Chapter 20

~Caron’s POV~

He’s dead.

I’m gonna skin him alive for this! Was I asking too much whenever I lay down rules for his own damn protection?

Laken you’re not going to Canada...I told him a million times and what does he do? He goes to Canada.

I stuffed the last of my clothing into the bag then looked around to see if I was leaving anything. Satisfied that I wasn’t I zipped it, grabbed my cell phone off the table and in no time I was loading my things into my car. I’d booked an eight o’clock flight, which meant Laken had been alone with Lucas all day. Dammit!

I’d wanted to get away this morning when I’d found out what he’d done but pack obligations kept me grounded. On top of that finals started tomorrow and I had yet to take up a book.

My plan was to get Laken and head back here as soon as possible, I’d already bought his return ticket so all I had to do was get him in time and heaven help him if he tried to resist! This time he was going to listen to me even if I had to literally drag him back.

Canada was a bad idea, something didn’t feel right about this trip and for once it had nothing to do with Lucas’s obsession with my mate. No this wasn’t jealousy, it ran deeper, something had me on edge, so I had to go in get the little devil and get out. Smooth, quick, painless. The sooner the better.

It was as I was about to enter my car that I heard it, loud footsteps shuffling around in the dark. The hairs on my arm rose and I looked out into the night.

Silence.

I turned again to enter and there it was again, the shuffling.

Closing the car door I stepped away from it and gazed around the courtyard, taking in everything in sight.

“Who’s there?” I called out into the night.

More shuffling.

Body tense, I walked even further into the courtyard, listening intently for the sound. Something wasn’t right here, something was out there.

“Well well well, if it isn’t the dear old Alpha.”

I swung around at the sound in time to see four males appearing out of the darkness; they stepped into the courtyard, then paused.

“And you are?” I asked, hackles rising.

“Doesn’t matter who we are.” Another voice spoke up from behind me. When I looked around another group stood not far away, about six of them. How the hell did they sneak up on me without me hearing? My senses had never failed me before. I must be more on edge about the whole Laken situation than I thought.

“What do you want?” I called out, turning so that I had both groups in sight, my eyes darting back and forth.

“You sure love asking questions don’t you Alpha?” yet another voice inquired. Once again I was turning to see who the next intruder was and yet another group of three stood in the clearing; two males and a female.

My eyes narrowed; “Are there anymore of you I should know about or are you going to continue playing hide and seek?”

“Tut tut, touchy touchy.”

Of course why wasn’t I surprised to see four more break out of the darkness? I’d never seen these faces in my life and the fact that they seemed to know who I was and had me surrounded without so much as the courtesy of answering any of my questions, made it obvious that this wasn’t a very friendly bunch. It was also obvious that they were werewolves just by their stance and scent.

I was turning slowly in the circle now, pissed that I’d let them surround me like this, they moved closer and the one gap in their haphazard circle filled.

“Ok so here’s the thing, you’re gonna come with us, no fuss, no fighting.” The only female spoke up.

“And why exactly would I do that?” I asked through clenched teeth.

“Well for one, if you resist us you’ll only get hurt and two because we said so.”

I had to chuckle, was this bitch serious? No one came onto my territory and ordered me around!

“Oh you find this funny Alpha?”

“Look I’d advise you all to get the fuck out of my territory; I have other places to be and no time to waste with you.” I said firmly.

God help them if they decided to try anything. Laken needed me I didn’t have time for this.

“Oh lemme guess, you’re going to go save your little play thing?”

My eyes darted over to the one who spoke and my fists clenched. No way could they know about Laken!

“Don’t worry, Lucas will be sure to sort him out, but time’s wasting and we were told we should be back with you within the hour so-“

My eyes widened and my pulse rate spiked. They knew Lucas? They knew that Laken was with him which meant I was right, Lucas wasn’t who he led everyone to believe and that meant Laken was in danger!

A growl emanated from deep in my throat and I tensed to shift into my wolf form where dealing with this group wouldn’t be a problem.

