Plan A

Plan A
BRUCE 

We've reached the place where Opal is allegedly hiding, and as I watch the house from a distance, I beg the goddess silently for this to be it.

I have to find her. I can't bear the thought of her being hurt. It's bad enough that I can't stop imagining what they're doing to her in there. 

It's slowly driving me insane. 

"How much closer can we get?"

"Not too close," Rick answers. "If they see us, our chances of finding her will be nonexistent. These people are vigilant."

"How did you find this place again?"

"I'd been following a group of rogues for the last two weeks and they led me here. They brought groceries. Then, I heard them talk about how he'd asked them to get more because he had someone over, and they mentioned the queen."

What I want is to race toward the house and kill anyone who tries to stop me. 

But if I care about her well-being, I'll do no such thing. 

To me, what matters the most is getting Opal out of there safely. That's why I don't have a whole troop right behind me. 

I'll trust Rick and his judgment. He's my Beta for a reason. 

"How long do you think we'll be out here for?"

"It's hard to say," he admits as he turns his head to look at me. "Usually, the guys controlling the perimeter switch every few hours. We can wait until then. Usually, there are about thirty men around at the same time. It'll be hard. Plus, they're usually in wolf form."

They'd smell us in a heartbeat. 

I try not to feel helpless, but I can't stop thinking about her in there. Every minute that passes by reminds me of what can be happening to her inside there. I have this urge to move and act, before it's too late. 

Our surroundings are pitch-black out here. It's almost impossible to see what's around us. 

"The switch should have happened by now," Rick comments. It's the first thing he's said in hours. "I don't know what's taking them so long."

I don't like the uncertainty that I hear in his voice. It's my wife's life we're talking about here. She's not just any hostage. 

She's the queen. 

"We'll need a plan," I inform him. "This waiting around isn't going to get us anywhere."

He hesitates, then says, "I agree."

We detail a short plan. It's not the best one, but it's the only one we've got. Rick will have to act like a rogue, and I'll be his prisoner. 

In wolf form. 

Usually, outsiders don't stumble upon this place, so it would be easy for them to believe his lie. It won't take them a long time to figure out we're lying, but until then, hopefully, we'll be able to make some good progress. 

This is plan A. 

Plan B, well...we'll just have to fend for ourselves in case shit hits the fan. 

I shift and prepare for action. I can tell by the way Rick's breathing that he's nervous and has every right to be. This is a crazy plan. A desperate one. 

But if we don't act now, it could be too late to do something later on. 

We capture the attention of two rogues who are standing closer to us. They raise their hands and I see guns. Guns are bad. We were hoping they wouldn't be this equipped. 

We're here now, though, and there's no turning back.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Relax, guys," Rick says calmly, raising one hand because the other is fisting the fur on the back of my neck. It hurts like a bitch, but there's no pain I wouldn't endure for Opal. "I'm here on an errand. This guy was sniffing around and I thought I'd bring him in."

"And who the fuck are you supposed to be?"

"I'm new."

"New?"

"They've recently placed me around the perimeter, near Pine Road."

They exchange a look and I allow myself to hope. Rick knows what he's talking about because he's been watching these people for a long time. The one on the left says, "Alright. But we have to confirm with Dresmond. He never positions someone he doesn't know."

"Yeah, go ahead. Call him. What do I do with this guy?"

I snap my teeth on cue, and that's when we attack. 

Two down, around twenty-eight more to go. 

"We need to move quickly," Rick says as we run through the trees. From the top of the mountain, I had a good view of the house, but now that we're on the ground, I can't see it. We come across another group, and we don't expect them at all. Rick falters and it's more than enough for them to start shooting at us. 

Fuck, this is bad. 

"I'm sorry, Alpha King," he says loudly as we run for our lives. There are still rogues after us. "I didn't mean to—"

I let out a loud howl, then turn on my heel and race straight toward the group of rogues. Now, it's more important than ever that we don't run away. Opal could be moved, and then where will I find her?

Rick shifts, too, and we attack the group together. If it weren't for their weapons, they'd be a lot easier to kill, and I can't help but wonder why the rogue leader would have these idiots guarding the place where he allegedly lives. In any case, this is an advantage for me because I get to reach Opal a lot faster. 

More groups come at us. A bullet grazes my side and it stings like a bitch. The closer we get to the house, the more desperate I become. My only hope is that we'll make it there on time. I hope she won't be gone. 

Rick goes ahead of me. I finish off the two guys blocking my way, then follow him. At last, we reach the house, and I don't hear any gunshots. The door is wide open, which means Rick already went inside. My heart is galloping behind my ribcage. 

I howl as I enter, sniffing the floor for her. I recognize her scent right away. It's mixed in with many foreign ones, but it's her alright. 

Rick is standing naked in the middle of the living room. Upon hearing me approach, he throws me a look over his shoulder and says, "She's gone. They're all gone."