Chapter 27
Casey
It was strange being back in Kisatchie National Forest. So much had changed in five years, but the forest remained the same. I still found it beautiful and peaceful despite knowing it harbored my kidnapped son. That wasn’t the forest’s fault, though.
Jules waited for us just off the road, stepping from behind the trees when Bastien parked the truck. He hadn’t changed much since I’d last seen him, his red hair standing out among the wolves he’d brought with him. More people had shown up than I expected. I thought we’d get two, maybe three. But I counted eight, Jules included. They even had two women with them. That was a pleasant surprise.
Jules greeted Bastien with a bear hug, thumping him on the back with a flat hand. When he released Bastien, he turned to me.
“Casey, it’s good to see you again,” he said. He must have seen my skepticism. The last time we’d interacted, he’d dodged my questions about Bastien. “I’m sorry for how I acted all those years ago.”
“You’re helping me rescue my son. That’s all that matters,” I said. I’d let go of my grudge against Bastien, and Jules’s behavior was nothing in comparison.
Jules smiled. “I’m sorry we’re seeing each other under such upsetting circumstances. Don’t worry, though. We’ll get your kid back.”
The other wolves nodded in agreement.
“Thank you,” I said, holding Jules’s gaze before extending my gratitude to the rest of the wolves. Apparently, there were good people in Bastien’s pack. After my experience five years ago, I’d doubted it.
“Is this everyone?” Bastien asked.
“There are more back at the commune. They stayed behind to keep an eye on things,” Jules explained. “I didn’t want to arouse suspicion by taking too many people with me.”
I was relieved. It was a smart move.
Bastien quickly introduced me to the seven other wolves, including Jules’s wife, Desiree, and one of the pack protectors, James. James’s wife, Diana, grinned as she waved. Just as we finished exchanging names, another car came up the road. We withdrew into the forest, staying still as it approached Bastien’s truck.
I held my breath.
“It’s okay,” Bastien said, straightening from his crouch. “It’s Oscar and Frankie.”
Bastien waved at them, and they parked.
A scar-riddled man with sandy blond hair got out of the driver’s seat. He would have looked intimidating if it weren’t for his gentle eyes. Unlike five years ago, I knew the scent of mountain lion now. This was Oscar. It was hard to believe he was one of the shifters who’d attacked me not far from where we stood.
Frankie was shorter than Oscar, but he had twice as many scars. His hair was brown, and there was a curve to his shoulders like he was used to hiding. But he met my eyes and nodded.
“Thanks for coming,” Bastien said, clasping hands with Oscar, then Frankie.
“Never thought I’d come back here,” Frankie said, looking around with equal parts awe and grief.
“I appreciate your support.” Bastien squeezed Frankie’s shoulder. If anyone could appreciate Frankie’s position, it was Bastien.
“Time to finish what your parents and I started all those years ago,” Frankie said with a decisive nod.
With everyone present, we walked deeper into the forest, putting the river at our backs so, as Bastien pointed out, no one could sneak up on us. I hadn’t seen much of Bastien in the role of leader, but he was a natural.
“We’ll discuss the plan to rescue Theo, our son, in a moment,” Bastien said, glancing at me. Our son. That felt right. “But first, there are some things everyone here needs to know.”
I held my breath, unsure how they would react to Kildaire’s misdeeds. If they were ready and willing to fight for Theo, they probably weren’t loyal to Kildaire, but my worry remained.
“Kildaire lied about this being our rightful territory,” Bastien explained, starting with the least controversial information. “He took over the land a few decades ago, driving out the other packs. We’ve been forced to fight on the wrong side of a war for a long time.”
There were mixed reactions from the others, but surprise and skepticism prevailed. It was difficult to accept that actions you’d thought righteous were anything but.
“It’s true,” Oscar said, backing Bastien up. “Before Kildaire took the territory for himself, this forest was shared among all shifters. We’ve been fighting for it back ever since. I left my own pack because I was tired of killing over a piece of land. I regret the lives I took and the friends I lost. Our Alphas pressured us into these roles, but we don’t have to stay in them.”
Oscar’s humility and compassion allowed the few doubters to accept the truth, and I suspected they felt guilt over their actions. But now wasn’t the time for reflection, and Bastien hadn’t even told them the worst of Kildaire’s crimes.
