Chapter Thirty-Eight
Hunter
She doesn’t wait for either of us to answer. “I think the first order of business is to get Sherese out of there.” She looks across the table at me. “Until she looks me in the eye and tells me she’s with the vampires and not us, I’m not giving up on her.”
I keep my face blank, even as her words land hard.
“I agree.” I knew the second I left her behind, it was a mistake.
I’m going back for her, and this time she’s leaving with me whether she wants to or not.
I’m not leaving her there for the vampires to abuse.
She doesn’t have to live with me or have anything to do with me if she doesn’t want to, but she deserves to have her life back.
I can at least give her that...or die trying.
I shove back my chair the second Bryce finishes the calls.
“I’m going to get back to work.” I don’t leave Bryce a chance to argue with me.
The second I’m out of earshot, I pull out my phone and call the alpha of the Northwoods Pack. Garrett answers on the first ring.
“Garrett.”
“It’s Hunter.” I don’t waste any time getting to the point. “I’m going back. Do you want in?”
“Yes.” There was not a moment’s hesitation. “Does Bryce know?”
“No.”
“Why not?” Garrett asks in a voice that borders on harsh.
“Because he’s got a mate who’s pregnant.
” I am very aware that I am talking to a male in the same position.
“I don’t want him to have to choose between staying with her or coming with me.
Besides, I can’t guarantee he could make it through the barrier.
They’ve made their wards stronger. I can’t guarantee you can make it past the wards either, but you have the best chance of it.
” Garrett was definitely the strongest alpha among wolves; if anybody could make it through and survive, it would be him.
“When?”
I’m already working the plan out in my mind. “As soon as I can work it out, but it will probably take a few days.”
“Let me know. I'll meet you. Send me coordinates for where you want to meet.”
“I will.”
It takes a few days to get things back in control in our pack, where I feel like I can be gone for a little bit. I finally convinced our pilot to fly me and not to tell Bryce, but it took some convincing. The date is tomorrow. Garrett will meet me there.
I let my wolf run until he’s tired and then crash for a few hours before getting up early and leaving my house while it’s still dark.
I make my way to the hangar that’s so close, it’s almost on our property.
I greet our pilot before climbing aboard and settling in.
The hours drag by as I think through plan after plan, idea after idea.
In the end, I finally give up and lean my head back against the seat.
When we land, I send him back without me.
I don’t know how long I’m going to be here, and I’m not going to make him wait for days if that’s how long it takes.
I got in about three hours ahead of Garrett, so I have some time to kill.
I spend the time scoping out the area but not getting too close to vampire territory, at least not yet.
Garrett texts me that he’s arrived, and I head to our meeting point.
“Thanks for coming,” I tell him.
He nods. “Ready?”
We walk the last few miles on foot and come to the vampire wards. I let him know when we’re close, but I think he can probably feel it. There's a good amount of power coming from the wards. “Did you tell your mate?” I ask when we’re about a yard away from the barrier.
“No.” I glance over at him, but he stares straight ahead. “She’s pregnant and recovering from her attack. I’m not adding this fear. Besides, she’d probably argue to come with.”
“Okay. I’m not sure how crossing the wards will affect you. They’re definitely stronger than last time. I’ll keep my hand on your arm; it will help a little to offset the blast.”
He gives me a dubious look. “You’re going to hold my hand?”
“No. You ready?”
“What’s the plan?” he asks.
“I am going to surrender myself to them. They’ll take me in as a prisoner, and you will use my capture as a distraction. When you get a chance—”
“Kill Ajax and get out.”
I eye him. “That’s the goal, but it will take time to get to him. I will figure out a way to get him to you. You won’t be able to get into the facility. Just lay low, and I’ll get him out of the building somehow.”
“Or I’ll get to him first,” Garrett adds in a voice that speaks of vengeance and justice.
“Yeah. If you do, just get out. I’ll get out on my own with Sherese, but it might take a little while.”
Garrett nods. “Okay. Ready to get yourself caught?”
“Yes.” I am. It’s the first step to getting Sherese. No matter how long this takes or what happens, I’m not leaving without her this time. I turn to Garrett, and he waves a hand.
“Go ahead and do your getting captured thing.”
I almost smirk. “Let’s go.” I grip his arm with my hand.
Whether he wants it or not, I’m touching as we go through the barrier.
I don’t want him to die before we even cross into vamp territory.
We run right through the barrier. I grit my teeth as the blast hits us.
I drop my arm as soon as we’ve cleared it, and I take a moment to appreciate that we’re both still alive.
