Chapter 22 - Elle
The ringing in Elle's head pulsed like a living thing, acting like a compass to where Carter had wandered and with a precision which had been unthinkable a few weeks ago.
“How's the signal?” Silas asked quietly, his voice controlled despite the urgency of their pursuit.
Elle paused and closed her eyes in order to concentrate on the feeling.
It was not a ringing, but it had texture and its dimension, and something that varied and altered depending on the distance and direction.
As they went eastward, it became weaker, more distant.
But when they turned back on track, it increased and tugged at the inner part of her chest.
“Strong,” she said as she opened her eyes. “We're getting closer. Perhaps one and a half miles forward, a little north-westward.”
Rael, who'd taken point position, adjusted their trajectory without any objections.
Even now, Elle was still dazed at that mere gesture of trust; the manner in which he blindly and effortlessly took her magical counsel. Eight years ago, she was an outcast, a human being who did not fit in their world.
Now, she was a part of their operation, and her skills were appreciated and needed.
Elle had gotten used to Rael being analytical in solving any problem, Javi making impulsive yet effective decisions, and August knowing how to read people through subtle cues and body language.
And they, likewise, had learned to read her magical signs and to believe in her intuitions even when they did not necessarily understand them.
This turned out to be what Elle never hoped to experience after being banished from her pack—a sense of belonging.
They were walking silently through the forest, and everyone knew their roles.
Rael scanned for possible physical dangers with his shifter senses.
Javi was holding their left flank, August was on the right, with his eyes constantly glancing around, and noting every shadow and movement, while the rest of the shifter warriors remained observant as well.
And Silas stayed close to Elle, making sure not to overstep and allowing her to lead the way.
“The frequency is altering,” Elle said, after another few minutes of walking. “The ringing is more insistent. It's getting stronger. He's close now.”
Rael held up a hand, bringing everyone to a halt. Elle held her breath, listening not just with her ears but with her magic, letting it tell her what lay ahead.
The ringing pulsed urgently, pointing her attention forward and slightly left. Very close. Maybe a hundred yards.
“I hear voices,” Rael mumbled, tilting his head sideways. “Two people. One of them is younger—it is likely Carter. The other is male, older, angry.”
“Whoever hired him, maybe,” Javi stated.
“Or family,” August added. The child said that his mother was ill, and she needed money. Could be a parent.”
Silas gestured for them to spread out, a hand signal they'd practiced until it became second nature.
Immediately, the team dispersed into the shadows, each person moving to a different angle of approach.
They'd surround the clearing, observing, gathering information before making their presence known.
Elle went with Silas, and they were so close to Carter now that the ringing had become nearly intolerable—a constant pounding behind her eyes that made her wish to close them.
But she forced herself to concentrate and push through the pain, knowing that her magic was working just as it was supposed to.
They came to the edge of a small clearing and immediately hid behind the bushes.
There was Carter in the middle of the clearing, his face was streaked with tears and dirt. And right in front of him was a man who looked angry and disappointed—his father.
The resemblance was uncanny. They had the same build, the same features, and the same posture.
“You idiot!” The older man's voice was sharp and bitter. “You were not supposed to be caught! The entire plan was easy. Plant the evidence, get out of there, and make sure no one notices you!”
“I am sorry, Dad,” Carter said, lowering his head. “I did as you instructed, but they had security I was unaware of and alarms and—”
“Excuses!” His father slapped him. “You had one job. One simple job. And you screwed it up!”
Elle could tell that Silas was tense next to her. She knew that he was extremely displeased at a father scolding his son over the inability to complete a criminal mission and being unconcerned with the well-being or safety of his son. At least she knew she was.
It gave a clear picture of what type of man they were dealing with.
“I didn't say anything,” Carter choked out. “They asked, but I did not say anything against you or about the people who hired us. I did not betray you, Dad. I swear.”
“Yes, you better not have,” the father snarled and walked closer, making Carter visibly flinch. “If you somehow jeopardize the operation, there will be consequences. Do you understand me? Consequences.”
