Lucian
A week has passed since the whole thing went down with Graydon. Callie said it’ll be another couple of weeks before we can test to see if she is pregnant. I have mixed emotions about it. A part me knows we’re not ready for that responsibility, but the other part me would be excited. The guys and I talked about it, and we would raise any children we have as our own. We don’t want to know who the father is, well after this time, if it happens.
It’s my turn to spend the night over Callie’s and I have to say, these nights that we get alone have only made us closer. I grab my duffle bag, that’s always ready, and head to the door. I make sure the front door is locked before heading to my car. Opening the door, I put the duffle bag on the backseat. I’m just getting behind the wheel when it happens.
HELP!!! GUYS, PLEASE. I NEED HEL…
Callie’s voice trails off. It isn’t long before I see Zeke and Graydon in their front yards. I keep my horn and motion for them to come over. They race to my car.
“You heard that, right?” Zeke questions.
“Callie’s scream for help?”
“Yes, we fucking heard that. Where the hell is Max?” Graydon bellows.
“Better question is what happened to Max? You and I both know that something had to happen to him. There is no way he would leave Callie alone. Did either of you try to reach out to her?” They both shake their heads.
Callie? Nothing. CALLIE! Still nothing. I decide to try to get Max. Max? Nothing. MAX! Come on, I just need one of you to answer me. Nothing but silence. This isn’t good.
“I just tried to reach both of them, and no one’s answering me. Get in, we’re going to Callie’s.”
The second that their doors are closed, I back out of my driveway and race off to Callie’s. When we get there, Max’s car is still in the drive, but the front door is wide open. All of us jump out of the car, not bothering to close the doors, and run into the house. I don’t think any of us were prepared for the sight. The living room completely demolished. The coffee table is laying in broken pieces on the floor. The couch is overturned, the lamp is broken, and there are claw marks on the hardwood floor. The list goes on and on.
“CALLIE! MAX!” Graydon yells. Nothing.
I look over to the stairs and see a couple of broken picture frames. Taking the stairs two at a time, I try to get to Callie’s room as fast as I can. Her door is wide open and in no better condition than the living room. Her bed sheets are stripped off and lay in a pile on the floor. Her lamp is broken, books and papers litter the floor. Some of her clothes are ripped. Her and Max didn’t leave here without a fight. I didn’t realize Zeke and Graydon followed me up here until I heard Graydon speak from behind me.
“There were two of them. If you inhale deeply, you can pick up the scent of two unknown people.”
“What are we going to do? Where and who would have taken them?” Zeke questions.
“We know who and why. Amos and Circe had a hand in this. We know they want us dead. I don’t know where they could have taken them.” I look at the clock on my phone. It’s been thirty minutes since Callie screamed out. They have thirty minutes on us, and we have no idea where they could be. “Let’s start with getting ahold of our parents and go from there. Maybe, if we’re lucky someone has seen them. Hell, if we’re really lucky Callie or Max will reach out to us soon.”
“Is anyone else worried about that? It was like Callie was in the middle of yelling for help when she suddenly got cut off.”
“My guess would be that they knocked her out, and I’m going to say they did the same to Max.”
Graydon roars and starts to shift. I’m surprised it took him this long. “Graydon, you need to hold your shit. Callie and Max need us right now, and we don't have the time to try and calm you down. Hold in your rage and anger and take it out on the assholes who took our mate and friend,” I growl. It takes him a few minutes, but he finally gets himself under control. “Now, we have work to do, the sooner the better.” Each of us take out our phones and start making phone calls. In no time, Callie’s house is filled with people. The time has finally come to use what we’ve been training for. We’ll go to war to get out mate back.
Maximus
I groan as I wake up. My head is pounding, and my body fucking hurts. “Did anyone get the plates of that truck that ran my ass over?” No one answers me. I look and blink, trying to get the room to come into focus. I try to move hands, to rub my eyes, but I can’t lift them. I look down and see that I’m tied to the chair. “I’m all for kinky sex games, but I would like to be awake and aware for them and only if Callie is the one tying me up.”
How did I end up in this chair? I rack my brain, trying to remember, when it starts to come back in flashes. The doorbell ringing, me answering, me telling Callie to run upstairs and hide. I tried to take them down, but somehow, they overpowered me. That’s when I remember the prick, like that of a needle. These motherfuckers tranked me. Shit, Callie. I frantically look around the room but she’s not here.
CALLIE! Nothing. Damn it, I need to get out of these. I need to find her. Wait, I can reach out to the guys. The only problem is I have no idea where I am, but something is better than nothing.
Guys?
Max? It’s about damn time. Where the fuck are you? We have search parties out looking for you guys. How’s Callie? They didn’t hurt her, did they? Because I’ll fucking kill them if they did.
Geez, Graydon. I don’t know where I am, there are no windows in the room I’m in and nothing looks familiar. I don’t know how or where Callie is. She’s not in the same room as me, and I tried to reach out to her, but she didn’t answer.
Can you leave the room?
I don’t know.
