Kieran nodded as if he knew this, “Okay, but I have some demands that must be met before I go with you. First, everyone must be saved so whatever plans you have, you must change them so everyone you saw today leaves with me including the pups. This place leads to the outside, far from this house. But some of my friends are weak and cannot move quickly. I tried to keep their strength up by sneaking extra food to them but I wasn’t always successful. If you don’t want to do this, then please leave me here. I won’t leave my friends here to suffer. Do you agree to my demands?”
Cody smiled at this audacious young man—a prisoner making demands of his rescuer. Here was a shifter worthy of saving. He flipped the switch again indicating his acceptance of Kieran’s demands.
Sighing in relief, Kieran said, “We must hurry. As soon as Arald has what he wants, his men will kill everyone. He knew you were coming and you were supposed to be killed as you landed. I don’t know why he didn’t do it, but I know you’re in terrible danger. The keys to unlock the wolves and my friends in the other dungeon are hanging on a hook at the bottom of each of the stairs. I’llget the pups ready and will be with them waiting for you and your friends. Now hurry, we don’t have much time.” Kieran jogged up the steps and through the doorway, just missing Cody. “I’ll leave my key ring on the cart in case you need it but I left all the doors open except for the cells downstairs. Now hurry,” he said as he rushed away.
Cody explained everything to Dylon and they agreed on a plan. Grabbing the keys on his way to the steel door, he was relieved to see they were invisible. Opening and shutting the door quickly, Cody ran down the steps and grabbed the keys at the bottom of the steps. Moving over to Slate, Cody whispered that he was back to free him. After finding the right key, Cody unlocked Slate’s neck shackle. Pulling it off, he freed the wolf who immediately shifted.
“Give them to me,” Slate ordered, holding out his hand, and the keys suddenly dropped into it. Then he said to his enforcers, “As soon as you’re free, shift and head upstairs. Wait for me in the hallway.” Slate moved quietly and methodically through the wolves, unshackling one after another. The sounds of shifting filled the air. Soon there was a steady stream of naked men jogging up the stairs until the dungeon was empty.
Cody followed Slate up the stairs, but before stepping through the doorway, said quietly, “I am visible.” Then he walked through the doorway and met Slate who was grinning.
“Am I ever glad to see you…in more ways than one,” Slate said. “What’s your plan?” Then he cocked his head as he heard faint battle sounds coming from the other end of the fortress.
“Ahh, that will be my mate,” Cody said. “There are more shifters we need to free and 12 pups, so follow me,” he directed, before turning and rushing down the hall.
“You heard the man,” Slate barked, “let’s go.”
Cody led the way to the nursery where he met up with Kieran who had half the pups dressed in warm clothes. “Slate, leave some of your men here to help Kieran while we get the rest of the prisoners.”
Assigning several of his men to that duty, the rest followed him and Cody down to the other dungeon. Grabbing the keys from the hook, Cody quickly explained the situation. Working in teams of three, the doors were quickly unbolted, with Slate unlocking the shackles as two men helped each prisoner out of the cell. By the time they were finished, Dylon showed up with his enforcers and together, they helped all the freed prisoners up the steep steps until everyone was on the first floor.
Dylon explained that Arald’s enforcers, who’d been guarding his men in the living room, had been overcome and were dead. Then he barricaded the door from the inside to buy all of them more time to get away. After learning where the escape route was, he and Slate agreed they would split up. Dylon would take his men to get Kieran and the pups while Slate and his men would get the freed prisoners down the stairs to the escape tunnel.
“Come on,” Cody said, “let’s get the pups.” Sprinting down the hallway to the nursery, he slid to a stop in front of the door. A vision had resurfaced and he realized that danger lurked in the room. Mind linking to his mate, he quickly explained the situation before becoming invisible again.
Dylon opened the door to the nursery and stood in the doorway. Arald was holding a gun to Kieran’s head. Slate’s men who’d been helping with the pups were tied up and the pups were howling.What a fucking mess!
“Come in, Dylon,” ordered Arald, “And close the door behind you.”
“Why should I do that?” asked Dylon, buying time for Cody to slip around him and get in the room.
“Surprised to see me?” Dylon didn’t respond but that didn’t stop Arald. “I snuck back in while my enforcers were picking a fight with your men. Now, I want my money since you seem hellbent on taking all my merchandise…even my slave here. Now that I think about it, make it double the amount.”
“My client needs time to arrange for that large a sum.”
“Really? The High Council doesn’t have that kind of money? Well, what do you think your father will pay for his only son?”
“My father?”
“Yes, you know him…Franklin Royd. Or have you forgotten him already? Where’s your mate? Did you leave him home, you fucking queer? Oh yes, I heard about you and your fucking mate.”
“No, my mate is with me.”
Arald’s eyes grew greedy. “Which one is he? Tell me or I will kill this one,” Arald said, shaking Kieran and causing a whimper from the young man.
“Cody is right behind you.”
Glancing quickly over his shoulder, Arald saw nothing. Snarling, he looked back at Dylon, “You fucking ass…” Arald’s voice trailed off as he lost consciousness and slumped to the ground.
“Well done,ma moitié, well done.” Dylon quickly untied Slate’s men and then bound Arald. Striding to the door, he opened it. Once his men who were waiting outsidewere inside, he said, “You two, take this piece of shit while the rest of you take a pup and their blankets.” Then turning to Kieran, Dylon said, “Hi Kieran, the name’s Dylon. I need some food and water I can leave with this asshole until Slate can get back here and take control.”
“I can do that. Where are you putting him?”
“In the same luxurious quarters that he locked your friends in.”
Grinning, Kieran said, “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, everyone out,” Dylon said, but his mind link told his mate to stay. After the room was cleared, Dylon said, “Babe, show yourself.”
