Chapter 027: Cost of Integrity

Ava's POV 

Every breath I took as Jackson and I carried Lily out of the flaming clearing seemed like inhaling glass fragments. Though the smoke, the heat, and the sound of crackling flames were diminishing behind us, the panic of almost losing her stayed, piercing and cold in my chest. She was unconscious but alive; her pulse was faint but there it was. That by itself was preventing me from disintegrating.

Caleb was somewhere.

As we hurried over the forest, Jackson's hold on Lily tightened and his expression grew hard. His eyes revealed the suffering, the same terror chewing at me. Though the Raven had snatched the triumph from us once more, we had come quite near to saving both of them.

Breathless from the sprint, my voice faltered but determined as we searched for Caleb. Jackson, he might still be out there.

"I know," he said, his jaw tight. "But first Lily needs to be somewhere safe. Then we'll go back.

Between us, the air seemed weightier than it had in days. These days, this was not only a fight for land or power. It was personal; every loss, every hurt stabbed deeper now. But I found myself unable to consider that. Caleb needed us, and every second we wasted returning Lily to the packhouse felt as though we were losing him another minute.

Leo and the other warriors hurried out to meet us when we got to the packhouse. Though they were clearly worried, they reacted right away when they spotted Lily in Jackson's arms.

"Ask the healer!" I phoned with a rough voice. Though she is harmed, she is living.

My heart pounding as we set Lily on the table in the healer's chambers, one of the pack members bolted off and I followed Jackson inside. As I swept the hair away from her face, reality collapsed upon me and my hands shook.

Quietly, Jackson murmured, "She'll be okay, Ava," but I could hear the doubt in his voice. "She is robust."

I nodded and couched the lump in my throat. Not today could I break down. Not when still so much was at risk.

Standing suddenly, the adrenaline driving me ahead, I said, "I'm going back out there for Caleb." I will not let him go with her. Not in line with the Raven.

Jackson stopped me with his arm grabbing mine. "Waits." We are going to go together.

Looking into his eyes, I saw the same desperation and terror mirrored back at me. Still, he was right. Not after what had just transpired, we afford to jump right into this without a strategy.

"We have to find out where she is taking him," I replied, my voice calm as the weight of the circumstances struck in. She always moves ahead of us. We have to think more deliberately.

Leo appeared at the door, his countenance stern. “The scouts are already searching the area. But there’s no trace of Caleb or the Raven. She must have taken him somewhere else.”

My heart plummeted at his words, and the panic I had been holding at away started to creep back in. The thought of Caleb being with her, alone and exposed, made my stomach turn. I could not part from him. Not sure about it.

"Where would she take him?" I asked while moving the room. She hides constantly and moves always. She has another place somewhere she believes we cannot access.

Jackson scowled, thought wrinkled on his brow. She has been using abandoned sites close to borders and renegade hideouts. Most of them, though, we have already examined.

Leo nodded in understanding. "She is aware of our observing of limits. She would not carry him there.

I stopped pacing and thought immediately. "What would happen if she omitted bringing him to one of those locations? What if she is bringing him somewhere unannounced—someplace nearer?

Jackson's eyes shot to mine, a flicker of comprehension traveling between us. "You believe she is still close-by?"

I answered by nodding. She has been keeping us on edge and causing us to believe she is always shifting. But supposing she is clearly visible? Somewhere we would not have considered looking.

Leo moved forth with a reflective attitude. "A few sites within the area are far enough to be remote. First the old tunnels under the northern ridge.

"The tunnels," Jackson said, his gaze tightening. She may vanish there for days without our knowledge.

I was suddenly full of hope. "then that is where we start."

As we traveled across the cold, damp, shockingly quiet tunnels under the northern crest, Every sound was enhanced by the small stone walls; the air seemed weighty with expectancy. My heart hammered in my chest, Caleb's terror pushing me ahead. It escapes me what we may discover at the end of this. I was limited to concentrating on returning him.

Jackson set the pace; his eyes swept every shadow, every nook, his feet steady but wary. Though their guns were ready and the fighters behind us advanced silently, I understood the true danger lay not in the actual combat. The Raven had shown herself to be erratic, clever. She wouldn't simplify this for us.

I started to feel as though we were entering another trap the deeper we descended the tubes. We were still playing along as the Raven had laid out her plan. But this time there was no choice available. Caleb's life was on the brink.

Leo said, "We're close," his voice hardly audible as he looked down at a tunnel chart. " Ahead there is a bigger chamber. She will be hiding here if she is here.

I nodded, my pulse racing toward the chamber. Every stride felt weighty, the air thickening with peril. Jackson's fingers touched mine momentarily, a silent reminder that we were in this together, that we wouldn't stop until our family was whole once more.

Jackson waived for the warriors to fan out as we arrived at the chamber door, encircling the space. As we entered, our eyes skimming the poorly lighted area, the suspense nearly intolerable.

And there Caleb was in the middle of the room.

His hands chained, he was seated on the ground staring wide with terror at us. Though it was fleeting, relief overtook me. The Raven was standing behind him, a blade pushed to his throat.

"Welcome, Alpha," she replied, her voice icy and contemptuous. "I was wondering when you might show up."

My heart halted, then I felt Jackson stiff next to me. Although the fighters encircled the chamber, none of them ventured forward.

Jackson's voice dangerously low, he said, "Let him go."

The Raven grinned, delight shining in her eyes. "I do not believe so." You see, I have yet to finish. This is only getting started.

Tears filled Caleb's eyes, and his little body shook as the blade pressed harder against his skin. My breath stopped in my throat; the terror took over.

My voice breaking, I pleaded, "Please." "He is only a young man."

The smile of the Raven got bigger. Just exactly. And that is the reason this is so mouthwatering. Parental suffering is significantly more fulfilling than any territory or power.

Jackson's palm clenched into a fist, his body curled with strain. You are not obliged to do this. We can arrange everything you wish.

The Raven bent her head to give his comments some thought. She shook her head then, her smile unflinching. No. I will take my chances, I suppose.

And she moved with it.

The blade flashed, but Jackson sprang forward and knocked Caleb off-balance before she could touch him. The fighters charged, and the place went crazy, but Caleb was the one I paid closest attention to.

My heart thumping with relief as I felt his small body against mine, I hurried forward grabbing him and dragging him into my arms. He was alive, but shaking. That was all that concerned us.

"Mom," he said, his voice shaking. "I was really terrified."

Holding him firmly, I murmured, "I know." But right now you are safe. You're safe.

The noises of the battle roared behind us, but Caleb kept me from looking away. He was present. He was on our side. This was our round to win.

But as I looked up, the Raven was sliding away into the tunnel's shadows. And deep down I knew that this was not done.

Still not yet.

Not by a long margin.