Garrett takes a breath, and I can tell he’s in pain.
But I don’t bring it up, and neither does he.
“Thanks,” he says tightly. “See you on the other side.” Then he slips into the shadows.
I start towards the facility, walking at a leisurely pace.
I want them to find me; I want them to focus on me and not Garrett.
It doesn’t take long for the vamps to show up and grab me and drag me towards the main building.
But they don’t take me inside. We stay outside, and I wonder what we’re waiting for.
My answer comes a few minutes later when none other than Rizo, the master himself, comes out.
“The wolf is back,” one of the vampires says.
“So he is,” Rizo says in a voice that sounds like melted butter. He cocks his head to the side. “There must be a reason he came back, besides signing his own death warrant.”
So, they’re not playing games this time. Good to know. I’m not either. “I’m back for Sherese.”
The silence that descends is so thick, I can almost taste it. I keep my gaze locked on the master vampire. I can’t get a read on him. “That’s too bad,” he says right as something slams into the back of my head. I want to fight back, but I drop like a rock instead.
When I come to sometime later, I’m in a chair.
My hands are tied behind my back, and my feet are tied.
I try to pull my hands and feet free, but whatever they did is holding.
It can’t be a simple rope because I could have gotten out of that easily.
I start thinking through my plan. I’ll figure out a way to get free, and then I need to be ready to get Sherese and myself out of this place.
I try shifting, but something keeps my wolf from rising to the surface.
Now that I think about it, my wolf seems really far away.
They must have warded this room to keep wolves from shifting.
Because I’ve been focused on getting free, I missed the big TV screen a few feet away.
I watch now as the video feed plays on the TV.
At first, I’m not sure what it is I’m looking at.
Then I realize it’s the glass enclosures where they keep their new wolf shifter/vampire creations.
I try to count how many of them there are, so I don’t focus on the fact that I’m trapped in this room right now.
I see a flash of something, and I stare at the screen.
I know I saw something, so I watch and wait.
The camera pans the room, and I take in the enormity of what they’re doing in this operation.
When we attacked before, I didn’t really get to see this room.
I knew they were amassing their own army, but I didn’t realize it was an operation like this.
There are so many vampires and lots of humans, which is a surprise to me.
I hadn’t realized they had so many humans employed.
I see a flash of dark hair, and my stomach knots.
I try to lean forward, but whatever they used to tie me up cuts into my wrists and stops me.
I see a guy come out of one of those enclosures, and I know just by looking at him that he’s one of their creations.
Then I watch as he picks up something and throws it, sending it into another glass enclosure.
Glass shatters everywhere, and I realize with horror what exactly it was that he just threw.
It wasn’t a thing at all; it was a person.
It was Sherese. Anger courses through me, and I pull at my restraints.
I watch as the soldier enters another glass enclosure.
I can’t see Sherese’s face because her back is to me, but I see the moment she follows him in.
“Get out of there,” I mutter under my breath.
She must be talking to him because she just stands there.
And then she’s sailing through the air again, as he throws her out of the room.
A growl rips through me, proving my wolf can break through whatever wards they put in this room.
I try to shift again, but I just can’t get him to the surface.
I watch as the shifter/vamp guy drops an elbow on her.
She rolls at the last second, avoiding a brutal hit.
“Get up,” I say through gritted teeth and fangs that have dropped. “Get out of there.”
I don’t know who put this on the screen, but there is no doubt in my mind that the vampires set this all up.
They’re going to have me sit here and watch while my mate is torn apart and killed by a shifter/vampire beast. I growl fiercely through my chest and then let my vampire strength rise to the surface.
I don’t often use it; I don’t usually have a need.
My wolf is a fierce predator and needs no help.
But these are extenuating circumstances.
I pull from that vampire dark power and rip my arms and legs free from their restraints.
My blood is singing for protection and revenge for my mate.
I get to the door and try to open it. Of course, they locked me in.
But the lock is no match for my combined wolf and vampire strength.
I rip the door from its hinges, startling the vampire on duty.
He shrieks and backs away. I don’t bother with him.
I'm one hundred percent focused on getting to her.
“Going somewhere?” a velvety voice asks.
I don’t bother to answer or even look at the Master.
“It’s not time for her to see you yet.” His words confuse me, but I don’t respond.
I’m focused on nothing else but getting to my mate and rescuing her from this place.
Maybe that’s why I don’t foresee the attack.
One minute, I’m racing to get to my mate; the next, something sharp jabs my neck, and I drop to the floor. Again.