An Alpha's Claim

Mate

J growled, actually growled and for the first time in years she felt a flicker of power seep into her arms. Her mate was near. She could feel it. Maybe that was why she'd got her hearing back earlier.

"You have to understand, J. I didn't know there was a cure. I've seen wolves go rogue, seen the destruction...if I'd have known...if I'd have known that you could save him..." His voice trailed off as Caleb and the Black Oath pack stepped up behind J. He gulped and looked away, unable to face the stormy expression on Cassidy's face as she appeared beside J, Jake flanking her.

"Where is he Liam?" J growled again.

"You have to understand...I only did what was best for the safety of the pack. He's vicious, unstoppable, he tried to kill you!"

Lies. J scoffed and took another step forward, her breathing ragged and eyes wild, "where is he?"

"After you were...attacked. I got there first, along with some of the enforcers. He was- he was standing over you – growling, swiping...you-you were...well, we thought you were dead. . . I didn't know what else to do. I-I thought he'd killed you. We tried to take him down but he's so strong. So we tranq'd him. We moved him before the others arrived, we couldn't let Black Oath see him. Once they were gone, we were going to put him down, bu-"

J moved so fast that no one saw it coming, least of all Liam. They should have learned by now, a dark part of J thought wickedly, never to underestimate us.

Nails dug into Liam's throat as she tightened her grip on him. Slowly she leant forwards until her face was inches from his.

"Where?" One word. One word containing so much hate that J was surprised it hadn't burned her tongue just forming it.

"In-in the old bunker. In-in the North corner of the packlands." Liam grit out around J's hold.

"Take me there." J growled again, shoving him away for emphasis.

Liam looked for a moment like he might run, but both Trevor and Jonathon stepped up and took an arm each, effectively holding him captive. J could see their claws tearing into the flesh of his arms, she knew they were seething. She could feel it, feel it clear as she could her own emotions.

"Let's go." She snapped. Liam slumped into their grip and began to lead them to the opposite end of the packlands.

-

J shuddered as they descended into the darkness. The smell of damp and dirt filled her lungs, the air oppressive. Something coiled deep in her gut as she limped off of the ladder and stepped back, allowing the others to descend into the darkness with her.

Liam looked even more scared than earlier, if possible. A voice in the back of her mind, reminded J that Logan had been locked up down here for 5 days. 5 days. He'd been so near to her and she'd had no idea.

Slowly, the group of them walked along a long, descending corridor. The bunker had clearly never been used, and was designed in the 50's or 60's, probably to withstand nuclear warware. Instead, this dark pit had become a dungeon. And nearly her Mate's tomb.

The further in they got, the more restless J became, so aware that they were going further and further underground. Away from the light of the moon or the touch of a fresh breeze.

Up ahead, enforcers spotted them coming. Their stances turning from relaxed to alert in a microsecond. Liam told them to move aside and J made sure to take a mental image of every face down there. She would make them suffer later.

They neared a door and a wave of something hit her full force. She doubled over, the air leaving her body, but no one else seemed affected. Within seconds, Caleb was at her side, helping her stand, Callie on her other side.