by Brie Paisley
Right as I’m about to speak, Alrick walks in the room, like he owns the place. My anger surges, and I feel my eyes flash with the wolf within. He wants revenge as well, and I promise him that Alrick will pay for his crimes. Narrowing my gaze, as I notice Reid following right behind him, the wolf growls in my head, and I understand his anger. Reid was supposed to have my back no matter what, but he decided to break the one rule of being Beta.
“I see you’ve returned,” Alrick says, and I’m sure he’s pissed that I’ve done so.
Glancing to Reid, he quickly drops his gaze, knowing how wrong he was to follow behind a fucking Elder. “I have.” Taking in a calming breath, I state, “Considering that I was never Rogue to begin with, I think you and I need to work through some things.”
His jaw clenches, and I know how much he wishes I were dead. From the moment that I took on The Alpha role, he’s done everything he could to tear me down.
“That ends today,” Melena whispers in my mind, and I smirk, loving how she understands me.
“Tell me, Alrick,” I start, getting his full attention. “What was your plan exactly?” When he glances to Reid for help, I quickly fill in the blanks. “We all know that you could never be Alpha, so I assume you thought Reid would accept the role without any hesitation.”
I know I’m right, because Alrick doesn’t have Alpha blood, and he knows no one would follow him. However, Reid would’ve gained the packs approval, since it’s been done before. It’s how Reid’s father became Alpha, which makes me wonder, if Alrick is the reason that this has been done before.
“You’re not fit to lead us anymore,” he snaps, making my anger spike once more.
Curling my fingers into a fist, I slam it down onto the table, as I loudly state, “I am The Alpha, and you will obey me.” Standing up, I hold his gaze, as I claim, “For your crimes of treason, I sentence you to rot in a cell, until the end of time.”
His eyes widen, like he forgot there are worse things than death. “You can’t do this to me. I’m an Elder.”
“Yet, you’ve proven that you’re not fit for that role either. The role as Elder is to guide and offer advice, and not to dictate or manipulate the pack. You’ve forgotten how to do your job, and since I can’t trust you, this is the only way to move forward.”
Glancing towards The Enforcers, I order, “Take him away.”
As they move towards Alrick, he shouts, “This is a mistake. You’re making a grave mistake!”
Waving my hand at his nonsense, I claim, “Be glad I’m not taking your fucking head.”
Sitting back down, I let out a heavy sigh, when Alrick doesn’t go easily. I knew he wouldn’t, because that’s not who he is. However, he’s no match for The Enforcers, and they easily overpower him. Once he’s out of the room, I know that problem is taken care of, for now at least.
Turning my gaze towards Reid, I beckon him to approach. He does so, and as he sits down, I regard him closely, wondering where I went wrong. Reid and I grew up together, and he’s always had my back no matter what. When Luna arrived, I thought he was on board with all of the changes I set in motion. Somewhere along the way, he lost sight not only with his role of Beta, but as a member of this pack.
As he meets my eyes, I think long and hard about his punishment. I don’t want him locked away, since he’s a good fighter, and we’ll need him to fight in this war. However, I can’t just let him go without reprimand.
Knowing what I need to do, I lean on my mate for strength. She willingly gives me what I need the most, and with her help, I state, “Your role as Beta is no more.”
He frowns deeply, as he asks, “This is your punishment?”
I nod once, and then say, “As much as I wish I could lock you away with Alrick, I also realize that we’ll need you to fight. Be grateful that you still have a place in the pack.”
“But not as your Beta,” he utters, like he’s trying to take it all in.
“I have no other choice, Reid. What you’ve done, it can’t be forgiven, and it also can’t go without some sort of consequence. If I don’t take away your position in the pack, they’ll never follow me. Not to mention, they won’t trust you now. They need to see their leader lead them in the right direction, no matter how much it pains me to do so.”
