by Sydney Addae
From the trampled greenery around the entrance to the old mine, Ethan surmised the rebels came this way. A musty, cloying odor, most likely from the lack of light, air movement and warmth filled the area. Stooping to one knee, Ethan examined the ground, scooped a handful of soil and sniffed.
Full-bloods. How far they traveled down the old mine shaft he didn’t know. “Alpha?”
“Ethan.”
“I’ve tracked what smells like three, possibly four, rebels to an abandoned mine shaft. Their scents in the air are light, they may be wearing dampeners. But the earth never lies, they are in here somewhere. Callum is with me and I’d like permission to proceed into the mine to search for the rebels.”
There was a brief span of silence. “Permission granted. La Patron is not at the compound, however, Cameron is in residence. I’ve alerted him of your presence and the possibility of pursuing rebels on his pack grounds. If you need anything, his KnightForce agents are in the state, only one’s nearby though. Can’t recall his name but Cameron said he’d come if needed.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Ethan stood while wondering which of Alpha Cameron’s KnightForce agents was in the area, Edwin or Vicente. He hadn’t seen either since training, both were capable guys, it’d be good to see them again.
“If possible, bring them in alive. I’d like to interview at least one of them.”
“Yes, Sir.” Ethan realized the job had just become much harder.
“Only if it’s possible, don’t … well you know what to do.” Alpha Jayden paused. “I talked to Callum earlier, he’s upset. Claims I’m intruding in his life, and this female he’s taken with is angry with him for disappearing.”
Ethan glanced at Callum, who’d come to stand next to him. “Yes, Sir. I understand. Shall we proceed into the mine, Sir?”
“Yes. Yes, of course. Didn’t mean to ramble, just a little perplexed with his behavior. Stay open and contact me once you find them.”
Pups.
Ethan shook off Alpha Jayden’s comments and eased forward, pulling on his wolf’s advanced sensory abilities. The sound of their footsteps magnified on the gravelly path. In the distance he sensed heartbeats, then a low buzz of conversation. Looking over his shoulder, he tried to determine the direction, and pulled Callum close to him against the wall.
In the dank, dark mineshaft he waited for another sound, distinctive scents, or something to guide them toward their quarry. His wolf strained to be unleashed. To hunt. Ethan held his palm up to Callum and flowed into his beast. Free and eager, he moved slowly on all fours into the inner caverns. After a few minutes he turned from one path and trotted in another direction. He came to a dead end again and sat on his haunches staring at the wall for a few seconds. He shifted to his hybrid, placed long, clawed fingertips against the wall and pushed.
Nothing.
Focused on his beast, he pulled additional energy as he mentally rededicated his life to the service of the Goddess, La Patron and Alpha Jayden. Then he pushed again. The rock creaked. Dim rays of light seeped through the jagged edge. Inhaling deeply, he rotated his shoulders, and then pushed again, harder this time. Callum stood next to him, adding his strength against the wall.
Crumbling rocks fell on their heads and shoulders but they continued pushing until the rock formation slid backward as if on a pulley. Ethan took several deep breaths as the scent of pack assaulted his nostrils. They were somewhere in the mine. He shifted to his wolf, his gaze pierced the darkness beyond. Taking two steps forward, he stopped just inside. He stood on one side of the mine, between him and the other side was a gaping hole that appeared to go a great distance into the earth, which would explain the wall covering this entrance.
He smelled the ground. The rebels hadn’t walked this way. Humans, yes, but the scent was old, weak. Returning to the main area he sensed activity.
“I smell them,” Callum said, pointing to the opening.
Ethan morphed to human. “Me too. We can’t reach them this way; we need to find how they got in.” Ethan looked in both directions thinking of the rebel scents and voices which had gone silent. They’d come through the mine entrance and disappeared. Where had they gone?
Callum turned, and jogged back the way they’d come. Ethan followed, but at a slower pace searching for clues.
“What are you doing here?” a male voice said.
Ethan moved quickly toward Callum and the voices.
“He’s not alone.”