“Frankie here used to be in Moon Edge. He was a pack protector with my father,” Bastien explained, looking around the group and holding their gazes one at a time. “Kildaire betrayed them because they dreamed of a more progressive pack. He sent the pack protectors to their slaughter, and Tobias poisoned my mom.”
Grief and anger flashed across Jules’s face. Desiree gasped in shock, and James clenched his fists. None of them rose to Kildaire’s defense.
Frankie cleared his throat, his eyes downcast. “I ran when I should have stayed and fought—when I should have told the rest of the pack what Kildaire and Tobias had done. I’m here today to set things right. The pack deserves the truth.”
“He won’t get away with this,” Diana said, her amber eyes bright with passion. “We’ve been living under his thumb for too long.”
There were nods of agreement. It was nice to see the women of the pack speak their minds. Their bravery lifted my spirits, but the pack wasn’t my first concern.
“Do you have any news of Theo?” I asked, looking at Jules.
“Not much.” He huffed out a sigh. “They’ve got him locked in Kildaire’s house with guards on the inside. There are maybe two or three. I couldn’t get an accurate count without drawing attention to myself.”
I chewed the inside of my cheek.
“Kildaire is obsessed with power,” Jules added. “He won’t harm Theo; he’s too valuable.”
The others nodded. Bastien said as much, and I believed him, but it was still good to hear.
“We need a plan,” Bastien said. “Theo’s rescue is the priority, but we also have to deal with Kildaire and Tobias.”
“Not to mention the other pack protectors,” Jules pointed out. “Most of them are loyal to Kildaire. They’ll try to protect him if we attack.”
“The way I see it,” Oscar said, “there are two options. We could launch a full frontal assault or a stealth mission where we get in and out without being seen.”
All the talk of fighting made me nervous. I didn’t want Theo exposed to violence, or worse, be caught in the crossfire.
“My vote is for stealth,” I said. “It will be safer for Theo if we get him out before anyone notices he’s gone. I don’t want him in danger.”
“I understand,” Jules said sympathetically. “But Kildaire won’t give up until we make him. And helping you put all of us at risk—not just us but our families, too. We now know that Kildaire and Tobias are murderers. They won’t hesitate to punish us for this.”
I swallowed hard. They were endangering themselves to rescue Theo, and I didn’t want to see them hurt for it.
“What if we tell the pack what Kildaire did?” James suggested. “We know these people. Our pack isn’t full of monsters, and if they hear the truth, they’ll side with us.”
It was an idealistic view. I’d seen firsthand how insular and loyal the pack was. “Some might,” Bastien conceded. “Others, like Duncan, are blindly devoted to Kildaire. I’m not sure he would care even if he knew the truth.”
“We can take Duncan,” James scoffed. “He might have brute strength, but he’s as dumb as a bag of bricks.”
The rest chuckled, clearly spoiling for a fight with the pack leader who had replaced Bastien.
“Whatever we do,” Frankie said, leaning forward, “the element of surprise will work in our favor.”
There were several nods. I wasn’t informed about fighting or planning missions, but I did know the sun would be going down soon, and I’d be damned if my son spent the night in the house of a murderer. The only thing stopping me from storming into Moon Edge was knowing I didn’t stand a chance alone. Even with eight pack members, Bastien, Oscar, and Frankie, Kildaire and his supporters outnumbered us. I didn’t know how many allies stayed behind, but the odds weren’t in our favor.
“What if the only way to do this is to fight Kildaire head-on?” one of the others asked.
“Are you getting cold feet?” Bastien pinned him with a challenging stare.
“No,” the man jutted his chin in defiance. “But Kildaire won’t go quietly. We might have to take him down.”
“I have no desire to be Alpha,” Bastien stated.
“If it comes down to you or him—” Jules trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.
“What does that mean?” I asked, anxiety clawing at my stomach. I wanted to retrieve my son without losing anyone else. Bastien had promised.
“Alpha isn’t just a title,” Bastien explained. “The position is won through combat, and it grants the victor increased strength and vitality. The only way to transfer that power is by killing the current Alpha.”
I understood the stakes. Kildaire was powerful, and if Bastien killed him, the title would go to him.
“Well,” I said, straightening my spine and squaring my shoulders. “If it comes down to you or him, I expect you to win.”
Bastien held my gaze, then nodded. “I have a plan.”