Shaking my head, I claim, “I don’t know what happened to you, but I need you to pull yourself together for what’s coming.” Feeling Melena’s apprehension, I add, “This is your chance to prove to the pack that you’re on our side.” Taking in a deep breath, I let it go, and then roughly state, “This is your one and only second chance, Reid, so don’t fuck it up.”
For a moment, he sits still, as if he’s taking in what I’ve decreed. I’m sure he realizes that there’s no changing my mind, because he knows that I’m right. So, it doesn’t shock me at all, when he slowly gets up, and then quietly leaves the room.
Honestly, there’s nothing he could say to make me change my mind, or my decision anyway. I just hate how he gave me no other choice.
Melena
Feeling my mate’s guilt, I cup his cheek, guiding him to look up at me. Once his green gaze meets mine, I claim, “You did the right thing for him and the pack.”
His jaw clenches tightly, and I know he doesn’t fully believe me. In a way, he feels like he’s responsible for the actions Reid has taken, even though, he had nothing to do with it. Sure, they thought he was Rogue, because he and his wolf were at odds, but then again, no one could’ve predicted that would happen, when Malik asked for that potion.
“None of this is on you, Malik,” I state firmly.
As he lets out a deep sigh, he slowly nods, and then says, “I need a new Beta now.”
“Well.” I start, and then move to sit in his lap, “Who else is qualified to fill the spot?”
“A few come to mind,” he utters, as he begins to play with my hair. “I trust Evan and Thrasher.” With my frown, he adds, “They’re Betas to our sister packs. It makes sense to ask one of them to fill the role, until I find a way to trust Reid again. Although, Ryker is a good candidate, too.”
“What about Alrick?”
“He stays locked in that damn cell,” he angrily claims.
Sensing the rage from him, I do my best to comfort him. I completely understand his need to keep Alrick locked away, and how much he wishes he could kill him. However, Alrick is the last original wolf, which means he can’t just be killed on a whim. He’s too special to just toss away, and I fear he’ll be an even bigger problem down the road.
“He’s going to keep defying me,” Malik utters to himself, and I run my hand through his hair, as I think through what I want to say.
For a long while, we sit in silence, and I know how much my mate needs a moment to think as well. Letting out a sigh, I ask, “What happened to him to make him turn into what he is now?”
“I wish I knew,” he says, and then leans back in the chair. “The Dark Ages were supposedly a horrible time, but yet, no one really knows what happened. It’s all on speculation, and Alrick refuses to talk about it.”
I know very little about that time, just like everyone else, but I have a feeling Alrick is connected to it more than people realize. I’ve only heard rumors about what happened, and I can see why Alrick would hate witches so much. It’s said that a witch became power hungry, and her thirst for it almost destroyed the entire world. Honestly, it all sounds a bit too familiar, and I sense that Malik feels the same way.
Right as I’m about to offer him more comfort, Luna and Ryker walk inside of the room. Her worried gaze makes my stomach drop, and I know Malik senses it, too. He holds me tighter, as Luna says, “I’ve had a vision, and we need to move against The Facility, as soon as possible.”
Ryker stands close to his mate, as if he needs to be there for her, as Malik asks, “What did you see?”
“Something has changed, and I know The Facility has something to do with it.” She sighs deeply, and then runs a hand through her hair, as she adds,
“I think they’ve figured out how to control us.”
“You’re sure?” Malik asks, and I’m wondering the same thing.
“I’m positive. It’s the only thing that makes sense to what I saw.” As she glances to her mate for a moment, I turn my gaze away, as they share a private moment.
It makes me wonder, if their connection is like the one Malik and I share, or if it’s unique in its own way. I’m not sure why I can speak to my mate, using telepathy and others can’t, but then again, I know every mating bond is different.
“I saw Serina,” Luna utters, and I quickly snap my gaze up.
“Serina? The siphon?” I ask, because if it’s the same witch that I’m thinking about, then we have an even bigger problem.
“Do you know who she is?”
