Alpha Archer's weakness

33. The Tunnel

Archer

As I headed toward the exit where the others were waiting for me, I kept thinking about Keira's words.

"In the same place where your mother died."

I had never asked where she had died, it had never seemed important at the time, the mere fact that they had both died was enough to turn my world upside down. I didn't ask Keira where the place was because I felt like giving her power to control me. I mind-linked Jack and told him to ask Max. It's not that I trust him, but he seemed genuinely lost and at odds with Keira's actions, so I think he will tell the truth.

"Why on earth he chose the place where our mother died?" I thought to myself.

"Did you find something? " Roman asked worriedly after seeing my face. I'm not ready to tell him all the things she said,  especially the part about Amelia so I kept it short and nodded. "Where is she?"

"In the place where our mother died. I asked Jack to question Max,  I couldn't stay there anymore." Roman and Alex looked at each other confused but didn't ask my reasons.

"Since we have to face a witch I asked Raven to join us, she will be here in a half-hour," Alex said, making me feel so thankful for his help. Raven is a witch and belongs to Alex's pack. She is mated to one of his warriors. Back then, when Alex was a rogue he met them. The warrior ran away from his pack to live with his mate. Not all the packs accept witches in their territories because they still have prejudices against them,  but Alex doesn't have any problem and neither do I. 

"Alpha!" Suddenly Jack called me and ran toward me. "You're not gonna believe it!"

"What?" I asked him.

"Near the southern border, where there is the cave next to the river, there is the entry to the hidden underground tunnel." He affirmed.

"A what?!" Roman and I asked at the same time. I would never have thought about something like this.

"They built a secret underground tunnel. It's close to the border, so if we catch a glimpse of a rogue smell we don't find it strange. That way he could visit them and go unnoticed, that before finding his mate, which apparently is a witch. Your guess was right. After that, it was easy to mask his scent with her help." He explained.

They managed to build a tunnel right before my eyes, in my pack, without my knowledge. I feel so stupid. I was inexperienced and young but that's no excuse. I clenched my fists and my jaw. With all that's going on, it's hard to keep calm. I close my eyes and try to think about the last moments with my mate and begin to focus again. I have to concentrate and make sure I don't make mistakes. These people have been planning for a very long time. I don't think discovering who was the mole was an accident.  Even if Olivia had not come to me,  there was Jack,  who knew about the story. It was all planned. Max is even more suspicious right now. 

"Roman, take some warriors with us but don't let the border be uncovered. Jack, where is Olivia? " I asked my beta.

"She is with my mate. Lisa freaked out when she found out that Luna disappeared. Right now Olivia is keeping her safe in the pack house." He explained.

"Good, make sure Olivia stays in the pack house or at least in a safe place,  don't involve her in this mess. I can't deal with other problems right now." I ordered. "We will wait for Raven before attacking. I think they planned everything." I claimed and all of them were surprised and a little confused.

"What do you mean?" Roman asked.

"Something was off from the beginning. Think about it. My mate was kidnapped, not killed right away.  We found the mole, who gave up easily and told us where she is, after planning everything all this time. Then the place, where our mother died. It's obvious he wants to kill Annabelle and the fact she is still alive means he is waiting to kill her in front of me." I explained to them my suspicions and all of them were dumbfounded. They had not thought about it.

"So what's the plan, Archer?" Alex asked me. 

"Follow me!"

Annabelle

Fifty-two or fifty-five times,  I'm not sure anymore. I've lost count of how many times I have tried to open this shitty cell. Giving up, never. Archer must be going crazy to find me. I can't sit and wait as the witch said.

"Star!  Can you hear me?  Please! " I keep hoping she will come back to me so I can reach Archer. I have to warn him.

I sighed in frustration when I heard a loud sound. Someone was coming and the footsteps were heavy, not soft like before so it had to be him. My heart was pounding and I didn't know what to expect.

"Has Archer found them? Is he going to kill me?

I picked up a stone and hid it behind me. Fear and uneasiness. That's what is causing my rapid heartbeat. I took a deep breath and kept an expressionless face. I don't want him to know my feelings. The footsteps came closer and closer until they were outside the door. Although it was dark, I could make out his silhouette. I gulped as fear assailed me completely. He came in looking at me and smirked.

"The time has come," Derek said and each step he took was slow and calculating,  but I waited too,  I was waiting for the right moment to attack him. "Don't pull another stunt like you did earlier because this time I will not be so nice." As he said this, I knew he discovered me, but I didn't want to give up so I did it. I hit him over the head as hard as I could and started to run,  but he caught my foot and I fell. He grabbed the hand I had used to hit him and broke it. I screamed and cried in pain,  but it wasn't over. "I told you I  will not be gentle.  Don't worry,  I will make sure to not kill you and to keep you conscious." I heard him go out and come back in. A whip? He had a whip in his hand. I regretted  I shouldn't have done that, but I promised myself not to shed any tears. I closed my eyes and waited for the blows.