Chapter 40
Hayden stared at the map of Capital City. He'd been staring at it all day. They needed a way into the dungeons. The castle sat on a cliff on one side. The dungeons ran under the castle, out to the cliff’s edge. It allowed fresh air through the tunnels to the prisoners.
Drake and Alpha Thorn's men had been giving the city warriors a hell of a time the last three days. It now seemed that everyone knew who Drake was. Reports came back of warriors running from a fight with him, only to run into a fight with Alpha Thorn's men.
It frustrated Drake to no end. He wasn't there to herd scared wolves.
He was there to get their mate back. At least the number of city warriors was dwindling.
For one, they didn't want to go up against Drake.
Hayden's mate had a reputation. And two, rumors were swirling about the prophecies Renz was using. The rumors were not in Renz’ favor.
The sacred aspect of the mate-bond was too well ingrained in wolf society.
To suddenly have it become a test of obedience to reject a mate was too many steps too far.
Some of the warriors had already quit the city, unwilling to fight for what not only seemed like heresy, but was heresy of the worst kind.
Chip had contacted Hayden that he was on the way back from Ecrin with news. Hayden hoped it was good news. Both he and Drake needed something positive.
This close to the castle, they should have been able to mind-link Jaxom.
They were only an hour away. It felt like he was forty hours away.
They could only feel him through the mate-bond.
It pulsed like a wounded, bleeding animal.
In the back of his mind, his wolf paced, desperate to get to his mate.
Jaxom was in pain. A lot of pain. That message came through loud and clear.
Hayden ached for Jaxom. While Hayden had experienced pain all his life, he knew, because of the mate-bond, Jaxom's pain was so much worse than he'd ever experienced.
It was so bad Hayden almost doubled over in pain for his mate.
Hayden had a wolf's bane attack the day before. It had only lasted three hours. He'd clamped down hard on broadcasting that to Drake. His mate had been in a skirmish at the time. Hayden had feared distracting him and then getting him hurt. Both he and Jaxom needed Drake in top fighting form.
Stupid King Renz had blocked all vehicle traffic all over the realm.
He was trying to contain any fighting to the city.
The asshole knew he couldn't afford a full blown war.
There was plenty of packs publicly declaring allegiance to Jaxom and calling Renz a false king.
It was a sentiment that was rapidly growing.
The witches in those packs were naming other witches known for using black magic. Those witches had met swift ends from their sisters. The tide of this war was swiftly turning against Renz. It was a war he couldn’t afford to lose.
"Alpha Hayden? Delta Chip is here," a guard said in front of his tent. Drake had basically forbidden Hayden from leaving the tent. Hayden didn't bother arguing. He'd feel the same way if positions were reversed. Right now, his job was to give all the support he could to Drake.
"Hey, dad," Hayden said as he hugged Chip. The man had been more of a father to Hayden in the last month than Marcus had ever been close to being a good person. There was just no comparison between the two.
"I've been gone just three days and you look immensely better."
"I'm healed. Dr. Milton says I'm still not ready to shift but I feel like I could."
"Best to wait. No need to risk you. I don't think Drake could handle it," Chip said.
"I know I couldn't handle it," Drake said as he stepped in the tent.
Hayden gave Drake a tight hug and kiss. They couldn't let each other go when in the same room.
Touching helped them feel Jaxom even more.
It wasn't comfortable because of the pain he was in, but it was a necessary comfort.
They needed to feel him as deeply as they could.
"I bring news. You're not going to like it even though it's in our favor," Chip said bluntly.
"I don't like any of this so spit it out," Drake sighed.
Chip pointed to a spot were the dungeons were located.
"Jaxom is here. It's at the end of cells for prisoners.
He's the only one in a room at the end of a long hallway.
There are about forty prisoners from a group that calls themselves the Lycanthropy.
They are the cloaked individuals we saw saluting Jaxom. "
"You found them?" Drake asked in surprised.
"Nope. They found me. And, that is your fault for mating with Jaxom. Our pictures, from Jaxom's parents, to you two, to me and Asher, along with others have been all over the news. My days as a sneaky spy are over."
"Damnit! If I'd known, I wouldn't have sent you in. It could have ended so much worse."
Drake was pissed and Hayden could feel his wolf trying to shift. "Hey, big guy. We know now. It's okay."
