Her Savior Alpha
Chapter 54

Crossing through the killing field of wolves left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I tried not to look down at all the displaced bodies and not feel sick, but I had to keep focused on the main house if I wanted to get to Reily and Thelma. Both of them were the primary concern and if I wavered for a moment longer than I needed to I would be the one in grave danger. The house itself was in carnage. The front door hinge had been busted off and was sloping and out of alignment with the door frame. Archer’s body heat let me know he was right behind me making sure I was protected.

“Vera, maybe we should turn back. I feel like it’s not the best idea right now. I think we should stop.”

“I don’t think we should at all. Thelma and Reily are in there. Reily isn’t good. I can feel him. He’s having a hard time breathing. Dane has lost the plot and isn’t feeding him.” A pain shot across his forehead as I let the intense wave of nausea sweep over me. Beads of sweat lined my forehead and along with the heat from the sun. Its effects were making me tired and sluggish.

“Shit! Vera. Take it easy.” Archer comforted me as he held my arms and I looked into the kindness of his eyes. A shift ran through my veins as his warmth eliminated the pain.

“Thank you. I’m okay. The mate bond just sometimes gets in the way.”

“I can only imagine.” I thought I saw a hint of jealousy on Archer’s face, but I couldn’t be sure. He would have to deal with it. It’s not like I wanted to be Reily’s mate, it just happened to be.

“Quick, the glass is broken, let’s get through the other side. At least we don’t have to enter with the code.”

“That’s an excellent point.”

My eyes crinkled as my feet crunched over the broken glass on ground. I turned to the left to look through to the kitchen. Mess was everywhere. Plates were on the ground and jagged porcelain pieces were scattered all over the tile. “What the hell? Shit,” I said under my breath. Dane had gone complete cray cray. I let my wolf senses kick in as I listened for sound. That’s when I got the answer I wanted as a wail rang out from the basement.

“Dane! No!” Reily called out as I prepared myself for another onslaught of intense pain. This time the pain shot through my foot. I raised it up hopping around as Archer grabbed me by the waist.

“Vera, this is too much.”

“Exactly we have to get down to the dungeon. Quick, let’s go listen at the top entrance and we can work out a plan.” I had no idea what to do, but I trusted my wolf to have a solution.

Don’t go to the door. He will be arriving from the basement soon enough. Hide.

My Lycan gave the instruction like it always did and I followed the command. I yanked Archer away from the oak door on the side of the kitchen that led to the dungeon downstairs.

“Quick, my Lycan told me to hide. Move now!” The speed at which I pulled at Archer caused him to stumble over his feet, but he dropped pretty quickly as we hid behind the door and Dane came out. A tickle in my nose almost let loose a whooping sneeze. Covering my mouth quickly, my eyes bugged out from wanting to let out the combustion.

My nostrils felt on fire from the stench not only coming from inside the dungeon, but from Dane himself. Dressed in all black he had a paring knife in his hand and I felt the throb of his foot and I wanted to race down and help Reily. As the shadow of Dane’s face caught in the light, I saw splatters of blood on his cheeks. His pants were ripped and I guessed he’d missed a couple of days worth of showers. I swiped a hand in front of my nose back and forth until the stench released from my nostrils.

Archer’s nose had wrinkled as well and his eyes were wired shut from the grossness. My hypersensitivity as a wolf had kicked up several notches and every pore inside my nasal cavity could pick up the slightest of smells. It was a mixture of blood, sweat, grit, mould and fear. Bold, unadulterated fear.

As I listened closer I could hear the slow, crackly breaths of Reily as he tried to stay alive. If I had it my way I would have raced down the stairs, but I stayed put. I didn’t know if my wolf caused me to do that or not. Thelma had to be down there as well, or was she? I hadn’t heard her voice and I wasn’t sure two wolves were there. I couldn’t feel her. Archer positioned himself in front of me as Dane left the door to the dungeon open and walked past and through to the kitchen. A dirty, dank smell rose from it that had me wanting to barf. As much as I wanted to go into shutdown I stayed calm. “Fucking bitch, where is she?” The door banged against the wall for a moment as we waited for Dane to pass.

Shivers of fear ran through my bones, but it was fleeting as my wolf soothed me.

We will defeat him together. Calm yourself. He’s coming back. Don’t go down there.

I nodded my head as Archer looked at me as if I had a second head.

“Oh, it’s my wolf. It’s telling me that we will defeat Dane.” With my heartrate on double speed and my hoarse whisper close to Archer’s ear I waited for Dane to move enough of a distance away from the door. There was a broom closet in front of us and I entered it and closed the door with both of us in it.

