Chapter Eighteen
Vince: The Rescue
The narrow hallway was dimly lit, its flickering lights casting eerie shadows on the concrete walls. I had just rescued and freed three women and two young males from their cages, their faces etched with relief and exhaustion.
As I made my way through the warehouse, the tension in the air grew thicker with every step. I was nearing the heart of the operation, where the auction was set to take place. But before we could reach it, a low growl reverberated through the walls, stopping me in my tracks. My wolf bristled at the sound. It wasn’t human, nor was it one of my kind. The scent hit me next, a potent, musky odor that made my senses flare— bear shifter .
I barely had time to prepare before a massive figure emerged from the shadows. The bear shifter towered over me, his red eyes glowing with a predatory glint. He was easily twice the size of a man, with muscle and bulk that could easily crush bones. The bear’s lips curled back into a snarl, revealing sharp teeth, and without hesitation, he charged straight at me, his canines and claws extending.
I barely had time to react as the bear shifter barreled toward me with terrifying speed. I leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the massive claws that swiped at me, leaving deep gouges on the concrete floor as he tripped.
Jared and Lucas moved to flank the shifter, but I held up a hand. My rage had been contained far too long.
“This one’s mine,” I growled.
The bear shifter roared, the sound shaking the very walls around them. I knew I had to end this quickly. I squared my shoulders and allowed my wolf to surge forward, tapping into the raw strength and agility that came with the shift. I darted forward, my movements a blur as I aimed for the bear shifter’s side, hoping to throw him off balance. But the bear was quicker than I anticipated this time, twisting to the side and lashing out with a powerful backhand that sent me skidding across the floor.
Pain shot through my side, but I gritted my teeth and pushed myself up. I couldn’t afford to let this creature get the upper hand. The bear shifter was strong, but I was faster and needed to use that to his advantage.
The bear charged again, but this time, I was ready. I sidestepped the attack and, using the bear’s momentum against him, slammed a fist into the creature’s exposed ribs. The bear grunted in pain, but it only enraged him further.
With a ferocious growl, the bear swung at me again, but I ducked under the blow and sprang up, delivering a powerful kick to the bear’s knee. He let out a pained roar as his leg buckled, forcing him to drop to one knee.
I didn’t give him a chance to recover. I lunged forward, grabbed the bear by the back of the neck with my teeth, and slammed him face-first into the ground. The impact shook the ground, and the bear let out a pained groan.
But I wasn’t done. I knew the bear would get back up if given the chance, so I shifted back into my human form and pressed my forearm against the back of the bear’s neck, holding him down with all my strength. The bear thrashed beneath him, but my grip was unyielding.
“Stay down,” I snarled, my voice dripping with authority.
I leaned in closer, letting the full force of my alpha dominance wash over the bear. He growled, his muscles tensing as if to resist, but then he stilled, realizing the futility of his situation. I could feel the bear’s body relax slightly, a sign of submission, but I didn’t let up just yet.
“Good choice,” I muttered.
“Now, you’re going to stay right here and not make a sound, or I’ll make sure you never get up again.” The bear huffed in response.
But as I slowly released my hold, ready to react if the bear made a move, I slashed his side with one of my claws, opening a small wound as Jared quickly injected him with two doses of tranquilizer he found in the warehouse.
The bear stilled, and his breathing became heavy and labored. I stepped back, keeping my eyes on the shifter. I motioned for Jared to continue rescuing the captives and attempted to clothe myself in my shredded jeans and T-shirt.
There were lives at stake, and we needed to keep moving. I didn’t have time to search for better clothing options. I glanced back at the bear one last time. He was still on the ground, his body battered but alive as we made our way past the subdued bear shifter.
My heart pounded in my chest as I made my way through the maze of corridors. I was still reeling from the shock of finding Lissa’s location. Every step felt like an eternity, the shadows seeming to stretch and claw at me, slowing me down.
The sounds of distant scuffles and the faint, muffled cries of the captives filled the air, but he could focus on only one thing: finding Lissa. We had rescued almost all the captives, but I had not seen her. My wolf was on edge, its instincts screaming at me to move faster, find her, and protect her.
My breath came in ragged gasps as I pushed forward, my senses heightened to the point of pain. Every creak of the floorboards and shift in the shadows made me whip around, expecting to see her and hear her voice. But all I found was more empty corridors, more dead ends. The desperation in my heart drove me forward, but suddenly, I heard a familiar voice calling my name like a whisper carried on the wind.
I heard it, faint but unmistakable.
“Vince!”
My heart stopped, then kicked into overdrive. It was her. Lissa. She was close. My wolf surged forward, nearly overtaking me in desperation to reach her. I broke into a run, my boots pounding against the floor as I followed the sound of her voice, pushing through the hallway maze.
“Lissa!” I called out, my voice echoing off the walls.
My breath caught in my throat as I rounded a corner, my wolf sight scanning every inch of the darkened hallway. I could feel her now, but a growing presence that filled me with both hope and dread. What if I was too late and my mind was playing tricks on me?
No. I couldn’t think like that. She was alive. She had to be.
“Vince!” Her voice was stronger now, closer.
I could hear from the tremor in it, the fear that laced her voice. It broke something inside me, something raw and primal. I would continue to tear this place apart to get to her.
Finally, I saw her standing in a hallway, her tear-stained eyes wide with fear and relief.
She was naked, her hair disheveled, but to me, she was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. Her presence filled the empty void that had been growing inside me since the moment she was taken.
“Lissa!”