“Everyone knows that witch, and how dangerous she is,” I state, because it’s the truth. It’s surprising that I remember her, considering my memory wipe, but that name is one that I’ll never forget.
I heard all about her killing one of The Ancients, when they tried to help her. It’s something that was told throughout the covens to prepare them against Serina and her power.
“What does she have to do with The Facility?” Malik asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
Luna lets out a heavy sigh, and then says, “She was fighting alongside the darkness that’s coming. She was using her siphon power to render everyone powerless. Somehow, she’s gotten even stronger, and I know that if we don’t find her soon, they’ll use her against us.”
“Do you know her location?”
Luna shakes her head, as she claims, “I’m sorry, Malik. I only know that she’s being held at another Facility somewhere else.”
“We could find the other locations, if we take down The Facility that I was held at,” I say to my mate.
“They must have records or something that left a trace,” he offers, and I nod in agreement.
“There’s one other thing you should know,” Luna interrupts, and the look on her face, makes my heart begin to race. As she gazes at Malik, I frown, realizing that this news is for him and him alone.
“Bryn is there with her.”
As I close my eyes, Malik’s rage spikes to new heights that I never thought possible. His wolf is howling in his head, as he tries to work through the news of his twin. All this time, The Facility did have her, but we never knew for sure, until now. I know that Malik had hopes that she was alright, and that she was just trying to find her own place outside of the pack.
It seems The Facility is always two steps ahead of us.
“Thank you, Luna,” Malik utters in a rough voice, and then, he turns towards a few Enforcers, standing on the other side of the room. “Gather the others. Tonight, we plan to take them all down.”
As they leave to find the others, I caress Malik’s cheek, as I claim, “We’ll find her.”
“I just hope we’re not too late,” he says somberly, and I sense his need to find her, as soon as possible.
It’s almost overwhelming, but I find a way to comfort us both. He needs it more than I do, so I make sure to send a wave of it through our bond. The wolf instantly calms, as the man slowly follows. I wish there was more that I could do, but for now, this will have to do.
At least, until we can destroy The Facility, and everything that they stand for.
Standing beside Malik, he and I look at the blue prints of The Facility that I was held at. The Enforcers, Sameria, Luna, Ryker, and even Reid stand on the other side, as they offer a plan to get inside. There’s even a map of the forest surrounding the building, which will come in handy. I have Sameria to thank for offering me the spell to use to conjure exact replicas of The Facility’s whereabouts, and since I was on the inside, I was able to get them the blue prints, while using magic to bring them into the physical world.
Our main concern is the enemies fail safe protocol that I told them about. I remember all too clearly what happened a few times, when someone either tried to escape, or they got out of hand. The Facility has a built-in defense system that renders everyone unconscious. I think it’s a gas of some sort, but it does the trick every time. If we were to go in, they could activate the gas, and then, that would mean we all would become their new lab rats.
Obviously, that defeats the purpose of a rescue, so we need to find a new way inside.
“I could go in undercover again,” Malik offers.
“Wouldn’t they question where you were?” Ryker asks, and he makes a good point.
“They could,” Malik starts, and then, he stops, as he gazes down at the blue prints. “If they do, then I’ll stick to the truth as much as I can. That way it’ll seem legit.” The Enforcers nod, seeming to like his answer. “I want teams of three here, here, and here,” he states, as he points to various areas on the map that we’ve lined up with The Facility.
“Nick, I want you and one other to get us transportation, so that we can take everyone with us, when we destroy the building.”
When Nick doesn’t answer, I turn my gaze towards him, and then frown, once I notice he’s not even paying attention. His gaze is turned to the side, like he’s staring at something that’s caught his curiosity. I’ve noticed he does this a lot, but I’m not sure what to think of it. There’s obviously nothing there, so why does he keep staring off in the distance?
“Nick, are you here with us?” I ask softly, as I lay a hand on his shoulder.
