Chapter 169 Capture Them All
Alberto woke with a sharp intake of breath that pulled him out of the heavy darkness that had wrapped around his mind. His body felt weak and unsteady as though every part of him had been drained of strength. His head throbbed faintly while a dull ache spread through his arms and chest.
For a moment he remained still while trying to gather his thoughts.
The air around him felt different from the last place he remembered.
He slowly opened his eyes.
The dim light above him revealed a rough ceiling made of uneven stone. The scent of damp earth filled his nose as he blinked slowly to clear his vision. His body lay against a cold surface while his muscles protested even the smallest movement.
He turned his head slightly.
The sight beside him made his breath catch.
Several figures lay scattered around the room.
Some were chained while others remained motionless as if they had lost all strength. Their clothes looked torn and worn while their bodies carried signs of exhaustion.
Alberto pushed himself up slowly.
A wave of dizziness struck him immediately and he paused while steadying himself.
“Where am I?”
His voice came out low and strained.
No one answered.
He looked around again more carefully.
Among the scattered figures he noticed familiar faces.
His chest tightened slightly.
These were members of his pack.
Some of the guards who had been with him before were now lying among the prisoners.
His eyes moved quickly from one face to another until they stopped suddenly.
Torin.
Alberto’s breath caught again as he focused on him.
Torin sat slumped against the wall with chains wrapped tightly around his wrists and ankles. His head hung forward while his body remained still.
Alberto immediately began crawling toward him.
Each movement felt heavy but he forced himself forward.
“Torin?”
His voice carried urgency.
He reached him and placed a hand against his shoulder.
“Torin, wake up.”
Torin did not respond at first.
Alberto shook him gently.
“Can you hear me?”
Torin’s head shifted slightly.
Slowly his eyes opened.
Alberto froze for a brief moment.
Torin’s eyes looked different.
The color had changed into something darker and colder while his gaze carried a strange weight that had not been there before.
Yet there was still a trace of recognition within them.
“Torin?”
Alberto leaned closer.
“Do you recognize me?”
Torin blinked slowly.
For a moment he said nothing.
Then his head lowered slightly.
The movement was slow but deliberate.
A sign of respect.
Alberto let out a quiet breath.
“You remember.”
Torin’s lips parted slightly but no words came out.
His breathing remained steady though his posture seemed heavier than before.
Alberto studied him carefully.
“What did they do to you?”
Torin did not answer.
Alberto’s jaw tightened slightly.
“We need to get out of here.”
He glanced around the room again.
There were no guards present.
The silence felt strange.
Alberto frowned slightly.
“Where are they?”
A weak voice spoke from the far side of the room.
“Gone for now.”
Alberto turned his head.
An older man sat against the wall with chains around his wrists.
His face looked tired but his eyes remained alert.
Alberto crawled slightly closer.
“What do you mean gone?”
The man shrugged weakly.
“Maybe they are changing shifts.”
Alberto narrowed his eyes slightly.
“You think they left us unguarded?”
The man gave a faint smile.
“It happens sometimes.”
Alberto looked around again.
The absence of guards created a small window of opportunity.
His mind began to work quickly.
“We cannot waste this.”
He turned back to Torin.
“Can you stand?”
Torin tried to move but his body seemed slow to respond.
Alberto placed a hand under his arm.
“Come on.”
With effort Torin pushed himself up slightly.
Alberto felt how heavy he had become.
Something about him felt different.
“Easy.”
Torin managed to sit upright though his movements remained sluggish.
Alberto looked toward the other prisoners.
“We need to leave now.”
Some of them looked at him with uncertainty.
One of the guards who had been captured with them spoke up.
“He is right.”
Another man shook his head.
“What if they come back?”
Alberto’s voice grew firmer.
“They will come back.”
He looked at each of them.
“If we stay here then we remain prisoners.”
The older man spoke again.
“And if we leave?”
Alberto met his gaze.
“Then we have a chance.”
Silence settled over the group.
Some of them looked at each other while uncertainty filled their expressions.
Alberto turned back to Torin.
“We will not stay here.”
He reached for the chains binding Torin’s wrists.
With effort he began trying to loosen them.
His hands trembled slightly from weakness but he continued.
Torin watched him quietly.
The metal finally gave way after several attempts.
The chain loosened.
Alberto moved to the other restraints and repeated the process.
Once Torin was free he turned toward the others.
“Help me free them.”
Torin nodded slowly.
Together they moved toward the nearest prisoners.
The guards who had been part of Fernando’s pack stepped forward as well.
“We will help.”
One of them spoke while beginning to work on another set of chains.
Alberto continued moving from one person to another.
The process felt slow but steady.
As more chains fell away the room filled with quiet movement.
One of the freed prisoners stepped back slightly.
“I do not know if this is a good idea.”
Another nodded.
“They will catch us.”
Alberto looked at them.
“Do you prefer to stay here?”
The man hesitated.
Alberto continued.
“We have an opportunity.”
One of the guards stepped forward.
“Follow him.”
The man pointed toward Alberto.
“He is the Luna to be of our pack.”
A murmur spread among the prisoners.
Some looked surprised.
Others looked doubtful.
One man let out a short laugh.
“The Luna?”
He shook his head.
“How can a man be a Luna?”
Several others glanced at him.
“The alpha must be a strange one.”
Alberto looked at the man calmly.
He shrugged his shoulders slightly.
“That kind of thinking is why you were captured.”
The man’s expression hardened.
“What does that mean?”
Alberto held his gaze.
“You were unable to protect yourself.”
The man fell silent.
Alberto turned away from him.
“We are leaving.”
He looked at Torin again.
“We need strength.”
Without hesitation Alberto lifted his hand and cut his palm open with a sharp piece of metal lying nearby.
Blood welled up immediately.
Torin watched him for a brief moment.
Then he did the same.
He sliced his palm open and pressed it against Alberto’s.
Their blood mixed.
Alberto felt a faint surge of strength flow through him.
His breathing steadied slightly.
Torin’s posture also seemed to firm up.
The connection lasted only a moment before they pulled their hands apart.
Alberto flexed his fingers slightly.
“That will help.”
Torin nodded slowly.
The guards continued freeing the remaining prisoners.
Soon several of them stood on unsteady feet while looking toward Alberto.
“What now?”
One of them asked.
Alberto glanced toward the far end of the room.
“There must be a way out.”
The older man pointed toward a narrow passage.
“I think that leads outside.”
Alberto nodded.
“Then we go that way.”
Some of the prisoners hesitated.
Others began moving.
The guards from Fernando’s pack stepped forward.
“Stay close.”
They helped support those who struggled to walk.
Alberto placed one arm under Torin’s shoulder.
“Can you manage?”
Torin nodded slightly.
“I will.”
They began moving toward the passage.
Their footsteps remained quiet as they carefully made their way through the dim corridor.
The air grew cooler as they moved further.
Alberto’s senses remained alert.
He listened carefully for any sign of movement ahead.
For a moment it seemed as though they might actually escape without being noticed.
Then voices echoed from behind them.
“Stop.”
The sound made several of the prisoners freeze.
Alberto turned his head slightly.
The guards’ voices grew louder.
“Capture them all.”
Fear spread through the group.
Alberto tightened his grip on Torin.
“Move faster.”
The narrow passage stretched ahead of them while the sound of approaching footsteps echoed behind.