Ethan turned the corner as four full-bloods piled on top of Callum. He morphed to his hybrid and joined the battle. With a wicked swipe of his claws he skewered the male on top, slammed him high into the ceiling of the mine, crushing his head with one blow. He picked the next one up in the same manner, and kicked a third so hard, he heard the echo of breaking bones. Callum and the lone attacker fought while Ethan returned to human and checked the pockets of the deceased rebels. In the distance he sensed full-bloods headed toward them. Unsure if they were rebels or pack, he stuffed their cell-phones, wallets, and leather bracelets into a pouch and placed it beneath several rocks in preparation to shift.
Callum stood slowly, weaved a bit, and then walked away from the bloodied teen lying on the ground moaning.
“Heads up, company’s coming,” Ethan told him as he moved toward the front to intercept whoever entered the mine. Three rebel full-bloods walked in. One immediately flowed into his hybrid while the other two tried to circle Ethan. He grabbed the one on his right, pulled him to the ground as he ducked the rebel hybrid’s kick. Morphing into his hybrid, he twisted the head of the rebel, tossed him to the ground and snatched the other rebel who’d leapt on his back.
The rebel hybrid yelled and charged.
Ethan threw the rebel in his hand into the hybrid’s face. The force knocked the wind from both rebels as they fell backward and hit the ground hard. Screaming curses, the hybrid pushed the non-moving rebel from his chest and stood slowly, his dark gaze watched Ethan carefully.
Alpha Jayden wanted to interview one of the rebels, perhaps the one Callum fought, if he were still alive. In Ethan’s mind, all rebels needed to either pledge fealty to La Patron and the Pack Alpha, or be terminated. This one he planned to terminate.
The rebel hybrid charged. His eyes glowed in the dark interior. His muscles bunched as long claws swung in a downward arc in a move which would have decapitated an untrained fighter.
Ethan waited a few seconds and then jumped backward, feeling the wind from the force of the thrust. The hybrid continued moving and had no defense against the powerful kick Ethan landed in the middle of his back, which sent him flying out of the mine into a large tree.
Ethan ran forward, jumped on the rebel’s back, grabbed him by the hair and pounded his face against the tree trunk. Bleeding and unmoving, Ethan took his head in his palm.
“Stop or I’ll shoot him. I swear I will,” someone yelled from behind him.
Caught up in the hunt, it took Ethan a moment to process the words. He glanced over his shoulder. Callum stood with his hands behind his back while the teen rebel held a gun to his head. Ethan’s wolf howled at the idea of not finishing the hunt.
“I will kill him. As you know his beast cannot regenerate from brain matter scattered all over the ground. Now let him go.”
“Are you alright?” Ethan asked Callum.
“Yeah, he sucker punched me. Sorry about this.”
“Do you think he’ll shoot?”
“I don’t want to risk it, do you?”
“Alpha wants to interview one of them, I was thinking that one.”
“Yeah? Okay, but after the gun isn’t placed against my skull.”
Ethan backed off the hybrid but continued to hold him by the head as he dragged him toward Callum and the young pup. “What’s your name?” he asked the rebel.
“Why? My name means nothing and don’t come any closer.” He pressed the gun into Callum’s head.
“Didn’t you learn how to disarm someone holding a gun on you in
training?” Ethan asked Callum.
“I want your name before I release him,” Ethan told the rebel.
“What you want don’t matter. Drop him or I drop him,” he tipped his head toward Callum.
“Not yet,” Callum said. “Tell me what to do.”
Ethan appreciated the confidence that had returned to Callum’s tone. The pup straightened, turned until he faced the rebel holding the gun, now in the middle of his forehead.
“What are you doing?” the teen asked, his voice rose an octave.
Callum slammed his foot on the teen’s foot and dropped to the ground. Ethan threw the hybrid into the teen, the gun went off. A red spot appeared on the chest of the hybrid. The gun dropped to the ground. Ethan grabbed the teen rebel and pulled him from beneath the hybrid.
“Can you take these off me?” Callum asked as he rolled out of range of the rebel’s kicks.
“Turn.”