“Don’t let him shift!” someone shouted, I turned to the voice with a snarl. I could feel the change coming over me, the vibrations travelled along my spine and throughout my body, but before the transformation was complete a sharp pain shot through my head and in an instant I was enveloped in complete and utter darkness.

……………

It took me longer than I should have to realize I was in a holding cell. When I woke up five minutes before the first thing that greeted me were the dirty iron bars which held be within its confines.

I was on the cold concrete floor, the place was dank and strangely odorless and I could hear sounds coming from directly above me which meant I was probably in some kind of basement. I pushed off the ground and grimaced at the pain shooting through the back of my head. I moved my hand to the spot to check if it was bloody. It came away dry.

Where the hell am I?

The little light illuminating the room made it impossible for me to tell what time it was, night had possibly have already passed. I had no way of knowing, just as I had no way of knowing who those people who’d abducted me were and what this whole mess had to do with me.

The only thing I knew was that they knew Lucas and they knew Laken was with him, which scared me beyond measure. What was going on? What did they want with us?

I walked up to the bars on unstable feet and grabbed onto them trying to rattle them. Nothing, they seemed to be firmly embedded in the ground and even if they weren’t the pain in my head made it impossible for me to think straight much less break through.

I had to get to Laken! I thought, my heart rate increasing with every second I stood doing nothing. I blinked a few times trying to dispel the blurriness that now clouded my eyes, then I slid to the ground once more and put my head in my hands. My brain felt like mush, I could hardly think straight, what the hell did they hit me with anyway? A truck?

“Ah you’re awake.”

I looked up to see two persons entering through a door to the far side of the room. They paused in front of my cage. Both were wearing expensive business suits and looked to be about middle aged. The one who had spoken had a cigar dangling from him lips and I watched as he took it from his mouth and rubbed it between his fingers before his sharp eyes locked with my unfocused ones.

“I would apologize for the mess you’ll be staying in but frankly I don’t give a damn.” He said with an insolent drawl.

I could only stare at him through my hazy eyes, confused.

“Who the hell are you?” I got out, not even bothering to try to get off the floor, the pain in my head had escalated tenfold and just saying those five words had taken a bit of effort.

“I’m not surprised you don’t recognize me, after all we’ve never met in person. I’mVictor Obetta and my comrade here is Alfonso Giorgini. Ring any bells?” he tilted his head, a grin plastered on his wrinkled face.

I put my hand to my head and closed my eyes. God the pain!

The one called Victor said something but I blacked out before I could even interpret the sound.

…………………………

The next time I woke I felt almost a hundred percent better, the fogginess from earlier had all but disappeared, outside my cell stood Victor, the other guy was nowhere in sight. He was leaning against the wall his cigar lit and his gaze firmly on me. Now that I had some semblance of control back, I ran up to the bars, gripping them firmly and glaring at me captor,

“What the fuck do you want with me?” I demanded.

“I take it you’re not going to faint on me again?” he said with a grin.

My grip tightened on the bars.

“Now let’s get down to business shall we? I’d rather not waste too much time on this, after all I have a pack to run.” He said pushing off the wall to come stand in front of the cell, close enough that I could see the beads of sweat on his brow but far away enough that I couldn’t stick my hand between the bars to grab his scrawny neck.

“As you’ve probably already guessed, I’m the Alpha of the Obetta pack, you remember the one right? You gave a few rogues from my pack refuge?”

“Is this what this is about? They’re rogues they’ve left your pack there’s no need for you to-“

“It would be in your best interest to keep your mouth shut while I speak.” He said calmly.

I shot him a murderous glare; I took orders from no one!

“This has nothing to do with the rogues, of course you taking them in angered me but I have all the time in the world to deal with those fools. If I’d wanted them back I assure you I’d have had them back. This Alpha,” he said the word in a mocking tone, “has to do with you and your disgusting excuse for a father.” He snarled then dropped the cigar to the ground and squashing it with the heel of his expensive shoes.

“In case you didn’t get the memo, my father’s dead.” I said through clenched teeth.

“Yes I’m aware of that unfortunate fact, unfortunate only because I didn’t get the chance to kill him myself, the tyrant who killed my mate!”

