Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Riot

“Riley…” Willow is looking at me with something like wonder in her eyes. Which is incredible, considering the circumstances. “I can’t believe it’s you. After all this time.” She reaches a hand out, about to touch me through the bars, but I shake my head to stop her.

“Silver,” I tell her. “It’ll burn you.” I’m not sure why Parker put her in the cell next to mine; maybe it’s to torment me. I don’t care. I can see her.

“Screw that!” She sets her jaw. “You’re my big brother…back from the dead. I can handle a little sting.”

Allowing myself to smile for a moment, I step closer, reaching my own hand through the bars and stroking her cheek. She cups her hand over mine, holding my palm to her face.

“I can’t believe it,” she whispers, her eyes moving over my features.

“I’ve missed you so much, Wills,” I murmur, my voice cracking with emotion. “Every single day.”

“I’ve missed you too, Riley.” Willow’s eyes shimmer with unshed tears. “I never stopped hoping you were alive out there somewhere.”

I nod, swallowing hard. “Parker…he let me have some small details about your life over the years. Your mate, your son. I’m so happy for you, sis.”

“He did? I can’t believe his cruelty…using my life like that to torment you.” She shakes her head in disgust. “But I shouldn’t be surprised, not after what he did to our pack.”

Pain spears my chest at the mention of our decimated pack. I grip the cold metal bars tightly, the silver burning my palms, but I welcome the sting. It keeps me grounded in the present.

“Mom, Dad, all of the others…” My voice trails off, thick with grief.

Willow reaches forward and touches my hand. “I know,” she murmurs. “But Riley, there’s something you should know. Not everyone was killed that night.”

My head snaps up, eyes wide. “What?”

“Some of our packmates, they were taken. Like you.” Willow’s gaze is intense, burning into mine. “I don’t know where, but they’re out there somewhere.”

I stagger back a step, mind reeling. All these years, I thought I was the only survivor. The only one left to carry the burden of our pack’s destruction. But if there are others…

“My God.” My voice rasps the words, my throat clogged.

“It’s true.” Willow’s eyes are bright and earnest. “We’re not all gone, Riley.”

“Fuck.” I scrub a hand over my face. The thought of anyone else going through what I’ve endured is intolerable. And even worse, the thought of Willow being sold into a life of slavery…

I won’t allow it.

Something tightens inside me. A sense of resolve.

I’m getting us out of here.

It’s not the first time I’ve had this thought while in this cell, and maybe I’m a fool for even thinking it, but I don’t care.

“What’s wrong?” Willow is looking at me. Even after all these years, all this time apart, she can still tell when there’s something on my mind.

I glance about at the bars surrounding us. The bare walls. The reinforced steel.

“We’re not staying here,” I say beneath my breath.

Her eyes fly wide. “You mean…?”

I nod grimly. I don’t have any idea how I’m going to do this yet, but it’s going to happen. There’s a sense of certainty in me that I can’t quite put my finger on. A sense of resolve. As if something just clicked into place.

And then I feel it.

Her.

I feel her.

“Raura’s coming,” I whisper. I know it with a certainty that’s absolute.

“What?” Confusion colors Willow’s face. “Who’s Raura?”

“My mate. She’s coming.” It almost makes me breathless to say the word. She’s my mate. It’s as simple as that. What isn’t simple is the realization that this is a problem.

Shit!

She can’t come here. It won’t be safe. But the longer I stand here, the more my senses start to tingle until it feels like my blood is burning. There’s no stopping her. She’s being drawn here. Resisting it would hurt as much as it hurt for me to leave her.

And now, the feeling of Raura coming closer is like a siren call inside me, growing stronger by the second. My wolf is practically howling to get to her, to hold her in my arms again. But at the same time, a sense of dread settles like a lead weight in my belly. It’s too dangerous.

If Parker gets his hands on her again…

I shake my head, refusing to even entertain the thought. I took her back to her pack to keep her safe, dammit. I can’t let it be for nothing.

And then there’s Willow. My baby sister, who I haven’t seen for so many years, is finally within reach. I have to get her out of here. I can’t fail her again.

My mind races, trying to formulate some kind of plan.

Maybe if I-

Suddenly, a loud commotion erupts outside the cell block, yanking me from my thoughts. Shouts echo off the concrete walls, followed by the pounding of heavy boots.

Willow’s eyes go wide with fear. “What’s happening?”

I strain to listen, my enhanced hearing picking up snatches of harried conversation.

“…Boss wants them moved…”

“…something big going down…”

“…get them out, now!”

Understanding clicks into place. They’re coming for us. Parker must be spooked about something, wants to move his “assets.”

I glance at Willow, a silent message passing between us.

This could be our chance.

The cell block door bursts open, and a group of heavily armed guards spills inside, weapons at the ready. I recognize a few of them – the same brutes who’ve dragged me out to the fighting pit more times than I can count.

“Against the back wall, hands where we can see ‘em!” the lead guard barks, his rifle trained on me.

I comply slowly, hands raised, biding my time. The guards unlock Willow’s cell first, yanking her out roughly. She stumbles but catches herself, chin lifting in defiance.

