Chapter 176

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Theo

“I want it to hurt,” Aria says to Ronan. “Promise me it won’t be quick.”

There is the blood thirsty mate I love so much, my wolf admires.

“Don’t worry, we’ll make sure they get the same mercy they gave,” Ronan says.

“Good, I don’t want to have to complain when you guys get back,” she teases.

Marcus uncovered the location, revealing the filming area to be a warehouse three towns over. It would take us at least six hours to get there.

We contacted Nightshade and Elliot assembled his small team.

Agreeing to keep it relatively small, there are four warriors from each pack going on this mission. This includes the ex Marine mother of the kidnapped male juvenile.

A male we now know is half shifter.

Marcus will run point on the tech side. The hole he created allowed him to hack into a few cameras inside.

He’ll be our eyes and ears inside the place.

“Stay safe sweetheart. We’ll be back soon.”

She looks at Xochitl. “You better keep my mates safe.”

He smirks at her. “You should take this time to go see Thomas. He could probably give you something to relax you.”

She frowns at him and Barric rubs her shoulders sympathetically.

She’s been having mood swings every eight minutes or at least it feels that way.

“Alright let’s move out. Elliot and his enforcers are waiting for us at the front gate.”

Ronan, Xochitl, Dex and I head out meeting Elliot, Sigrid, IIya and Sage.

The woman seems to be the most comfortable with Elliot, something that clearly confuses everyone, including him.

“Alright so what is the plan?” I ask.

“We’re going to surround the warehouse. Dex, Sigrid and You will scout and take out any guards outside.”

“IIya will go with Sage to give her a vantage point on the roof so no one tries to escape.”

“Is my aim to disable or to eliminate?” she asks, completely unfazed by either option.

“Disarm. I promised my mate I’d make them suffer.”

“Sounds like my kind of girl,” she says offhandedly.

We move to the nine seater all terrain vehicle and get in.

“I’ll take the back,” Sage says, moving to the last row. IIya moves to sit by her and me and Xochitl take the next row, while Sigrid and Dex take the one closest to the driver’s seat. Ronan is in the passenger seat and Elliot drives.

“You smell like warm brown butter,” Xochitl says, turning to look at Sage.

IIya’s attention was immediately on the Sypher.

“Hazard of my profession. I’m a baker.”

“Really? Where at?” he says.

“The Golden Brew. A little coffee shop and bakery.”

Xochitl eyes light up. “You have the Yemeni roast!”

“Among other things, yes.”

“Goddess I’m addicted to that blend. You should start selling the beans.”

“You know that’s not a bad idea, I source from small farms around the world for all my brews. I’m sure they would appreciate the business.”

“I think we could be friends, Sage.”

“Only if you’re lucky,” she teases.

IIya stiffens almost imperceptibly.

“I have been told I’m a good luck charm,” he smiles.

I roll my eyes, figures Xochitl would be drawn to the one female on this hunt.

I lean back letting the sounds of conversation filter around me. Everyone is doing their best to distract themselves, to take off the edge that comes with being on the precipice of battle.

It’s been so long since we were here, yet it feels like slipping on a second skin.

We must separate the juveniles from danger, my wolf says.

We will, I assure him.

I can’t imagine what they must be feeling.

Couldn’t imagine what he would feel if it had been Low in their place.

I held on to the anger, centered it. Hardened it until it became as sharp and biting as my claws.

Until it became a beast ready to strike.

***

The car is silent, every person inside honeying in on the mission in front of us, gathering focus, leashing rage, weaponizing outrage.

Elliot pulls the truck over inside the large parking lot of a grocery store a few miles away.

It is the best position to prevent anyone from spotting us around the warehouse.

“Everyone turn on your ear pieces,” Ronan orders.

“Roll call,” Marcus says as soon as I connect to our network.

One by one we all announced ourselves.

“They’re preparing for production. Turning on cameras, moving the cages closer, and laying down tarps on the floor.”

The rage makes me clench so hard I can feel a headache coming on.

“How many?” I ask.

“Inside, ten.”

“But you have no idea how many are lurking outside,” Dex says.

“No you’ll have to do that.”

