James POV
The screams are what woke me up.
Heartbroken and agonizing males cries of torture.
I spring up from my pillow panting hard and looking around my darken room for signs of trouble. I don't see anything but I can't shake the feeling something's wrong. I absientmindly rub at my exposed chest. The wails were so strong and painful my heart twinges in sympathy.
Was I dreaming something?
I try to think back but I can't remember any nightmares. I look to my clock on my nightstand it reads 2:46am. I'm just about to dismiss it and lay back down to sleep when the screams tear through the silence drawing my attention to the suite's windows I left open to enjoy the evening breeze.
Flinging the cover from my body I run over to it and gaze out into the darkness, the white curtains billowing on either side of me. I see nothing but trees being that my room faces the back of the house. I close my eyes straining my ears to listen for anything and it isn't long before distraught voices float up to me on the wind. I recognize them as belonging to the guards that's stationed at the main pack house.
"Neighbors called it in they said it started about 10 minutes ago"
"What's wrong with them?"
"Maybe they're sick or something"
"I don't know Man but I'm contacting the Alpha this doesn't feel right."
"Shit they're starting to seize. He's dripping blood all over me. We have to hurry and get them to the clinic."
Soon I hear the sound of accelerated breathing and running feet. The noise fading away the farther they go .
I leave the window my mind trying to make sense of what I just heard. A sour lump settles in my gut, my instincts telling me this is big.
I have to find out what the hell is going on. I rush over to my bedroom door bypassing my dresser too much in a haste to change out of my pajamas bottoms or to even put on shoes.
When I get out into the hall a few people are about looking around, rubbing at their fatigued faces and bleary eyes evidently having just been woken up from their sleep as I was.
"James!" I turn to see Renne hurrying my way from down the hall. When she reaches me she fold into my arms. Her frightened trembles vibrating through my body.
"What's happening whose screaming like that? Are we being attacked?" she asks anxiously looking up at me. The others in the hall crowd around us obviously curious wanting to know my answer.
"I don't think we're being attacked no alarms are sounding but I'm going to find out what's going on and I will let you know ok?"
She gives me a firm hug and nods her head into my chest.
"Be careful" she whispers. l kiss her hair and realease her looking around at the worried faces.
"Listen up I want all of you stay indoors. Don't leave this house. If you hear any alarms sounded or the chaos outside builds do not hesitate to go to the underground tunnels and barracade yourselves in. Remember it's located in the library behind the third bookcase. Pull the red book that says CATACOMBS and it should open for you. Am I clear?" My voice booms through the hall. After receiving confirmation I continue on.
"Alright be safe and I will let you all know what's going on when I find out more" I finish my speech and make my way through the crowd to get to the stairwell located in this wing
'Jared meet me in the den. It's important'
I mind-link to him as I jump down the stairs, hoping he is already awake. It only take a moment before he responds.
'Already Here'
The den is alot more chaotic than the hallway. Jared is having a hard time keeping the peace. Dozens of scared people are swarming him bombarding him with rapid questions about what's going on and not leting him get a word in. He looks extremely frustrated.
I put two fingers in my mouth and blow emitting a piercing whistle. Everyone winces covering their sensitive ears and turn my way in annoyance.
"Now that I have your attention. I'm going to tell you all what I told them upstairs. There no need to panic as of right now. There has been no indication of attack. Go to your room and stay there. If you hear a alarm or any type of combat outside follow procedures to get to the safe haven." I look at Jared he nods his head once.
"Let's go"
We make our way out the front of the pack house and head south at a light jog, the main house being only a few yards away.
"Do you have any information on what the hell is going on?" Jared asks.
"Not really I think a few members may have gotten hurt or sick or something"
The pack house comes into view all lights are on and I can here that's its bustling with activity. We slow down a bit as we jog through the courtyard.
"Since when do our kind get sick. What could they have gotten to make them scream like that. It was like they were dying."
"I don't know but I overheard the guards say they were heading towards the clinic so that's where we're going to get our answers" I reply when suddenly a flash of pink catches my eye and I look over to see what it is.
Christy is standing in the shadows under a apple tree wearing a pink frilly nightgown that comes down to her ankles. Her mouth is open in horror her face stricken and her eyes are vacant. I stop my jog and turn to stare at the figure making sure it's really her.
