"Chapter 42" ✔️

The song I listened to while I was writing this chapter: "STAY by BLACKPINK"

Shoutout to all my fellow BLINKS. I hope we get another comeback soon. Hey YG, you better be listening. Hehe.

Also, Happy New Year y'all. Another decade hopefully full of happiness, love, positive changes, growing up, and opportunities for everybody.

Connor's POV

"Where the f*ck are we going, Winter?" I asked the guy agitatedly as we walked through halls after halls while taking down every hunter or rogue that comes our way.

He turned to me with a glare. "Will you be quiet! I'm trying to concentrate here." He whisper-yelled at me.

"We've been walking around this god-forsaken building for almost ten minutes with still not a single trace of Ash. Are you sure you know where you're going?" I asked irritatedly once again.

Winter turned to face me. "Well forgive me for not remembering every single hallway and corridor, Connor. It's not like I wasn't locked up when I was here." He snapped at me with his voiced coated with pure sass.

Before he could turn back to start walking, Trevor shot down another hunter holding a crossbow.

"Just let him do his thing, Connor." Trevor intervened, sending me a hard gaze.

Winter then started walking once again. And like usual, Trevor, two other warrior wolves, and I followed behind him. Once we came across another set of stairs, Winter turned to look at us.

"I think this is the right one heading to that room Ash and I used to be locked up in." He said.

I quirked an eyebrow. "You think?"

He just rolled his eyes and began ascending the stairs with Trevor next to him. Once we made it on top and into another hallway, Trevor and I made sure it was clear.

After shooting two hunters, we continued on with the mission. The silencer we equipped our guns doing its purpose. We can't afford to have more of these little f*ckers know we're here.

"Just at the end of this hallway," Winter said lowly as Trevor walked ahead of us with him following behind.

Stopping in front of a door, I looked at Winter with a questioning gaze.

"Is this it?" I asked in which he nodded.

"Yeah." He breathed out as he stared at the door, as if remembering his past experience. "This is it."

I turned to Trevor and the other warrior wolves and nodded. With that, I pulled Winter back as I went to kick the hinges as hard as I can, causing the door to fly open along with some tiny fragments of it.

Once we were inside, we were greeted with an empty room, making me frown. Winter then appeared next to me with the same frown I was wearing.

"He's not here." He said devastatingly as he stated the obvious.

"You're hundred percent sure this is the right room?" I asked once again, in which he nodded in confirmation.

"Yes. That was the bed Ash used to occupy. And that one near the window is mine." He said pointing at each bed. "Even the chains are still there." He added as he stared at a chain laying on the floor.

"Then where is he?" I questioned while looking around the room.

"Arnold, check the bathroom," Trevor ordered a warrior who quickly complied.

He then turned to Winter.

"Where do you think Azrael kept him other than this room?" He asked.

Winter looked up at him with his face full of hopelessness and fear. "I... I d-don't know." He stuttered out.

Arnold, Trevor's fellow warrior wolf stepped out of the bathroom. "It's empty." He said.

I fought hard not to let out a growl from frustration. I know it won't do anyone any good if I show them any sign of what I was feeling, especially to Winter. I may not know the guy that much, but one thing I'm pretty sure of is that he and Ash has grown a close bond together while they were kept imprisoned here. He may not say anything about it, but I know he's scared and is worried sick for his friend. His eyes gave it all away.

"What do you want us to do now?" Trevor asked the now panic-stricken Winter.

He turned to meet Trevor's gaze before he lowered his eyes to the ground. Not answering the question directed towards him.

"Winter. We have to move soon. We're running out of time." I spoke, in hopes of snapping him out of his trance.

He didn't utter anything again. I turned to look at Trevor who only shook his head, also not knowing what to do nor what was happening.

"Winter?" I called as I stepped closer to him.

"Just... Just give me a second. I'm trying to think." He spoke with a small frown on his face.

I placed a comforting hand on his slightly shaking shoulder. My palms immediately felt how tense and stressed out he was.

"Guys we have to move soon before the cameras come back on again. " Trevor said as he stood close to the door, looking around for any threat.

