It only took about eight minutes for the 28 of us to surround the area we knew the kids to be in. Once we were all in place, we began slowly closing in, surveying everything around us. As our perimeter grew tighter, we realized we were approaching a group of makeshift huts put together with old, rotten boards and logs. The crude dwellings screamed rogue inhabitance. The vomit-inducing stench grew heavier as we moved, mingling with the scent of the children.

As our circle reduced to about half, I paused everyone’s advance. “Junior…” I tried linking. I waited a moment but almost howled in relief when I got a response.

“Dad! We need help!”

“I know, buddy. I am not far, okay? Uncle D is here too,” I told him. “But don’t talk.”

“Dad, Leo’s arm might be broken. I tried to protect him; I swear.”

“That’s alright. We will get him all fixed up. We need your help, though. Can you tell me where you are?”

“I’m not sure. There is a lot of dirt, and the walls look like wood but really dirty.”

“Are the four of you together?”

“Yea, we’re all together.”

“Do you know how many bad guys there were?”

“A lot. It took eight of them to push us in here. Delilah and I fought them, Dad, so they wouldn’t hurt us. We tried.”

“That’s great, son. You did well. Is Leo the only one hurt?”

“Yea. Delilah has a black eye, but she says she is okay.” Damien would be pissed about that one.

“Alright. Are there any windows where you are?”

“No.”

“Okay. I want you four to stay still okay. Cover your ears because it is going to get loud. I will find you soon, okay?”

“Alright.” Before I could link everyone else with the plan, Junior asked, “Dad, are you going to kill the rogues?”

I paused for a moment. Junior is only six years old. He is intelligent and brave for his age, but he should not know death yet, should not be privy to the violence that can go hand and hand with our world. But it would be insulting to lie to him. “Yes, son. I am going to kill every last one of them for taking you and harming your brother.”

“There’s a little girl. She tried to help us. They pushed her down. Don’t hurt her, Dad. I think she needs our help.” Pride swelled inside of me. That’s my boy.

“Alright. Now close your ears and tell everyone to do the same. Count to 100, and we’ll be there,” I told him.

“There are numerous rogues in front of us. The children are being kept in a windowless room. We can assume it is probably going to be the nicest building in the group. You all have two minutes to kill them all. There is a child among them, a little girl. Spare her,” I commanded everyone.

“Yes, Alpha,” I got back in unison.

“Let’s get our pups,” I told Gavin as I stepped forward to let him free.

Liam Jr

I knew when Dad got here because there was a lot of screaming. Everyone looked at me, and I covered my ears. They all copied me, Leo leaning against me because he could only use one arm.

The noise could still be heard even though we were covering our ears and everyone else was crying. I stayed brave because I knew Dad would be here soon. There was lots of growling and yelling. There were also some breaking and squishing sounds. I tried not to think about what was happening outside the walls.

Leo was shaking against me, and Delilah scooted closer to my other side. “It’s almost over, guys,” I linked them all. I will be Alpha one day, and this will be my job. Right now, I need to protect my brother and best friends. The sounds got louder, and I think that meant they were getting closer. I uncovered my ears so I could put my hands over Leo’s.

After a couple of minutes, the sounds died. There was muffled shouting outside the place we were inside. I think our warriors are looking for us. “Dad! We’re in here!” I yell.

Delilah uncovers her ears and starts to yell too. “Daddy!”

We all start yelling, and it must have worked. We can hear people running around us. We keep screaming as loud as we can. There is someone pounding on something outside the door. It sounds like chains are breaking, and the door flies open.

“Dad!” we all scream. Dad and Uncle D are standing in the doorway. They both rush forward, and Dad grabs Leo and me into his arms.

“It’s okay now,” he said in his low voice. “I’m here. I found you.” I gripped my dad tightly, happy he found us.

After a few minutes, he let us go and tried to look at Leo’s arms. Leo cried when he turned it. Uncle D stood up, holding both Delilah and Lucas in his arms. “We should leave. We can leave half the group here to burn everything,” he said quietly to Dad. Dad nodded.

“Can you walk?” he asked me. I nodded. Dad picked up Leo and carried him carefully. “Don’t look around, okay. Just follow behind me and keep your eyes on me.” I nodded again. He looked at Leo and told him to close his eyes tight.

When we left the place they put us, it smelled like metal. B***d. There had to be a lot of b***d. I tried to focus on Dad and follow him, but my eyes couldn’t help but wander. I felt sick as I peeked around us. Bodies were lying everywhere, some wolves and some humans. Our warriors were picking them up and carrying them away. The metal smell mixed with the gross rogue smell and made my stomach churn.

Dad and Uncle D moved fast, and I stumbled, trying to keep up with them. I swallowed the puke crawling up my throat as we walked. We walked into the trees and were met with eight warriors. Dad gave them some instructions before handing Leo over to one. Uncle D set Delilah and Lucas down, and they both shifted into their wolves. Leo was placed on Dad’s back, and then I climbed up behind him while Delilah and Lucas climbed up onto their dad’s back. I held Leo tight because he only had one hand to hold onto Dad with.

“We’re going home, guys. It’s over,” I tried to link my brother, Delilah, and Lucas.

“Good job, son,” Dad linked me.

