Chapter 64 SIXTY-FOUR
Brienne dragged her luggage into the plane when a flight attendant approached her. She was having second thoughts about boarding the flight, but Ravena insisted she needed the vacation.
"Would you like me to put it in the overhead compartment?" he asked.
"Yes, please," Brienne replied and handed over her small luggage. The flight attendant took her suitcase and placed it in the compartment.
"Thank you," she said with a smile.
"You're welcome, Ma'am," he replied and walked away.
Brienne sat in her seat near the window, Janice is in the middle, and Ravena is the one near the aisle.
"Dmn girl, I am so excited for this trip," Janice said, her tone happy. "Thanks to your husband, I was able to experience this, but you have some explaining to do," she continued, glancing at Brienne, who merely laughed.
"I'm sorry, Nice. Promise I'll make it up to you on this trip," she said.
"Bardabos is a beautiful place. I'm sure you will like it there," Ravena chimed in. The two looked at her, curiosity in their eyes.
"Really? Have you been there, Ven?" Janice asked. Janice and Ravena have instantly clicked as friends upon meeting; earlier, they had also agreed that she would call Ravena Ven, Janice's nickname to her.
"Yep, twice," Ravena said, grinning. "I am confident you will love Bardabos. It's fcking magnificent," she added. Brienne laughed at how excited Janice was. Maybe Raven was right; perhaps she needed this vacation to forget everything that had happened to her.
As instructed by Derrick, Jao rounded up all the rogues he could locate who were willing to carry out Derrick's nefarious scheme in exchange for cash and drugs. He returned to the pack early in the morning, having found fifty rogues, and he had already informed Raven about it.
"Jao, the Alpha is calling for you," Marion, one of the rogue leaders, said. Jao looked at him and nodded his head.
"Okay, I'll head to the packhouse after speaking with my wife," Jao replied. "She's expecting my arrival after I left home last night," he added as he began to walk, but Marion stopped him.
"The Alpha wanted to see you now," Marion said, his tone serious and threatening. Jao eyed Marion with killing intent. Yes, Marion is strong for a rogue, but Jao wasn't the beta of the Red Moon Pack for nothing. He has been by Derrick's side and witnessed his brutal methods of handling situations. He promised he would train to survive in the pack and protect his family.
Jao could easily defeat Marion, but he doesn't want to fight him right now. He bumped Marion's arm and continued walking, this time in the direction of the packhouse.
Jao arrived at the packhouse and went to Derrick's office. He cleared his throat and knocked on the door.
"Alpha, it's me," Jao said.
"You can come inside," Derrick answered. Jao clenched and unclenched his hand before pushing the door open. He immediately bowed as a greeting.
"Jao," Derrick started. "When did you begin serving me again? Was it a year ago?" he added.
"It was ten years ago when you killed the previous beta, Alpha," Jao replied. Derrick let out a laugh that brought a chill down Jao's spine.
"Ah, right! Albion, who betrayed me," Derrick said, shaking his head. "He's a decent wolf, but he chose to betray me," he added and turned around, looking directly at Jao's eyes.
"What about you, Jao?" Derrick asked. "Are you going to betray me too?" Derrick asked as he walked towards him.
"No, Alpha. I wouldn't dare to," Jao answered, but his heart was pounding loudly in his chest. Derrick leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"Wrong answer, Jao." Jao's hair stood on end out of fear and confusion. What was Derrick talking about?
"Alpha..."
"You fcking traitor," Derrick hissed and punched Jao in the face, sending him flying from the door. He groaned and spit the blood out. He tried to stand up, but Derrick kicked him in the stomach, making him cough harshly.
"You think I wouldn't know?" Derrick said. "Because of you, my son died! How dare you team up with the Wolfgangs!" he added.
"A-Alpha..." Jao tried to stop him, but the assault continued relentlessly. It's the end for him, but what about Celine and his son? They're in danger!
"Fck," Jao muttered and mustered every ounce of his strength and pushed Derrick. He jumped on the window, but it was too late. The packhouse was already surrounded by rogues.
"Grab him," Derrick answered from his office. The rogues tried to grab him, but he fought them. Rogues keep on coming one by one, exhausting him.
"Marion, go and find his family. I would love to do something for them," Derrick ordered. Marion grinned and nodded his head.
"No! You bstards! I'm going to kill all of you if you touch my family!" Jao yelled, but Derrick just laughed.
"If you can, Jao. This is the punishment befitting of those who betrayed me. Witness as I kill them in front of you," Derrick said. Jao, overpowered and outnumbered by the rogues, was forced to kneel on his knees while they chained him up.
"You monster!" Jao yelled at Derrick.
"I am," Derrick replied. "And you will pay with your lives for my son. You and those Wolfgangs bstards. I will bury you altogether," he added. The rogue began to pull Jao's chain, but he resisted.
"Celine!" he screamed, hoping his wife could hear him.
Celine, brushing her son's hair, heard knocking from the door. She wasn't expecting any visitors, surely not from this pack, and she was sure it wasn't her husband because Jao has a spare key he uses every time he goes out for a mission ordered by Derrick.
Celine put her son on the couch and slowly walked towards the door. She peeked through the peephole and stepped backwards, gasping. Rogues! And too many of them!
"No..." she whispered and ran back to her son. Celine grabbed her son and hurried to their room upon hearing the knocking sound again. She locked the door of their room and quickly took the spare phone Jao left her.
"If something were to happen to me, I want you to call the number I saved on the phone."
Celine remembered Jao's words and immediately dialed the number.
"Hello, Jao?" Raven called.
"Hello, this is Jao's wife... please help us... we are in danger!" Celine whispered, tears streaming down her face.
"What happened?!" Raven asked on the other line.
"I believe... I believe Derrick has discovered the truth," she stammered back. Celine jumped out of fear, and she heard the door roughly kicked open. She hurriedly opened the closet and opened the secret door behind it.
"My warriors will come as soon as possible," Raven said. Celine put her son first, and she immediately followed, arranging the clothes without suspicion and closing the closet. "Are you still there?" Raven asked, his tone serious.
"Please...help..." Celine begged and ended the call, clutching the phone in her hand. The secret room was quite small, barely able to accommodate three people. Jao had built it during her pregnancy, claiming it was for her safety, but Celine couldn't believe she would have to use it as a hiding place from the rogues!
"Search the area! We must find Jao's wife and son! Don't let them escape!"
Celine embraced her son, who was confused about what was happening. She closed her eyes, praying that someone would rescue them before it's too late.