His gaze instantly meets mine, and then, he nods, as he states, “Yeah, I’m good.” He lets out a heavy sigh, and then asks, “Will two school buses work? I’m thinking it’ll be enough room for everyone.”
My mate frowns, as he stares at Nick for a long while. Using our bond, I sense his worry about him, and it matches my own. However, we need Nick, and since he has experience in the medical field, he’ll be very useful.
There’s no telling what kind of shape they’ll be in, after being experimented on, so being prepared is necessary.
“That’s a good idea. Make it happen.”
Malik has a good and solid plan about what to do, once everyone on the inside is out. However, I realize he still hasn’t told me how we’re actually going to get inside, once he’s there. “Malik, how are you going to get through security to shut down the safety protocol?”
When he glances at me, at first, I frown, because I don’t understand what I’m sensing. It’s like he’s shutting me out, which is strange, since he’s never done that before. Not to mention, I didn’t know that was even possible.
“Don’t worry, regina meis. Once I get inside, I’ll get it shut down, so that everyone else can breech the building.”
Nodding, I push down my apprehension, because I trust Malik. As he continues to go over the plan, I watch him in his element. I’m not sure why he ever doubted his abilities to lead, because it’s clear he knows what he’s doing. Malik is willing to put himself in danger just to get back inside, and even though I don’t like him going in alone, I’ll stand behind him.
If anything goes wrong, The Facility will have me to deal with.
“Melena, I want you to stay by Axel and Jace, until I call for you.” Glancing towards the two wolves, they each nod, seeming to accept their Alpha’s order. However, no matter how much I try, I know something about this plan is off. “Melena, do you hear me?”
Grabbing his arm, I pull him off to the side, as I ask, “Are you sure about this? Something doesn’t feel right.” No matter how hard I try, I can’t just accept him going alone into the lion’s den. It feels wrong, but I don’t understand why.
He has to know that I’ll do whatever I have to in order to keep him alive. Is that why he’s leaving me behind? Does he think that I’m a loose cannon?
As he caresses my cheek tenderly and lovingly, he states, “This is the only way, regina meis. Trust me, okay?”
“I do trust you, Malik,” I utter, but I can’t seem to say what I really want, too. The sense that he’s hiding something from me is almost overwhe
lming, but I tell myself it’s only because I’m worried about what might happen to him.
My greatest fear is that he’ll be captured, and there won’t be a way for me to save him from the horrors inside of The Facility. If anything happens to him … I won’t survive it.
Pacing around our room, I go over the plans Malik made earlier tonight. After we finished, he claimed he needed to go for a run, so I let him go, knowing that his wolf needs it, too.
The whole time that he’s been gone, I’ve been thinking over why I feel so much concern about him going in alone. I still can’t figure out, if I’m so worried, because I won’t be with him, or the fact that he’s clearly hiding something from me. It’s just a sense that I have, and I just know this plan isn’t going to go over without a hitch.
I feel him now, but he’s still blocking me. While I can sense him and his moods, it’s not as open like before. The moment I reach out to him, he sends a rush of love and devotion back, and it does settle my nerves some.
Shaking my head, I decide not to let it bother me anymore. It could be that he’s just preparing for what lies ahead of us tomorrow, and I know that he’d never keep something from me on purpose.
So, when he finally returns, I instantly go to him, needing to feel him against me.
He wastes no time devouring me, like I’m the only thing that can bring him life. When one of his hands slide up into my hair, he grips it tight, moving me just how he wants. Letting out a moan, as the other runs down my breast and then to my side, I sense just how badly he needs to mark me.
Who knows what’ll happen tomorrow, so I’m going to soak up everything that I can.
Just as I cast a protection spell around us, to avoid any mishaps, Malik begins to kiss down my neck. At the same time, he rips my shirt off, and then, my pants quickly follow. I smirk, because he didn’t even give me a chance to use my magic, like I usually do, but I sense how desperate he’s becoming to take me.