And just like that, I felt like I saw a light bulb turn on at the top of Winter's head.

"That's it." He said before scrambling his hand inside his little backpack.

"What?" I asked, looking at him a bit confused.

He turned to all of us. "I'm gonna need all of you guys to stay out of the camera's view. I'm gonna put it back on live." He said, causing a frown to appear on my face.

"What? Why would you do that?" I questioned him incredulously.

"Just trust me on this one. I have an idea." Was what he said.

I stared into his eyes to look for any lies, but found none. I sighed, giving his shoulder a little squeeze before I nodded.

Then I turned to the guys and began giving them instructions. And once everyone was finally out of the camera's line of sight, I turned to Winter once again and gave him the confirmation to proceed with turning the damn devices back on.

After the CCTVs are back on live, Winter then started scanning the mansion with it using his phone.

"Mind telling us what is it you're looking for?" I asked him as he busily stared at his mobile.

He casually glance at me before going back to his phone screen. "I was thinking if Ash is locked up somewhere else inside the mansion, I'm guessing that specific room is well guarded." He said, making me hum understandingly.

"So you're saying you're looking for a room guarded by hunters?" I asked for clarification.

Winter only nodded. "Speaking of." He said as he showed me his screen. There on the display is a door being guarded by Hunters. And what caught my attention is an individual that was banging on the door as he tries to get it open. He was turning the knob a bit forcefully.

I turned to Winter. "You think that's the right room?"

He bit his bottom lip. "I just had this feeling he's in there."

I turned back to the phone screen and examined it. "Where is this at?"

"Just a floor above us." He answered.

"Then let's go," I told him. "Disable the cameras again so we can go. We're wasting precious time here."

Winter nodded at me with a small smile before he turned to his mobile phone's screen. He stared at it for a second with wide shocked eyes.

I frowned upon seeing his reaction. I stepped closer towards him to ask if everything's okay.

"What's going on?" I asked as I stood in front of him.

Winter once again turned the display screen of his mobile towards me. And after seeing what got him wide-eyed, I couldn't help the frown to form on my face.

"What the hell is happening?" Trevor asked this time.

Winter turned to the guy. "The door I just mentioned is now broken open." He said, making the buff guy look at him in confusion before he showed him what he meant through his phone screen. "And the hunters that stood guard outside are dead. All four of them."

Those hunters weren't given mercy with how brutally and inhumane they were killed. It was like whoever did it was simply out for blood and nothing else. Body parts were scattered everywhere, just like how the blood has stained every nook and cranny of that area. If a faint-hearted person were to look at it, I'm sure they'd puke their stomach out with how gross it was. Whoever did it was a pure cold-blooded killer.

"Who the f*ck did that?" Trevor asked as he kept his gaze on the screen.

"I don't know," Winter responded back.

"Let's not think about that for now," I said. "What we have to worry about is Ash. Every second that passes means a second he's in more danger. Now let's move." I urged before I turned to Winter who only nodded, already understanding what I was about to ask him.

"Cameras going offline in three...two... one..." He counted down before giving us the go signal.

And with that, we're out of the room.

"Just follow this hallway, then up a set of stairs before we enter another hallway where the room is at," Winter said and we finally moved.

After taking down a couple more hunters and rogues, we made it at the bottom of the stairs. But before we could begin our ascend, Winter stopped us.

"Wait." He yelled, effectively halting us.

"What?" I asked as I turned to him questioningly.

He motioned his head towards the top of the stairs, which I turned to see what he was trying to mean. And there I saw the most beautiful wolf whose fur was covered in blood. But what caught my attention is the black spot shaped like a crescent moon on its right shoulder. It looked like it was glowing. And just by the way it stood at the top of the stairs basically screamed power. It was making my wolf submit to it, which was weird. I have Beta blood so I only submit to my Alpha and no one else. But this... This was a first.

"I'm guessing that's the wolf responsible for killing those hunters like a damn serial killer?" Trevor spoke.

"Well, by the looks of how it bathed in blood, I'm gonna say yes," Winter said as he gulped nervously.

