Chapter 81: Chapter Eighty-One

***Kautious***

After Hadrian and I mind-link our other two mates, we come up with a plan to rescue Imani. I have Hadrian describe every person there to me in as much detail as he can, as well as tell me if he’s happened to pick up on any names. The outcome was just as I expected lower ranking alphas, probably doing this in order to get them a spot in the inner circle closer to my parents. Why ever they may be doing it, they are stupid for it because it won’t get them anything but a pat on the back if they succeed unless they do something major like bring me home. A totally different idea pops into my head at that thought. I turn quickly to face Hadrian, making him jump, “What’s wrong, Kautious?” I bite my lip before speaking, “I think our best plan of action is to let them take me back as a prisoner for me to get the information instead of declaring war.” He looks at me, aghast, “Absolutely the fuck not! You remember what they tried to do with you last time you were taken there! They were going to let just any alpha have his way with you, Kautious. I will not have my mate in danger. No way. We will stick to the first plan.”

I sigh, “Okay, fine, but I think outright declaring war is going to set us back. We aren’t prepared for war yet. It hasn’t been that long ago since you and the warriors got back from taking down Faye’s pack, for fuck’s sake.” Hadrian stares at me with this look of disbelief and arousal, “What happened to my crybaby omega? Fuck, you’re hot when you take charge.” I can’t help the blush that spreads to my cheeks as I mumble, “I can show you taking charge later tonight.” I know he heard me because I can feel him excitedly shifting next to me. I playfully roll my eyes, “Okay, so how are we going to do this exactly? If you want my opinion, I think we should send Jack, the tall, lanky one with blonde hair, back with the message once you kill the rest. He’s the youngest and never was one for violence, so he’s probably forced to be here as is. I know you can take them all down by yourself, but I can help if needed.” He shakes his head, “No, it’s okay. Please just worry about getting Mom out safely. Then we can go from there. I want her away from it all as soon as possible. I know she’s just putting on a brave face because she feels she has to.”

I nod and prepare myself in my head. I know they will recognize me, but what they don’t know is I will fight back if they try to corner me or interfere with my plans. I’m not the same little helpless, stubborn omega they knew. I’m done with that. I will take action now! I will defend my mates, my new family, and my pack at all costs! Once I’ve hyped myself up, I slowly make my way out of the bushes, keeping myself low to the ground before glancing back at Hadrian. He’s watching me curiously, and then I hear him through the mind-link, “Should we be in wolf form? Because you’re sneaking around as if you already are, love. You’re surprisingly good at stealth.” I blink at him and try not to laugh before answering him in my head, “Of course I am. When you spend your whole life trying to hide and be invisible, you just kind of learn how to make yourself as small as possible. But I do think maybe being in wolf form would make this easier, especially if you are going to kill or injure them severely.” I see him nod his head before he slips his clothes off and shifts in the bush. I follow his lead and take my clothes off, hiding them in the bush with his before I shift, immediately shaking my fur out. He comes out of the bush and nudges me with his nose affectionately before we are sneaking towards the tents in the clearing.

When we reach the edge of the clearing, we look for the best point of attack. I can see most of the alphas on one side of the fire while Imani and Jack are on the other side of it. I guess they must be trying to make him take her to prove he’s ‘as alpha as they are.’ They have a sick ass mentality that I hope he takes no part in. From what I remember, he was far too sweet of a boy to be lumped in with them. He honestly should have been an omega, but the moon goddess must have had greater plans for him if she had made him an alpha. I just hope they haven’t completely brainwashed him yet. Maybe we can get him on our side as a spy if we can offer him protection. He is one on my list I was hoping to give Rollie to have him get out before we wage war. Maybe we can get Jack on our side, and I can get the list to him so he can get them out before we attack. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Hadrian nod his head toward a spot behind the tents that isn’t being guarded or even remotely monitored. Idiots. Like honestly, this is supposed to be the warriors, or future warriors, of the damn pack, and they can’t even protect their campsite properly? Sigh. I follow Hadrian to the spot he pointed out, and we slowly make our way into the campsite between the tents. I can see him looking around for his strategy when he mind-links me, “Okay, I’m going to make a distraction to the left since it has more room. I need you to go straight for Mom and get her out of here as soon as you can.” I nod instead of replying and focus my attention on Imani and Jack. Jack has a loose grip on the back of her neck, and she sits still but tall, her pride showing in her stance. She hasn’t been here long enough for them to break her, if they even could, which is good.

Hadrian makes a dash for the left, knocking over stacks of things outside the tents, causing all of the alphas to rise to their feet and make a dash at him. All except Jack, who they told to keep hold of the hostage. I slowly move along the tents until I am behind Jack. Approaching him as silently as I can, I nip at the back of his heels, and he turns around in a state of panic. As soon as his eyes land on me, I can tell he recognizes me because he looks over his shoulder in a nervous manner at the other alphas. When he looks back at me, I nod towards Imani and raise an eyebrow. He lets go of her neck and nods, making a shooing motion that no one will notice if they aren’t close. When we hear the first blood-curdling scream from one of the alphas that Hadrian has sunk his teeth into, I nip Jack’s pants and tug on them lightly, motioning with my head for him to follow me. He grabs Imani’s arm gently and lifts her to her feet. As we make a dash out of the clearing, he unties her hands from behind her back. One of the alphas must have been in the tent napping when the commotion started because he emerges as we run past. He blinks a few times before shifting and heading after us.

I motion with my head to Jack for him to keep running, and he knows to take Imani with him. I swirl around, facing the now wide-awake alpha, baring my teeth while they make their break for it. The alpha lets out a laugh the best he can in wolf form and attempts to lunge at me, but I am quicker. When he is in the air, I run underneath him, and as soon as his paws hit solid land, I am on his back, my teeth sunk into his neck as hard as I can. He tries to shake me off. After a few minutes, he is successful, and I take a chunk of his neck with me when I fly to the ground, skidding a few feet. The alpha advances on me despite his bleeding neck, prepared to completely rip my throat out now so that I die alongside him when suddenly, there is a light brown wolf standing over me and growling a fierce growl. Jack.