I froze as I couldn’t hear Dane’s footsteps anymore. Did he hear us? Archer’s body heat combined with mine made it feel like a furnace as sweat poured between the middle of my breasts. His lips were dangerously close to mine and seeing the shining orbs of his pupils made me come alive from the inside. It was a funny time to be feeling aroused, but my body couldn’t help it.

“Shh!” Archer put a hand to my lips as heavy, thick footsteps crunched inches away from us. I feared if I breathed too loud I would be heard. I wanted Dane to move as far away from the broom closet as possible. Other fears surfaced as well like him being able to mindlink with me. After all he was a Mount Hunter alpha and would have the capacity to do it if anyone could. I considered it for a minute as I felt the length of Archer stabbing into my leg. He was definitely becoming rigid in a place I wanted to touch, but there was no time for us to have sex in a broom closet with no oxygen. That was a no go.

Dane stood still for a moment, and I didn’t know what to do. Was he moving or? Keeping my eyes close to wait for him to yank the door open kept me cloaked in fear. No point keeping my eyes open because the broom closet was pitch black.

“Hmpf.” Dane’s gruff exertion gave me some to wiggle around as a splinter of wood or something else was poking in my back. Archer felt around near my bra strap as his hot breath blew over my face. He felt the piece of wood and removed it while planting a soft, kind kiss on my lips. I smiled through the dark at the stolen moment as Dane called down the stairs. “You’ll be fine Reily. Surely, your mate will be here soon enough.”

Reily didn’t provide a response which let me know Reily was in pain. The fire was going out of him. We were so close to the dungeon our connection was heightened and as Dane shouted down the dungeon stairs I got a message to Reily through mindlink;

Reily. Hold on. I’m here.

Vera? Vera is that you?

Yes, it’s me. Do you have food down there?

No. No food. I’m going to die down here, hurry up!

I have to wait for Dane to leave. Hang in there.

He erased from my mind which let me know he wasn’t doing well at all. He was struggling and the fade in and out of consciousness remained. Dane let out a dirty chuckle as he closed the heavy door and punched in the code. It was getting harder to hang on, if I had to stay in the closet much longer I would wilt. Lucky for me a few minutes later Dane’s footsteps had moved into the kitchen. I could hear him on the phone barking at yet another person.

As soon as my ears could no longer hear him, Archer opened the broom closet door. I almost fell out of it with exhaustion from lack of oxygen. I sucked in the stale, yet better-than-nothing air falling forward onto the ground sucking in deep breaths. Inhaling for several minutes Archer kept standing and keeping a look out.

“The coast looks pretty clear. I can’t get you any water. I think he’s in the kitchen.”

“My throat is like sandpaper.” I stared up at Archer as I considered the plight of my best friend. “Archer...” The lack of moisture in my throat caused it to clog up. “What if something happened to Thelma? I can’t hear her. I can’t hear her voice. I hope she’s okay. I have to get to her.”

“Vera, your Lycan is unbeatable. Once Clive begins to heal, and Grant comes good, it’s going to be even better. Trust me, it’s going to be okay.”

“I hear you Archer, but I don’t know if it will be.” Holding onto hope in a desperate situation was something I was used to doing, but this took the cake.

“Come on, I think I can hear Dane leaving the house. I think he’s gone.”

“You think he is?”

“Yes, I think so.” Archer clasped my sweaty hand wishing I’d brought more tincture with me. There was one thing which was certain and that was a war within the pack was about to play out in epic proportions.

I moved over to the dungeon door and tried to mindlink to Reily. A strange feeling came over me as a flash of light crossed my eyes. I saw a wolf running through the forest. The same forest Reily had chased me into. No. Wait. Had Reily escaped? How was it possible? I didn’t remember windows in the basement. I stared at the door to the dungeon having to make a split decision. Archer stood beside me with his eyes burning into me. Like always he was waiting confirmation from me.

“What? What is it?”

“Reily, he’s gone. I’m going to connect with my wolf to see where he is.” I had no clue if Dane was coming back so time was of the essence. I tapped in to hear my Lycan speak.

He’s gone. Don’t go down there. A small window. Smart wolf. He’s in the forest. West of the barracks.

I listened and followed the instructions of my wolf. “What’s the verdict?” Archer zoomed in on my eyes as I stared at him.

“Reily’s in the forest behind the training ground. Come on, let’s go get him.”

“Okay.” We snuck out the back door, not the front. I didn’t know how far Dane had gotten over the field so being cautious was important.

