Chapter 19
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Alex's point of view.
"Jamie just contacted me through the pack link, I didn't even know you two knew each other. I had tried contacting the alpha to tell him about you trying to break out but I couldn't link with him, so I contacted Jamie, he told me everything. So it's true? Lucy is your mate?" There's one more favour I can never repay to Jamie.
"It's true, she is mine and right now she needs me, I need to get to her before my father does." I address the other guards in the room, some are in human form, some have remained in wolf form. "I understand if you don't want to pledge allegiance to me until I am the true alpha but right now I need to leave this room, I have already spent too long here. I will not try to order you to move out of my way, but I will ask one more time, clear a path for me and Matt, let us leave this room". Instantly the group splits in two, leaving a large gap for me to get through, I grab Gerry's hand. "Thank you, you have done so much for me and Lucy, I will not forget it. The alpha will know that you are no longer loyal to him, you will have to stay out of his way until I can challenge him." Letting go of his hand I shift and move towards the door.
"Hold on, what do you want us to do?" Damn, I'm not used to having this many people needing orders from me, I need to get going, but as these men are now my men, they deserve to know what they should do. I shift again, I'm still not fully healed, I need to get back into wolf form soon.
Maybe I can get them to help us out but I don't want any of them in danger. "I need time men, can you give me time? I don't want any of you to put yourself in danger, but I need time to get to Lucy and my father will be on his way back here looking to kill us. Can some of you split up into groups and try to locate him, contact Matt here if you see my father or Jamie. I need the rest of you to protect the maternals and the children, my father has never hurt any of them before, but he knows I would give my life for any of them, I don't want him to use them as bait. Just get them to stay in their homes, they will know when it's safe to come back out". Nods are coming from around the room. "One more thing, please don't tell them what's happening unless it's absolutely necessary. If they find out what's been happening for the last two years they may try to take matters into their own hands, and as much as I appreciate their loyalty, I don't want blood on their hands. Gerry you are still the head of the guard, you know your fighters best, can you organise who is going to do what?"
He makes his way over to me and grabs my shoulder. "It will be done, now go find your mate." I shake his hand, look out over the room full of wolves and men and try to find the words to express how much what they are doing means to me. But I fail, so I shift and run out of the room. I hear Matt running behind me. We are finally going on our way. Please be safe Lucy.
"Alex, we should contact Will and tell him we are coming to him".
"As we are linking, the alpha can track us now, he must have been trying to track us since the fight, we need to contact Jamie too. I'll tell Jamie what’s happening and you tell Will the new plan".
"Ok".
I search for Jamie in my mind, I try to buzz him, but I can't connect. I try again but it's not working. Hmm I'll have to try a full link. "Jamie, its Alex.” Still nothing, I can't connect, the message isn't going through. This is bad. I stop running and Matt comes to a halt beside me.
"I can't get through to Jamie, I can't even connect to him, something’s wrong, can you try?" I stare at his closed eyes, please connect. He opens his eyes and shakes his head at me. Damn, this is not good. "What did Will say when you spoke to him?" Matt shifts into human form, I do the same, it's easier to talk like this.
"He said that Lucy is safe, they are almost at your father’s house, they will wait for us there". She is safe, that's all that matters, but Jamie might not be, I can't go be with my mate not knowing if Jamie is alive, but the only way I can help him is if I mate with Lucy and become alpha. What am I going to do?
"Matt, I know you have already done so much for me, but I need your help again. It's going to be dangerous, and you know I wouldn't ask you to do something that I wouldn't do myself, but to save us all I need to get to Lucy. " I take a deep breath, what I am about to ask my friend to do could be suicidal. "Can you find Jamie, and get him to safety, hopefully you shouldn't have to deal with my father, but if you do, contact me and I'll be there, whether I'm mated or not, I will not let you face him alone". Matt is strong and he is fast, he has all the makings of an alpha but he is too gentle, unless it’s food, he hates to kill. He knows that what I am asking him to do might involve doing just that. I wish I could read his mind right now. He is so loyal to me that he may do this for me even though it goes against every fibre of his being.
"I will keep Jamie safe, I'll do whatever it takes, but I don't like leaving you on your own. What if your father finds you before you find Lucy?" I don't even want to think about that possibility.
"It won't happen, I'll be with Lucy in five minutes. As soon as we are mated you tell me where you are and whether you need me. Stay safe my friend". We shift at the same time and I place my paw on his and then turn and start running to the house where I grew up, to my mate.
