Chapter Ten
Axel put his game face on and strode back outside. He had to stop his hands from curling into fists on learning that Joe had been hurt. It was essential he kept up the pretense until the others arrived.
“Marcus,” he greeted the other shifter.
“Well?”
“He’s perfect, pretty face, meek nature. He’ll make an excellent mate. What is he, a fox?”
Marcus smiled and nodded. “Yes, that’s right. I'm glad you were pleased with him. Will we talk figures?”
“Sure. He mentioned a little friend. Any chance he’s—”
“A beta,” Marcus said with regret.
Axel shrugged one shoulder. “That’s a pity. But if he’s a looker-”
“Unfortunately, we have a buyer for him already.”
“I’m sure I could make you a good deal.” Axel tried not to sound desperate. He didn’t want to raise Marcus’ suspicions.
“I’m sure you could, but money has already changed hands, and all deals are final.”
Axel nodded. “Of course, I understand. Perhaps I could talk to the buyer, see if they’d be willing to consider a trade? We’re still rebuilding in the north, after the unfortunate events of last year.”
The best cover he’d been able to come up with was that his newly formed pack was an offshoot of Red Fang, low on numbers after their alpha had been killed.
Marcus seemed to consider his request. “Well, he will be here tomorrow to collect him. And if you are purchasing the omega, you’ll still be close by, I’m sure. I could arrange a meeting. The lions though, they can be testy, this one especially. You’ve heard of Nevan, I’m sure?”
It took everything for Axel to keep his calm on hearing the alpha’s name.
“I’ve met a few lions in my time. Can’t say I know of this Nevan, though.”
“The beta is from some southern wolf pack and Nevan seems to know of him. Killed his mate’s brother or something. The lions appear to have it in for the wolves for some reason. You may want to avoid a meeting.”
Axel froze at Marcus’ words. Had Nevan been responsible for Dex’s death? Thankfully, Marcus was facing away from him, unlocking a door. By the time he turned around, Axel had recovered enough to play along.
“I hear those southern wolf packs are fond of sticking their noses into other people’s business,” he said, trying to keep his voice neutral. “But perhaps, if it’s likely to be contentious, I should avoid meeting with this lion. There’ll be other betas, I’m sure. Now, let’s talk money.”
Marcus smiled and led him through to the office.
As soon as Axel was back on the road, he called Hunter. The alpha put him on speaker.
“Our intel was good. They’re here. I’ve paid a deposit for Kai so they’re holding him for me. But Joe’s been sold. He’s still there, but he’ll be gone by tomorrow if we don’t get him out of there first.”
“Bought? Do you know by who?”
“Nevan.”
There was a heavy silence. Axel kept talking.
“Nevan seems to know who Joe is. Marcus said something to suggest Nevan might have been behind Dex’s murder.”
“Shit.” That was Hunter.
Jensen spoke next. “Axel, I’m so sorry. If I’d fought Nevan back at the bridge…”
“You had your pregnant mate to think of. Liam was your priority. And Joe is mine. I need you all here by morning. Tomorrow, we storm this place, free Joe, Kai, and anyone else they’re holding. As for Nevan… I say if we get the chance we should end this, once and for all.”
“We’ll leave within the hour,” Hunter promised. “Seth will stay at the Cove. One of Hilltop’s alphas is coming here to River Den to keep an eye on things. That’ll leave me, Jensen, and Max ready to join you. And anyone else who’s willing to come.”
“Great. I’ll be waiting.”
He gave them directions to where he was holed up, a few miles from the hyena’s house.
The others arrived a few hours before dawn. Axel was surprised to see three cars, realizing that not only were the three alphas there but also half a dozen betas, from the Cove, the Weir, and the dens. The most surprising arrival was Liam.
He caught Hunter by the shoulder. “You brought an omega with you?”
Hunter glanced at Liam. “He can hold his own. Jensen didn’t want him to come, but Liam was determined. Besides.” He clapped Axel on the shoulder. “Two bears are better than one.”
Everyone gathered around while Axel went through the layout of the building.
