No Substitutions [Welcome To Wolf's Peak] (manxman)

Chapter Nineteen - Equals

Austin's POV

Things had gone from bad to worse. Not only had there been an attack by Maurice's rogues but it had been witnessed by humans.

Damage control was in affect but there was no telling what kind of fall out would come from this. The council was already on their way to oversee everything which meant that our town would soon be swarming with vampires and other...creatures.

Casper's shop had been totaled. His equipment was ruined and broken, his display cases had shattered under the impact of fighting wolves and the large front window had also been shattered to become a point of entry for the invaders.

I looked around taking note of all the damage. This was not something that could easily be explained to his insurance company. If they failed to pay out though I'd personally pay for his repairs and new equipment. A wolf shaped hole in the wall separating the kitchen from the shop caught my notice and I frowned. Whoever had made that hole wouldn't be easily walking away, if they could walk at all.

"Austin!" Casper ran through the door into the main shop. He'd been upstairs checking on our son but seemed to be out of breath, still naked from his shift and obviously upset.

"You need to get dressed." I snarled at a wolf who was openly admiring my mate's body. His eyes widened and he looked away at my show of aggression.

"Damn it, will you shut up and listen to me?" Casper yelled, taking me by surprise, and placed two fisted hands on his hips. "Jimmy is gone he left with Kade." I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off. "Don't you dare say it!"

I raised an eyebrow but didn't say the words. As tempting as it was to say I told you so I knew he'd go crazy if I did. "Have you linked him? Is he safe? What the hell was he thinking leaving with someone who can't be trusted?" I yelled.

"I'm not stupid, I linked him the minute I realized he was gone. He said he's at the abandoned theater with Kade. They followed some rogues who abducted a human woman on the street outside during the fighting." Casper turned and left, slamming the door behind him in anger. "I'm going to get dressed and find my son." He yelled from the other side.

I stepped close to the wolf who'd been looking at my mate and growled, "If I ever see you looking at my mate's naked body again I'll rip out your eyes and leave you in the woods for the bears to eat."

He gulped loudly, his eyes like saucers they were so wide. "There aren't any bears in the woods around here Beta."

"Who said I'd leave you in these woods? I'm not stupid, I wouldn't leave you where others could find you and help you." I followed after my mate and watched him pull on his clothes with angry tugs to the material. "I'm sorry," I told him. "I don't like seeing you fight it scares me." I hated admitting to my fear but he needed to know.

He turned to face me once he was fully dressed. "I don't like seeing you fighting either. I was terrified that you'd be hurt but I knew you could take care of yourself. I don't like feeling as if I'm less than a man, less than a shifter. We're mates Austin, that means I'm your equal."

I gathered him into my arms and kissed his forehead. "No, that means you're more. Everything about you means more to me and your life especially means more to me. I didn't mean to make you feel like I was treating you differently, I just wanted you to be safe."

Casper clung to me for a moment longer then lifted his face to look at me. "Let's go find Jimmy. He's going to be grounded for the next thirty years for wondering off in the middle of a fight."

The old theater was on the other side of town where many shops and businesses had failed to survive the downturn in the economy. It was a ghost town within a town and it was a sad sight to see. But things were looking better lately. A new theater and new stores were once again open in a different area of town and so far seemed to be booming. This place though was a forgotten graveyard of store fronts and derelict buildings.

"This place is giving me the creeps," Casper whispered beside me. "I feel like the buildings are looking at me." He looked around and shivered.

""Some homeless people live here in the run down buildings for shelter. Maybe you're picking up on them," Peter said. We had four members of the Guard with us in case we ran into trouble. I didn't trust this Kade guy, he could be using our son to lure us into a trap, so I had more of the Guard around the perimeter of the area waiting on my word to attack.

"The theater is around the corner here. Hold back while I link Jimmy and find out exactly where they're situated." Everyone stopped moving and Casper looked up at me with worried eyes. "We'll get him back safely baby. I promise you." I kissed Casper lightly on the lips and then stepped back to link Jimmy.

~Jimmy, where are you?~ I let some of the anger seep into my voice. He was in trouble and he'd know it.

His response was immediate. ~I'm sorry Pops. Like I told Dad, we saw a lady being taken by the rogues. They have her in the old theater, that's where I am.~

I sighed in frustration. ~I know all of that but where exactly are you? We're around the corner from the theater and I need to know what angle to come in at so we won't be seen by the rogues.~

~Oh, sorry.~ I could hear his embarrassment clearly. ~We're outside. We're between the old convenience store and the side entrance at the east side of the theater. The rogues are in the concession area so if you circle around the back of the building they shouldn't see you.~ 

~Okay, be safe son we'll be there soon.~

"We need to circle around the building and come in from the back. Jimmy said the rogues are in the front of the building near the concession stand. Jimmy and Kade are outside so they shouldn't be in any immediate danger. That doesn't mean Jimmy isn't going to be in big trouble when he gets home though."

We stayed alert as we circled the block and came to the entrance that Jimmy had mentioned. There was no sign of Jimmy or Kade until I linked Jimmy telling him we were there and then two faces peered around a dumpster. "Dad, Pop." Jimmy rushed forward. "You need to help the lady. I heard one of the rogues say they were given her picture and told to find her. They're going to use her to bargain for Dad."

"Why would they use her to bargain for Casper?" I mused.

"They said she was your girlfriend." Jimmy frowned at me. "Why would you have a girlfriend when you have a mate?"

"I don't have a girlfriend," I said in confusion. "I haven't had a girlfriend since I met your dad and broke up with...Olivia." I paled remembering that I'd been seen talking with her after she'd caught me kissing Casper in the bakery. That one conversation had apparently put her on the rogues radar as a pawn in their sick games. "They have Olivia."

"Who's Olivia?" Jimmy and Kade asked together.

"She's Austin's old girlfriend. He broke up with her after meeting me and realizing we're mates." Casper told them.

"So how do we do this?" Jimmy asked. "Do we bust through the front doors or do we slip in this door?" He pointed at the entrance beside us.

"We don't do anything. You head home with Casper and two of the Guard while the rest of us take care of getting Olivia out." I told him.

"Excuse me?" Casper snapped. "I'm not getting sent home. Didn't we just have a conversation about you treating me equally?"

"Baby, please?" Trying to watch his back if a fight started would be too distracting for me. He was still training to fight and even if he was the most skilled fighter in the pack I would probably feel the same way. 

"Well isn't this a sickeningly sweet conversation, baby!" A cold voice said from the other end of the dark alley.

"M-Maurice." Casper stammered.

I growled low in my throat and took a protective stance in front of my mate and son. I was ready to protect them with my life. ~It's time, converge on the theater. Maurice is here and the bastard is mine to kill!~ The large number of rogues standing around the man wouldn't be enough to stop me from ripping him to shreds.