The Alpha

Chapter 27

Cortez just stands there and smiles, "You know, having the witch reverse whatever curse she placed on me is plan B. I can always go back to plan A."

"And what is plan A, huh?" I spits, "Torture me until I heal you myself. I told you before, I can't, and I won't heal you."

"Oh, I'm not going to have you heal me, darling," he places his filthy hand under my chin, "We both know that you have no gifts at all. Now your daughter on the other hand-"

My growl cuts through the room, "If you go anywhere near my child, I will kill you."

Cortez just laughs, "Tell me where the witch is, or I go pay a visit to that sweet little girl of yours. The choice is yours."

He stands up straight, looking between me and Rolfe, "You know what, I will give you a few minutes to think about your decision," he says as he heads for the door, turning around just long enough to say, "I hope you make the right choice."

When the door finally closes, I immediately start tugging on my restraints again. I pull against the silver as hard as I can, but I just can't make it move, "It's no use. I tried to break the chain for hours. They won't budge."

I look up from the chair, still pulling as I take in Rolfe's appearance. Blood splatters his clothes and skin as bruises and cuts cover every inch of him. He looks like he has been tortured for days.

"How were you captured, Rolfe?" I ask him.

He raises his head up, enough for me to barely make out his eyes, "I was on patrol near the northern border. I got hit with some sort of needle and I was out before I could even call for help. They didn't have a scent. There was no cross breeze or movement. It came out of nowhere. I never saw it coming."

"I'm so sorry. You never should have been brought into this mess," I tell him.

"It's not your fault, my dear," Rolfe tells me, "But, you need to decide whether to tell him where the witch is or not."

"I can't tell Cortez where she is. I can't do that to her," I say as I continue to pull on the metal.

"Ellie, I know you want to protect her, but you must also protect Zea. Nothing is more important than your child," his look says it all.

I know Rolfe had lost his mate and child when he was still beta. Rogues had attacked the pack when Axton's father was still alpha. He lost his family and I know he would give anything to have them back.

"I know," I nod as my wolf agrees, "But Axton is coming. He will find us."

"I know he will. He has been searching for seven years, and never gave up. But so has Cortez," Rolfe reminds me, "I don't want anything to happen to Zea or this witch. You need to make your choice."

"If Cortez is looking in the wrong place, then that buys Axton time," I tell him.

"Are you telling me that you are going to give Cortez a false name?" he asks me, doubtful that it will work, "Do you think Cortez will buy it?"

I shake my head slightly as I pull again against my wrist, "Doubtful. I've tried it before, and it didn't work out too well for me."

"When?"

"Around the time when Cortez first captured me. He wanted to know what pack I had come from. I didn't want to lead him back to Axton even though I had believed Axton had rejected me. So I told him I was a rogue and I had been kicked out of the Hollows Pack," I tell him, "He spent every minute for the next week, filling my blood with wolfsbane."

"Then just tell him the truth. I don't want to watch him hurt you."

"I can't. I need to buy more time. The second the wolfsbane is out of my system, I can link Axton," I say.

"You know the witch personally, right. That's why you want to protect her. Do you actually know where she is?" he asks me.

I give up on the restraints as I talk to him, "Yeah, I know her. She never meant to curse him. She's kind and loving and would sacrifice herself if it meant saving my daughter. I always thought of her as sleeping beauty. I cannot send Cortez after her."

A look of shock crosses his face as he nods his head, "I know you want to protect her, but no one would blame you for wanting to save your daughter."

He meets my eyes as the door flies open, "Has the decision been made?"

I nod my head as I decide what to do. I just hope I have the strength to last long enough for Axton to get to me.

"Good then, what will it be? Witch or daughter?" Cortez smiles.

I look him straight in the eyes as I reply, "Neither."

He just stands there. The look that crosses his face isn't shock or anger though, it's disappointment, "Well I was hoping for a different answer, but I expected this from a Luna. Protect all," he shakes his head, "Very well. Did she tell you?"

He turns to the side as he asks Rolfe the question. I watch as a smirk takes over both their features, "Of course she did. She said she was like sleeping beauty. The witch is Luna Aurora of the Moonstone Pack. Her brother's mate."

Cortez moves around Rolfe as he undoes his chains. Rolfe stands up from the chair. His wounds coming into the full light as the magic starts to peel away. There isn't a scratch on him.

He is the spy. The spy that had been in the pack for years. The spy that wanted me dead seven years ago.

It's Rolfe