“They seem to keep the captives toward the back of the house, down in the basement, from what Kai said. I saw three shifters near the front of the building and heard two more outside the room I met Kai in. There could easily be another half dozen or more.”
He proposed his plan.
“We split into two groups. One goes in the front and distracts them while the rest of us slip around the back. We incapacitate whoever we find there and go room by room, getting everyone out and straight to the cars. After that, we lie in wait for Nevan to arrive.”
When he finished, he looked to Hunter. The other alpha nodded slowly.
“Sounds good to me. I’ll take the first group in the front entrance.”
“I’ll take the second group,” Axel said wanting nothing more than to find his mate and bring him to safety.
They divided up, Axel taking Max and half the betas with him. After some debate, he asked to take Liam with them, hoping his presence would help coax out any captured omegas. Hunter handed radios around to everyone, so they’d be able to communicate with ease throughout.
They went in just after dawn. Hunter’s group, consisting of Hunter, Jensen, and the remaining betas went first, through the front door. Axel waited until they heard the first shout before he kicked in the back door.
One of the betas stayed near the entrance in shifter form while Axel found stairs heading downward and led the rest of the group into the basement. Liam was right behind him with Max taking up the rear. They met two hyena shifters at the bottom of the stairs. Axel slammed one into the wall and he crumpled. He didn’t see what Liam did but heard the other hyena yell in pain before Max silenced him with a punch to the head.
Then they were standing in an empty corridor with four closed doors.
“We go room by room,” Axel said, reaching for the nearest door. One of the betas stayed behind to guard the stairs, ensuring they had warning if anyone came down after them. Axel unbolted the first door and turned the lock, pulling it open. It was empty. Max tried the next door, on the opposite side while Axel moved further down to try the next room, relieved to see a familiar face.
“Kai!”
“Axel!”
The omega pushed out of the room to stand beside him. “Have you got Joe? Is it time to run now?”
“We’re checking all the rooms as we go.”
“Joe’s cell is around the corner,” Kai said. “I’ll show you.”
Axel left Max and Liam to finish the rooms in that corridor, following Kai to Joe’s cell. After undoing the locks, he pushed the door open. It was empty.
“No!” Kai said, his face falling. “He was there yesterday, I saw him right after I left you. They said he’d been sold. Are we too late?”
Axel tried to stay calm. “No. They may have moved him upstairs.”
His radio crackled, Hunter voice sounding staticky.
“Nevan’s already here, Axel. He has Joe.”
Max appeared by Axel’s side.
“I’m going up there,” Axel told him. “Get the others out, Kai too.”
“I want to stay with you,” Kai said. “I want to help Joe.”
Axel put his hands on Kai’s shoulders. “You have helped him. And now it’s our turn to help you. Go with Max and the others, you’ll be safe. I’ll bring Joe back, I promise.”
Kai went with Max, watching Axel over his shoulder as the other alpha guided him away.
Liam stayed by Axel’s side.
“You should go with them,” he told the omega, gesturing to where the others were disappearing around the corner.
“No, I’m coming with you. I heard Hunter. Nevan’s here.”
He could see from the stubborn look on Liam’s face that this wasn’t something worth arguing.
They ran upstairs, meeting one more hyena on the way who Axel dispatched quickly though only after taking a blow to the face. The pain spurred him on, send anger spiraling through his bones. He was ready for this.
When he got there, Nevan had his arms around Joe. Two of Nevan’s men stood between them and the rest of the group. Joe seemed confused, his eyes darting left and right. When he found Axel, his gaze settled on him, his eyes pleading.
“Nevan, I take it?”
As much as Axel wanted to reassure Joe, he knew the lion would see it as weakness.
The alpha grinned. “And you must be Axel. You and your brother look very alike.”
Axel growled low under his breath. “What do you know about my brother?”
Nevan’s grin widened. “I know he died a violent death, seeing as I’m the one who ordered it.”
He was trying to goad Axel, that much was clear.
“Why?”