"Anyway, the Lycanthropy told me to go away. They support you and Jaxom. The city is their problem." Chip took a deep breath. "They said, 'When the Lycan King escapes with his Queen, the Lycanthropy will protect them.'"
"They said what?" Hayden almost yelped.
"They believe you guys are the next Lycan Kings and Jaxom will find your Queen in the capital and escape with her. We've been told to take care of the outside of the city. They have the inside." Chip couldn't seem to stop smiling. "Full stop."
Drake was eyeing his dad. "What else? What aren't you telling me?"
Hayden couldn't stop an amused grin as Chip blushed bright red. The man was squirming like a schoolboy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Dang it," he huffed. "I know this is not a good time for us. So, know I really am focused."
"Dad?" Drake pressed as Chip squirmed some more. He slowly pulled down the neck of his shirt to reveal a mate mark.
"You found her? Your second chance mate?" Drake cheered. Hayden could hear the shock in his voice. Joy filtered through the mate-bond for his dad.
"Him," Chip said with a soft, gooey sigh. "My mate is a man. Degan Blade. Head of the Lycanthropy. We're both second chance mates."
"Woe," Drake said as he sat down heavily. He was clinging to Hayden's hand like a lifeline.
"Congratulations, Dad," Hayden couldn't help being happy for him. He'd heard about how hard the rejection from his first mate had been.
"Thank you, Hayden." He looked at his shocked son warily. "Are you okay, Drake?"
Drake scrambled out of his chair and gave his dad a massive hug. "I couldn't be happier for you. Why isn't he here with you?"
"Degan and I marked each other, then he kicked me out of the city. Said I wasn't safe there. He's asked to become part of the Blood Moon Pack. Said he's taking my last name."
"Well, I don't know," Drake got all serious.
Hayden could feel his amusement but he wasn't showing that to his dad.
"You can't be a Delta anymore because your cover is blown.
And, you're mated to a man, which probably means you'll get a she-wolf, too.
And, we are going to be Lycan Kings. And, Jaxom already has Asher as his Beta.
I guess you'd be my Beta. So, Degan will be joining our pack, not the Blood Moon Pack. "
Drake started to laugh. He hadn't laughed or smiled since Jaxom was taken.
"You're a brat," Chip was laughing, too.
"Thank Degan for us," Hayden said. "This is the first time I've had hope for Jaxom. We're going to get him back, with a Luna in tow, apparently."
"Now we just need a Beta for Hayden," Drake said as he calmed down. "So, Degan and company will help Jaxom escape. We'll take over after he's outside the city?"
"Yes. Degan will do his best to stick with Jaxom. I'll be tracking him through the mate-bond. They are working with a witch. She seems to think this will only last a week more, maybe two. Jaxom can't take much more, according to the witch."
"The more castle warriors we take out, the easier it will be for Jaxom to get out," Drake said softly.
"At least you know you already have troops in the city ready to protect Jaxom.
Degan says it's been bad for him. His men have been passing notes out of the dungeon.
Renz has it too heavily guarded to get in.
Doesn't think the men in the dungeon can get out.
They are working on a plan to make that happen.
Not all the remaining castle warriors are for Renz. "
"Thank you, Dad. I'm glad you're back safe." Drake scrubbed his face.
"You two get some rest. I'll take patrol tonight," Chip said as he left the tent.
"I have food for you," Hayden said.
"I'm not hungry." Drake slumped down in his chair.
"I'm not asking. I'm telling. Jaxom will kick my butt if I don't get food in you."
"He's getting out, right? Coming back to us?" Drake asked. His voice broke and he swallowed hard.
Hayden knelt between his legs and put a hand on his beating heart. "I refuse to think anything less than Jaxom's escape. We have it from a good witch in the city. Men are trusting her guidance. They are working with us to make his escape as easy as possible."
Drake expelled the breathe he'd been holding. He pulled Hayden up to lay on his chest. They both sought for the pain point that had become Jaxom in the mate-bond.
"As long as he's alive, we fight," Drake said. "If it goes badly, I'm getting you out of here. Renz will not take you away from me, too."
Hayden leaned into Drake, taking in his warmth. He couldn't believe anything less than Jaxom would get free. Anything less was unacceptable. This realm needed the Lycans to return. Too much pain and suffering had occurred in their absence.