What do you mean you don’t know? I can hear the growl in Graydon’s voice.
Well, I’m tied to a damn chair, and I don’t know how to free myself. Lucian, do you think I can shift?
Are your arms tied behind your back or to the arms of the chair?
To the arms.
I would suggest, if you can, to get down on your hands and knees and shift that way. Your wolf is huge, it should break whatever is holding you.
It doesn’t hurt to try. I’ll let you guys know if it works.
Hurry.
That’s easy for them to say; they’re not the ones with their arms and legs bound to a chair. How the hell am I supposed to get on my hands and knees? It takes me a little bit, but I realize I’m going to have to tip the chair and either land on my side or face plant. At this point, I don’t care. I need out of these ropes, to find Callie, and get the hell out of here. I start rocking my chair, back and forth, when I finally tip it enough that I fall, landing on my side. I’m about to start shifting when I remember that Alcina can do a location spell to find us.
Guys get Alcina. She can find us, you know, just in case we… I don’t make it out of here.
Don’t you fucking talk like that. You fight until you can’t anymore. You fight like hell to save Callie. She needs you… we need you.
I’ll try Graydon. I don’t tell him that, because I can’t make promises when I don’t know if I can keep them. I call my eyes and shift. The size of my wolf causes the ropes and the chair to break. I get up on all fours, shake out my coat, and let out a howl. Just so they know I’m coming, and they just fucked up.
Callyn
I groan as I come to. I can’t believe I got kidnapped, even after Cat’s warning. I’m starting to think my house is cursed. First, the whole thing with my stepdad and now this. We tried so hard to fight them off, but neither of us could shift once they shot us with the darts. In the panic, I wasn’t thinking straight and totally forgot I could shift. How lame am I? Some shifter and queen I am. I glance around the room. Where’s Max?
Is it me or should someone have come to check to see if I’m awake yet, or is that just in the movies and books that kidnappers have such impeccable timing? Never mind, I spoke to soon. The door opens and in walks Circe. I know it’s her because she looks just like the picture on Elder Harris’ phone.
“Finally, you’re awake.”
I squawk and move to go after her, but it’s then that I realize I’m tied to a chair. “Are you so scared of me that you had to tie me to a chair? Coward.”
She backhands me across the face. She opens her mouth, no doubt to call me some rude name, but a loud howl rents the silence. Max. At least he’s alive. They better not be hurting him. I narrow my eyes at Circe. I let out a loud shriek of my own, letting Max know that I’m alive.
Callie?
Max!
Are you okay?
I’m fine. I’m tied to chair.
I’m coming to find you. I just got out of the ropes that bound me by shifting. I’ll find you, and we’ll get the hell out of here. I have the guys getting Alcina to help locate us. I don’t know where we are.
I don’t know where I am in here. Circe is in here with me.
I’ll find you.
Hurry.
“It seems that your lover is awake as well, though he doesn’t sound too happy,” she says with a smirk.
I couldn’t help but laugh. It pisses her off, and I only laugh more. “You do realize that you only have one of my mates, right? That means there are three more out there, trying to find me, and when they do, there won’t be anything left of you.”
“It would seem you forgot who and what I am. How about I give you a reminder?” Before I can utter a response, Circe blast me with her power. I cry out. Shit it hurts. “That’s at half power. Imagine what it would feel like being hit at full power. I think I can handle whatever comes my way.”
A low growl rumbles through the room. A large, blonde wolf stands behind Circe. He licks his muzzle, then snarls, lowering his head, teeth on full display. Max. I never get tired of seeing his wolf form. It’s magnificent.
“You were saying?” Yeah, I may be getting too cocky, but it’s all I got going for me at the moment.
Hang on guys. We found you, Zeke states. I hope they get here soon.
“I’ve been wondering where Amos is. I thought he would be here gloating.”
This time Circe laughs. “The fool didn’t know that I was taking advantage of him, not the other way around. I had to let him believe he was in charge when it was me the whole time. He was just a means to an end.”
Was? “What did you do to him?”
“I killed him of course.”
I wasn’t expecting that, Max says.
Neither was I.
Circe moves her hand to her neck, tugging a necklace from her shirt. There dangling is a hexagon shaped ruby stone set in a Celtic star. The talisman. It looks just like the picture in the journal.
Warn the guys Max and don’t do anything stupid. We’ll try to stall her for as long as possible.
Max walks a wide berth around Circe, never taking his eyes off of her. He stops and sits in front of me. I wish I could run my fingers through his fur.
“Was that always your end game, to get the talisman and all its power?”
“Part of it. See Amos was too weak and couldn’t handle all the power this talisman holds. It was rotting his mind, and he was losing the purpose for all of this.”
“Which is?”
“To end you and take over. I’ll be the next the Alpha Queen.”
“The shifters will never follow someone who isn’t one of their own.”
“They will if I make them.”
I snort. “Good luck with that.”
We’re here, just hold on a little longer, baby.