Callum turned. Holding the rebel in one hand, Ethan slit the plastic tie with his claw. Later he’d hear the details on how Callum got in this predicament. For now, they had a rebel to process and take back to Alpha Jayden. Callum reached into the rebel’s pocket, pulled out a plastic tie, and with extra force, secured the teen’s hands.
“How does that feel?” Callum asked, leaning close to his face.
Ethan morphed to human and walked over to the rebel hybrid on the ground. By the time he reached the hybrid, he’d shifted into his beast to heal. Ethan picked up the gun placed it against the wolf’s head.
“No! Stop, please stop,” the teen yelled and tried to reach Ethan. Callum kept him away.
“For crimes you’ve committed against La Patron and Alpha Jayden you’ve been judged guilty.”
“He didn’t do anything; he was trying to protect me. Don’t kill him, he never hurt anyone,” the teen yelled.
The ring of truth in the pup’s voice stopped Ethan. He turned and looked at the teen. “Why was he trying to protect you?”
“Just don’t kill him please. He’s innocent, I’m guilty, kill me.”
“I intend to,” Ethan said. “Last time, what’s your name, tell the truth or he dies.”
“Thorne. Thorne Garcia,” he said the words as if they’d been dragged from him throat.
Ethan stared at the teen. “Alpha, I have a Thorne Garcia, do you know him?”
“The name sounds familiar. Hold on.”
Ethan stooped and watched the large brown wolf struggle for its next breath. If he survived the bullet wound then he’d live, otherwise, his life was forfeit saving his friend.
“What were you doing here?” Ethan asked without taking his gaze from the wolf.
“Meeting friends.”
“Last time, what were you doing here? Your friends attacked first, there had to be a reason.”
“We heard you were looking for us and came to stop you.”
Ethan grunted. “Just seven of you?”
“He’s never lost a fight before,” Thorne said, his voice pitiful as he looked at the wolf on the ground.
“Never came up against KnightForce before,” Callum said, proud. “La Patron trained them personally.”
Thorne’s face whitened, his body tensed and fear seeped from his pores. The pup was right to fear La Patron, Ethan thought.
“Ethan, Alpha Cameron and one of his KnightForce agents is on his way to meet you. I gave him your coordinates. Hold onto the rebel, do not let him slip away, they’ve been searching for him for a few years and will take custody.”
“Yes, Sir. He’s afraid of La Patron.” Ethan told Alpha Jayden of their conversation so far.
“As well he should. La Patron doesn’t take kindly to betrayals, especially where his mate is involved.”
“The pup knows La Patron personally?”
“Yes, he lived with them for a while. I knew his name sounded familiar and ran it by Jacques, who contacted Cameron.” Jayden paused. “The pup is his mate’s brother. He’s Alpha Cameron’s brother-in-law?”
The news staggered Ethan, he stood slowly and looked at Thorne. “Which means he’s related to Tyrone, La Patron’s other son. Oh shit.”
Chapter 9
News of Thorne’s capture shot through the mansion and interrupted Silas’ outing with Renee and Jackie at the Art Museum. Jasmine sensed his bristling anger over the delicate situation. No matter what, their family would be impacted. Jasmine hadn’t spoken to Rose or Tyrone, but could imagine what they were going through. After working as Silas’ assistant for a few months, Rose knew better than most how Silas would respond to what he’d called Thorne’s betrayal. Lilly would feel worse as the mate of an Alpha.
Silas decreed Thorne be held in the compound dungeon until he returned from vacation. The only visitors allowed were his sisters and their mates. No children.
Jasmine and Danielle remained behind so the boys could swim in the pool while Silas, Tyrese and Cain took the girls out. Watching the live feed of Thorne sitting alone in his cell on the large screen inside the media room, she tried hard not to feel sorry for the boy. How long had it been since she’d seen him? Almost three years. He’d run away again after she made him and some other teenage boys clean the gym. She released a long sigh. What was he thinking? How could he put his sisters through this? Leaning forward, she pressed the button to zoom closer for a better look.
He’d grown. Taller. Still thin but not bad. His dark hair looked as if it had been hacked off with a knife. Long, uneven strands brushed his shoulders. He sat on the chair in the cell with his head down, elbows on his knees, and arms hanging down. He lifted his head and looked toward the door.
