Chapter Seventeen
Marcus
I shifted back to my human form. The adrenaline from the battle still coursed through my veins as I stole a pair of jeans from one of our earlier victims. I made a long bandage out of a shirt and paused, taking a deep breath before wrapping the fabric tightly around the hole in my torso.
I bit back the pain and surveyed the surrounding carnage.
Maya was nearby, her breath ragged. The body language of her wolf showed extreme fatigue, but she was alive. Not far from her, a naked Jerome was tending to Grace, his human hands gentle as he checked her injuries.
Robert was on the ground… not moving.
Shit.
The hunters, led by James, were scattered about, some tending to their wounded, others checking the fallen werewolves for any signs of life.
Joanna was by James’s side, and when I found her, nothing else around me mattered.
I made my way over to them, my steps slow and heavy. As I approached, Joanna turned to me, her eyes meeting mine. She took a reassuring breath, the tension in her shoulders easing as I closed the distance between us.
Without a word, I pulled her to me. My lips found hers, and I kissed her deeply, pouring every ounce of relief, gratitude, and love I felt into that moment. I didn’t care who was watching. I didn’t care what they thought. All that mattered was that she was safe, and that we were alive.
As I pulled away, Joanna’s eyes fluttered open, locking onto mine. She smiled softly. “We did it, Blackwood.”
I nodded, leaning into her touch. “We did.”
Wincing as I turned to James, I extended my hand. “Thank you for coming back.”
James glanced down at it and hesitated before grasping it firmly. “Don’t make me regret it, wolf,” he said gruffly.
I offered him a small smile when what I really wanted to do was roll my fucking eyes.
Despite the urge to stay by her side, I left Joanna with James, turning my attention back to my pack. There was much to be done. The wounded needed tending, the fallen needed to be honored, and the captured traitors needed to be dealt with.
I don’t know which human broke first, unable to deal with the naked bodies, but a small pile of clothes appeared in the middle of the hall.
Maya shifted back into her human form, her body covered in sweat and blood. I approached her, swiping a flannel shirt from the pile. “The gamma who ended an uprising,” I commended, throwing her the shirt.
She looked up at me, her eyes filled with pride. “Thank you, Alpha. But it was a team effort. We all fought with everything we had.” She sniffed the shirt I’d thrown to her and wrinkled her nose. “Did those fuckers not know how to shower?”
I laughed, my hand shooting to my wound. I’d never heard her speak so foully before. The laughter morphed into a deep sigh, and my smile disappeared. “I’m sorry about Robert.”
Maya bowed her head in a quick, silent prayer before shrugging her shoulders with a sigh of her own. “We fought with everything we had.”
As we checked on the wounded, I couldn’t help but feel satisfied. We took a huge gamble, faced an unimaginable challenge, and won.
A sudden commotion caught our attention. Jerome was helping Crystal to her feet. Blood gushed from her mouth, running down her chin. I rushed over, my concern growing.
“How bad is it?” I asked, my eyes locking on a weeping gash across her chest.
“It’s not good, Marcus,” Jerome replied, his voice grave. “She needs medical attention, and fast. And she isn’t the only one.”
I nodded, my mind racing. “Get her back to Cedar Grove. Sarah should be able to help. Stay out of sight of the residents as much as possible. We don’t need to draw attention to ourselves.”
Jerome nodded and, with another of our kin, moved Crystal toward the warehouse entrance. I turned back to the others, my eyes scanning the room once more.
“Gather the wounded,” I ordered. “And take them back into town. The rest of you help secure the perimeter. Round up the traitors that are still breathing. We don’t want any surprises.”
The group nodded, springing into action.
“The prisoners!” Rebecca exclaimed, her face paling as she suddenly remembered. She turned to rush toward the staircase, but before she could take a step, Peter emerged.
In his wolf form, he trotted up the steps, carrying one badly injured human on his back. Behind him, the rest of the emaciated prisoners followed, their eyes wide with fear.
“Easy, easy,” I murmured as we approached the group slowly, trying not to scare them any further. “You’re safe now. We won’t hurt you.”
Peter shifted back into his human form, his youthful face filled with a mix of pride and horror. “These are who survived, Alpha. Some of them… There are only pieces down there.”
My body froze as anger threatened to bring my wolf back out. But I kept it at bay and placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “You did well, Peter.”
Joanna stepped up from behind me. “We need to get them out of here. They need a doctor.” She turned to Jeffery and the other hunters nearby. “Can you help?”
The hunters nodded, moving forward to assist the freed prisoners. They were gentle, their touches cautious as they guided the traumatized humans out of the building.
Joanna rested her head against my arm and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Her pulse raced, and her hands balled into fists, trembling.
I wished I could make her pain disappear. I pulled her closer and embraced her with everything I had left, wrapping my arms around her as if I could somehow absorb the grief.
“Maya,” I called over Joanna’s shoulder, “make sure those fucking dogs are bound and gagged. I don’t want any of them talking to each other.”
Maya nodded, turning to carry out my orders.
I pulled away from Joanna, placing a kiss atop her head. “We’ll make them all pay,” I reassured her.
It was a promise, a solemn vow that we would make them suffer for every life they’d taken, every innocent they’d hurt, every tear they’d caused to fall. She tilted her head to meet my gaze, her hands gripping my arms tightly as if drawing strength from me.
“Wolf,” Malik called, approaching us in haste. There was a look of concern etched on his face, but unlike his usual self, it didn’t appear that the sight of Joanna in my arms was the cause.
“What is it, Malik?” Joanna questioned.
Malik looked from me to Joanna, then back at me, unsure if he wanted her to know what he had to say.
“What is it?” I repeated with impatience.
Malik stood before us, his eyes still darting between Joanna and me. “A captive says she needs to speak to Joanna. She’s demanding it.”
I felt Joanna tense beside me, her grip on my arm tightening. “A rogue wants to talk to me?” she asked, her voice laced with anger.
Malik nodded, his gaze shifting to me.
Joanna mirrored his nod for my sake, and I signaled Maya from across the room. She was overseeing the binding of the captives, but she looked up at my summons. “Bring the rogue forward,” I commanded.
Maya barked an order to a nearby enforcer. A moment later, they emerged from the crowd, dragging the captive behind them. Head bowed, hands bound behind her back. And… her scent…
The air in the warehouse was thick with rot and death, but this traitor’s scent cut through the cloying aftermath of battle. Subtle, but distinct. Exhilarating—a wild and intoxicating fragrance that sent a shiver down my spine.
As they neared, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. There was something about this rogue, a pull I couldn’t ignore. Joanna must have sensed it, too, because she stepped closer to me, her hand slipping into mine.
Maya shoved the captive forward. The rogue stumbled, catching herself just before being forced to her knees. She looked up, her face streaked with dirt and blood, but her eyes… her orange eyes held a defiant fire that was eerily familiar.
And unfortunately, I soon learned why.
Joanna’s face blanched as she took in the sight before her. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her breathing became shallow and rapid. Her hand flew to her mouth, stifling a cry that threatened to escape.
The rogue smirked. “Hey, little sis.”