What is she doing out here?
"What's wrong James?" Jared stops jogging and walks back to me. He looks over to the tree I'm looking at and squints.
"Is that Christy?"
"Yeah I think so I'm going to go see what's wrong, you go on without me"
"Alright" Jared agrees and continues on crossing the stone walkway to the back sliding doors, then walking in.
I slowly walk over to the apple tree making as little noise as possible not wanting to startle her, she already seems alittle unhinged. I walk to her side but she doesn't acknowledge my presense.
"Christy?" I speak softly but get no response. She stays in a trance like state starring out into the distance. I step into her view and call her name again this time she blinks and leans back in surprise as if I had just teleported infront of her.
"James?"she says in a whisper looking up at me confused.
"What's going on, are you ok?" she shakes head no coming back to herself and I can see water build in her blue eyes.
"I heard the screams and came out side. Then I saw the men bleeding and convulsing ....He did this. I know it, I feel it". Her voice is laced with devastation and betrayal.
"Who did what Christy?"
"My mat-" She cuts her words off abruptly clearing her throat and wiping at tears."My-my instincts say it has something to do with that white wolf." Her recovery wasn't as smooth as she thought it was. I heard her slip up, was she about to say mate?
"Did you see him?" I ask dismissing my thoughts for another time and sticking to the task at hand. Maybe she simply saw him around. I sniff the air and gaze around us into the pitch darkness. The landscape lights are off due to the time of night and all that's really providing a light source is the half moon hanging in the sky. I can make out certain figures of the usual scenery and nothing else.
I look back to Christy and I instantly become concerned.
Her breathing has picked up and a light sheen of sweat has broken out on her skin. I see that her pupils have dialated to the point where there is see no blue. Her eyes dart all around us searching conspicuously before landing on me.
"No I haven't seen him. Why would I have seen him?" she squeaks defensively.
"I'm not accusing you of anything it's just that's a big conclusion you jumped to. I thought you might have saw him running around"
"Oh um no I've never seen him before" she says quickly fiddling with her night shirt and looking down at the ground.
Getting to know Christy during the past year I have come to know a few things one being that she's a horrible liar, not only does her body language give her away her voice always raises into an chirping noise. I have to fight not to wince at the ringing in my ears.
"Okay Christy let's go inside. I don't know if it's safe out here and I don't want you hurt. Come on"
I tentatively grab her hand and lead her into the house. She doesn't put up a fight she just drifts back into her dazed state walking behind me like a zombie. Once we reach the stairs that lead to the member's suites. I give her a gentle push and watch as she ascends haltingly.
As I watch her figure disappear around the bend I can't help but worry about her. Now that I think about it, she hasn't been herself for a while now. Her quirky personalily has calmed, her cheerfulness has washed away, her cooking has become bland, even her odd sense of style has mellowed. There's no more 'Total Dance Whore' glittery orange t-shirt, no more Homies Help Homies. Always hats, or even those ridiculous fork and spoon bangles that I teased her about. She's become so normal and boring like something extinguished her spark, or perhaps I should say someone took it away.
I carry on to the clinic. When I open the lobby doors I see Amber, Dallas, and Jared all clad in pajamas huddled together talking with a few guards. I presume they're the ones who brought the injured in taking in account the blood covering their uniforms. I walk over and everyone looks up at my approach.
"So what's the word?" I ask joining the group.
"We don't know yet. We have five male members suffering from a pain we can't identify." Amber replies frustrated running her hands through her loose tresses.
"What does Gage think?"
"The Doc isn't here he left for California to negotiate a deal for some developmental werewolf pharmaceuticals. The nurses are in there now trying to diagnosis-"
"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
Screams interupt her words making all of heads swivel in their direction. Only one man's voice calls out this time expressing his pain. When the horrid ballad is over it's followed by soul shattering strangled sobs.
"There's something about this that almost seems familiar..." I state rubbing at my chest again.
"The screams are familiar?"Jared inquiries his face showing sorrow for his hurting pack brothers.
"Yeah sorta" I gaze down at the floor as my mind starts to wonder trying to make a connection with the present and my past. Where could I have been associated with that type of misery. After deep thought a revelation comes to me and I think I know exactly what's wrong with them. My head snaps up and I stare at Amber.