As they talked, Axel tried to work out how to free Joe. Hunter was blocking Nevan’s exit and the other lions and hyenas were lying on the floor, unconscious. Marcus was among them. But Nevan still had two shifters to protect him and he had a strong grip on Joe. He wouldn’t easily let the beta go.
“The wolves were becoming a threat, thanks to your cousin. I needed to throw things off balance. What better way to sow discord between your packs than rooting out your alpha heirs?”
“It hasn’t worked.”
“Hasn’t it? Things seemed to be going just as I planned though I heard from Marcus that there may be an omega in the picture. So, the beta comes with me. If you or any of your friends step foot on my pack’s land, I’ll snap his neck. Then we’ll all get to watch as you self-destruct.” Nevan laughed, his voice echoing around the room.
“You’re not leaving this room with him.”
“Fine,” Nevan replied, grabbing Joe’s head between two hands. “Then he’ll die right here. Same result.”
“Okay,” Axel conceded, holding up his hands in defeat. “You win, take him.”
“Smart choice,” Nevan said. “Clear a path.”
Axel nodded to Hunter who moved away from the door. He glanced around the room, knowing he was missing someone. Where was Jensen? On top of that, Liam was also nowhere to be seen, though Axel was sure he’d followed him upstairs.
“Axel,” Joe called suddenly, as Nevan forced him toward the door.
“It’s going to be okay, Joe. I promise.”
In that moment, Axel wished he could shift and take Nevan down before the alpha knew what was happening. Though he couldn’t, he wasn’t the only shifter there. Making eye contact with Hunter, he got a small nod from the alpha and didn’t miss Hunter’s significant glance toward the door. He had a good idea where Jensen was.
One of Nevan’s men pulled the front door open and moved out. Nevan followed, pushing Joe ahead of him, the beta glancing back at Axel, frightened and confused.
Axel followed them, his pace slow so as not to antagonize Nevan. The alpha and his men started toward a vehicle in the driveway, one they’d assumed belonged to the hyenas. Axel saw the shadow lurking behind the left side of the house, crouched low against the building. Neither Nevan nor his men seemed to notice it, intent on getting to their car and away from the group of shifters following them at a distance.
“Now,” Axel whispered, knowing they’d need to reach them before they ever got to their car. There was a loud roar to the right side of the house and everyone, including Nevan, glanced that way. The shadow on the left leaped into action, racing straight toward them. Axel moved too, running toward Joe.
By the time Nevan and his guards realized, it was too late, Jensen’s lion was right on top of them. The alpha tried to hold on to Joe but Axel was there, grabbing the beta from his arms and punching him in the face before Jensen knocked him to the floor.
Axel lifted Joe into his arms and retreated back toward the group, getting Joe to safety and setting him down on the ground. Nevan and one of his guards beat a swift retreat, managing to reach the safety of their vehicle. The third lion lay unmoving on the ground.
The car drove away at speed, Jensen following it a few paces before Hunter called him back. From around the corner, Liam’s lion form came into view, the omega having provided the distraction for Jensen by roaring and taking everyone’s attention so that his alpha could attack.
Axel held tight to Joe, keeping the beta from seeing what was happening in the chaos of those few moments. He kept trying to sit up, looking around in confusion.
“It’s okay, Joe. You’re safe now, I promise.”
Hunter went back inside to search the rest of the building while Jensen shifted back and came to check Joe over.
“He’s taken a blow to the head at some point. It’s probably a concussion. Fractured cheekbone. And some bruised ribs. He’ll heal, but it’ll take at least a few days, maybe longer.”
Liam appeared by their side and Jensen wrapped an arm around him.
“Thank you,” Axel said. “Both of you. If you hadn’t been there…”
“But we were,” Liam said. “We made a promise to each other that we would work together to protect our family from Nevan. Joe is part of our family, just like you are. We couldn’t let either of you suffer at Nevan’s hands.”
“But it’s not over,” Jensen added darkly. “And someday soon, we’re going to have to end this. For now…”
“Let’s get Joe home,” Axel finished, picking his mate up and carrying him out to the car.