**********LUCY'S POINT OF VIEW****************
I can't believe we made it through the town Square, sometimes the simplest plans are the best ones. We’re not far away from the alpha's house now, I just hope Bernie will be waiting for us and not the alpha. It doesn't matter how many times Will has assured me that Bernie is waiting for us, I can't help but worry. But at least Alex is ok and on his way, everything will be ok if we can just be together. I can't stand feeling so helpless, you'd think I'd be used to it after the last two years, but I didn't have anyone I cared about in danger in all that time. This is a totally different type of feeling, and Will just told me he can't get in touch with Jamie, and what did Jamie tell me, ‘the only reason that they wouldn't be able to communicate is if they are dead or dying’. I wish I was strong enough to just go stand up to my soon to be father in mating, but until Alex gets here people are going to keep getting hurt trying to help me. Agggh I can't stand it.
"Lucy, you have got to try to reign in your power, I know you are angry right now, but we are almost there. Do you want to run the rest of the way? We will get there a few minutes before Alex but at least you can run off some of your energy?" I shift straight away, I don't care that my clothes have now disappeared, there will be clothes in the house, I just want to move. Will has shifted beside me and my feet start moving, I am putting all my anger into every stride and at this rate I'll be at the alpha's house in under a minute. I peek behind me, Will is keeping up with me, but it looks like he is struggling. I slow down my pace enough for him to run by my side and keep my mind focused on moving. It feels like I haven’t seen Alex in a week, it's only been a few hours but so much has happened in that time. We've reached the Alpha's garden, Will runs in front of me, I slow down and follow him, he is leading me around to the back of the house.
We reach the back of the house and Will walks up the steps to the back door and starts scratching. The door opens and out comes the happiest face I have seen all day. I shift and run up the steps, throwing myself into Bernie's open arms. She starts stroking my hair. "It's ok child, I've got you, but maybe we should get you something to wear. If master Alex comes home to see you standing naked in front of his friend blood will spill". Oh I've missed Bernie so much. She pulls me into the house and closes the door, leaving Will outside. She brings me into her room and hands me a pair of black slacks, a black shirt and boots. How does she know me so well? "I'll be back in a few minutes, I'll just go get some clothes for your escort, it's so great to see you child".
I pull on the clothes and the boots, I see a comb on Bernie's dresser and I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I used this. I brush my hair and braid it. Hmm nothing to tie it with though, I look around the dresser with no luck. "In the top drawer Lucy, hair ties and ribbons, take what you need." I open the drawer and grab a hair tie, secure my braid and turn around and give Bernie another hug.
"Bernie, it's so good to see you again, I can't believe how much has happened since I saw you last, and Alex told me about everything you have done for us, and just, you are the best Bernie. The best." I pull out of the hug and kiss her forehead, I can't believe how natural this feels, I haven't been this close to anyone since my own mother, even Sakura had to drag me into a hug.
"Who are you, and what have you done with my shy little Lucy?" I blush, we have so much to catch up on but right now all I can think is where is Alex. The smile slips from my face, replaced by fear. "Lucy what's wrong? Did I say something?" Huh?
"No, Bernie, sorry, it's just Alex should be here by now and I'm worried." This time Bernie pulls me into a hug. Oh where is he? What if the alpha found him first, if he is not here in two minutes I'm going to link with him. I don't care about the rules anymore. I hate the not knowing. Bernie lets me go and we start walking.
"He will be here child, let's wait in the garden for him ok? William has filled me in on everything, do you mind me asking, are you sure you want to mate with Master Alex so soon ? I know you feel you have to do it right now but mating is not something you should rush into child, there is no going back." I see the concern in her eyes, she is right, I do feel like I have to do this right now. But since we marked each other that's how I've felt. I am sure he is the only one for me, I want to mate with him.
"I want to do this Bernie, I know the last time you saw me I was begging you to sneak me out of this house away from him, but right now I am willing him to be here with me with every ounce of my soul. I love him Bernie. It's not just physical attraction either, he is so sweet, and thoughtful, he makes me laugh and smile, I feel safe around him, when he is not near me it's like I can't breathe. Maybe if none of the last two years happened I wouldn't be so quick to mate with him, but I know he is what I want. Thank you for your concern though, you are so good to me Bernie".
We step out into the back garden, Will is dressed in clothes two sizes too big for him. I start laughing at him when I feel a pain in my chest, it feels like my heart is being pierced with a hot poker. I grab onto Bernie's arm, I link with Alex "where?" I wait for a response, I know that trying to communicate with me will sap his energy but I need to know where he is, I already know his father has him, I already know he is in agony, I can't help him until he tells me where he is.
“Town Square"
"Will, Alex is in trouble, I'm going to try save him but I may pass out, you MUST carry me to him, he is in the town square. Hurry". I push all my energy through a link to Alex, I push and push, all the emotions I have felt today, all the power I have been trying to reign in and pull back, I shove it all down the link, this has to work, "I'm coming Alex, just hold on."
Before I pass out I feel my body being lifted onto something soft, then nothing.