Midnight Rescue Operation

LUCIAN

One minute to midnight and I stare at my watch, counting down the seconds. Kia is, of course, by my side and at the ready. Charlotte joined us, partly out of respect for her queen and friend, partly because it will be easier for Kia to control himself if they are near each other.

My mind reels at the thought of how Liana must be feeling right now. I don’t even know how far away she is from me. The pain she must be in… My heart twists at the thought.

My watch beeps.

~“It’s time,”~ I link Kia, who nods sternly. ~“Warriors!”~ I feel them stand to attention. ~“Find your queen! Rip the whole pack apart!”~

I feel them moving around me as they begin to close in. I stretch my muscles and allow myself to shift fully.

~“I’m coming, baby,”~ I push out in hopes it finds her.

***

We search for hours. My guards tear the pack house apart, combing through every nook and cranny, but to no avail. I hate seeing the pups standing outside, waiting for us to finish ransacking their home.

I let out an earth-shaking howl, my insides burning like lava.

I need her.

She ~has~ to be here!

I look to the forest on my right, feeling complete and utter despair, but frown as I see a thin, graying wolf peeping at me from behind a tree. With a sniff at the air, I can tell she’s female but far too old to experience a heat, so she remains unaffected by the fast approaching full moon.

She jerks her head slightly, and I look around me for any sign she is not gesturing to me—but I am alone.

I grunt out a breath and walk toward the tree line with caution.

***

Entering the forest, I look around and sniff at the air. I can smell she’s here. A soft rustle at my left catches my attention and I spin around. An elderly woman, half hidden behind a tree, gestures to me again.

I shift into my human form and stalk closer.

“I know where she is,” the old one croaks. I growl, ready to crack the information from her, but she holds up a hand to stop me. “There is no need for that. I will tell you everything, but you must promise me one thing, Your Majesty.” Her elderly voice is slightly gravelly and I frown a little but nod.

She coughs and splutters, falling forward slightly, and I catch her, holding her upright as delicately as I can. The poor woman is all bones.

“Do not kill my grandson.”

I look at her, confused, and she raises a brow. “Zeke…”

Rage flares in me, but as I look at the woman, so near her deathbed, something in me softens. I will do whatever it takes to find my mate, even if it means sparing Zeke for this woman.

“Fine.”

“In the woods to the east—backing the alpha’s mansion and hidden behind thick evergreen brush—there’s an emergency refuge cabin for the alpha family. Alpha Zayne has locked them in there. Together.”

I straighten up and prepare to charge eastward, but she calls after me, “You cannot break in! You must have the code.”

“And I can guess who has said code,” I growl, and she nods weakly. “Thank you, old one.”

She risked a lot, telling me this.

“Please protect my grandson. He loves the girl, always has. He never wanted to force her… He’s all I have left, Your Majesty.”

I nod solemnly, trying to get a grip on my wolf’s rage. I need a clear head, now more than ever. “~Kia!~” I call through the link.

~“Yes, sir.”~

~“Come to me and help this woman. I am going for the alpha.”~

~“Of course, sir.”~

I wait until Kia arrives. He shifts quickly, looking curiously at the elderly woman.

“Keep her safe. She is granted refuge at the palace, should she want it. Call the warriors back. I know where Liana is.”

Kia nods, and the old woman takes a knee in gratitude, nearly falling over in the process.

Kia and I help her to her feet. With a curt nod to him, I shift quickly before tearing off in the direction of the alpha’s house.

~I’m coming for you, Alpha Zayne.~

***

Without pausing to knock, I storm through the front doors, taking them clean off the hinges with such force that they soar freely down the corridor.

I roar through the entry hall and smell at once that he’s in the living area. Storming in, I grab the alpha by his throat and pin him to the wall.

“The code!”

“I have no idea what you’re—”

“Cut the shit! I will peel your skin from your fucking body, all the while keeping you alive so you can see your own pelt!” He has the fucking audacity to smile at me. Okay then, we’ll take it to the next level.

Launching forward, I sink my teeth into his neck and rip out a chunk of his jugular, letting him drop to the floor grasping his throat.

“The code!” I snarl, and he cowers weakly. His eyes are still hard and full of hate.

“Four…seven…zero…two.”

I look into his eyes but can’t trust he isn’t lying. If I kill him now, I will never get into that safe house. Grabbing him by the scruff, I drag him out of the house behind me.

“What are you doing?!”

“You think I’m going to just take your word for it, ~Alpha~?” I scoff disgustedly.

***

I march through the woods, dragging the alpha behind me. The old woman had better be right about where to find the hideout.

Just as I’m about to lose hope, a foreign object among all the greenery catches my eye. A small corner of what appears to be a concrete wall peeks out from behind a bush. My heart thunders as I drag Zayne through the undergrowth, not caring in the slightest about how much he’s bleeding out. We navigate the bushes and brambles until we’re standing in front of a small building. Alpha Zayne’s hideout looks completely self-sustaining, with solar panels on its roof and a water tank half hidden by bushes. The hut is windowless and built of ridiculously thick concrete.

I rush toward the steel door and slide the plastic cover off the keypad. I grimace and type in the code frantically. The door bleeps, and I hear the lock disengage. A flood of relief flows through me at the sound.

“I wasn’t lying. Now let me go.” His voice is weak but full of malice.

“Nice try, Alpha. The one thing that was keeping you alive was this code. Your services are no longer needed. Goodbye, Alpha.” I don’t think or wait for a response before I snap his neck like a twig and drop his lifeless body to the ground.

I shove open the door, and my nose is instantly filled with the scent of blood.

My heart hammers against my ribs, and the air is sucked from my lungs.

“Liana!” I roar and shove my way through the hut toward the blood scent.

The sight is horrifying.

Zeke has my mate pulled onto his lap, his arms cradling her body as he rocks her slowly. His glowing, amber eyes glare at me, and he snarls protectively. I can sense his beast is near the surface, and I have to force myself to tread with caution.

I lower myself and hold open my hands to show I’m no threat. Even though I want to wrench Liana from his arms and kill him instantly… I made a promise to keep him alive.

“Zeke… let me have my mate.”

His wolf whines as the tears stream down his face. He barely seems to notice me, now. He is looking down at Liana, who is getting paler by the second.

“Please. She needs me… ~I~ need her! She’s dying!” I demand a little harder. My wolf comes through and whines in pain, feeling his mate slipping from life. “Please…” I beg, my own tears flowing down my cheeks as I look at my poor, beautiful mate.

He releases his hold slightly, giving me my opening to reach for her, and I quickly shuffle closer, pulling her into my arms and lap. Her pulse is weakening.

“Baby… I’m here. I’ve come for you.”

Zeke moves closer to her again, sobbing quietly to himself.

“Please, baby. Wake up. I can’t lose you.” I’m begging her now.

~“Son.”~

I look up to the corner of the room where my mother has appeared.

~“Your venom, my love. Use it.”~

Zeke seems oblivious to her presence, but I don’t even hesitate before doing as my mother suggested. Gently, I tilt Liana’s head to the side and sink my teeth into her neck, pouring my venom into her.

“Come on, baby.”

I pick up her wrist and bite there too, then her upper arm, then her chest and the other side of her neck.

Zeke watches carefully, holding her hand in his.

Minutes of silence tick by in agony as we both watch, praying silently, until her body jerks like she was shocked with paddles, and she sucks in a deep breath.

Zeke and I both choke on our sighs of relief as we listen to her pulse strengthen with her rising heartbeat.

“Oh Goddess, thank you!” I breathe out, and hold my mate close as we wait.