I simply looked at him. It wasn’t hard to believe that my father would do such a thing and as a result I found no need to question my captor about it. What I wanted to know was what this had to do with me.

“And what does that have to do with me?” I voiced, eyebrow raised.

I watched as his eyes widened and his nostrils flared.

Guess that’s not what he wanted to hear.

“What’d you want my sympathy? My father was an asshole I acknowledge that but locking me up won’t change anything.” I growled at him. It might sound harsh but what he was doing was insane.

“You’ll pay. You and everyone you love. You’ll know what it means to lose someone you care about.” He growled at me, showing teeth.

“What is this some kind of fucking lifetime movie? My father killed your mate, I can’t change that and this;” I said gesturing to my cell, “certainly won’t change a thing, let me go.” I demanded.

“You don’t get it do you? for years he thought that being the Alpha of one of the largest packs in the state meant he could do anything he wished. He’s killed; he’s taken things that can never be regained. You have no idea what you’re up against here. No idea how many packs he’s pissed off and all the while his pack have stood by while it happened. You’ve all stood together and allowed it to happen. You will all pay for your crimes, starting with your mate.” He spat the words at me.

“I don’t have a mate.” I said calmly though inside I was a mess.

“Do you take me for a fool Carson? I’ve been watching you for a while now. I know more about you than you probably know about yourself. I hadn’t actually planned to execute this plan so soon, I’d wanted to watch as you lost your mate’s heart to Lucas but I’ve grown tired of this game. It’s time to rid the state of the bloodthirsty animals you all turned out to be.”

He turned and walked toward the door. My heart pounded in my chest and I had to take a steadying breath.

“Wait! My pack had nothing to do with my father’s crimes, you can’t punish innocent people for the crimes of one man you’re insane!” I shouted at him.

He stopped in his tracks but didn’t turn around;

“You’ll have a front row seat to their execution and then you’ll follow.” He resumed walking.

“Victor! Listen to me! You’d hurt children? Who had nothing to do with this? Please! You’re not thinking straight my pack has done nothing wrong. We never stood by and allowed my father to commit any crimes. My father answered to no one and he kept his business to himself, how could we have known? My pack wouldn’t do that and I’m nothing like my father!” I was gripping the bars to the point where it felt my bones would shatter. I had to make him see that this made no sense, that he was wrong!

He turned to me and took a few steps in my direction. The glint in my eyes told me my words hadn’t affected him in any way and I pulled against the bars, rattling them, desperate to escape, to warn my pack somehow.

“You think you’re nothing like him?” he said with a cruel chuckle. Then he looked at me, his eyes narrowing and a smile blossoming on his face.

“Allowing your pack to live will be to the detriment of us all, I’ve watched alpha after alpha emerge in that pack and none have been any different. You whipped your own mate for disobeying you. Do you deny that?”

I remained silent, gritting my teeth.

“Precisely-“

“And you’re willing to kill an entire pack, how is that any different from my father?” I gritted out.

He laughed; “I never proclaimed to be anything I’m not. With your pack out of the way, there will be nothing to stand against my reign.”

“So this really has nothing to do with your mate then…it’s about power.” I surmised.

“Finally you get it. I’m sick of the other packs answering to you, following your lead simply because of tradition, you are not fit to lead and the death of my mate is evidence of that.”

“Victor please!” it practically killed me to beg but this was my pack I had to do something.

He looked at me, his smile growing and his eyes narrowing; “You’re right, this is insane, I have a better idea. You choose.” He looked at me, waiting for my response.

“Choose what?”

“Frankly Carson, I couldn’t care less who dies, I just want you to suffer for your father’s sins, so you choose. Lucas is with your mate right now, if I make one phone call he’s dead and Alfonso was kind enough to loan me his own guard, combined with mine, your pack won’t stand a chance and at the moment they have your camp surrounded, one call and your pack goes up in flames, women and children alike.”

My breath was coming in harsh gasps; “No!”

“But… you get to play a role in all this dear Alpha. You get to choose which one to save. If you chose to save your pack I guarantee no harm will come to them, they’ll all be assimilated into my pack but your mate will die. If you choose your mate I’ll let him live but your pack will pay the price…Choose.” He said deviously.

