Chapter 228: Rhys
Little by little we packed the caravan up with everything and everyone we could possibly need. Guns were technically not allowed to be in the hands of shifters, but I knew that Red Blood pack wasn’t playing by the rules, so I wouldn’t be either. And technically, they weren’t all guns that kill, some were tranquilizers, a special invention by Arlo and his team of smart people made several years ago for a moment like this.
I checked my watch again, as the snow fell heavily around us, covering everything in a white blanket. Grace had given us a small ass window to be successful, but successful we would be. We had a lot to figure out in such a short time. I felt a little bad pulling people away from their families the day before Thanksgiving, but it would all be worth it soon. It had to be. I wouldn’t accept any other answer.
“Rhys...” Heather said as she walked up behind me to watch everyone scurry around in a rush, so we could leave within the hour. “You know I will always support you, I always have, but I need to know... Are you sure about this?”
“I am.” I answered firmly. If it had been anyone else, I probably would have snapped at them, but Heather was just as desperate to see her husband as I was to see Grace. I understood that she didn’t want to give her heart hope just to have it ripped away from her. “We will have them back to us in less than 48 hours, Heather. I’m sure of it.”
“I trust you, Rhys,” She answered softly.
I nodded, but didn’t say anything. There was nothing left to be said. Maizie and Sawyer might be hesitant, but they also trusted me. They would question my decision, but in the end, they would both follow. Sawyer was putting his bag in the car, and Maizie was right there next to him with her backpack still on.
Kate would go lead a distraction. A giant game of whack-a-mole, really, where they would be the moles hoping not to actually get whacked. And hopefully, that would leave Grace more room to escape out the other way... As long as the plan didn’t go to shit. If Grace was followed, we didn’t have the power to protect her... At least not all on our own... But that’s where the Golden pack came in. After a quick meeting this morning with Alpha George, everything was figured out, and we had a deal. This would give me the chance to also see what was truly going on in his pack and give suggestions or help if I saw fit.
“We are ready to move out, sir,” Kate’s called out as she approached.
“Good.” I glanced down at my watch; we were right on time. “You know the plan? We don’t want an outright battle right now. But keep them engaged and looking at you guys.”
“Yes Sir,” She saluted.
I nodded and she got in her car and signaled to her warriors to move out.
That left the small group of my people left. I thought about sending Sawyer with Heather, or even leaving him here, but I had no idea how Grace was going to return to me, so selfishly and unwisely, I was bringing him with me.
“Are we ready?” I asked when the last car of Kate’s caravan passed us?
Michael nodded with Sammy in his arms. She had barely let him go since the night that Grace got taken. He has been such a good sport about it, but I fear he’s doing it because he feels guilty. It was his father. It was him who ran after Sammy. But he also saved Sammy, so that had to count for something, but in his young mind, I’m not sure it did.
“I can hold her if you want,” I offered to him once everyone nodded, and started to disperse to their cars. Our caravan would only have 10 cars compared to the 30 that had just left. “That’s okay. I’m fine.” He answered, but I knew it was the guilt that made him say that.
I wanted to tell them both that it was all going to be fine, but I knew better than that. Getting Grace and Caleb back was not a for sure thing, and until they were both within arm's reach, I would keep my damn mouth shut.
We all climbed into our car silently. Sawyer took the driver’s seat, and I glared at him for it. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him to drive, it’s just that he didn’t trust me to drive which was unfair and rude.
Despite Michael’s protests, I took Sammy and placed her on my lap. I didn’t like that I was bringing her into a potential warzone, but I couldn’t not bring her. Not after everything she had been through. She deserved to be able to see Caleb and Grace first just like the rest of us. She deserved to be reunited with her dad as quickly as I could make it happen.
The car ride was surprisingly smooth. I kept finding myself staring out the window, waiting for someone to have gotten word on our plan. Waiting on an attack that never came. Every few hours, we stopped to use the restroom in a supposed ally territory and switched drivers. It felt excruciatingly long, and the closer I got, the worse I felt. What if Grace’s plan didn’t work? She had contingencies, I was sure of it, but what if something completely unexpected happened? What if she chose to save everyone but herself? What if none of his people made it all and he just had a bunch of prisoners on his hands and no idea what their crimes were?
There were so many things to go wrong. So many ways for this all to fail, but as the car pulled in past the Golden pack checkpoint, I couldn’t help but feel that glimmer of hope that by this time tomorrow, Grace would be in my arms again, and all would be right again.