Chapter 30
The Decision
~West
"Baby brother," exclaimed August. "Good to see you again. You were always a clever pup." He licked his fingers and pressed it to the nearly healed wound on his side.
Ranger marched toward us. "West." He held out his hand to me. "We're leaving."
I looked to where Keith had been standing, but he was gone.
"I think not," said August.
The cock of a gun echoed through the room.
Ranger narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Bullets won't stop me from killing you."
"This one will." August pointed it at Ranger's head. "I stole one for myself after the Bloodhound Canyon attack when I heard you lived. I knew the next time we met, you'd tried to kill me." He laughed. "And I'm no alpha."
"You're too afraid to fight me," he growled.
August shrugged. "I know when I'll lose, even when it's my baby brother."
I backed away from the pair and hit a wall. Running my hands behind me, I grabbed a steel bar.
"I heard you found that sub too," said August. "He was a cute boy."
Claws emerged from my packmate's fingers.
"I guess you've mated," he chuckled. "Leave now, and I won't make the kid an omega again."
"Fine." He held out his hand to me. "West, let's go."
I inched toward him, with the crowbar behind my back.
"Oh no." The gun turned to me. "West here, has a flight to catch. He has Keith's mark. Most likely he'll be the daddy to the pack's next alpha." He raised an eyebrow at me. "You may be a pain in the ass, but they're right when they say your bloodline is good."
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I sidestepped behind August with my head bowed.
"See," said August with a smirk. "He doesn't want to go with you, anyways."
"I'm taking West, and we're going home," growled Ranger.
"Leave, or I'm going to blow a hole in you."
Ranger held his ground. "One's not enough to kill me."
"Depends on where I put it," August replied.
"Exactly." I swung at his head.
August caught the crowbar midair and jerked it out of my hand. "You little bitch."
Ranger charged and knocked him to the ground. The gun flew out of August's hand. My packmate grabbed his brother by the front of his shirt and drilled his fist into August's face. Covering my mouth, I backed away as blood splattered from the smaller man's nose.
"Worthless piece of shit." Ranger struck his brother again.
"Ranger, please," I whispered.
He landed one last punch that sent august's head snapping back against the pavement. Standing, Ranger wiped his hands on his pants. "Let's go."
"Your brother?"
"He'll live."
The wounds were already starting to heal.
I shook my head. "We have to find Aden."
"No," he stated. "We need to leave now."
A scream echoed through the factory.
"Aden." I spun around and darted through the machinery.
"West! Stop!"
"I have to find him." I climbed under a conveyor belt.
The sub's cries grew louder. I threw open the door to the main hallway. Boss's eyes narrowed on me.
"Grab your mate, Keith. We're leaving." He tightened his hold on Aden.
"Boss," said Adam. "We have to go. Midfeild is on their way."
The door behind me swung open. Ranger entered and pointed the gun at the alpha's chest.
Boss snarled at me. "Traitor."
"Ranger." I stepped between them. "Please."
Keith walked in front of his father.
Lette pressed up behind Boss and touched his arm. "Boss?"
"Release Aden," said Ranger.
Boss glared at the dominant. "So you're him, my replacement?"
Ranger locked eyes with the alpha. "Replacement? I've heard another version."
"Are you going to shoot me?" asked Boss. "It won't be the first time someone tried to kill me."
"Gift from my brother. August kept one of those bullets."
"He should have been more precise when it came to where he placed them in you."
"Boss," whispered Lette. "Please."
He shoved the sub back. "Quiet." Boss jerked Aden over to him. "One bullet won't be enough."
Lette grabbed the alpha's hand. "Boss?"
"Lette," he growled. "Do as I say."
"Please," the sub begged. "Just give Aden back."
Snatching the sub's arm, Boss shoved him at Adam. "Take him to the helicopter now."
"Just let him go!" cried Lette, fighting the secretary's hands off him.
Boss appeared shocked by the outburst. He released Aden, who took the opportunity to run for it. No even tried to stop him as he darted out the door.
Lette bowed his head. "Why can't I be enough? Aden doesn't love you, but I... do. I love you," he peeked up at the alpha. "I just want to be with you. I want to be your mate, if you'd let me. Can't I be enough?"
Lifting the sub's chin, Boss looked over the sub's face. "Let's go Keith." He took Lette's hand and headed for the stairwell.
My mate stood still. Our eyes met and with a nod, he turned to leave. "Good luck with everything West."