"James what's wrong?" she ask curiously.
"Can I see them?" I ask not bothering to elaborate.
"The men, what for?"
"I think I may know the problem." she hesitants for a moment seemimgly skeptically but eventually shrugs her shoulders.
"Ok sure come with me"
We head off and the others follow after us. She leads me to the trauma surgery room. Its the only room big enough to accommodate all 5 of the patients. When we enter I see that they have rolled in extra gurneys and have them line up in a row.
There are three nurses caring for the men. They're all business hustling around the room checking blood pressure, attaching heart monitors, applying cooling compressions, and administering syringes filled with who knows what. When we enter the room they barely look up from their work.
Each man has been securely strapped down with multiple silver infused leather straps. IV's are connected to their hands which I assume are filled with powerful sedatives considering each of them are unconscious, although the sleep aid doesn't appear to be aiding their discomfort. They're still writhing in pain and realeasing low sad moans. I don't think we have strong enough pain medicine to ease what's I think is wrong with them.
I walk over to the nearest gurney and lean over him watching as his face contorts and bracing as his agony hits me in waves. Amber walks over to the other side of the gurney scrutinizing him as well.
"Yeah I've definitely felt this before" I reach over to pull down the collar of the man's shirt to inspect his mate mark. Just as I expected it looks irritated. Its glowing an angry bright red and It's extremely swollen almost as if it's about to rip open with pus.
"Their bond is being disrupted." I stand up straight and look directly into Amber eyes. "Their mates are betraying them"
At first Amber doesn't grasp my meaning but then her eyes widen and they drop back down to the squirming man then back up to me. She looks physically sick and a immense amount of regret and shame befalls her. I don't think she truly knew the amount of pain her cheating caused me or maybe she just tried not to think about. Unfortunately now it's starring her right in the face. Her shoulders slump and her face heats up and she quickly looks away. Dallas rushes over to her side and wraps an arm around her comforting her. He then looks up to me with a deadly glare as if I'm the one that did something wrong.
"Is now the time to bring that shit up" he snaps.
"I wasn't bringing anything up. I was I simply making an observation about the men."
What I say is mostly true. It was Amber's own guilty conscious that was getting to her but if I was to be honest with myself I was also indirectly trying to hurt her which I am now feeling very much like an asshole for doing after seeing her destitute state.
Jared walks alittle closer ignoring the tension in the room he looks thoughly confused.
"Wait each of these men's mates are having sex with other men at the exact same time. That's a very big coincidence. I mean it's rare for one to do it what our the odds of five?"
"That's a good question. We need to find their mates and find out what's going on. Here's what I think we should do- "
"How many times do you need to be told you aren't in charge in here. You do not dictate what we all do. Amber and I have seniority" Dallas interrupts.
Does he really want argue about this Now? My patience is really wearing thin with this jerk. Only a truly insecure man needs to pointlessly assert his authority so often, it's border line pathetic. I take a breath and try to calm my nerves. I cross my arms and stare at him pointedly.
"Fine my mistake what's your plan?" I ask through clenched teeth giving him a fake smile.
"We don't know what's wrong with them. Why don't we do the obvious thing and ask them what's wrong when they wake up"
"What a wonderful time wasting plan. You stay here and do that but I'm going to take a couple guards with me and we're going to go check things out at their homes and interview some people so we can learn something useful" My tone is completely patronizing and the more I talk the more his eyes narrow in fury. "That is if your Majesty Beta Dallas doesn't mind of course" I add sarcastically giving a swooping exaggerated bow.
"You know I'm getting really fucking tired of your snarky little-"
"Something like what James?" Amber's voice butts in diffusing our impending spat. She looks to me and I can still see lingering ache and remorse present in her beautiful eyes and she has a hard time holding my gaze.
"I don't know but if this isn't just a coincidence, or the werewolf flu or whatever and it's actually foul play I'm hoping there's clues, or maybe a trail, or something left around to help us figure this out"
"It's a good idea I will go with you." Amber states nodding her head.
"Um.."
"What?" she snaps. I can see determination in her eyes. I also see the promise of bloodshed if I even think about trying to stop her. The message is quite clear and definitely received.