"Connor, do you know this one?" Trevor asked, making me turn my gaze away from the marvelous wolf and towards the buff, tall guy.

"No, not really. But for some reason, my wolf is submitting to it." I admitted loud for all of them to hear.

"Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one," Winter spoke up, causing me to look at him.

"That's just weird because I feel the same way too," Trevor admitted as well.

Then we all turned to the wolf who didn't budge on top of the stairs. It just remained standing there watching us silently, as if studying us with its piercing bright ocean blue eyes.

"Hi, Connor." A voice suddenly echoed inside my mind. It was using Ash and I's link.

I frowned. The voice was someone I don't know of, yet somehow, I feel like I know who it clearly belongs to. It was confusing and it doesn't make any sense.

"I'm Ariah, Ashley's wolf." The voice finally introduced and I could feel my brain exploding.

What in the actual flying f*ck is going on?

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Ashley's POV

>I think you creeped him out.How? I didn't even do anything to scare him off.Well, uhm, you see, you talked to him using our mind link. And since he doesn't know you, that kinda, you know...Oh.Let's go to him so we'll get to clear things out, okay.But before we do that, I have a question.What?Why are they looking at us like that?Hey.I just ended those hunters' lives on a bad note and here you are telling me I looked more like a husky than a wolf? Huskies aren't even related to wild wolves.Alright drama Queen, you don't look like a husky.But seriously, why are they looking at us like that?I don't know. Just amazed, maybe?Ariah, we're covered in blood.Oh.They're indeed warrior wolves.Ha. Figured.I think it would be best if we shift to human form.Just imagine yourself gaining back full control and the shifting process should start.Well, uhm, I'm guessing we're naked.Why didn't you tell me we'd end up naked after we shift?Well, I thought it didn't really matter since they could see our penis dangling out while in wolf form already.Ariah, that's a totally different case. They don't mind seeing animal genitals.Oh. My bad, then.The heck was that?No one talks to us like that and live to see another day, Ash.Ariah, please. Don't lash out like you did earlier. Spare them some mercy.Mercy? They attacked us earlier without any hesitation Ash, and they will do it again in a heartbeat. They're ordered to hurt us or even kill us and I can't let that happen. We're carrying our mate's child, Ash. Mercy's no longer an option the moment they almost hurt us. So now I'm not going to hold back. I'll kill every single one who even dares to hurt us again.I'm sorry if you had to see me like this, Ash. But just know that I'm only doing this for us.Ariah stop!It's dead, It's dead. It won't hurt us anymore.Ariah, please, that's enough.Please listen to me.Ariah!Please, Ariah, don't hurt them. They're our friends. They're here to rescue us, not to hurt us. Please, listen to me.What's going on with you?! Snap out of it right now.Stop! Please, stop.No.Enough! Ariah, that's enough.< I screamed as I pushed for control. But what I didn't expect was for him to actually stop.

He was frozen on his tracks, as he readied himself to attack Connor and the others. After I finally gained back control of myself, I shifted back to human form. Falling to the floor panting, I looked up to see dumbfounded looks on everyone's faces.

The first one to snap out of it was Connor who immediately went to cover me up. Next was Winter who knelt next to me with a worried look on his face.

"What was that about, Ash?" Connor asked as he helped me stand up.

I turned to face him. "I... I lost control of Ariah and he just went rabid."

"How did you gain back control then?" He questioned again.

I shook my head, not really certain how I actually did it.

"But for some reason, I can't feel him," I spoke. "I can't feel my wolf."

What the heck did I do?

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Author's Note:

Alrighty then. That is chapter forty-two for you all. I hope you like it.

Anyways, it looks like Ash has a lot of figuring out to do. He and his wolf may be one but they have different personalities. For all we know, they could be polar opposites.

Okay, I'm not going to make this long so yeah, don't forget to leave a like and I'll see you on to the next one.

Word Count: 4,566

Date Stamp: January 4, 2020

Love you all.

PurpleBunnyBear isss outtt...

Byyyeee!!!