Bastian's POV:
I sit there looking down at the beaten wolf that we have been torturing for the last few hours. He has been resistant in giving information but hopefully he will crack soon.
“Are you ready to talk?” I ask him as I kick my foot into his stomach.
He coughs for a minute before saying, “He will kill me, if I say anything.”
“The way I see it, you are dead either way. At least you will be helping that girl he kidnapped.”
“It wasn’t just any girl that he kidnapped.”
“Yeah, who is she to your Alpha?”
“His true mate before she rejected him.”
“If she rejected him, why does he still want her?”
“Alpha says that she is special. He needs her to help him.”
“Help him with what?”
“He won’t tell us.”
“How long have you been working for him?”
“Not long he took over our pack from our last Alpha about six months ago and moved half of his old pack with us and half of our pack to his other pack.”
“Where does he stay most of the time?”
“He has yet to leave our pack until just recently when he wanted to check out the pack lands around us.”
“Which pack were you from before he took over.”
“Sapphire moon pack.”
“That’s a few hours from here. Did he know that she was here?”
Coughing up some blood he laughed before answering, “I’m not sure, he just said that we were going out for a joyride.”
“Alright, take it easy and take slow breaths.”
“Like you said, I am dead either way. He killed my family; I have nothing left, just let me die.”
“I’m not that kind of Alpha.”
Me: Doc, I need you to come down to the cells and check on a prisoner he is coughing up blood and having a hard time breathing.
Doc: I will be there soon.
“I called our doctor to come here and check on you. What would be the quickest way to get to your pack.”
“If you can get approval from the Jade River pack to pass through their territory it will cut your time down in half.”
I heard the Doc walking down the steps.
“Thank you for your help. The Doc is here, and he will tend to your wounds.”
“I hope you are able to get her away from him. He is crazy.”
I move so that the Doc can tend to the man.
I pull out my phone and search my contacts. Luckily, I am on good terms with the Alpha at the Jade River pack.
“Alpha Devin, this is Alpha Bastian at Shadow Ridge I’m sorry to be calling you so late.”
“Not a problem Alpha what can I do for you?”
“I was looking to see if I could get your approval to pass through your territory, we are needing to reach the Sapphire Moon pack.”
“What business do you have with them?” He asks with a guarded tone.
“The Alpha has kidnapped a female that was staying with our pack.”
He let out a grunt before commenting, “Huh Alpha, that man is delusional.”
“So, I have been learning.”
“When will you be heading this way?” Alpha Devin asks.
“As soon as possible.”
“I will let my men know. How many of your wolves will be passing through?”
“I believe about a dozen.”
“Let me know if you need any assistance with this.”
“If the situation needs it, I will let you know. Thank you, Alpha Devin.”
“Good Luck!”
I hang up with the Alpha and make a phone call to my father, giving him an update on the situation.
He answers after the first ring. “What news do you have, Son?”
“We think that he is staying at the Sapphire Moon Pack that he recently took over a few months ago. I have asked if I could pass through the Jade River pack’s territory to get to the Sapphire Moon’s pack land quicker.”
“Ok, that sounds all good. Keep me updated with the situation.”
“I will Father. Thank you.”
“No, Son thank you.”
I hung up with him.
Me: Attention Special Forces I need you to get geared up and be ready to be briefed in thirty minutes.
All of them: Yes, Sir!
Jasper steps over to me. “So, what is your plan exactly?”
“You will stay here and watch over the pack and make sure everything says running in order. I am going with the special forces pack to rescue Luria.”
“Do you think that it is wise for you to go?”
“Jasper, I know you have reservations about Luria and why I am so adamant on helping her. But you are going to need to keep those feelings in check and look at the bigger picture.”
“I am just trying to make sure you do not get hurt again.”
“I understand and I thank you for that. But right now, a female wolf was taken from our land, and we need to get her out of there. Plain and simple.”
“Of course, Alpha.”
“Now I need to go and brief the special forces warriors before we leave.”
“Yes Alpha.”
I walk back over to the pack house and the men are all standing in formation ready for me to give them their instructions.
“Thank you for being here, this will be a rescue mission. A female wolf by the name Luria AKA Ria Mathieson has been kidnapped and we believe is being held at the Sapphire Moon pack land. We will be going through Jade Rivers territory. I have already been granted permission by their Alpha. I want to get there before it gets to be daylight. We need to get her with as minimal casualties as possible. Are there any questions?”
“No, Sir!” They all yell.
“Good, move out.”
We break into groups of four each of us getting into a blacked-out SUV we make our way across our lands right to the boundary line between our territory and Jade Rivers. One by one we drive each vehicle over the line waiting for a moment to not set alarm to their warriors. Once we do not see anyone in sight, we continue to make our way across the lands. At the border between Jade Rivers and the Sapphire Moon pack the Alpha of Jade Moon and several of his warriors are waiting for us. We stop the cars and I exit the vehicle to speak with the Alpha.
Extending my hand out to shake his, “Alpha Devin, is there a problem?”
Alpha Devin shakes his head before saying, “NO, no problem I just wanted to offer any support if something goes wrong. We will stand guard at the border line just to make sure that everything goes ok. I suggest you leave your vehicles here and cross over on foot. That way they are not alerted to you coming.”
“Thank you, I appreciate any help that you can offer.”
“Of course, Alpha. Now I know that you said the wolf is staying with your pack so she would not be connected to your pack-link.”
My eyes widen. “Actually, Alpha she is temporarily.”
“I suggest you try it once you cross over the border line and see if you are close enough for the link to work.”
“Good idea, again Alpha thank you for the assistance.”
Alpha Devin nods.
Bastian goes back to his men and has them all get out of the vehicles and continue on foot.
From what we had gathered before leaving the pack house was about five miles from the boundary line.
Once we were closer to the pack house, I tried to reach Ria through the pack-link.
Me: Ria?
Silence.
Me: Ria, can you hear me?
Ria: Bastian?
Oh, thank Goddess!
Me: Yes, Ria I’m close. We are here to rescue you.
Ria: Bastian, please be careful. He’s, he’s crazy. He will kill you if he finds you here.
Me: Calm down Ria. Do you know where you are?
Ria: In some kind of basement.
Me: Ok, Ria. Sit tight. We are coming for you.
Ria: uh-huh.
She must have passed out completely.
Rufus: Take a deep breath, we do not need you losing your head and going crazy.
Me: You’re right. You’re right.
I close my eyes and I take a couple of breaths. When I open them again, I can feel Rufus at the edge and my eyes turn with a rim of gold.
“Alright men, let’s go get her.”