"Nothing" I smile and look away.
"I'm coming too then" Dallas insists.
"No it was your idea to stay here so you should hold back and monitor. James and I will handle the scene." Amber removes herself from Dallas's hold and walks to my side.
The look on Dallas's face is priceless. It's scrunched up like he just sucked on a sour lemon or just stepped in something foul. I have to work very hard to keep my laughter in.
"Alright let's do this"
Amber and I leave Jared and a very peeved Dallas in the surgery room and go with the guards back to the men's residence. On our way we ask the guards for a complete play by play of what they knew happened. Unfortunately there wasn't much to learn.
The guards say they responded to the screams thinking there was an intruder attacking. They broke into a couple of their homes only to find the men howling and shaking on the ground without any apparent tresspasser or injury. A couple of the men were also found in the neighboring woods. They gathered them up and brought them to the infirmary.
We arrive at the mated members small community and split up Amber and I start off towards the right and go into the first home needing inspection.
Extending our senses we search the entire house, Amber on the bottom floor and I on the top floor. We look in bathrooms, under the beds, closets, kitchen cabinets everything and everyehere and come up with practically nothing other than a small pool of blood that smell like it came from the male of the house near the front door. We reconvene in the living room.
"I'm not seeing anything here James" Amber heaves waving her hands around in annoyance.
"I didn't find anything either. Maybe that's a clue in itself. There's no sign of struggle and the females scent is hours old. I don't think anything took place here except when the pain hit him over there" I nod head to the dried blood.
"Ok so what now?"
I spot a black cell phone on a end table and get an idea. If you really want to find out information about a person you should check their cell phones. It contains their day planners, recent contacts, reservations, secret online dating profiles, or maybe just random internet searches. We are all guilty of looking up the most insignificant facts, or maybe stuff we're too embarrassed to ask someone else about or just don't want them to know we're curious about. Who knows perhaps there's something useful in there.
I walk over to it and pick it up. Lucikily there's no passcode. I start looking through the recent calls. There are about 26 outgoing calls unanswered to a person named Linda. Amber comes over and reads over my shoulder.
"Linda is John's mate what's the earliest call he placed to her?" she asks and I scroll through the list.
"About 5 hours ago" I exit the call log screen and tap the messages app and flip through the most recent conversation with Linda.
"Listen to this" I turn around to face Amber.
'Baby I'm going 4 a run I will be really quick I know we have plans'
"That was from Linda 4 hours ago the rest are all John."
Baby where r u????
It's getting late...
Linda I need to know you're ok
Please Answer
"That's the last one about 45 minutes ago" I close the phone and place it back on table.
"So she just ran off somewhere with a lover?"
"Maybe or she was taken" I say giving Amber a grave expression but she just shakes her head in denial.
"No evidence of a struggle you said it yourself."
"Yeah but unless there's a Cheaters Club here in Red Dawn there's no reason for all 5 to run off it's improbable like Jared said. I think we should check for her on the popular trails maybe she encountered a rogue."
"No one can get through our defenses James we've been over this." she sighs turning towards the front door.
"Humor me please Amber"
I know there's something going on here but if she keeps ignoring other possibilities we can't figure it out its really freaking irritating. I walk in front of her and give her a imploring look. She sighs in defeat.
"Fine after we check the other houses we'll check the trails ok?"
"That's all I wanted let's go" I grin and spin on my heels to exit the house.
We continue our inspections and we encounter one more deserted house then two homes occupied by scared small children. After witnessing their father's episodes they were pretty shaken up so we couldn't get much from them but with gentle encouraging they were able to give us similar accounts about their mom's whereabouts.
"Mommy never came back from visiting a friend."
"I haven't seen my mom since she left to go to work this morning she was suppose to be back hours ago."
After confirming stories and following alibi's we are left with one conclusion . Their are five mates missing and no one seems to know where they are. It's like they just vanished.
We gather the frightened children and bring them all outside.
"Guards I want you to escort the children to the main house. I'm sorry but you're on babysitting detail for a while. I want you to feed them and make them comfortable until further notices."
"Yes Alpha" they respond then motion for the children to follow them. There are four in all none over the age of ten, three little girls and a boy cluthching security blankets and teddy bears as they're lead away.