Elle frowned. This was not a father who was concerned about his son. This was a criminal who feared his operation being brought into the limelight, and the only thing he viewed his own child as was nothing but a liability.
Anger swelled up in her chest. He used Carter and manipulated him into committing crimes. And now, when the plan had failed, his father was neither moved to compassion nor to care, but was only angry.
“Father, please. I did my best. I would have loved it to have gone well, but I tried—,”
“Your best wasn't good enough!” The father caught Carter by the arm roughly. “You do not know what you have done. My clients are not tolerant. They don't forgive mistakes. And this? What you've done is a huge mistake.”
Elle gently placed her hand on Silas's arm, feeling his tense muscles and anger radiating from him. She knew that he wanted to interfere and spare Carter the abuse of his father. But they must hear more and collect all the information that they can before they present themselves.
“Patience,” she rubbed his arm. “Wait just a little longer.
Silas exhaled slowly, giving her a tight smile.
“I—I can fix it,” Carter stuttered. “I can go back, I can—”
“You can never see them again. They've seen you. They know your face. You're burned, you stupid boy. Useless to us now.”
Elle recoiled at the insensitivity of the dismissal. This man had exploited his own son, who’d risked his life, and now he was disposing of him like garbage because the plan failed to work out perfectly.
“But what about Mom's medicine? You said that I would have plenty of money to take care of her treatment in case I did. You promised.”
“That was before you were caught,” the father said coldly. “You could have ruined the whole operation, and you even got yourself in trouble. So now I have to clean your mess and—” he stiffened and turned around, flaring his nostrils.
He'd picked up their scent.
“They’re here!” His eyes widened with fear. “You brought them here, you idiot!” He raised his hand and slapped his son yet again. Carter fell flat on the ground and spat a mouthful of blood.
Silas exploded. Elle knew Silas was a fast man. She’d observed his shifter speed and strength during training. But this was different. This was an Alpha responding to what he saw as a threat, and he moved even faster.
In another half a moment, he was across the clearing and standing between Carter and his father. “That's enough,” his voice had that Alpha authority that could not be ignored even here.
The father staggered back, with shock written on his face. Clearly, he did not expect this.
Rael, Javi, and August came out of hiding too and encircled the father and son, leaving no escape routes.
August walked to Carter and picked the boy up. He examined him and checked his bruised lip. He was more gentle and careful than Carter's father was.
“You are going with us,” Silas addressed Carter's father, his tone leaving no room for argument. “You will tell us all about this job you took on. Who employed you, what they have in mind, and where they are working from. Everything.”
His eyes darted around the clearing, evaluating his chances, seeking the possibility of a way out, which was nonexistent. Elle saw when reality kicked in for him—he realized he was in the midst of trained fighters who could kill him in less than a second.
“Fine,” he said tightly. “I'll talk. Just... don't hurt my boy.”
It would have been touching had the sudden display of paternal concern not followed immediately after he had just hit Carter. Elle was overwhelmed with disgust at this man who exploited his son and then suddenly developed parental care when it was convenient.
“A little late to care about that, don't you think?” Javi growled.
Rael pulled out some zip ties from his bag and walked toward the man.
But as he came closer, Elle heard it—the noise that made her blood run cold.
Footsteps. Many footsteps. Moving fast through the forest, from multiple directions.
“We've got company,” Rael said, his body going tense, his head whipping around to track the approaching sounds.
Shifters came out of the treeline on every side, at least twelve of them, perhaps more. They were organized and looked trained. This wasn't a chance encounter.
The leader came forward—a huge bear shifter, with marks crisscrossing his face. “We shall be taking the boy now.”
Elle felt her stomach drop. They'd found Carter. They'd caught his father. They were on the verge of receiving answers. And now, they were in a standstill with shifters who want to ruin that.
Silas stepped forward, standing in front of Carter, shielding him. “Like hell you will.”
Pride and fear engulfed Elle's heart. Even though Carter had been on the wrong side, planting evidence to ruin their pack, yet, Silas was still defending him.