Thank God, Circe is just as crazy as Amos. It doesn’t take long before there is a commotion going on, and Circe runs out of the room. Max quickly shifts back and starts untying me from the chair. He makes quick work of the ropes around my wrist and ankles. He pulls me in for a hug, squeezing me tight, burying his nose in my hair.
“I’m so sorry Callie. I should have protected you better. We never should have been here.”
I rub my hands up and down his back. “It’s fine. We’re fine. How about we go find the others and end this once and for all.” I pull back, give him a smile before placing a kiss on his lips. “We have a war to go win.”
He stands, taking my hand in his, lacing our fingers together. We exit the room I was in, taking a left going down the hallway. We stop at the top of the stairs. Max looks over his shoulder at me and I nod. We make our way down the stairs, ending up in a big foyer. There are doors on the right and left and the front door ahead of us. Where are the guys? Actually, where is everyone? I can hear the fighting but can’t place where it’s coming from. I nudge Max in the back and point around him to go out the front door. Just as we move, we hear shouting from a nearby room.
Do you think we should check that out?
No, but you know we have to help anyone who is here.
I figured you’d say that, angel.
Instead of going out the front door, we make our way over to the door on the left.
“Stay behind me. We don’t know what is on the other side of this door.” I nod. “On the count of three. One.”
“Two.”
“Three.”
Maximus
There’s a guard on me the second I walk through the door. I don’t have time for this. I quickly take my opponent in. He’s tall, heavy, and more than likely slower moving. I dodge a fist coming straight for my face. I grab that same arm, bringing it behind his back, shoving him against the wall. I push the arm upward, making it uncomfortable for him. This pulls on the muscles, ligaments, and joints. Using my free hand I grip the hair on the back of his head, pulling back, swiftly pushing it forward, bashing his face of the wall. I let the guy go and he falls in a heap to the floor, knocked out cold.
“Well, that was easy.”
“Hey kid, you gonna let us out of here?”
Callie and I turn to the voice. There are four people in a makeshift cell. The the guy who spoke is standing front and center, clearly the leader. He looks like he’s seen better days. The clothes he has on are dirty, stained, and ripped. His hair is matted and greasy, like he hasn’t showered in weeks. Even his beard is unkempt.
“And why would we do that? We don’t know who you are,” I say as I move closer to Callie.
“Look, we’re in a cell. Obviously, we aren’t working with Circe, if we were why would we be in here? That guard has a set of keys on him. You might want to hurry before he wakes up.”
“I never said I was letting you out.”
“We don’t have time for this.” His hands reach out, gripping the bars of his cell. “I know who she is,” he nods his head in Callie’s direction. “She is the Alpha Queen, and you must be one of her mates.” I expected to see hatred or anger in his eyes, but all I see adoration, longing. Which is confusing to me. Why would he be looking at Callie like that? I say as much.
“I don’t like how you’re looking at her. And you’re damn right I’m her mate, which means you know I’ll do whatever I have to in order to keep her safe.” I push Callie behind me.
“I would never do anything to hurt my own daughter.”
“Excuse me, what did you say?” Callie ask, stepping out from behind me. I put my arm up in front of her to keep her from taking another step toward him. Callie puts her hands on my arm.
“You’re my daughter.”
“No, I can’t be. My father died before I was born.” I feel her hands tremble slightly, before she tightens her grip.
“That’s what they wanted everyone to believe. I’ve been held prisoner for the past eighteen years. Now is not the time for this. I’ll explain everything later. Please, just let us out. You have a war to win.”
Callyn
There are no words to describe the emotions coursing through me right now. Could this guy be telling the truth? Could he really be my biological father?
“Do you know how I knew who you were?” I shake my head. “I knew because you look just like her, your mother, my Camilla.”
I gasp. My eyes widen as I gaze at this stranger. I grasp Max’s arm tighter.
“You knew my mother?”
“Knew her, loved her. She was mate.”
“Then why did you leave her?”
“I didn’t want to; I can explain everything later. I promise. We do need to get out of here. I’ll help you win this war. I’m on your side, always.”
Do you think we should do this?
I don’t know Max, but it doesn’t feel right to leave them here. What if he’s telling the truth?
What is he’s not?
It’s a chance we’re going to have to take.
I loosen my grip on his arm, before completely letting go. Max walks over to the guard still lying motionless on the floor and starts to search him. After a few moments Max pulls keys from the guard’s front pocket. Max walks over to the cell door, but stops just short of placing the key in the lock.
“You do anything to hurt her, I will kill you.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
Max unlocks the cell door, immediately coming back over to me, positioning himself between me and the others.
“Lead the way. We don’t know the way out of here.”
I do as he says and I go. I don’t have time to process this information right now; not like I could even if I tried. This is all too much. I take a deep breath. Deal with this later Callie. We have a fight to win. I take off at a run out the front door and I wasn’t prepared for the sight before me. The blood, mayhem, and carnage. Why would anyone think that this is a good idea? Why would anyone want to see this; to cause this? No. This needs to end now. I give no warning before I shift and take flight. I let a mighty squawk; letting my enemies know I’m coming. I have had enough. Time to end this.