I keep my face neutral when she sends them away even though I'm unhappy. It just goes to show me the merit she really puts in my intruders theory if we're the only two checking it out. Dallas and Amber's arrogance has gotten insane and is going to come back and bite us in the ass if we aren't careful.
I walk off towards the woods leaving her behind. I break through the treeline and continue on crunching fallen leaves and twigs making my way to the closes byway. It doesn't take long to reach it. I vaguely take notice of Amber behind me.
This trail is not like the ones I take Renee on. It's not worn or obvious you have to use your nose to make sure you stay on it. It's a path that's fun for our wolves to run and find prey but a little difficult to travel in our human forms.
I find myself constantly looking back to check on Amber as we push through bushes, crawl rocks, and climb hills. I'm starting to regret bringing her along. I would suggest shifting but I don't really trust my wolf to behave himself around hers. Before when we were together they would get pretty wild with each other and I would lose control of him.
Amber must have similar reservations because she doesn't suggest it either even though it would be easier for her to travel.
Amber is keeping up with my pace but she keeps getting winded and the burden of all the work is clear on her face her hands always resting on her protruding belly. I know if I suggest she go back she'll just refuse, so we continue on.
The atmosphere is strained between us and neither of us say anything but she doesn't need to say a word to me I can practically feel her irriation with this seemingly pointless mission. The path is covered in smells and tracks in both human and wolf , alot of our wolves have taken this path in the last 24 hours it will be an impossible task distinguishing anything here.
"James there's nothing-" I raise my hand swiftly to silence her. The wind picks up and a rancid odor is carried with it assaulting my nose. Amber must smell it too because she crinkles her noise and start sniffing the air.
"It smells like a..."
"A rogue" I finish her sentence looking around us and reading my body in case there's an attack
It's a known fact that older rogues begin to decay not only mentally but physically as well. The longer they're rogues the stronger the scent of decomposition. No one really know why this happens some say it's due to the brain's deterioration not being able to send the correct signals to keep the body healthy and functional, some say it's the lack of stable pack structure slowly killing their wolves spirit and thus killing them and some even say it's punishment from the Moon goddes for misusing and squandering their gifts.
"It's faint, probably just a dead animal" Amber states dismissing the scent but when I look into her eyes I see she doesn't truly believe her own words.
"I want to check it out if It's nothing we can go back and wait for the men to wake up ok?"
"Deal"
We leave the meadow and track the smell due east. Fortunately for Amber the path becomes alot smoother and all we do from there on out is dodge trees. Before long the sound of water reaches our ears and the smell gets stronger the closer we get to Reaper River.
Upon arriving at the river it immediately becomes apparent that it wasn't just one smell we were scenting but a group of them combining to create the awful stink.
As we approach the water we take in the disrupted scene. There is tattered clothing and debris carelessly scattered across the area. I can make out a large amount of footprints, as well as other impressions along the muddy embankment, specifically very distinctive drag marks heading towards the lapping water. What I don't see is dead animals like Amber suggested the smell was coming from. Instead the rotten scents are clinging to the air like the after images of people.
"Ok I admit this is alittle strange. What the hell do you think went on here?" She peruses the scene walking around and looking at all the recent activity.
A take a step and hear a crunching noise beneath my foot. I lift my sneaker and see a small cresent shaped object. I bend over and pick it up. It looks like a mouthpiece, like one that you would find on snorkeling gear. It has a sticky gummy residue all around it. I bring it a little closer to sniff it but immediately retract it coughing at the stench. Whoever wore this has a serious case of halitosis or has been chewing on ass either way its disgusting.
Why is this out here? This river isnt suitable for real diving. In fact none of the bodies of water in our woods are. I look between the river and back to the mouth piece the gears start to turn in my head and I contemplate all the information we gathered tonight.
I close my eyes taking a huge breath. With effort I push past the overwhelming scent of decay and seek the hidden. The woods is made of hundreds if not thousands of unique scents. I have to push my olfactory senses to the limit to seperate, isolate, and categorizes the typical from the unusual just in this area. I can feel a headache coming on when my exertion pays off. I smell the missing women mingled with arousal, blood, and unknown wolves. Finally everything clicks and my eyes pop open.
"I know how they got in Amber?"
