Chapter Twelve
Lucas
Shortly after, we heard a knock on the door. It was sharp, insistent. I didn’t have to guess; I knew what it meant. I crossed the room in a few strides, pulling the door open to find Callum, Lena, and a few others. Their faces were tight, every glance urgent, weighted.
“We need you both,” Callum said, his tone clipped. “There’s another group out there—they’re pinned down. It’s only a matter of time before they’re done for if we don’t get to them.”
My gaze flicked to Annika. Her eyes met mine, unwavering. She didn’t hesitate, didn’t flinch. She just gave me a solid nod. She was ready.
“What’s the plan?” I asked, stepping out into the cool air. Annika moved right behind me, and I felt a surge of pride, something I hadn’t felt for anyone in a long time. She was in this with us, all the way… at least for now. And that was all I needed at the moment.
Callum ran a hand over his jaw, his eyes darting to Lena and then back to me. “They’re holed up in the east wing of an old factory. Shifters have surrounded them, but we’ve got a window while the main patrol’s been pulled back to cover a breach on the northern end.” His jaw tightened. “We get in, we get them out—fast and quiet.”
I nodded, feeling the familiar pulse of adrenaline in my veins. It was what we did, what we had to do. Glancing back at Annika, I caught her watching me, her face set, her eyes dark with determination. I could see it there, plain as day: she wasn’t backing down. Not now.
We moved as one, slipping into the shadows of the alleyway, the group silent but charged with purpose. Annika kept pace beside me, her eyes sharp and aware, every bit the fighter she’d proven to be. Callum took the lead, guiding us down a twisting path that kept us away from the main routes. Finally, we saw the factory looming ahead, hulking and abandoned. Its cracked windows were barely glinting in the dim light.
I could sense the others tightening up, each of us steeling for what lay inside. The shifters wouldn’t make this easy, even if we were catching them off guard.
“Once we’re in,” I whispered to them, “we stick to the outer halls, use the shadows. They’re on high alert from that breach earlier.”
Callum nodded. I glanced over at Annika. Her jaw was set, her breathing controlled but deep. This was new ground for her, but she didn’t falter. Whatever fear she might have felt, she buried it deep, letting only that raw determination shine through.
We entered through a side door, creeping into the stale, cold air of the factory. The place reeked of old oil and rust, a faint metallic tang that stung the nose. Inside, every step felt louder than it was, but we moved forward in a tight line. My eyes darted to catch any movement. We couldn’t allow ourselves to be the ones caught off guard. I could feel Annika’s presence behind me, steady and strong.
The sound of a shifter’s growl echoed from somewhere down the hall, and we froze, waiting. My senses flared, and I motioned to the others. One breath, two breaths. The growl faded, and we moved again, faster this time, cutting through corridors until we reached the east wing.
“Almost there,” I murmured back to Annika, catching her gaze. She gave a quick nod, her expression focused, and it only strengthened my resolve. This was it. We were almost there, and there was no turning back.
We crept closer to the east wing, every instinct on high alert. I could hear muffled sounds from ahead. Whispers, the quiet scrape of boots. The prisoners were close.
I turned to Callum, gesturing for him to fan out with Lena and the others. They nodded and slipped off, moving into positions we’d mapped out before. Annika stayed by my side, her hand resting near the small knife I’d given her. She looked at me, her eyes a little wider now that we were so close to the danger. I gave her a quick, reassuring nod, then pressed on.
Finally, we reached the door to the holding area, slightly ajar. I pushed it open slowly, just enough to see inside. A handful of shifters stood guard over the prisoners, who were huddled in the far corner, their expressions hollow. I knew that feeling well, but I banished it from my mind. I had to focus.
“Stay here,” I whispered to Annika, though part of me already knew she wouldn’t. Her eyes flashed, but she nodded. I took a deep breath, then slipped into the room.
One guard’s back was to me, his stance bored, as if this was just another night on the job. They all shapeshifted into humans. I guessed it was a small courtesy for the prisoners, to take the least frightening shape.
Without thinking, I lunged forward, taking the guard down before he even had time to register the threat. I glanced back to see Annika at the doorway, watching. She met my eyes and, despite the tension, gave me a small, determined nod.
Callum and the others moved in from their positions, taking out the remaining guards in quick, quiet succession. It was over in seconds. The prisoners looked up at us with stunned faces, hope creeping in where I was sure it hadn’t been for a long time.
I motioned for them to follow, and they moved quickly, some leaning on each other as they shuffled forward. I glanced back to Annika, and she was already by my side, helping one of the weaker prisoners to his feet.
“Let’s go,” I murmured, leading the way out, but not before catching the sound of footsteps from down the hall. Shifters, moving fast. My blood chilled.
Just as we rounded the last corner, a sharp, guttural growl echoed from behind us. I froze, instinct kicking in. The shifters had found us.
“Move, now!” I barked at the prisoners, my voice low but forceful.
Callum grabbed one of them who’d stumbled, dragging him forward, and I shoved Annika ahead, sparing her only a brief glance. Her eyes widened. I could see fear in them, but she kept going, helping one of the weaker captives forward.
Behind us, the footsteps grew louder, closing in fast. I spun around, hoping to buy us some time, and came face-to-face with two of the shifters—a hulking pair, each with cruel smiles splitting their faces.
These didn’t have the courtesy to be in human form.
One lunged at me, claws flashing in the dim light. I sidestepped, grabbing his wrist and twisting it hard enough to snap bone. He howled, and I took the opportunity to slam him against the wall, knocking him out cold. The second one was on me before I could breathe, but I dodged his strike, barely.
“Lucas!” Annika’s voice called out, and I felt a surge of relief. She was still moving, still pushing the prisoners forward.
“Keep going!” I shouted over my shoulder. “Get them out of here. I’ll catch up.”