The bear shifter remained stoic. He did not
look surprised or angry. He was simply cold, calculated. “The boy knows too much
about our business. We have to know what he told you. And we are not going to be as...gentle... as you have been.”
The implication was clear. They meant to torture Carter and possibly kill him.
“You're not touching him.”
The shifter grinned, his teeth on display. “Then, I suppose we shall have to pass through you first. Boys?”
It was a surprise attack. One minute, they were in a serious confrontation; the next, everything erupted into violence.
The bear shifter’s men acted in unison, trying to crush each other with a positioning strategy. They looked like they had done this before. Like they had trained to do in this specific type of situation.
But so had Silas' team.
Rael moved smoothly. His every move was
calculated and effective. He fought two shifters at the same time, turning the tide of momentum in his favor, and struck them at their weak points. Minutes later, he had two men on the ground, one unconscious, and the other, with a broken shoulder, groaning.
Javi fought in measured disorder, hurling himself into the fight with that type of bloodthirsty abandon that would have killed most men, but favored him. He was the opposite of Rael. He was more violent and brutish. But it worked perfectly.
August placed himself as the last line of defense for Carter. His movements were purposeful. He did not waste his energy. Each and every punch and kick was calculated in such a way as to keep the men away from Carter.
His personality was reflected in his fighting style—serious, focused and reliable.
And Silas... Silas was a fighter, like the Alpha he was born to be.
He glided through the battle with the flowing grace of an Alpha. He was a magnet on the battlefield, and enemies flocked to him like moths to a flame.
He fought with precision and power, both of which were calculated to produce the greatest amount of damage using the least amount of energy.
Elle stayed behind with Carter. She wanted to be able to help the boy with the help of her magic, should there ever be a need. She watched the team she had been training with work in complete harmony, everyone intuitively knowing where to find the other and how to move.
It was kind of beautiful and frightening at the same time.
Rael brought one of the men to the ground, and his movements were so quick that Elle could hardly follow them.
Javi dashed among the men, sinking his fangs into exposed throats and tendons.
August deflected an attack meant for Carter, countering with a brutal efficiency that left his opponent gasping on the ground.
Silas's men attacked the opposition's team while Silas faced off against the scarred bear shifter leader, both of them circling each other with deadly intent.
The battle was filled with the sounds of snarls, screams, the crack of bones, and the splash of blood.
But suddenly, Elle started to hear a ringing in her head.
It was not the regular one that followed Carter. This was different. Violent, more pressing, drawing her away in a whole new direction—North-eastwards, further into the woods.
Elle inhaled sharply. Her magic was attempting to convey something to her, reveal to her something that was more important than this battle.
But how could anything be more than this fight? Her team was isolated, and they were surrounded by enemy shifters who were trying to kill them. To go would be to leave them alone, at the time when they most needed it.
The ringing became more and more insistent. Elle groaned, massaging her temples, attempting to discern what her magic was trying to convey.
She looked at the fight that was going on. The scarred leader was now pinned by Silas. Rael and Javi were killing the last few of the attackers. August hovered over Carter, guarding him. Their men had almost taken down the other team completely.
They were winning. They could finish this battle without her.
But whatever her magic was trying to show her—that might require her specifically. That might be time-sensitive in a way this battle wasn't.
The ringing got incredibly louder, and Elle bit down on her tongue to avoid screaming. It was pulling at something within her, saying that she must go now before it was too late.
Elle made her decision.
She turned her back on Carter, who stood huddled behind a tree, too absorbed in the battle that was going on to realize that she was moving. She glanced at Silas, her brother, and everyone else. They would win the fight.
Then she ran out of the forest, letting the ringing in her head guide her.
Elle did not know where she was going or what she would see. She was not certain that she was doing the right thing. But she had never felt like this before—an intense sense of urgency.
She ran harder and faster, gasping for breath. The branches ripped at her dress and hair. The ringing got louder, drawing her further into the woods.
The sound of the battle faded behind her as the ringing grew louder and louder; she felt like her head was going to explode.
But Elle continued to run to whatever fate her magic had decreed, hoping that she was not too late.