Dane

Reily’s departure from the pack wasn’t a big deal to me. If he bled out, I would have to bring one of the cleaning staff to the house to clean up the bloody mess. He’d managed to cause a problem for me, and had no business in the pack. His stupid pack mates were a bunch of novices who weren’t able to get the job done the first time. If that was me chasing the Lycan in the woods I would have mawed her to death with no qualms. I’d been in many a fight with a wolf and Vera’s wolf might be a Lycan, but I - well I was a warrior in wolf’s clothing.

I’d spent enough days torturing him and it was time to take control of my pack. Naturally I had to teach Clive and Grant a valuable lesson in pack loyalty, but they should have recovered by now. I cast my mind back to when I was at war, long before the Beartowners, a rogue pack had tried to invade our territory. I had Rebecca then, as a young pup she been keen to learn. She’d been one of my best fighters. Nothing like Vera. She was dutiful and would wait for my command. She was my help mate keeping veteran pack mates and others in line. I smiled fondly, knowing that would never be again. Now I would have to crush everyone.

Sniffing the air as I dropped the paring knife off on the counter. What was the god awful smell? If Vera were here, it would be the first thing I would make her do. She would be cleaning up the mess. I sniffed again as the pungent odor pervaded my nose hairs. As I lifted my sweat patched arm I realized it was me. Surprised, I forgot that days had gone by and I’d barely showered.

I had no feeling left in me, only the blood of the Lycan would do now, and my useless pack were delaying my progress. I moved to the shower and let the water wash away the excess.

One last check on Reily. I had a few choice words for him and to see if he was mindlinked to Vera with my messages. I went back to the dungeon. “Reily, oh Reily boy! Heard from your little friend Vera?” As I got to the bottom of the stairs rage overcame me. A small grimy window in the top corner was cracked open. Reily - my torture victim, had escaped.

Stalking back upstairs I dressed in army fatigues and an olive green t-shirt like a real alpha. I crossed the field in pursuit of Reily. What I was met with at the barracks ignited unrestrained fury in me. Windows were broken with glass everywhere. Pot plants were knocked over and the main door to the barracks; ajar. The aluminum lockers were bent out of shape, it looked as if a dent of a wolf being pushed into had left its mark. Mud and drops of blood lined the tile floor as healers scurried in and out of the medical room with supplies.

“What the fuck is going on here?” I barked at one of them; jumpy from the sound of my voice, she stopped in front of me.

“Good question, you haven’t been here Dane. Wolves are looting in the streets. Mount Hunter is in disarray. Zion and Mathew have started a rebellion and have started it. We have a lot of wolves to heal, but we are doing our best. The healers are tired. We wish to take a break.”

I buried my eyes into her as I squeezed her arm. “There will be no breaks. You will continue you hear me?”

“Yes, yes I hear you.” Wimpy and pathetic, that’s what my pack was. I no longer wanted them as pack members I decided. It was time to kill them all. I’d lost everything anyway, and I had not left to live for. Why not go out with a bang?”

“You will work until your fingers bleed. I need wolves to fight. Move out of my way!” I shoved her against the wall as she slid down and the glass jar she was holding slipped from her fingers. “Stupid dummy. I barely touched you.”

I moved through to the medical hall blinking my eyes, the light was too bright and the stark contrast to the dungeon I’d been playing in made my head pound. I placed a hand over my eyes searching for Clive, Grant and now escaped prisoner - Reily. All I saw were a bunch of sad, and sorry wolves. I wanted every single one of them to get up and fight. What were they doing laying there as if the Lycan wasn’t out there on the run?

“You sorry sons of bitches. Each and every one of you needs to get up and fight. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. You have the facilities and the resources as wolves and still you cannot fight. You deserve to rot in here if you can’t fight. Where’s the Lycan? Reily? Where are you hiding them? Clive I know you’re hiding her! Where is Vera?” Froth bubbled in the corners of my mouth as I accused, shaking my finger in his face. He might have been pale, but he would be dead by the time I finished with him.

“Dane. I don’t know where she is. Please let up on everyone. It’s not the right way to do things.”

Clive’s head was wrapped with a crepe bandage and due to his feeble mind I clocked him with a slap of my hand. The nurse standing beside him gasped in horror as my eyes bored into hers, wondering if she was next. Clive yelped in pain as his cries of hurt brought me closer to joy.

The other bunch of pathetic wolves laying on their backs pretending to be hurt clutched onto the hospital white sheets in dread - perfect I wanted them to be wetting the beds. I would kill each an every last one of them. The next one on my list was Thelma. She would be the perfect dollop of cream on my pie. I would crush the Lycan once I eliminated her from sight. Vera’s best friend was about to be incredibly acquainted with my claws. I returned once more to the house in case Reily decided it was in his best interest to return.