Crossing Paths With The White Wolf
Chapter 29

Helios POV

I don't know how long I have been here. Weeks, at least. It's hard to keep track of time when you spend half of it passed out. I was being tortured every day. Each time I was tempted to break out of my restraints or summon my staff and get out of this place, I saw Natalia in my head. I saw her wolf the night she was taken out of that container. I heard her howl in my head. I wouldn't let anyone else go through what she went through.

I slowly gathered information as they talked around me. I even asked some questions during my t*****e. At first, I got nothing back, but as time went on and they didn't think I would leave this place alive, they got chatty. This operation was bigger than I thought. It wasn't just this place. This was one of many. The operation was mostly funded by black-market sales, research being the main goal. They were trying to make shifters to sell and use them as their own personal army.

I had not gotten any other information from them in a while, so I think it's time to plan my way out. I knew what to do, I just needed to replace the right person in the right set of circumstances. I had to wait another three days before the opportunity presented itself and the guard that was kinder was on shift.

When I was alone with him, I pleaded, "Hey, I need to know. Did my little girl die in the explosion?"

"What?" He looked taken aback at my words.

I let tears come to my eyes. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, considering how I left things with Natalia. I just had to remember that she was probably already home, far away from me. "My little girl. She was sleeping in the house when they came for me. I need to know if she is OK. Come on man, I need to know. Just look on your phone for me. I know I'm not making it out of here. I just need to know she's OK."

I saw him hesitate, "We're not supposed to sign on to the network. We've got no service out here."

"Please. Think about when you have kids. Wouldn't you want to know?" I cried. I sighed internally in relief when I saw him take out his phone.

"What's the address?" He asked.

"53 Beach Front Drive," I said. He typed it in and showed me some articles. I was happy to see the girls were not mentioned at all. I had seen them from my peripheral as I got dragged into the van. "Thank you. Thank you so much," I said. I hoped that was enough for Evergreen to get a location.

I was glad I managed to do that, because the torture that followed was definitely on another level. I wondered if I'd ever be able to zap someone with my staff after feeling the current run through my body, leaving me so weak. I finally passed out after two hours of ******e. They really wanted the shifters.

The dream started like it usually did. I was at the battle of the pyramids. I was kneeling before Selene as she took my hand. "Find your redemption brother."

"I am trying, sister. I don't know if I'm doing this right. I need your help," I cried. There was a flash of light and I found myself on top of a platform. I looked around and saw my sister looking down over the edge. She turned around and smiled at me.

"Hello Brother. You look a little worse for wear," she said, and called me over with her hand. I looked over the platform and noticed she was looking down at one that had some golden mist around it. In the middle, was me. I was back at the lab with the other shifters. They were putting me back in the cage. I was unconscious. I had lost some weight and I had dried blood in many places.

I sighed, "Will it work at least?"

She smiled and nodded. "Evergreen is letting the gang know as we speak. I'm so sorry," she said, and I saw the sadness in her smile.

"For what?"

"When I sent you to replace your redemption, I knew these shifters needed help, but I didn't want to see you like this. I can only set things in motion. I can't really influence what happens from up here. I didn't expect this to start with your t*****e." Her choice of words didn't go unnoticed. "So, then I'm right, this is just starting?"

"I'm afraid so. As you've discovered, this is just one branch of a much bigger operation. These people have been hurting my children for 3 decades now. They have massive connections in the world and operate without scruples. No one says no. Everyone looks the other way. They need to be stopped."

"Any tips on how to replace them?" I asked hopefully.

She laughed, "I have already given you everything you need. Trust those around you. Open yourself to them and they will help you." she grabbed my hand, "But I do have a few more things for you. Both are choices you have to make or accept, but I think you'll replace only one of them will be a hard choice. It's the one I'll need you to answer before I send you back down. The second can be something you decide with your people."

"You're very cryptic, Selene. Has anyone told you that before?" I complained.

"Kara does and often. She hates that she's only allowed to tell Celeste some things," she laughed as she led me to the chair.

We talked for a while. She explained a lot of things that I'd long given up on answering. Before she sent me back down to my body, she hugged me. It was an indescribable feeling. It felt like family. It felt like peace. I knew after we'd talk that I'd never have another nightmare. It was time to start a new chapter. I'd made my decision and I knew I would not regret it.

I woke up some time later. I briefly wondered if it had just been a dream, but I felt lighter, better and even though I'd had no strength before, I felt like I'd gotten the best sleep of my life. My wounds were healing and I could feel that things were about to change. I sat on the floor of my cage and decided to meditate. I had to wait until my friends arrived. I could feel the charge of electricity at my fingertips, ready to summon my staff. There was a loud pop and the lights went out. I smiled. It was time.

I started hearing people running towards the entrance. There were screams and shots everywhere. I summoned my staff, ready to break out of this hell hole.

Get me out of this place. - I heard a man in the darkness.

"My friends are here. They will get us out. Just hang tight," I answered.

We gotta get out of this f*****g cage. - He said.

"Just a few minutes guys." I couldn't break out of this cage myself. It was a regular padlock.

You have the strength, break the padlock. - He said.

"I'll try, but I'm not sure I'm strong enough," I said as I walked to the padlock.

'Helios?' I heard the most beautiful voice and froze. One I wasn't sure I would hear again. I had expected her to be back home in South Korea.

'Natalia?' I linked back.

'Oh, thank goddess. I didn't know if it would work. You wouldn't even look at me the last time we spoke.

'How is this possible?' I asked. I remember she said she could, but she had said she needed an emotional connection. 'You said you didn't want a relationship.

