Chapter 12
AURORA
Two days and Alpha Arric has been missing. We’ve been monitoring when the rogues come into camp and when they leave. The hostage alpha I have not been able to get near, but something about him tells me I know him, or I should know him. There is a familiarity that I can’t put my finger on.
“Do you know that Alpha?” Rue asks from her seat on the ground next to me.
“I don’t know. He gives me the feeling I should know who he is, but I can’t just bring it to mind,” responding while I continue to watch the hostage Alpha.
“Maybe we could get you next to him so you can speak to him. We can try anyway,” Rue again murmurs.
“Any sign of Alpha Arric?” I ask.
“None,” Rue leans over to Borose who is next to her and whispers in her ear, before leaning back to me and mumbling. “No, nobody has seen anything that we know of.”
Nodding my head in acknowledgement, I turn to my other side and speak to Paige. “Did you get anything else to use as picks? We have to find out if any of the other packs know how to pick locks to save us time when we make a break for it.”
“I’ll find out. You need to keep a low profile, as they are watching you closely. I’m not sure if they have noticed we have tossed the water out and buried the food, but as yet not one of them has attempted to feed us if they have,” Paige says while her eyes are scanning the camp.
Loud talking and a high-pitched giggle have us all looking toward the camp entrance. Jackson the Beta is walking into camp with a she-wolf hanging off him. Interesting, I think to myself!
“Beta,” one of the rogue’s states, and his eyes are roving over the woman, who I have to say would be pretty if it wasn’t for the stink of rogue she is wearing. Eau De Rogue Parfum is definitely not my aroma.
“Keep your eyes off my mate if you want to keep your eyes, that is,” Jackson snarls, snapping his teeth at the rogue who had spoken.
“Aw, he’s just jealous he doesn’t have a mate. Maybe Alpha Arric will gift him one of the hostages.”
“Come on, Cordea, let’s go have some fun time,” Jackson coos, and has my she-wolves pretending to gag, much to his ire and my amusement.
Watching as they both enter the cottage, I look at Paige as she is still gagging and giving the surrounding rogues a nasty look. How she manages that at the same time I don’t know but all power to her.
Leaning my back against Paige so we both have support, I straighten my legs, fold my arms and close my eyes. Listening to all the conversations the rogues are having for any small piece of information that would be helpful.
Aurora, I’m back, but weak.
‘Aztec, oh thank goodness. I’ve been so worried.’
Don’t eat or drink, and don’t let them inject you again.
‘I’m sorry. I wasn’t ready for them doing it. We need to get out of here soon or we won’t be strong enough to fight.’
I’m going to keep trying to link our pack members. If I can, then you will be able to shortly too. That will give us an advantage.
‘Yes it will, Aztec,’ I reply, and have kept my head down, so it’s not noticed I’m speaking with my wolf.
Two rogues walk into camp, walk past us and snatch something to eat and drink. I notice too, that they eat and drink at a different table to us. But when they speak, my ears prick with interest.
“Have you noticed there are more warriors on the border? I think more than twice what there has always been.”
“I did, and I also noticed that some have the council warrior symbol on their clothing. If they remove their clothes, I’m sure we’ll be able to see the council symbol on their left pectoral. We all know they have it branded on when they complete their training,” the second of the two responds. This has me knowing that Gerry got through and has informed the council.
Wren shuffles over and sits beside me, keeping her side toward me so it isn’t obvious we are speaking. “Did you hear that? The council is informed. We still need to get out of here, and fast.”
“I agree…” before I can say more Alpha Arric walks into camp along with his merry band of followers. He strides to his throne and throws himself into it, before giving the camp a thorough look over.
“Where is Bellamy?” Alpha Arric snarls.
“On patrol, Alpha,” one of the minions’ simpers.
“When he gets back to camp, I need him to report.”
“I will make sure he does, Alpha,” the simperer continues to simper.
Clapping his hands, the ‘Pretender’ grins, “Well, today we will hold the competition to see which of the two will be my Luna. They will fight, and fight to the stage until one is unconscious. The other will be a chosen mate for Bellamy as his reward for all his hard work and following orders.”
Both I and Wynona are grabbed by the arm and dragged to the center of the camp. I give Wyn an eye roll, which she returns. Neither of us will fight, so they are going to be very disappointed.
