Valchek laid out the plan in the police car. All I had to do was trust him and obey his orders. Well, that was easier said than done.

“How do I know that you’re not going to leave me in that prison forever?” I asked him.

“I’ve explained this to you, kid. I’m Northern Pack Alliance. We don’t go back on our words,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean shit to me. The rebels are losing this fight. I don’t feel confident about any of this, Valchek,” I said.

As we drove, I could see guards set fires to homes. I could see their laughter and the lack of care in their eyes. This place horrified me. As we pushed deeper into the barracks, I realized that I had no choice but to trust him. I had entered through doors to hell.

Valchek sighed loudly and cleared his throat. He pulled down the edges of his shirt. The tattoo of a gray wolf head shined back at me.

“I’m not lying to you, kid. But you won’t see me again. You need to get your father out of that prison. The only way to do that is to bribe your way out. The money you gave me will go to the guards down below, in the dungeons,” he said.

I nodded, feeling absent from my body. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the cold window. “I’m going to die down there,” I said.

“You’re not going to die. You’re going to save us all,” he whispered. It was almost as if he didn’t mean to say it aloud.

I opened my eyes again in a hurry. “What’re you talking about, Valchek. I’m not going to do any such thing,” I said.

“Kid, this world is a dumpster,” he said.

“Yeah. No shit,” I groaned. “What else is new?”

“And now that our friendly government has taken away our right to mate, we are forced into a corner. We always knew this would happen. Your father was one of the first to declare it. Even I didn’t believe him,” Valchek said. “But we always knew it would be you. You have always been the leader the Alliance needed.”

My brain was spinning. Leader? Alliance? I never thought about any of that growing up. “I don’t want any part in this,” I defiantly declared. “I would rather rot.”

“It’s not up to you. You have no say in this. It’s you, whether you like it or not,” he said.

I felt hopeless and confused. Why didn’t my father tell me anything about this? Why was it pinned on me? “Fuck this,” I growled. “Fuck this world. Fuck it all.”

“Good. Get it all out,” Valchek said. “You’ll learn soon enough to keep your mouth shut and fight.”

I thought about Liam, the omega that put a target on my head. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. As we pulled up to the entrance to the prisons, everything started to click. Like it or not, I was part of something more significant. And somehow, it involved Liam.

The car stopped. Valchek tossed the black hood back to me and grumbled, “Put this back on. We need them to take you down to the interrogation cells. I’m warning you now. It’s not a pretty place,” he said.

“I’d do anything to see my father again,” I said.

My body was trembling with fear, but I knew what I had to do. I placed the hood over my head. I couldn’t see a thing. I heard the front car door open and then slam. Then, Valchek reached out and grabbed me violently.

“Alright, you maggot! Up against the wall!” he screamed. Right after, he whispered, “Sorry, kid. I can’t have people thinking twice about us.”

I understood. He pushed me against the wall. My cheek hit hard against the concrete surface. I heard another guard chuckle like a rat. His voice was high-pitched and scratchy. “Got another one for us, Valchek?” he asked.

“Frank! Yep. This one is fresh from the camps.” He laughed alongside him.

“Bring him to me. I’d like to see his face before you drop him into the depths,” Frank said.

“No can do. Got strict orders on this one. I need to bring him in myself,” Valchek said.

Frank reached out and touched my arm. “Alpha or omega?” he asked. “We’ve got an opening for some of the omegas down in the club sector. I could pay you some good coin if you’re interested.”

I was frozen with fear. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on breathing, but I couldn’t. I started to choke.

“Back the fuck off, Frank. Seriously. I’ll have you reported if you touch him again,” Valchek said.

“It was only a joke, of course. No need to get so fussy,” he said. Judging by his footsteps, he was walking away from us in a hurry.

“Don’t worry. There are some questionable people here, but they can’t do anything to you,” he said.

“They’re bringing the omegas to the clubs?” I asked him. “What the fuck does that mean, Valchek?”

Valchek pushed me forward. I started walking with him. His hand squeezed around my bicep, holding me up as I stumbled. “You haven’t figured it out yet? The rich elite have the control over this world. Sure, they outlawed the omegas, but laws don’t mean anything to them. They just want power and control,” he said.

I was naïve. I never thought the world could stoop this low. I knew the politicians could be downright evil, but this was darker than I imagined. I didn’t know how I was going to save anyone. I couldn’t even protect myself.

He pushed me through a door. The sounds from the outside changed. Now, I could hear the yelling of the inmates. The guards were screaming back and pressing the buttons on their shock collars. When we got to the end of the hallway, Valchek removed my hood. I was standing next to a shifty-eyed human.

“Who’s this scum bucket?” he asked Valcheck.

