Alpha Markus
Chapter 52

Markus PoV

‘Celeste!’ I screamed my mind link at her, jumping off the window as I tried to follow her. Atlas was going at full speed but I knew she was faster than us. I didn’t know what I would do if she disappeared again.

‘YOU CAN’T LEAVE US AGAIN. PLEASE MATE. I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOU,’ Atlas roared in our minds. The raw emotion and desperation are clear in his words. He was trying to catch up but both of us were in full panic mode, knowing that we wouldn’t be able to catch her if she didn’t let us.

‘I know that place. I am not running away. I need to get to her before she dies. I can’t let her die thinking I would not forgive her.’

‘Let us come with you. It’s not safe for you to go alone.’ We said

‘I’m not. Look down. I can’t slow down. It might be too late if I do. I left a trail.’

We looked down at the ground as we ran, wondering what she meant….and then we saw it. Small little fires in the shape of paws.

‘Alpha, what’s happening? Danny said Luna ran,’ Gillian’s voice came into my head.

‘Are you close? Follow the fire paws. She knows where they took Ruby. We had a vision of it,’ Atlas answered for us.

‘Fire pa-‘ ‘I see them, we are a few steps behind you, Atlas,’ Otto’s wolf interrupted.

‘They only make it out of this area dead or in chains. They will pay for the suffering they have inflicted on our people,’ Kara and Celeste’s voices rang through my head and I heard a few growls of agreement around us. She was communicating with everyone through mind link at once, something only people initiated into their ranked roles should be able to do. Her Luna ceremony was still two days away. She shouldn’t be able to do that.

Mate is special. When are you going to stop being surprised – Atlas rolled his eyes.

Fair Point, but I can’t help it if I’m f*****g impressed every time she shows us what she’s capable of. – I argued back.

We can show her how impressed we are – Atlas purred.

You’re a f*****g horn dog. Focus. The sooner we catch up the less chance she gets hurt – The moment I said those words, Atlas seemed to pick up even more speed.

We ran for about half an hour. We were getting close to the river and close to the edge of our territory. We made it out of the forest and I could barely see Kara’s black and red tail about a mile ahead of us. Damn but she was fast. We had only been a few seconds behind her when she jumped.

‘We’re almost there, Markus. They can’t escape. They have to pay. I have never been able to change a vision. I know it means Selene will not let me heal her. This is meant to happen. We cannot let her death be in vain,’ Celeste’s voice was strong and full of pain.

‘It stops here,’ I say.

‘I’m just out of range of them catching my scent. Are you close?’

‘30secs from you’ Atlas answered.

‘Surround the cave. No one escapes,’ I instructed my warriors ‘If you can, take them alive, but I rather see their heads rolls than allow them to leave.’

We reached the end of the cliff that went down to the river. I heard Ruby scream the same scream in the vision and I saw Kara jump into the cave with a giant roar. There was the sound of a scuffle and one of the traffickers could be seen running out of the cave and towards the river.

‘One headed north,’ I said.

‘We’re in position Alpha, he will not get away,’ Gillian answered.

With that, I jumped into the cave after Celeste, her safety our number one concern. As we entered, we saw that we had no reason to be concerned. The second trafficker was crumpled against the wall, an arm could be found along the other side. Celeste was on the ground with Ruby, the silver knife still protruding from her chest. They were speaking in hushed whispers and then I felt the Pack link snap and her chest stopped moving.

Atlas gave back control as we shifted back to my form. I crouched in front of them and I squeezed her hand that was still holding Ruby’s.

“Is he still alive?” She asked calmly. There were tears in her eyes but her tone was monotone. She wasn’t blocking the bond connection, so I could feel the depth of her grief, but I didn’t know if I should consider her calmness with concern or admiration at her ability to control her reactions to this terrible situation. I went over to the piece of trash wolf against the wall.

“He’s alive…for now,” I said. The left over stump on his arm was still bleeding but not much. You could see the skin trying to mend itself.

‘We got the a*****e Alpha, everything OK over there? I would like to escort it back myself to make sure there are no more surprises today.’ Gillain growled.

‘Celeste is fine, but Ruby is not. Come get this a*****e as well. Celeste and I need clothes and we need to transport Ruby’s body back to the Packhouse to give her a proper funeral.’

‘I had hoped we weren’t too late. She had already been through hell and back. She didn’t deserve this,’ he sighed

‘The best we can do now is make sure this doesn’t happen again and take their whole organization down. We are going to rehaul the security measures in place and I want to talk to Evergreen. It’s time to up our security measures.’

‘Yes Alpha. I’m outside the cave now with clothes for you and Celeste. We’ll come in once she’s clothed,’ I grabbed the clothes quickly, my eyes never leaving the crumpled man against the wall.

“Celeste? Tuli, can you put these clothes on. Gillian wants to come take the prisoner to the dungeons,” I said as I put the shirt over her head. She put it through her arms and then put the shorts on. Gillian came in with another two warriors and they grabbed the unconscious man and threw him out the cave, where another pair grabbed him and began taking him back. I turned to grab Ruby, to see that Celeste was already carrying her.

“Baby let me,” I said.

She shook her head. “This is something I have to do.” ‘

This is our penance. This is how we honor her sacrifice.’ Kara’s voice came through our head.

‘None of this is your fault,’ Atlas answered for us.

‘It’s not about fault. You have your job and I have mine. My job as Luna is to care for the women and those that can’t defend themselves. Your job is to make sure her captors face justice. Make them pay, my love. I will take care of Ruby’s soul.’ Celeste said.

”It will be done. No more she wolves will be hurt. I promise,” I said as I made my way out of the cave.

One of the warriors came forward to take Ruby’s body from Celeste but I stopped him. “Ruby will be carried home by our Luna. Prepare the pyre once the prisoners are secure in the dungeons.”

Everyone bowed their heads as we made our way back up the river bank. Celeste’s foot gave way in the loose dirt and she dropped to one knee. I wanted nothing more but to run to her and take her burden, but she once again just shook her head and continued her trek up the cliff.

As we arrived at the top, Danny came up with an SUV. Maya got out of the passenger side with a cry of anguish at seeing Ruby’s body.

‘Alpha?’ Danny asked as he saw Celeste carrying the body.

‘It is her choice and I respect it. She is the Luna and this is her right’

Danny turned to a warrior and handed him the keys. “The Dungeons are ready. Treat them with prejudice, but make sure they are alive. We need answers and the council will want to question them as well. We will walk with the Luna,” he said. He gathered Maya in his arms and fell in step behind Celeste. I walked at her side, wanting nothing more than to wipe the silent tears from her eyes. Five warriors left with the traffickers in the SUV. Gillian fell in step beside Danny and Maya. The remaining warriors shifted to their wolves and circled our group as we slowly made our way back through the forest to the Packhouse. It took longer than it would have had we asked for another vehicle, but carrying Ruby home one last time was a sign of respect and honor to what she had been through. I sent a prayer up to the goddess on our walk home to allow Ruby to have an easier time in her next life.

It was a 4 hr walk back to the Packhouse at our slow pace, but no one said a single word of complaint. By the time we got to the Packhouse, a pyre was already set up and the pack was waiting with their heads down in respect as we approached. There were two people with ceremonial white cloth, water and washcloths to prepare Ruby.