“You heard what I said. When I say fight, you fight. I don’t care which of you wins, I can mate with either, you are both strong and will be a good rogue Queen, as I will be King.” Alpha Arric throws one of his legs over the chair arm and folds his arms over his chest, looking smug, but he’s in for a shock.
“Is he for real?” Wyn asks me, giving me a raised eyebrow and a smirk on her lips.
“Yeah, I think he is,” I respond, but neither of us looks as though we are getting ready to fight, and that’s because we are not.
“FIGHT!” Alpha Arric shouts and I look at Wyn, give her a smirk and she shakes her head, rolls her eyes and sits on the ground looking at her fingernails.
“Get up and fight!” Alpha Arric states as he stands from his throne before heading toward myself and Wynona. I take a fighting stance, and that seems to give him the idea that I’ll going to fight Wynona, but he is very wrong.
“GET UP!” he bellows again.
In response Wyn lies on her back and looks at the sky. I’m holding back giggles because I know what she is doing. We have actually practiced this move many times in training.
The Alpha storms over to Wyn and as he bends over her, she throws one of her legs forward, kicking him in the balls. I ignore his bellowing in pain and jump on his back, wrapping an arm around his neck and reaching over to place a finger in each of his nostrils and yanking back as hard as I can.
Now the Alpha isn’t sure if he should hold his balls or place a hand over his face. Wynona is on her feet and flicks herself around and kicking outwards towards his face. I let go at the last moment as I hear the crunch of Arric’s nose, and more than likely cheek.
Suddenly we are pounced on by Arric’s followers and the packs react too. It’s total bedlam, but seeing what is happening, I quickly fight my way toward the hostage alpha and grab his hand. “Follow me. I am Alpha Aurora and I’m going to get you out of here.”
It seems from his sluggish reaction he has been sedated with something. Paige and Jinny take one side of the Alpha each. “Get him out of here and to either Blood Pearl or Spirit Walker. I’ll cover your asses. Now move.”
Maintaining my position behind Paige and Jinny, I see my pack members following, too. “Move out, get back to one of the packs,” I order, and watch as they pass me, but Fergus and Randall take the Alpha and make better time as they run.
All my pack members are in front of me now, and I’m keeping my eye behind us for the rogues and Alpha Arric. I am sure he will recover quickly and if he catches up with us, it will be hard to take him down on my own.
I can feel pack wolves waking. They need to use their strength to get away. Link the pack now, Aurora.
‘Pack, run fast, return to the pack border. If you cannot get to it run to Spirit Walker Pack. They will allow you through their border patrol. Look for the council warriors. They are on the border and alert.’ I throw out the order to all my pack members through the mind link, and hearing the responses from them, I know they are running as fast as they can to do as I say.
We run hard maintaining a strenuous pace. Rico, Fergus and Voss take turns to run with the alpha over their shoulder, they even shift and have him riding on their back. I’m more than relieved that they have their wolves back now.
Exhaustion is starting to hit us all because of the distance we have covered. I am amazed that the Alpha and his rogue pack have not caught up with us as yet.
Seeing the border I keep running, I am remaining in human form as I need to give Aztec as much rest as I can in case she has to fight. The border is nearing and I can see the border warriors of my pack and the council warriors.
Hearing a snarl from behind, I shift and spin, facing a large black and gray wolf. Arric…he is much larger than Aztec, but I’m not going back and I can feel Aztec’s resolve to not go back either.
Snapping, we circle each other, and I know I can’t win this, but as Arric’s wolf lunges into the air to take me down, a large red wolf slams into Arric’s and sends him bowling away.
Run, Aztec, run.
With Gerry’s wolf Asher on our tail, we run to the border and spin around as we cross to watch Arric’s wolf come to a halt, snarling in a temper that he didn’t catch us.
The council warriors are lined along the border and ready to surge forward if needed. But Alpha Arric turns howling at his rogue pack to follow him.
I shift and turn to Gerry as he shifts back as well. “Thank you. I don’t think I could have taken him down, but I at least would have given the others time to cross the border if we had any stragglers, that is.”
“No, you all crossed and you have the Alpha with you. That was a brave move. I just hope the other packs got away also,” Gerry adds, and it’s at that moment the lack of food, water and sleep overcomes my stubbornness, and I see black spots, before everything becomes black and I know nothing more.