–

The trip back to the packhouse took a really long time. We had to stop after a while because Leo was crying too much because his arm hurt. I gave Dad my shirt to make a sling for Leo, which seemed to help some. He said Mom made him learn stuff like this so he could help take care of hurt people until we could take them to the doctor. Mom wasn’t always around with her magic to heal people.

I started recognizing the woods around us finally long after the moon was in the sky. I had to hold Leo and Dad at the same time because Leo fell asleep. Delilah was doing the same with her little brother. Dad and Uncle D said we were strong, and they were counting us, so we stayed awake.

“Li, the packhouse is close,” I linked her. She turned and looked at me. She looked a little relieved. “Our Moms are probably waiting for us with dinner,” I tried to cheer her up. My stomach was grumbling but then hurt every time I thought about all the dead rogues. I really missed my mom and sister, though. Mom was probably crying and sad, so we needed to find her, so she knew we were okay.

We exited the trees behind the packhouse, and there were lights on outside. The packhouse looked normal. The tables were put back, and the plates and cups were cleaned up. Dad and Uncle D took us right to the back patio where Mom and Aunt Lily were waiting for us. They rushed forward to meet us. Dad stopped and laid down so Mom could reach us. She squeezed Leo and me, earning a m**n from Leo.

“Careful, Mom. Leo’s arm is hurt,” I told her. She loosened her grip.

“My babies,” she said tearfully.

“We’re okay, Mommy,” I told her. Leo woke up and smiled.

“Mommy,” he cried happily. We slid off Dad’s back, and he shifted back to normal. Then Dad hugged us all together.

When he finally let us go, I asked, “Where’s Missy?”

“She’s upstairs, sweetheart,” Mom said. “She fell asleep waiting for Dad to bring you home.”

“Can we go get her?” Leo asked, not worried about his arm.

“Let’s get your arm all fixed up and put some food in your bellies. We can get Sissy first thing in the morning,” Dad said. I scowled; it’s not fair to not tell her we are safe.

Mom and Dad started arguing about Mom using her magic to fix Leo. Uncle D came over holding Delilah with Aunt Lily behind him, holding Lucas. I snuck away from all of them and ran inside. Sissy should know we are okay. Her and Maddox were watching us. I was so scared when they grabbed us, I forgot to link her. She could have saved us with Maddox because he is so strong.

I ran up the stairs and down the hall to Sissy’s room. I quietly pushed the door open and saw her lying on the bed facing the other way.

I walked over to the bed and poked her back. She moved a little. “Sissy,” I whispered. She bolted up and turned to face me.

“Junior!” she said, surprised.

“We’re okay. We just got back,” I told her.

“Are you okay?” she asked. I nodded. I crawled up and her bed and sat next to her. Her face was all red and blotchy like Mom’s gets when she cries a lot.

“Why are you sad?” I asked her.

“I’m okay, kid,” she said, and she pulled me into a hug. She didn’t care that I was dirty and smelly. When she let me go, I asked her, “Did Maddox keep you safe?”

She nodded. “Yes, he did,” she said with a smile.

“Good,” I said. Sissy needs someone to protect her until I am big enough to. Sissy ran her hands through my hair.

“Do you want to take a bath, kid? You’re messy,” she said. I shook my head. I’m sleepy. She scooted over and laid back, opening her blanket up for me. I moved next to her and laid down.

“Let’s get some sleep. We’ll get you all cleaned up in the morning,” she told me.

Vlad

I saw Alpha and Beta carrying their kids back through the woods. I hid in the trees until I was sure they wouldn’t hear me moving. I made my way to the cabin, knowing this wasn’t good for me.

If the Alpha and Beta found their kids, then they killed everyone involved in taking them. At least they didn’t touch Missy.Belongs to - All rights reserved.

When I got to the cabin, I paced around the small living room, waiting for them to arrive. My conversation with Missy was playing through my mind. I called her a slut; I shouldn’t have done that. That Maddox kid makes me so mad. If I could shift, I rip him apart. I don’t understand how she could just cling to him instead of me. I was right there; she kept asking him to help her.

The door banged open, and he strolled into the cabin. His dark eyes were fixed on me. I stopped pacing and waited for him to speak.

“Seems you aren’t giving me reliable information,” he said in his slimy voice.

“I told you everything I knew,” I defended.

“You left out the part where the Alpha and Beta were only a short distance away,” he said.

“All I knew was that they left with their mates today. The Luna’s bodyguard and the Delta are gone as well. The Gamma was the only one here!”

“But they still managed to get to their children before they were safely delivered to me,” he pointed out. I bit my tongue.

“One of them had a broken arm. You promised they wouldn’t be hurt. You just wanted the Alpha,” I tried changing tactics.

He waved his hand dismissively. “Things will happen when children don’t cooperate,” he said. He looked around the room contemplatively. “It would be a shame if something happened to the girl.” He gave me a cocky look.

“That isn’t our deal. You harm her in any way, and I’ll-”

“You’ll do what? You can’t shift. You can’t fight me. What will you do? Go to the Alpha and tell him? He’ll execute you for your part in these crimes. And I will be able to do as I please to the girl anyway,” he said with a sinister smile. I clenched my fists.

“The next time you give me information, it better be good. You are growing dangerously close to outliving your usefulness,” he said with a sneer. “I’ll be in touch.” With that, he turned and left the cabin, disappearing into the night. I stood stock-still for a moment before exploding. With a loud yell, I lashed out and punched boards of the cabin wall, splintering some of the wood beneath my fist.