Ranger snatched my upper arm and pulled me in the other directions. I looked over my shoulder to see Keith disappeared up the stairwell. Was this it? Keith was really just going to let me go. Ranger led me outside to a car. Aden was inside along with another head of blond hair in the back seat.
"West!" Shiloh jumped out and ran to me.
I hugged the boy. "You did it Shy."
He smiled up at me. "We're back together again. All of us, now we can go home."
Glancing over my shoulder, I checked the sky. Once they left, I'd never be able to find Keith. My hand went to my scar.
"West, what's the matter?" asked Shiloh. "Aren't you happy?"
I nodded. "My mate's leaving."
"You don't need him, West," snapped Ranger. "None of those men are worth anything."
"Keith was a good wolf," I stated. "He cared for me. He really did."
"They just want you because of your bloodline."
"It not like you're beginning with Shiloh was that great either," I shot back.
Shiloh grabbed my hand. "Do you love him?"
I chewed on my lip and checked the sky again. "Yeah," I whispered.
The sub threw his arms around me. "I'll miss you though, West."
Wide-eyed, I looked at Ranger. He was scowling, but didn't make any moves to protest.
"We're still Hidden Peak," I said in Shiloh's ear. "I'll came visit one day. I promise."
Shiloh sighed and bowed his head. "I wished you came with us now, but I know what it's like without a mate."
Ranger put his arm around the boy's shoulder.
"Hey," I flicked his chin. "You're a strong kid. Braver than all of us."
"Not really."
"No, you are Shiloh. I never would have been able to do it."
He smiled shyly.
I cleared my throat. "There's a sub though, who isn't as brave as you. He'll be alone if I don't go back. No one ever talks to him. He doesn't have any friends, and then Keith. My mate will be really sad too."
Shiloh took in a deep breath, doing his best not to cry. "I have lots of friends." He wiped his eyes. "Raven and Jesse, Liam, and I'll probably be a dad soon too. So I'll be fine, but I'm still going to miss you. I still want you to be with us, because you're my best friends, West."
I grabbed the sub and hugged him tightly. "You're making this hard, Shy."
"You better visit me."
"You have my word." I looked to Ranger and held out my hand. "Take care of him."
"Don't be an idiot." He knocked my hand away and hugged me. "If you change your mind, I'll come get you. If it's tomorrow or ten years from now, I'll be there."
I nodded. "Thanks, Ranger."
He let go and shook his head. "Hurry up, or they'll going to get away, and I'm not hunting them down for you," he said with a smirk.
"See you later." I waved and ran back to the factory.
Jogging through the door, I looked back and waved at the couple one last time. Two hands grabbed me before I collided with their owner.
"Keith?"
He kissed me. "You're coming with me?"
I nodded. "Yes, because I... I love you."
He grin from ear to ear and wrapped his arms around me. "I love you too, West. You have no idea how happy it makes me, knowing that you chose me."
I swallowed hard. "Well we better hurry, or you'll be caught and sent to prison. I rather not see my mate behind bars."
"Come on."
Holding tightly to the other's hand, we ran through the factory all the way to the roof. The helicopter was ready to leave. Adam motioned for us hurry and get on. Keith helped me inside and climbed in behind me.
Adam slid the door shut and relaxed back in his seat. "Cutting it close, Keith. We nearly left you."
My mate simply smiled and leaned into me.
Lette was curled up by Boss. He looked the happiest I'd ever seen the sub. He finally got what he wanted, unfortunately it was a life with Boss, but it was what he wanted.
"I'm thinking we should search him." Adam narrowed his eyes on me. "He might have a tracker."
My mouth fell open. "I do not."
"I was watching. Ranger never put anything on him."
"Do it anyways," muttered Boss, with his arm draped about Lette's shoulders.
I kicked off my shoes and tossed my shirt on top of them. The rest of my clothes soon followed. Keith gave me a blanket as Adam checked everything.
"They're clean."
"Told you," I growled at him. I reached for my shirt as Lette screamed.
I nearly hit my head on the roof, I jumped so high. Keith helped me sit back down. I stared at the sub as Boss licked away the blood on the boy's shoulder. Lette was already starting to drift away.
"You can't wait until you were in private to mark him," muttered Keith.
Boss smiled, still tending to the sub's shoulder.
"Hopeless," breathed my mate. He brushed a hand through my head fur. "Kind of like you."
"I'm not hopeless." I adjusted the blanket.
"No, you're much worse." He kissed me and lifted my chin. "You're Hidden Peak."