'Really? You want to have this conversation here? While our friends are fighting to get you out?' She sounded annoyed.

'It was just a question. You made it clear you didn't want me, so how are you able to link me?' I responded, equally annoyed. One of the shifters was panting near by. It was distracting.

'I love you, you f*****g i***t. I was just scared. Now I hope you're not close to the garage door, and I no longer feel bad for doing this,' she said and cut the mind link.

My heart raced at her words and I was about to wonder what she meant to do when I heard tires squealing and then the sound of metal creaking and breaking. The light of a setting sun flittered through the hole in the garage door and, to my horror, I realized what she meant.

"YOU CRASHED MY LIMITED-EDITION LAMBORGHINI INTO THE GARAGE ON PURPOSE?!? WHAT KIND OF MONSTER DOES THAT?" I yelled as I saw Natalia exiting through the door with several wolves filtering in through the hole in the garage wall. I could not fail to notice how good she looked in her tight black jeans and black tank top. Those hips were swaying from side to side as she walked over to open the bars of the cage. She smelled of passion fruit and flan.

"That's the thanks I get for coming to rescue you? I should leave you in this cage until the fight is over so you miss out on all the fun," she taunted.

I re-summoned my staff and zapped the man that came in through the door and aimed at her back with a hand gun. I guess I could still zap people despite having felt it, I thought to myself. I smirked at her startled expression and she rolled her eyes at me as she walked over to the pad lock. She inserted a little contraption into the lock.

"What's that?" I asked her.

"Evergreen called it a universal key. It shapes itself into the key shape when we press this button and lets us open any lock."

"Nice. I was just going to try to break it." I said, scratching my neck awkwardly.

She laughed, "I bet. Mr. macho ma-" I heard a big pop and she stopped talking. She removed the lock and then fell to the side. I saw a large blot of blood oozing through her shirt on her back and looked up in horror to see the guard I'd talked to earlier looking at her with his eyes wide open, holding a shotgun. I pushed the gate door open and unleashed a stream of electricity into his being. He went rigid and his hair started to smoke as he fell to the floor, dead. I climbed out of the cage and held her to me. "No, no, no, Nat. It's not healing. Why aren't you healing? You can't die on me now you frustrating woman. You can't lea-"

"Helios," she interrupted me weakly, "I can't die. Go help the others. I just need a minute."

I blinked. "What?"

She rolled her eyes, grabbed my head and kissed my lips. "I'm immortal too. It's a long story, I just need a minute to heal. Go help the others like the war of god you are," she said.

I looked at her back and saw how it was slowly knitting itself together. I gave her a deep kiss and handed her one of the shotguns on the ground and ran outside where everyone was fighting everyone. I ran towards Markus, who was throwing fireballs at the machine guns on the guard tower. Celeste was hidden behind a car. Gabriel covering her rear as she threw fireballs across the way to Markus. It was fascinating to see the fireballs collide against his back and travel down his arms onto his hands. Celeste saw me approaching and tried to run, but Gabriel stopped her.

"You can't risk it, Luna. Not until the machine guns are down. Helios, please get out of the line of fire before you get my Luna killed," he said with exasperation. It was clear that he was struggling with guarding his unruly Luna. I smirked and went over her way. She hugged me and I winced a little in pain but returned it.

"Where are Gonzalo, Theo and Sebastian? What's the plan," I asked.

"Uhhh, they are still on the bus. They are acting really weird. They said they were hearing voices. You should go check on them," she said nervously. I looked at the bus that seemed to have crashed through the gates.

"I'll help Markus with the guns first and then go check on them. You stay here," I said.

"I'M NOT AN INVALID." She huffed.

I took a chance when there was a lull in the rain of bullets to join Markus. "I can't get out of here long enough to aim," he said without preamble. I took a look at the situation. Everyone was unable to move very far because of the machine guns. Even their own people were sheltered from accidental gun fire.

"Get your people ready. The next time you throw some fire, I'll jump to the tower. The tower is made of metal. I can zap it if I can get close enough."

"One sec." He said as he mind linked instructions. I saw his eyes clear and then glaze over again. Eight new fireballs cover his body shortly after. "Ready? On the next reload. I'll try to give you as much time as I can."

I nodded and readied myself. When I heard the silence, Markus gave me the signal and I jumped to the base of the guard tower. I landed with my staff in my hand at the ready. It felt like full metal. If they hadn't bothered to ground it, it should electrify the entire tower and everyone in it. I gathered my power and, just in case, I aimed it directly above me at the machine gun. It hit and I saw as the two men on the platform stiffened and one fell down to the ground, landing with a thud. Not that it mattered, by the smell of singed flesh, the man had been dead before he hit the ground.

I heard growling as Markus' warriors pushed forward. I ran onto the bus to see my three friends contorting in pain. I looked up at the sky and realized what was happening. But there was no time. I didn't know how to help them, and I needed to check on Nat. "It's OK guys, I'll get someone to help you. They will guide you. I'm sorry. I need to check on Natalia."

"Helios, what's happening to us?" Gonzalo said through gritted teeth.

"I will explain soon. I promise," I said as I made my way down.

"GILLIAN, DANNY" I yelled when I saw their wolves finishing two guards with shotguns. They ran through me in wolf form. "Help my friends please. You can guide them through the pain. I will explain after." Danny's wolf c****d its head in confusion but they ran into the bus, shifting on the way.

"What the f**k!" I heard Danny exclaim and I chuckled.

Just as I was running to Natalia, who was stumbling out of the garage, I saw someone sneaking behind Celeste and Gabriel.

"Celeste!" I yelled, the need to protect her was so great, I felt my body heat up and my muscles began to seize.