"I'm trying here, what more do you want from me?" Caleb shouted as he threw the glass across the room smashing it in the process.
"I want you to try harder Caleb but that obviously isn't going to happen." Shaking my head I took a step away from him, this wasn't enough, none of it was. Looking through books and watching over footage and discussing how to deal with something that can't even be found just wasn't going to cut it if we wanted our son back.
"We're backed into a corner Cassia, this-whatever the hell this is...it's not something that can easily be solved, as much as we hate it, it's going to take time."
I growled lowly, glaring at my husband.
"The more time this takes the more time I lose as my son grows, I'm won't sit back and look through ancient pages hoping for a miracle to drop in my lap." With that I grabbed my jacket and laptop from the chair and stormed through the door.
I was an Alpha, if I couldn't find a way I'd make one.
Marching down the stairs I saw as members of the pack stiffened then scurry out of the way bowing their heads in submission. The aura I was emanating was dark and dangerous, they all sensed the change gradually every passing day that my son was gone.
I stalked from the pack house to my awaiting car; as soon as I got in I skidded off in the direction of my only hope.
'You do know that he'll want something, don't you?' Ember questioned.
"I'm not stupid Ember; this is nothing more than a business deal" I replied.
'They could betray us.'
"There's a possibility of that happening but they won't...not if they know what's good for them."
'This is dangerous Cassia, going there alone; you could've at least taken Caius with us.'
I scoffed, "are you scared mighty Alpha?"
Ember growled in warning, 'I'm cautious! You're about to take us into enemy territory with no back up it's stupid and reckless even for you.'
"This is for our son" I reminded her.
The rest of our journey to the south was quiet; Ember hadn't said another word after I shut her down. Although I knew that she had some valid points what I was doing would top my list of stupid and reckless things I'd ever done but I was willing to do whatever it took to get my son back into my arms.
As I crossed the threshold to wasteland the presence of several rogues greeted me, my Alpha senses kicked in causing me to grip the steering wheel tighter. It was in a pack wolf's nature to be recoiled by rogues, instinct told a wolf of pack that rogues were dangerous and feral, that happened to be very true. They were wild and untamed, tricky and unpredictable.
The reason why Ember was so cautious.
A brown wolf suddenly appeared next to my window, his eyes zeroed in on me and he snarled dangerously. I turned my eyes back on the road as I pressed harder on the gas I didn't have time to waste, every second of everyday counted.
I made a left turn and came upon a rundown house that was in the process of being fixed up.
Wolves of different sizes, shapes and colored all turned toward my vehicle. I watched as their trained eyes looked on, I opened my door and stepped out of the car looking around. Immediately their posture changed. Their fur bristled as they crouched, with their lips pulled back in a snarl as they growled loudly. Typical. Rogues didn't like pack wolves and pack wolves didn't like rogues.
"Be gone Alpha! You're not welcomed here" one shouted as he invaded my personal space.
"This is not your territory" another hissed.
"The territory is not claimed, therefore I am free to roam as I please" I growled at him, my eyes flashing in warning at the blatant disrespect. My foul mood was turning worse every second he challenged Ember.
"Leave before we tear you apart."
"I'd like to see you try pup" the words were out of my mouth before I knew it; Ember had managed to gain control for a brief moment before I took over again.
The door to the old house flew open and he walked down the steps, he was more mature since the last time I saw him five years ago. The graying of his hair began just above his ears and the little wrinkles at the corner of his eyes were giving away his aging.
"My, oh my, you're a long way from home Alpha Case."
"That much I'm aware of" I muttered.
Gideon chuckled as he stopped just a few feet away from me "yes, I know this isn't your lavish kingdom, but it's ours so please don't insult it."
I eyed him carefully, he was close to being an alpha, but as of the moment he could only imitate one.
'No wonder these rogues are so tamed' Ember mumbled.
"So Alpha, why have you come? I'd hate to think this was just a social call" Gideon piped.
"It isn't" I said "I need you and your resources."
Gideon's eyes widened tremendously, "well this is certainly unexpected...please do come inside."
I followed Gideon up the steps of the Victorian styled house; the amount of rogues around the place was insane. He had certainly been busy over the last five years. Inside was much more refined than they outside, white walls and gold trim...very simple...very vintage.