Valchek handed him the five hundred dollars my father gave him. “Boots, I need another favor. In fact, I need a double from you,” he said.

The man named Boots groaned, but the money looked tempting to him. He bit his lip, deciding. “Who is he?”

“None of your business,” Valchek replied.

“Then, it’s a resounding no. I’m not going to lose my job over this. I’ve helped you enough times. The last guy that came in here ended up bombing sector 8. Do you know how close I got to getting fucked over because of you?” Boots asked.

Valchek didn’t know what to say, so I cleared my throat and took a stand. “I’m Carter Thompson. My father is down here. I need to get him out in one piece,” I said.

“Goddammit!” Valchek moaned.

Boots smiled and licked his lips. “Well, well, well. Carter Thompson, in the flesh. They’re looking all over for you. You must be important,” he said.

“Important enough to let you live,” I said.

Boots stopped smiling. He grabbed my collar and forced me against the wall. “Watch your tongue, boy, or I’ll have our men cut it out,” he muttered.

Valchek shook his head. I had let my emotions get the best of me. “He didn’t mean it, Boots. Let him go,” he said.

Boots grimaced and clenched his fist. I couldn’t help but smile. I said, “What’s going to happen when the rebels take control? Or better yet, when there’s a big attack? You think they’ll let you live?” I asked.

“I’m going to kill this son of a bitch!” Boots yelled.

“Wait,” I said. “I’m not fucking around. If you help me, I can help you. In case something does happen, I’ll have your back.”

His eyes changed as he thought about what I just said. “Despite the party lines? That makes no sense. I know the rebels. They hate us as much as we hate them,” he said.

I shook my head. It didn’t matter what side our party lines we belonged to. The true enemy was the aristocratic overlords who were hurting our people. These guards were bad guys, no doubt. But they were conned by the false ideas of their leaders.

“All we want is love. Someone to hold. Someone to care for. We want to feel that warmth again. We want safety from harm. Both the humans and the gray wolves want these things. I have no interest in building a society without humans. That’s why I’ll spare you,” I said.

Boots laughed. He looked over at Valchek, expecting that he’d do the same. He didn’t. “The kid’s right. There’s no arguing against it. The country’s drastic rules aren’t working for anybody anymore,” Valchek said.

Boots grabbed the five hundred dollars and sighed. “Fine. Whatever. This doesn’t mean I like what you’re doing,” he said.

“Fine by me. But when all this is said and done, you’ll have a seat at my dinner table,” I said.

Valchek pat Boots’ shoulder. There was distaste in the guard’s eyes, but I knew that he was going to help me. “Just get the kid and his dad out of here in one piece. His father Daren will know what to do next,” Valchek said.

Boots scanned his retina and opened the door. Valchek shoved me in, wishing me good luck. “Oh, kid! Tell your father I say hello.”

“I will,” I said.

The air turned cold and dusty. As we made our way down a set of rusty stairs, the angered screams of prisoners could be heard all around me. Every once in a while, a pack of shifters barked at me. I didn’t want to ask any questions, in case Boots turned on me.

The cells were old and looked like they hadn’t been cleaned since they had been built. Passing by the sad gray wolves, I put my head down. They barked at me, panting wildly. “Hey, fish! What cell number are they putting you in? I need a new friend,” one of them said. I refused to look him in the eye.

This wasn’t the place I belonged in, but I kept wondering if I would end up here forever. Boots stayed silent the whole time, and his eerie smile creeped me the hell out.

When we reached the end cell, Boots stopped. It was the only cell that had a high-security door. There were no bars. Instead, it was a giant metal box with one small window. Boots laughed and knocked on the cell door. “Hey, Daren! You’re boy’s here. Time to wake up.”

I ran up to the window and fearfully peered in. My father was sitting with his legs tucked in, eyes closed. His beard had grown out, and bruises covered his bloody face. He opened his eyes and looked at me with pain.

Boots kept laughing. “Here you go, pal. You’re on your own now,” he said, unlocking the door.

“Wait, what?” I asked Boots. “You have to help me get out of here.”

“I don’t have to do anything,” he said. “Keep testing me, and I’ll let your presence be known.”

I gave up most of my hope a long time ago. As Boots walked away, I clenched my fist with rage. “Don’t.” My father shook his head. “Save your energy for the real fight.”

“Father!” Tears fell from my eyes as I ran toward his direction. We embraced. His body felt so frail and worn down.

“My son. You made it,” he said, coughing.

“You’re bleeding. Who did this to you? I’ll kill them,” I said.

Before my father could answer, I heard familiar footsteps coming our way. I turned around as a dark shadow stopped in front of the doorway. “There’s no time for this talk, Carter. You need to follow me. Now,” the voice said. The shadow stepped forward into the light. It was Liam, the soldier who was responsible for all of this.