Lilly and Cameron walked in the main area and were going through security.
Jasmine put on the headphones and turned up the volume. She told Silas what was going on.
“Cameron told me Lilly wanted to see him. Their children are upstairs with Rose and Rone. She doesn’t want to talk to him.”
“Rose?”
“Yes, she’s not interested in talking to him,” Silas repeated.
“Hmm. Do you want to listen in?”
“No. I’m on a date with my daughters. Pack business can wait”
Her heart squeezed. “Yes it can. Have fun, try not to buy too much.”
“Too late, Renee liked what she called a watercolor impression piece or something like that. The artist was standing nearby and offered to show us some of his work. Needless to say there were two that she just had to have. Seeing her eyes light up was worth the trip. A Knight will remain behind and bring it with him. We’re returning to the gallery now.”
Jasmine smiled. “Okay. The boys are with Danielle watching some kind of movie, while I take a nap. But I want to hear this. They just reached his cell, gotta go.” She disconnected and zoomed a little closer to be that proverbial fly on the wall.
“Thorne,” Lilly said, her voice choked as she looked him over.
Thorne stood slowly. Jasmine had been wrong. The boy was now a young man, much taller than his sister and wide across the chest, not as big as Cameron, but if he survived Silas’ wrath he might grow as large as her twins, Tyrese and Tyrone.
“Hi Lilly. I didn’t expect to see you.” He paused. “You look good. Healthy. Happy?”
“What happened to you? Why’d you join the rebels?” she whispered.
Jasmine leaned closer.
Thorne sighed and sat down. “Who said I joined the rebels?”
“You did,” she snapped. “When you talked to KnightForce.”
“Ah. Well, I would’ve said anything to save… my friend.”
“He’s here too, the doctors are working on him,” Lilly said.
Thorne’s brow rose. “Really? He’s not dead? I thought they killed him like the others.”
“No, not yet,” she said in a low tone.
Thorne chuckled. “Not yet? So they’re healing him to get answers? He won’t talk. He can’t.”
“We don’t need him to talk,” Cameron said in a hard voice.
<
br /> “Can’t break into his memory either, he’s been changed. You hit a dead end with him. He’ll be of little use to you.”
Cameron shrugged. “That’s La Patron’s decision, he’s ruling on this case.”
“I’m flattered.”
“What is wrong with you?” Lilly asked, her voice strained. “We searched everywhere for you. I lived in fear of receiving a message of your death. Don’t you realize how much I’ve missed you? Worried and cried over you? Couldn’t you have sent word that you were alive or something?”
“Yeah, that’s the least you should’ve done,” Jasmine said, watching Thorne’s face.
“No, I couldn’t.” He snapped.
Cameron growled.
Thorne waved it away. “If I could have, I would’ve. You should know that,” Thorne said without remorse. “Now your mind will be at rest because you’ll know my fate and my final resting place.” He paused. “Don’t cry for me, Lilly. I knew what I was doing and accepted the risks.”
Lilly turned and dropped her forehead onto Cameron’s chest. He held her close as she cried hard. Rubbing her back, Cameron stared at Thorne as if he’d gut him for causing Lilly pain.
“He’s right, Lil,” Cameron said after a few moments. “Don’t cry for him, he’s not worth it. Better the children never know of him than see this sad excuse of life for what he is.”
Thorne’s head whipped around “Children?”
Lilly nodded and turned in Cameron’s arms. “Seven. Rose has two. Twin boys.” She chuckled. “They’re a handful. But Cameron’s right, I won’t upset my children by bringing you into their lives. You made your choice to betray La Patron after he offered you sanctuary, fed, clothed and sheltered you. His mate defended you, took your side and you tossed that away. Now there’s no one to appeal your case.”
“I didn’t ask anyone to appeal my case to La Patron. He’ll do what he does.”
“Careful, watch your words,” Cameron said, pointing.
“I’m a dead man sitting here, what difference does it make what I say. But you’re right, I’ll save my comments for him. Before I die he’ll know what his people really think of how he’s merging the pack.”