*Wade POV*
I hunch over, my hands on my knees, as I’m overcome with a sudden feeling of heat. It burns through my veins at such a rate I can’t even process what is happening. Slowly, the pain gives way to relief, and just as suddenly as it had come on; it is gone again. Sweat pours from every pore as I stand panting to catch my breath.
I look down at my sweat-stained shirt and sigh in annoyance, I quickly take it off tossing it to the side. I’ve been a mess since she left. A few hours ago I felt a few slips in her mental barrier, but since then there has been nothing other than this random feverish pain that overcame me.
She has to be fine. The few times I got her emotions, she was confident and cocky. Her usual self in fighting. I have tried and failed many times to mind link her through the early hours of the morning, which makes me feel much more uneasy. Could that be because she has gotten away and is out of reach?
I hate the idea of waiting, and with Samuel as my new guardian for the day, it’s impossible to get a moment to see how plans are going. I can mind link my pack members, sure, but that’s not the same as being in the throes of planning it myself. Everyone has to go about their day as if nothing is out of the ordinary if we want to pull this off. Including me doing mundane Alpha work when my mate is being tortured. “I almost forgot,” Samuel says standing from the couch and striding over to my desk. I lay my papers aside as I wait for him to continue. He reaches deep into his pocket and drags out a long silver chain. I swallow hard when I see the bloodstains on what I recognize as Ali’s necklace. The very necklace that kept her scent hidden from me. He swings it over and onto my desk, and it lands with a clunk right before my hand. I want to snatch it up and hold it close, but I’m not sure I can reach out without shaking hands. I glan
Francis and Liam are waiting for me on the outskirts of the woods when I land in front of them. Samuels’s men are looking worried and pacing around, trying to decide if they should join the fight or stay where they are. A few of Liam’s pack members show up and have a quick discussion and Samuel’s men run off towards the smoke. I look over at Liam, who nods us forward, and we move across the grass as inconspicuous as we can. “Alpha,” the warriors say, nodding to Liam, who acknowledges them as we enter the door. Ali’s scent wraps around my heart, tugging me to her. The smell of her fresh blood and sweat mar her sweet scent. I ease down the hall knowing that there are at least two more guards here that we can’t let see our faces, otherwise everyone is in jeopardy. The sound of muffled grunting and blows landing sends a chill up my spine as my feet carry me from slow and steady to full force sprint. I break through the little opening, ready
The guard’s body slumps to the floor with a wet thud. I step back to regain my composure, opening my eyes only to find a stunned Liam. Ali stirs, and I rush over to her, lifting her with ease. Without a word, I start down the hallway, Liam hot on my heels. “Have to admit, I didn’t think you had it in ya.” Liam whistles. I ignore him and walk on until we hit the door leading outside. Liam heads out first, peeking around to ensure the coast is clear. I steal a glance down at Ali while we wait, and I regret it. Anger floods back over me and the desire to go make sure all the guards are dead makes its way to the forefront of my mind. Liam pops his head back in, breaking through my burning fury. “We are clear. Let’s move.” I nod, and as quickly as my leg will let me, I run across the opening with Ali. Sweat drips down my face from the pain and I’m grateful the guardian oath was broken. It would kill me knowing she was getting m
*Ali POV* Every bit of me aches from the hair on the top of my head down to the toenails on my feet. There is only so much torture a single person can take. They had trained me for torture and in the art of keeping my pain at bay. But when the person who trains you is your tormentor, they get creative. I can honestly say I am surprised by Samuel’s betrayal. He had been so kind and attentive when I was younger. But perhaps that had more to do with my abilities to fight than his desire to treat me like I was his own. The moment they caught me, I knew Samuel wouldn’t allow Wade to know I was still on his pack lands. I was trying to formulate my way out, but my body was so exhausted from trying to speed its healing process that I couldn’t stay awake. It wasn’t until I noticed I was in someone’s arms that something inside of me awoke. Every pain and ache blossomed into a beautiful tingling, acting as a salve to my burns and ebbing away my suffering.
I know Samuel isn’t who I thought he was. He is clearly a seasoned manipulator and his soul is as black as they come. Yet, a part of me struggles to believe Uncle Corbin. I mean, this all happened because of him and his mate. But he didn’t pull the trigger. He didn’t deliver the sentence or beg for mercy for my father, which led to all of us being stripped of our wolves. No, those were all individual reactions to what had happened. Taking a deep breath in, I look over at Corbin. I’m not sure what I’m hoping to find in his eyes. Perhaps I was looking for a trace of mistruths. Anything that would help lead me to believe that my hardships weren’t based on the lies of other men. That all my suffering and loss was actually about me doing something wrong instead of just being caught up in someone else’s misfires. Instead, I saw the truth. Uncle Corbin had loved his mate, loved my parents and still loves me. He can’t make amends for the th
My leg bounces anxiously while Jacob drives at what seems like the slowest pace possible. I slide a glance towards Jacob; the rogue selected to come with me and I can’t help but get the feeling that I know him from somewhere. He looks over and makes a face. “Why are you staring at me?” he asks “You look so familiar.” “You just left the Moon Shadow pack, right?” “Yeah…” “I look like my younger siblings.” He says wistfully. “They are twins.” “Mason and Robin?” I ask, my eyes going wide. “You know them?” He asks, shocked. “They were some of the first people I met. You-you’re THEIR Jacob? The one that disappeared and was best friends with Frank?” “Sheesh. So you know them, and I didn’t disappear. I left them a letter.” “I don’t think they ever got it. They are convinced you are dead. Well, Mason is.” “My dad must not have given it to them.” He clears his throat and looks forwar
*Wade POV* I’m not accustomed to feeling like a prisoner in my home. Samuel continually banishes me to the confines of my packhouse. Not that it does much, I still walk around pack grounds, greeting my pack members. Even if he gets angry about it. I am not the type of person who cowers in a tower waiting for the bad guys to go away. Samuel, of course, isn’t happy about my resistance and begs me to respect his orders. Respect is a mutual thing and I can tell he thinks I am beneath him. He talks politely enough but his side remarks and whisperings with his men and then tries to act nonchalant when I call him out on it. I know Ali's escaping bothers him to no end. She bested him while being unconscious after all. That kind of blow does something to a man’s ego, especially a man whose ego is bigger than it should be. However, I think what worries him most is knowing she is out there and that she now knows he is no longer the good guy. Someone has discovered his true nature and it’s som
*Ali POV* Dread fills me as my tin cup of coffee falls to the ground, clattering on the dirt and stones. The hot liquid inside sprays across my face, but I feel no pain. Only a heavy feeling of fear. Something happened to Wade or his pack. I know it, I can feel it. I turn on my heels and run for Corbin’s office; I slam the door open, finding an unphased Corbin and very stoic-looking Simon. They must have known. “You knew?” I spew at them. Simon chuckles slightly, looking over to Corbin “Told you so.” he smiles. Corbin sighs as he stands, and motions for me to come sit down. “Ali-” “You knew? You knew when it was going to happen and you weren’t going to tell me.’’ I say with realization. “I just got you back Ali-bee,” he says softly, sounding so broken. “Uncle Corbin.” I sigh heavily. He didn’t know, how could he? “Alpha Wade is my second chance mate.” Simon’s eye bug out and Corbin