I could hear her hesitation, but there was no time. The shifter in front of me let out a snarl, charging me again. I let him come, waiting until he was close enough to strike, then slammed my fist into his ribs, hard. He staggered, hissing, and I followed up with a quick, brutal strike to his neck.
With both shifters down, I turned and sprinted back down the hall, heart pounding. Catching up to Annika and the prisoners, I could see them nearly at the exit, the night air filtering in, cool and clear. But before we could reach it, another growl cut through the darkness—more of them, this time in front of us.
Damn it.
The shifters blocked our only exit, their eyes glinting with a cruel, eager hunger as they closed in. Behind us, more footsteps echoed down the corridor. We were caught in the worst possible position. It was an ambush on both sides.
My mind raced, assessing our options. There weren’t many.
“Back up, slowly,” I murmured to Annika and the others, keeping my eyes on the shifters. I could feel her tension, her quick breaths beside me. She clutched the knife I’d given her, her knuckles turning pale against its hilt.
“Stay behind me,” I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. “If I tell you to run, don’t argue. Just go.”
She looked at me, but she didn’t argue.
I took a step forward, trying to angle myself between the group and the approaching shifters, all the time keeping them in my line of sight. A low growl rumbled from one of the shifters’ throats. The sound vibrated through the narrow corridor. They sensed my defiance, maybe even a hint of desperation.
“Lucas,” Callum whispered behind me, “we can’t fight them all. We need an opening, something.”
He was right. We wouldn’t last long in a direct fight. I scanned the dim space around us, searching for any advantage… a corner to turn, a door to break through.
Then I spotted it. An old ventilation shaft just above us, large enough for a person to slip through if we moved fast. It was our only chance.
“Callum,” I murmured, keeping my eyes on the shifters, “see that shaft up there? Get the prisoners in, one by one. Annika, you’re going first. I’ll hold them off.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but I shot her a look that left no room for debate. “Go. Now.”
Callum hoisted Annika up, and she slipped inside the shaft, her body moving swiftly despite the cramped space. One by one, the prisoners followed. I could see each one glancing nervously at the shifters before scrambling up.
Finally, only Callum and I remained.
“Lucas, you too,” he whispered, nodding toward the shaft.
I turned back to the shifters, a dark, determined fury coursing through me. “Not yet. You go first. I’ll be right behind you.”
He hesitated, but he knew better than to waste time arguing. With a swift nod, he pulled himself up and disappeared into the shaft.
The last shifter growled, stepping forward, his eyes locking onto mine. A twisted grin spread across his face, as if he’d finally caught his prey. I gave him a hard, unyielding look.
“Not tonight,” I muttered under my breath, before jumping up and grabbing the edge of the shaft just as he lunged.
I barely pulled myself through as claws raked the air where I’d been, the shifter’s enraged howl echoing down the shaft. I crawled forward, catching my breath, feeling the cool metal beneath me.
We emerged from the ventilation shaft one by one, dropping down into the damp, quiet alley just outside the shifters’ stronghold. The cool night air hit me, and for a moment, I just breathed it in. I allowed relief to flood over me. We were out. Against every odd stacked against us, we’d made it.
The prisoners glanced around, bewildered, still uncertain if this was truly freedom.
Callum clapped one of them on the shoulder, grinning. “Welcome back to the world, mate.”
I caught Annika’s eye. She looked at me, and for a brief second, her expression softened. I could see so much in it… or perhaps, I wanted to see so much. Whatever it was, she wouldn’t admit it outright. I gave her a nod, a silent acknowledgment of what we’d just survived.
“All right,” I said, turning to the group. “We need to keep moving. We’re not far from the headquarters, but we’ve got to stay quiet. There’s no telling if we left a trail.”
I took the lead, keeping to the shadows and motioning for the others to follow. Every now and then, I glanced over my shoulder, making sure everyone was keeping up. They were, even if they looked exhausted, hollowed out from whatever hell they’d endured. But they pushed forward, with fear and hope intertwined in their eyes.
Annika stayed close behind me. I could feel her presence, steady and strong, even though the night had tested all of us. I could still hear her ragged breaths from earlier, see the way her fingers had tightened around the knife, willing herself to survive. She hadn’t backed down once.
After what felt like an eternity of slipping through alleys and dodging any movement on the streets, we finally saw the familiar outline of the headquarters. It looked as ragged as ever, the only sign that it was a haven being the flicker of light that glowed faintly from within.
As we reached the door, I let the prisoners go first, ushering each one inside. Some of the rebels were waiting, and they rushed forward to help, bringing water and blankets, offering soft words. Faces brightened, voices softened. And for a moment, I felt a rare, hard-won sense of satisfaction.
We’d done it. We’d brought them home. Well… to the only place in this hellhole they would be able to call home.
Annika stepped in beside me, watching the scene unfold. There was a trace of a smile on her face, the first I’d seen since this whole raid had begun. I watched her, wondering if she felt what I did. Could she feel that same strange, unexpected pull that had tied us together through all this chaos? I could only hope so.
“Think they’re going to be all right?” she asked quietly, nodding toward the newly freed prisoners as they were tended to.
“They will be now,” I replied. “They’ve got people who know what they’ve been through. And they’re not alone anymore.”
She looked up at me, her gaze lingering. For a moment, the noise around us faded, and it was just the two of us, standing in the dim light. A question hung between us, unspoken and powerful, pulling us together, but at the same time, tearing us apart.
But before either of us could say a word, someone called out, asking for help with supplies. The moment broke, and Annika stepped back, her face settling back into its usual guarded look.
I sighed, but there was no real disappointment. Tonight, I’d been reminded that every small victory was worth celebrating, and this time, we’d won.
“Welcome home,” I murmured to the room, a quiet promise to myself and everyone here.