"Rescue plan?" My heart pounded in my chest as hope, and fear battled for dominance within me.
"What do I need to do?"
"Follow my lead," she instructed. "And keep these knives close. They might come in handy."
As I slid the knife into a hidden pocket of the black clothes, my hands trembled with anticipation. I tried to steady my breathing, but my thoughts were anything but calm.
Chapter 25
Liam
Thesafehousewasnothing more than a barren shell of a building, devoid of any semblance of comfort. The walls, stripped bare, were instead covered in hastily sketched maps and half-formed strategies, lending the place an air of desperation. We had barely made it here, hearts pounding in our chests, knowing that we were running out of time.
"Patience, Liam," my father's gruff voice cut through the tension. "We need to wait for Verity's signal." My wolf paced restlessly within me, its anxiety mirroring my own. The wild, urgent need to get to Erica gnawed at me like a rabid beast, making my hands tremble with the effort to keep still.
"Erica needs us now!" I snarled, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions.
"Must get to her," my wolf urged, its primal thoughts blending with my own, urging me to action.
"Control yourself, son," my father pleaded, his eyes holding a mix of concern and determination. "If we act recklessly, we could jeopardise everything."
I clenched my fists, trying to channel my frustration into something more manageable. My mind raced, analysing the plans laid out before us, searching for the best possible approach. But all I could see was Erica's face, green eyes filled with pain and fear, crying out for me to save her.
"Ask your wolf to hold on," Gideon said, giving me a sympathetic glance. "We'll get her back."
"Easy for you to say," I muttered, anger simmering beneath the surface. "She's not your fated mate."
"Enough," my father barked, silencing us. "We need to stay focused. We're all on the same side here." My wolf growled in my head, but I forced it to submit, swallowing my anger and channelling it into determination.
"Fine," I conceded, gritting my teeth. "But if Verity doesn't give us a signal soon, I'm going in there with or without you."
"No you aren’t," my father replied, his eyes never leaving mine. "We all want Erica safe, Liam, and we'll do whatever it takes. Just remember that this is bigger than just us." I nodded, my heart still thrumming with frustration and fear. But as much as I hated to admit it, they were right. There was more at stake here than just my own feelings, and I couldn't let my emotions cloud my judgement.
"Alright," I said, taking a deep breath. "Let's go over the plan one more time." I tried to focus on the maps and strategies tacked up haphazardly, but they seemed to close in on me. I paced, feeling the urgency of my wolf clawing at my mind.
"Must get to her," my wolf snarled inside my head. "Can't wait any longer."
"Patience, Liam," my father cautioned, his voice steady but strained. "You know we can't move until Verity gives us the signal. We have one chance at this, and we can't afford to screw it up."
"Erica is in danger," I growled, my hands clenching into fists. The anxiety from Erica was palpable, and my entire being screamed for me to save her.
"Easy, son," Gregg added, placing a hand on my shoulder. "We all want to help her, but we need to stick to the plan." I gritted my teeth, trying to ignore the frantic pleas of my wolf. Every fibre of my being wanted to rush into the Shadow Night pack's territory and tear apart anyone who dared harm her.
And then, without warning, a searing pain ripped through my body. It felt like my insides were being shredded, torn apart by some unseen force. I collapsed to the floor, gasping for air, tears streaming down my face.
"Erica..." I choked out between ragged breaths. "She's...losing against her wolf. Jasper...he's...winning." My father's eyes widened with alarm, understanding the implications all too well. But before I could push myself up and charge out the door, Gregg and Damon blocked my path.
"No, Liam," Gregg said, his voice firm but gentle. "We can't let you go in there alone. Not like this."
"Move!" I snarled, my wolf's fury boiling over. But they stood their ground, and I knew I couldn't fight them both. Not in this state.
"Listen to us," Damon pleaded, his eyes filled with concern. "We're going to help her. But you need to calm down." I struggled against the pain, feeling my vision blur and my body weaken. But as Gregg and Damon focused their combined aura power at me, a soothing warmth began to permeate through my body. The pain receded, ever so slightly, and I found myself slumped on the cold floor, dazed and disoriented.
I was still reeling from the pain, trying to clear my head when the sudden vibration of a phone cut through the haze. I looked up to see my father holding his phone, fingers tapping quickly in response to the message he had received. My impatience threatened to bubble over, but I held it in check, focusing on the rise and fall of my breathing.
"Alright," my father said, finally breaking the silence in the room. "It's time to move out." Like a well-oiled machine, the room sprang into action. Warriors grabbed their gear, murmuring terse instructions to one another as they filed out the door towards the waiting SUVs outside. There were around 20-30 of us, including my father and me, each with a designated role in this operation.
"Stay focused," my father advised as we made our way to our assigned car. The concern in his eyes betrayed the calm tone of his voice. "We'll get her back, Liam. We won't fail her."