Elliot nods at Dex and Sigrid. Both of the male take to the forest and disappear in unison.

“Dex and Sigrid are going to round the perimeter. Once they give the all clear, IIya will take Sage and position themselves on the roof.”

“Copy.”

We all listen as small muffled oof’s and cut off shouts sounded over the system.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

“The ground is clear. We’re checking the nearby woods,” Sigrid updates.

“It looks like they’re ready. One of them just started with his D—role villain tirade,” he pauses. “Fuck.”

“What?”

“They’re dragging out Dante. Calling him a trader to his species for associating with animals.’

My eyes flick to Sage, her knuckles are white around her gun.

“They’re going to make an example of him,” Marcus says.

“The fuck they are,” Sage snarls, starting towards the building.

IIya steps in front of her, blocking her path.

“Get out of my way.” It’s a threat.

“We’re clear,” Dex says.

We all rush forward. IIya followed Sage to a ladder on the side of the building leading up to the roof.

I move behind Xochitl heading straight for the front door as Ronan and Elliot move on either side towards the windows.

“In position,” Sage calls out over our coms.

“Ready to go in the front,” I say.

“Okay, do you’re thing, Xochitl,” Ronan says.

Without waiting a moment more, Xochitl punches a twister into the doors ripping them open.

Before they could slam into the contrite walls, rushing down the halls as shouts come from the singular door at the end of it.

The sound of shattering glass erupts.

“They’re running,” Marcus calls out.

“Got ‘em,” I reply, shifting as soon as I see the terrified male.

Bones pop and crack, realign, as fur replaces skin and my feet collide into the male’s chest.

He lets out a pitiful preemptive scream.

The coward.

Let’s give him something to scream about, my wolf says.

I slash my claws into his chest, careful not to go too deep. We need them alive, not conscious and certainly not unscathed.

He writhes beneath me trying to buck me off but my wolf bites his forearms, whipping his head from side to side until he hears a satisfying snap.

Next to me Xochitl plays with the other human, bringing him down to his hand and knees, exerting his power over the human and showing him with actions how useless it is to try and fight back.

My wolf drags the male back to the center room, Xochitl right behind us with his human and we enter chaos.

Gunshots ring out as the humans try to fight back but one after another they are incapacitated.

Desperation clots the air.

Xochitl uses his wind to secure the captured males, locking them in a vortex of wind so strong it presses them into the ground.

With their numbers low, they know it’s only a matter of time before we get them all.

A zap of light, followed by a pain filled cry makes us all pause.

“Enough!” The male says holding Ashlynn in front of him, an electoral prod pressed to her temple.

I inhale.

The scent of earth makes my wolf growl.

Shifter.

“How dare you betray your own kind,” Elliot spits, his eyes dark as pitch as he slowly approaches the male

“That’s far enough,” The man says. “Another step further and I scramble her brains before returning her to you.”

“I would watch my next words if I were you. Do you really think threatening will keep you safe?”

The sound of chains shifting takes my attention.

Dante.

He is chained on the tarped section of the floor, blinking hard against whatever drugs they got in his system.

He’s stripped down to his underwear, the tattered remains of his clothes around him.

Faint, healing bruises litter his skin, letting me know then did not wait until the show to harm him.

“Ash?” He questions groggy but not as panicked as I would expect.

The human behind him presses a blade to his throat. “Easy kid. The shows not over.”

“Get you’re fucking hands off my son,” Sage says walking I’m tactical rifle trained on the male.

IIya watches her back.

“Mom?” Dante seems more lucid than a moment ago.

Too lucid.

“I’m right here,” she says.

“Well now, would you look at this, only two of you left,” Ronan taunt.

“They’ll be two less kids if you move even a fraction of an inch.”

Sigrid moves in my peripherals and the human takes a step back with ask, moving until he’s by the crates with the four other juveniles.

My wolf snarls, taking the human’s attention for a moment, before he returns it towards Elliot.

“Now we’re going to leave out of this door and you’re not going to follow us. You can keep them, as a gift,” he juts his chin towards the cages. “But unfortunately these two will have to come with us.”

A dark, eerie, clacking rumble comes from Dante as he looks up at the man holding the blade to his chest. “No, we won’t.”

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