"Who got in?" she asks while picking up a piece of blue fabric off the ground to examine.
"Rogues. They used Reaper River, it leads from outside the territory right into Red Dawn. Amber they must have come in and taken the women."
"Wouldn't our guards have heard something?"
"Not if they were underwater" I show her the mouthpiece I found.
"This isn't a Mission Impossible movie rogues aren't that organized or smart James" she replies but I can see her confidence is faltering even more and worry is settling in her eyes as she looks to the river.
"No but Renee said they're leader is very intelligent."
Ambers mood darkens at the mention of Renee.
"Riiiight well then it must be true then if Renee said it" she rolls her eyes sarcastically.
"You've got to be kidding me!" I growl in anger completely catching her off guard.
"How much more proof do you need? We have five missing women that may have been kidnapped and are now being raped by rogues and you choose to disregard all the things starring you in the face at the mention of Renee giving useful information. Why are you so threatened by her or better yet what are you trying to prove with your ignorance?"
Amber face blooms red. She looks shocked and wholly embarrassed at my accusations. Then right on que I see her defenses go up and she gets angry.
"I didn't mean-" she starts but I cut her off.
"I'm done here. I don't want to argue I have all the proof I need to know about what's going on. If you'll excuse me I have to go calm my wards. Please link me if there is anything you need Alpha." I say sadly turning and leaving her right there by the river. I try to ignore the stinging in my heart but it only grows the further I go from her. I'm in mourning of the Amber I once knew.
Before Amber use to personify a beautiful quiet storm. She was strong, peaceful, awe inspiring, evenhanded and had the potential to be deadly which everyone both feared about her yet respected as well. Now I feel like I don't know her anymore. She's rash, biased, and quick to anger. I hope she snaps out of it soon and realize her attitude isn't helping anything.
She needed to be reminded of who the real enemies are and fortunately that's exactly what happens the next day in the form of a special delivery.
When our postmaster goes to town to pick up our mail she find a ominous manila envelope in the mix of the usual mail and online packages. It simply reads...
To: Alpha Amber Wayne
There is no stamps, post date, or return address. Someone must have broken into our P.O. box just to drop it off. Amber calls an emergency meeting with the leaders when she receives it. She wait until we are all present before opening it carefully. When it's contents are revealed I lean forward to view them and my blood chills.
Dozens of poloroid pictures spill out onto her desk, all snapshots of our missing pack mates. In them they are depicted being raped, strung up in proactive positions with there legs spread open. They show them being tortured having their teeth pulled out with pliers and others have them laying in bloody piles being beaten and whipped.
In each photo the woman are covered in different secreations and you can read their pain and fear so clearly. The images are so vivid I can practically hear their screams.
The worst picture by far is of what appears to be a bloody mass laying on a concrete floor no bigger than a fist. At first it's hard to tell what it is but upon further observation you start to see distinctive features and realize it's a fetus. We confirmed that one of the women taken was 2 months pregnant. The baby's mouth is open as if crying or struggling for it's last breath. No doubt its dead now there's no way a baby so young could survive outside it's mothers womb.
It's all extremely sick and enough to shake me to the core. What kind of person would do something like this?
My hair begins to stand on in and the room literally begins to tremble as wave upon wave of raw power and fury hits me. I look up and see Amber's violently trembling her true Alpha power is revealing itself in full force as she struggles maintain control. Her desk is splintering under her fierce grip and her eyes keep flashing.
"They didn't deserve this" she whispers a single tear escaping her eye as she gazes down at the pictures.
Obviously this was some big game to the rogues taunting us showing they have the upper hand.
Amber's steel eyes snap up and they lock onto me. In them I see the need of reassurance. She completely disregards the other two men in the room her focus is on me alone. I feel her wolf calling out to me on deeper level beyond than that of a simple subordinate. She needs comfort from her mate.
"We will get our members back Amber. I guarantee it." I state with conviction and I speak no lies my wolf and I care for our members like family and he is demanding action and retribution. I won't deny him this.
The room ceases shaking and Amber relaxes slightly.She nods and I feel a truce pass between us. We're finally on the same page with one common goal. I want what her eyes promise and she needs what my wolf is calling out through our bond.
We will make these monsters pay.
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