“I can’t! Don’t do this!” I let out, the pain in my voice evident.

“If you don’t choose then they all die.”

“Then kill me please just leave them out of this!” I agonized.

“No. you have one hour to make your decision.” He said then turned on his heels and walked out the door.

I rattled the bars pulling and pushing, smashing my shoulder against it but it wouldn’t budge. I shifted form to see if I could somehow squeeze through.

No luck.

I kicked, scratched and slammed myself into the bars over and over again desperate to escape. Desperate to save my pack and my mate. When these proved futile I slid to the ground, my head resting against a bar and my breath uneven. I couldn’t choose between my mate and the pack. I couldn’t!

Laken was my mate, I’d loved him my whole life, I’d watched him grow into the wonderful person he was now. He had one of the purest hearts I’d ever come across. He didn’t deserve to die at the hands of someone he trusted. He didn’t deserve to die, period. Not my Laken, I loved him beyond reason, he was more than just a mate.” I banged my head against the metal, trying to hold back a sob.

Not Laken, but how did you order the death of thousands of innocent people? men, women and children. How did you stand by and watch a whole pack being massacred? Killed because of your father’s selfish misdeeds. I loved my pack; I’d grown up with these people. They were good and compassionate, they didn’t deserve this.

My hand shook as I brought it up to run through my hair which was damp with sweat. I had to decide who lived and who died. I couldn’t escape; this place was made for prisoners like me. How did you choose between the love of your life; the bane of your existence and thousands of innocent people?

You didn’t.

No one should have to make this choice. As an Alpha the right choice would be to choose what was best for the pack, but I was also a man, a man with a mate who just as much as the pack didn’t deserve this.

I sat there tormented. I had to get out of here somehow but the only way that could happen would be if someone got close enough to the bars so that I could physically threaten them to open it. These people were smart, they would be getting nowhere near me and so yet again it dawned on me that I had less than an hour to pronounce death.

Laken’s face flashed before my eyes, Laken scared, Laken laughing, Laken glaring at me, Laken crying, Laken sleeping. Then I thought of my pack, the children, the different families, the hunts the love, the unity.

What did I do? For once I had no answer and again the tears threatened to fall and I allowed it to. I was allowed this momentary weakness, I was allowed to mourn for the death of…I didn’t even know.

“Your time is up.” I glanced up at his voice then shot to my feet;

“Victor think about what you’re doing, these are innocent people, all of them, my mate. Please. Just kill me, It was my father who did this, you’ll be in power without an Alpha to rule my pack, you can take over, just don’t kill anyone. They’re innocent!” I agonized, my face pressed up to the bars.

“Make your choice or they all die. Your words mean nothing to me.” He seethed and looking into his eyes I could tell I hadn’t gotten trough, his eyes were as black as his heart.

I stepped back from the bars, falling to my knees in despair.

“Please Victor.” I begged.

“Your choice!”

I lowered my head, looking at him proved to be too much. I was a failure, I couldn’t protect anyone. With a bleeding heart I pronounced death. I told him my choice. One would live and one would die, it almost killed me to say the words.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

I'M SORRY I HAVN'T POSTED IN TWO DAYS, THIS DAILY UPLOADS THING IS HARDER THAN I THOUGHT ESPECIALLY DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON BUT I'M STILL GONNA TRY. ANYWAY...

YOU DON'T KNOW THIS BUT I'D TRANSPORTED A PART OF MY PERSONALITY INTO LAKEN; JUST THE PART WHERE HE HATESBEING CALLED NAIVE SO ON CHAPTER 19 WHEN EVERYONE KEPT CALLING HIM NAIVE IN THE COMMENTS I LITERALLY FLINCHED EVERYTIME LOL

ANYWAY YOUR THOUGHTS,MESSAGES,VOTES ARE WELCOME!

ShOuT oUtS: To CookieOrioMonster and to xCOOKIExCRUMBSx..I love cookies! Thanks for your support you too MUAH!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.