"Please sit" Gideon smiled as he gestured to the plush couch. Taking a seat I couldn't help but be a little impressed with what Gideon had accomplished. To be able to tame a rogue was no big deal in our world but to be able to tame hundreds at once and get them to live without tearing each other apart was a great achievement. It also worked in my favor.
"Would you like anything to drink?"
"No, but thank you."
"So, you need my help?"
"Yes, I do."
"This is a shock Alpha, isn't what you're doing right now against the law?"
"I don't really care about the consequences of my actions right now, what I'm after is far more important...I imagine that you'll want something in return and I'm willing to give it to you if its within my grasps" I stated.
Gideon smirked and sat back, eyeing me for a moment, "What would make the Alpha of Crimson Warriors turn to rogues for help?"
My jaw clenched, my anger was building and if I lost it I knew I could blow the only chance I had of getting help from him. Taking a deep breath I grabbed my laptop and played the video of Ethan's taking for Gideon. He perked up as he watched the short clip and then played it over again.
"Interesting...doesn't explain why you need my help though, I'm sure you could find one pup."
"Sure, but this isn't exactly in my area of expertise...and it isn't just some pup...the baby that was taken was my son."
Gideon's eyes once again grew as he stared at me.
"How the hell was someone able to take your child?"
"That's what I don't know...whoever they were didn't have a scent and as you saw, they moved unlike anything I saw before."
Gideon leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees, "how do you think I can help you?"
"You and your...friends here don't belong to a pack and you're the only one other than myself who can acquire information at the drop of a hat. But I can't send my pack out to find anything because there's a possibility that whoever took my son could recognize my pack's scent...you're a rogue as well as those around you, if you were to require information it wouldn't look the least bit suspicious as it would if a member of my pack were to go searching around." I explained.
Nodding his head in understanding Gideon spoke "so you want me and my friends at your beck and call...that's going to come with a price Alpha dear."
"And I'm willing to give you what you want."
A mop of dark hair caught my eye and immediately I was on guard as a little girl ran into the living room and pounced on Gideon.
"Daddy!"
My eyes widened in shock, he was a father? He must have taken a chosen mate since his destined one died earlier on.
I stared at the little girl, she looked no older than seven years old, it made my heart ache thinking about my own little boy.
"Sweetie, I'm busy right now."
"Momma said you were with an Alpha...Uncle Damien said they were bad" just as she said that the little girl turned around and shot daggers at me. My brows rose in amusement, for the first time since my son had been kidnapped I wanted to laugh out loud.
"Emili that was rude, Alpha Cassia is our guest." Gideon chided.
The girl pouted and mumbled a sorry before hiding in her father's chest. "Cute" I smiled.
"Thanks, she's one of my little angels" Gideon grinned.
"You have more children?" I blurted.
"Yes I do, just because I'm a rogue doesn't mean I don't have a mate" he frowned
I shook my head "my apologies, I just didn't peg you for the type to settle down."
"Everyone has their mysteries" he whispered as he kissed his daughter's head, for a moment of silence he just stared at the child in his arms before a flame of determination lit in his eyes.
"I want to do right by them, all of them. They deserve the best and I'm going to give it to them...you said you were willing to give me what I want, what I want is to become official. I want the Elders to approve of us as a pack; you're going to convince them to allow us to become one. Also, five million dollars to jumpstart things around here."
'I thought he would've asked for a continent or something' Ember grumbled.
"Let's just be grateful" I told her. I didn't mind him asking for money...I had millions and if he could help me out for that small price then I didn't mind helping him and his rogues become a true pack.
"I'll convince the elders to allow you to become a pack but eventually you will have to have a sit down of your own with them. As for the money...I'll give you half now and the other half when I get my son and the others home safe and sound."
"Others?" Gideon's eyebrow arched.
"I almost left out that detail; it's not just my son that has gone missing...six other Alphas have had their pups taken."
Gideon growled pulling his daughter tighter into his chest, "I'm adding another thing to our deal, I also have people that I want to keep safe and in order to do so, I'll need your alliance."
"As soon as you become a pack by law, I'll hand the papers over to you to sign" I told him. I pulled out my cheque book and wrote him 2.5 million. I stood grabbing my laptop and extended my hand, never had I thought it'd come to this but I was beginning to like the thought of the deal I made. Gideon's rough hand gripped mine as he smiled brightly.
"It was nice doing business with you Alpha Case."
"Likewise Gideon, I'll be in touch."