.”
“Don’t get hurt,” Sean croaked. “I got home. Don’t start something, please don’t get hurt.”
* * * *
The council arrived slowly. Armand sent a limousine to the airport to pick them up. The challenge was set for the morning. Tonight they stayed in his guesthouses but Armand looked and La Farge was nowhere to be seen. Rumor was he stayed in town.
Sean spent a restless night beside Armand. He cried out in his sleep several times and Armand needed to calm him by touching his arm and hand. The Alpha was burning with the desire for revenge.
At daylight he got word that his Enforcers picked up Dimitri in a rental car on his way to the airport. It took four of them to get him back to the compound. Rene threw him into another of the she
ds near where they kept Bernard. The heat began to pour down on the metal roofs. Although it was November, it must have been ninety degrees in the sheds. They received water but nothing else.
The council assembled in the pack meeting room. La Farge arrived from wherever he stayed the night and there was standing room only. Since there was a challenge between Alphas La Marche and La Farge, Thierry took charge of the meeting.
They brought Bernard before the council. Thierry spoke, “Bernard, you have injuries. Have you been coerced in any way to alter your testimony today?”
“No Alpha, I was beaten by the Beta for information to find the Alpha Mate. He was in extreme danger and they thought I knew where La Farge and Dimitri took him. I didn’t know. As soon as it was ascertained that I didn’t know, they stopped.”
“How are you involved in this?”
“I have gambling debts. I attempted to gain funds by offering my niece for sale to a mated pair. The Alpha Mate was incensed and took the child to be raised by the Alpha Mate and the Alpha. The Alpha called a meeting and exiled me for six months to get help for my problem. Before I left Adele gave birth.”
“How does your mate’s whelping relate to these proceedings?” Alpha Giraud asked.
“Alpha, I got what I deserved. The Alpha Mate helped my wife during childbirth. We had twins, one boy, one girl. Twins haven’t been born into this pack for over a hundred years, yet Adele, despite initial complications, bore two healthy pups without losing her life.
“I went to Colorado and was approached by La Farge and Dimitri Petrovich. They asked me to use my connection with my niece to kidnap the Alpha Mate. Adele kept me abreast of their whereabouts and the day the Alpha Mate went to the children’s museum without sufficient security, we struck.”
“Continue,” Alpha Clavier said.
“I had Adele lure the Alpha Mate into the restroom in the museum. I conspired with Dimitri and Alpha La Farge to kidnap the Alpha Mate and sequester him so that Alpha La Marche would be at a disadvantage in a challenge.”