I ran to her without hesitation, my steps quickening as I closed the distance between us. My hands trembled as I reached for her, afraid she might disappear if I took too long. But she was there, solid and real, and as soon as my arms wrapped around her, I felt the tension in my body melt away. I had my mate.
I quickly used my claws to cut the rope that bound her hands.
She buried her face in my chest, her body shaking as she held onto me like I was the only thing keeping her tethered to the earth. I could feel her tears soaking through my shirt, her breaths coming in uneven gasps as she tried to steady herself.
My lips found hers in a desperate, fervent kiss, a mixture of apology and gratitude. The weight of our reunion was almost overwhelming.
“I’m sorry it took so long.” I pressed my lips to her forehead, inhaling her scent. I’m so sorry
Lissa’s fingers cupped my face, her gaze steady and forgiving.
“That doesn’t matter,” she replied, her voice muffled against my chest. “You found me. That’s all that matters.”
“Let’s get you something to cover you,” I said softly, and she nodded.
I tightened my hold on her as if by doing so, I could shield her from everything that had happened, everything that had hurt her. The relief of having her in my arms was overwhelming, and I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I had been so close to losing her, and the thought of what could have been was enough to send a shiver down my spine.
I pulled back just enough to look at her, my eyes scanning her face for any signs of injury. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her skin was pale, but she was alive. She was here with me. I also noticed a silver collar etched with symbols around her neck.
As if she knew what I was staring at, she said, “It’s to dampen my powers and my dragon.”
I wondered if Mason would be able to help. I had never seen anything like it.
“We’ll get it removed once we get out of here.” I drew in a deep breath, realizing I could finally breathe freely. “I thought I’d lost you.”
My tone’s vulnerability surprised me, but I didn’t care. I needed her to know how much she meant to me.
“You didn’t,” she whispered, reaching to cup my face. Her touch was gentle, soothing the jagged edges of my fear. “I’m right here, Vince.”
I leaned into her touch, closing my eyes as I savored the warmth of her hands against my skin. The trauma of the past several days, the fear, the anger—it all began to fade, replaced by the simple, undeniable fact that she was here and she was safe.
I didn’t know how long we stood there, holding each other, grounding ourselves in the reality that we were both still alive. It was as if the world around us ceased to exist, leaving only the two of us in that corridor.
I pulled her closer once more, pressing my lips to hers in a kiss that spoke of all the emotions I couldn’t express. It was desperate and tender, filled with the need to reassure myself again that she was there, that we had both survived this nightmare.
When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against hers, our breaths mingling in the small space between them. My canines lengthened, aching to claim her as my rightful mate. I had to force them away, at least for now. I couldn’t do that. Not here. It wouldn’t feel right. We needed to be away from here and somewhere quiet to talk.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you again. I’ll protect you, Lissa. I swear it.”
She nodded, her eyes bright with tears, but a slight smile on her lips told me she believed me.
The sound of footsteps approaching drew our attention. Jared appeared around the corner, his face etched with exhaustion and satisfaction. He tapped me on the shoulder, a gesture of friendship and support.
“I think we saved as many as we could,” Jared said. “But our job isn’t finished yet. We need to report this to The Council.”
Phillip stepped forward, his expression grim but resolute. “I’ll report this back to command. They need to know what happened here, too.”
Still watching the situation, Deacon struggled to bring the subdued alpha over to me. The alpha was bruised and battered, clearly struggling against his restraints.
Deacon’s voice was low, his tone respectful. “He’s yours, brother.”
My chest rumbled with a low growl, my anger barely contained. The alpha had been a part of this horrific operation, and the sight of him only fueled my rage.
Lissa’s hand on my arm was a grounding force, her voice calm but firm. “His name is Seth. Whatever you do with him, I want to be a part of it,” she said, her eyes meeting mine with unwavering determination.
I looked at her, a fierce pride swelling within me. “I think Mason should handle him. After all, this one didn’t have permission to enter this jurisdiction. Adding kidnapping someone’s mate is the cherry on top.”
As if saying his name had summoned him, Mason walked down the hallway toward us with two FBI agents following close behind.
I glanced over at Deacon, and he smiled. “I called him after we recused those in the van and told him to meet us here.”
“It seems as if you wolves found what you were looking for,” Mason drawled.
“We did.”
“And your mate,” Mason said, his lips curving upwards into a predatory grin. “You didn’t say she was a dragon as well.”
“I didn’t think that was important.”
“Not really, but if she felt the need to be amongst her own kind, even just to spread her wings, she is always welcome in my hoard.”
“Thank you,” Lissa said softly.
“Now, who is this?” Mason pointed to Seth.
“I told Deacon that this one is yours to punish as you see fit since he’s a dragon and in your territory.”
“Rightly so,” he said, his voice heavy with authority. “This shifter’s actions clearly violated our laws and will be dealt with accordingly.” He glanced at Lissa again, “I know a witch who can help remove that binding ring around your neck.”
Lissa touched the silver piece, “I would appreciate that.”
“I’ll see if I can reach her and get back to you.”
With Seth in Mason’s custody, we began making their way out of the facility. The mission had successfully rescued Lissa and the others, but the ordeal had taken its toll. The journey ahead would be long, with much work still to be done to address the full scope of the Shadow Syndicate’s operations and to ensure justice was served.
As we emerged from the facility into the cool night air, my grip on Lissa’s hand tightened. We had come through this trial together, and while the road ahead was uncertain, we had each other. And that was the most important thing.