Chapter 265

Chapter 265
 Xavier's POV

The pain in my head was excruciating, but I forced myself to stay still as I watched Marcus's men drag my unconscious brothers from the wreckage. Every instinct screamed at me to fight, but I knew that would be suicide in my current condition.

Think, Xavier. You need to think your way out of this.

"Load them in the van," Marcus ordered, checking his watch. "We need to get back to base before the boss gets impatient."

The boss. So Marcus isn't even the one in charge.

I watched through barely cracked eyelids as they carried Nathan, Sean, and Rolex toward a black van parked nearby. They were being careful with them - these weren't execution orders. They wanted us alive for something.

"What about the fourth one?" one of the masked figures asked, gesturing toward our destroyed SUV.

"What fourth one?" Marcus frowned.

"There were four heat signatures in the vehicle when we hit them. We've only got three bodies."

My blood ran cold. They knew I was missing, which meant I had maybe minutes before they started a systematic search.

Move. Now.

Using the wreckage as cover, I managed to crawl away from the crash site, biting back groans of pain as broken ribs protested with every movement. The industrial area was full of shadows and debris - perfect for hiding if I could just make it far enough.

"Fan out!" Marcus shouted. "Find him! He can't have gotten far in his condition."

I pressed myself against a concrete barrier, using every technique I'd learned to suppress my scent and mask my presence. Around me, I could hear boots on gravel as they spread out to search.

They're not going to kill them yet, I reminded myself, fighting the urge to go after my brothers immediately. I need to find out where they're taking them first.

That's when opportunity presented itself. One of the searchers passed close to my hiding spot - close enough that I could smell his fear and nervousness. He was smaller than the others, probably new to whatever organization this was.

When he moved past the barrier, I struck. My arm wrapped around his throat in a chokehold, and within seconds, he went limp in my arms.

Sorry, but I need your uniform more than you need consciousness.

Stripping him quickly, I pulled on his mask and tactical gear, leaving him unconscious but alive behind the barrier. The clothes were a bit loose, but in the dark, with the mask covering my face, it might be enough to fool them.

"Anything?" Marcus called out as I emerged from the shadows, trying to move like I belonged with this group.

"Nothing over here," I replied, deepening my voice and hoping the mask would muffle any identifying characteristics.

"Keep looking. He's injured and on foot. He can't have gone far."

For the next twenty minutes, I participated in the search for myself, all while gathering intelligence about their operation. There were more of them than I'd initially thought - at least thirty operatives, all well-armed and clearly well-trained.

This isn't just some rogue pack. This is a military-level organization.

"Time's up," Marcus finally announced. "If he's out here, he'll die from his injuries anyway. We need to get back."

As we loaded into various vehicles, I found myself in the back of a truck with five other masked figures. My ribs were screaming with pain, and I could taste blood in my mouth, but I forced myself to stay alert.

Stay calm. Blend in. Find out where they're taking Mia and my brothers.

The drive took about forty minutes, winding through back roads until we reached what looked like an abandoned military installation. Guard towers, razor wire, concrete buildings designed to withstand assault.

How the hell did they get access to a place like this?

As we passed through multiple checkpoints, I realized each one had some kind of verification process. Guards were checking something - codes, maybe, or biometric data.

Shit. If they have any kind of real security protocol, I'm screwed.

But luck was on my side. The guard at our checkpoint seemed bored and tired, barely glancing at us as he waved our truck through.

Once inside the compound, I could see the full scope of their operation. This wasn't just a kidnapping - this was a base of operations for something much larger. There were vehicles, weapons, communications equipment, and what looked like holding facilities.

They're preparing for war.

"New arrivals go to Building C for processing," someone announced as we unloaded from the trucks.

I followed the group, my mind racing. I needed to find Mia and my brothers, but I also needed to get word to our backup forces about what we were dealing with.

Speaking of backup, where the hell are they?

My beta Marcus should have had warriors at our location by now. The fact that no rescue had come meant either they couldn't find us, or something had happened to them too.

I'm on my own.

As we approached Building C, I realized I had a choice to make. I could try to infiltrate further, risking discovery but potentially finding Mia and my brothers. Or I could try to escape now while I still could, get reinforcements, and come back with overwhelming force.

What would Mia want me to do?

The answer was obvious. She'd want me to be smart, not heroic. She'd want me to think strategically instead of charging in emotionally.

That's when I overheard two guards talking.

"Boss wants a search team to sweep the crash site again," one of them was saying. "Make sure that fourth target is really dead."

"How many men?" the other asked.

"Six should be enough. If he survived, he's probably bleeding out somewhere anyway."

Perfect.

I stepped forward. "I'll volunteer for the search team," I said, keeping my voice steady.

"You sure? It's going to be cold out there."

"Better than guard duty," I replied.

Within minutes, I was back in a vehicle with five other operatives, heading away from the compound. They thought they were hunting me, but really, I was escaping with their help.

Just hold on a little longer, I projected through the mind link, hoping Mia could somehow hear me. I'm coming back for all of you.

About halfway back to the crash site, I made my move. While the others were focused on the road ahead, I quietly opened the door of the moving vehicle and rolled out, using every bit of training I'd ever received to minimize the impact.

The pain was incredible, but I was free.

As I lay in the ditch beside the road, watching their taillights disappear, I pulled out my phone and prayed it still worked after the crash.

"Marcus," I said when my beta answered. "I need emergency extraction and every warrior we have. Now."

"Alpha? Thank God! We've been searching for you for hours. What happened?"

"It's a trap. All of it. And we're dealing with something much bigger than we thought."

I gave him my location and a quick rundown of what I'd discovered.

"Sir, we'll have you out of there in twenty minutes," Marcus assured me.

"Make it ten," I said. "And Marcus? Call every allied pack in the region. We're going to need all the help we can get."

As I waited for rescue, staring up at the dark sky, I made myself a promise.

I'm coming for you, Mia. I'm coming for all of you. And when I do, these bastards are going to learn what happens when you threaten my family.

But first, I needed an army.