That’s my girl.

Two more guards approach my cell, keys jangling. The instant the lock disengages, I explode into motion. I slam the barred door outward, catching the first guard square in the face. Bone crunches beneath the impact, and he drops like a stone.

Before the second guard can even blink, I’m on him. My hands close around his throat, lifting him clear off his feet. He sputters and chokes, scrabbling uselessly at my iron grip.

The other guards shout in alarm, but I’ve already hurled the one in my grasp into their midst. They go down like skittles, and I leap forward, a roar tearing from my throat.

Time to show them why they call me the Beast.

I make quick work of the guards, my fists and feet flying in a brutal ballet. Years of fighting in the pits have honed my skills to a razor’s edge, and these men are no match for me. Bones snap, and bodies crumple under my onslaught until the last guard falls with a choked-off cry.

Breathing hard, I turn to Willow, who’s staring at me with a mix of awe and fear in her eyes. I soften my expression, holding out my hand to her.

“Come on, sis. We’re getting out of here.”

She doesn’t hesitate, slipping her hand into mine. Her fingers tremble slightly, but her grip is strong. Together, we race out of the cell block.

As we go, the other prisoners – shifters and wild animals alike – begin to howl and roar, sensing the chaos. Their cries echo off the walls, a desperate cacophony that tears at my heart. I pause for a split second, glancing back at the rows of cages.

I’ll come back for you. I swear it.

But right now, getting Willow to safety is my top priority. We burst out of the cell block into a long, sterile hallway. Alarms blare overhead, red lights flashing in warning.

“Which way?” Willow asks, her voice tight with tension.

I hesitate, trying to think fast. “This way.” I tighten my hold on Willow’s hand and take off at a run, letting my instincts guide me. We fly down the hallway, our footsteps echoing off the tile.

A couple of guards round the corner ahead of us, weapons drawn. I don’t even break stride, barreling into them like a freight train. They scatter in alarm, not getting a chance to react before we’ve disappeared down another corridor.

“Holy shit, Riley,” Willow gasps as we continue our mad dash. “When did you become such a badass?”

Despite the dire situation, I grin at her. “Always was one, sis. You just never saw it.”

She lets out a breathless laugh, and for a moment, it’s almost like old times. Just the two of us, running wild and free.

But the illusion shatters as another group of guards appears at the end of the hall. They open fire, bullets pinging off the walls around us. I shove Willow behind me, shielding her with my body, bracing as I anticipate the strike of a slug.

It doesn’t come.

“Fall back!” someone yells, and suddenly our attackers turn away and disappear in the opposite direction.

What the fuck?

Now what?

There’s no way I can turn back in the direction we’ve come from – only captivity awaits us there. Our only option is to keep moving forward and pray that the men have left completely.

Gritting my teeth, I head around the corner at a dead run, Willow’s hand clasped tightly in mine, only to skid to an abrupt halt. The scene before me is one I never could have imagined.

The red-headed she-wolf who’d been at Steel Lakes is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a towering male, and they’re locked in combat with Parker’s guards. They’re not alone – a dozen other shifters from Steel Lakes fight alongside them, their movements fluid and deadly. In a matter of moments, they’ve dispatched the guards, leaving them dead or dying on the floor.

I blink, hardly able to believe my eyes. “What the hell…?”

The female turns to me, a wry grin on her face. “Surprise! We thought you could use a little backup.”

“How did you…?” I shake my head, stunned.

“Raura.” She shrugs. “She whipped up a rescue mission. That mate of yours is quite something when she puts her mind to it.” She winks at me. “Speaking of which…mates??”

I shake my head; there’s no time for this now. I’m reeling, trying to process this sudden turn of events. “Raura,” I manage to say, my heart in my throat. “Where is she?”

Casey’s expression softens. “She’s safe. Don’t worry.”

I breathe out in a rush.

She’s safe.Thank God.

The big male has been standing beside her, observing the exchange with an unsettling silence. He speaks now, “Casey.” He brushes her arm, then wipes a smear of blood from her cheek. “It’s time to move, my love.”

“Hold your horses, Edirn.” She looks back at me. “We’ve overrun the Enclave,” she explains. “Jagger’s leading another attack on the opposite side. Parker’s men don’t stand a chance.”

“They will if we keep standing around here,” Edirn says.

Casey pulls a face at him. “Wise-ass.

Willow squeezes my hand, drawing my attention. “Riley, what’s going on? Who are these people?”

I turn to her, a small smile on my lips. “They’re friends, Wills. Really good friends.”

Somehow, as I say it, I know that I’m right. Whatever happened when I reached Steel Lakes, they’re here now. They came.

Edirn fixes a strange look at me, and for a moment, it’s as if he’s staring into my soul. “Yes. We came,” he says. “We look after our own. You’re one of us now.”

Those simple words leave my head spinning.

One of us.

After so many years alone, cast adrift, it’s almost too much to process.

But I don’t have time to dwell on it. We’re still in the heart of enemy territory, and there are things to be done.

I glance back at my sister, then over to Casey. “Can you get her out of here?”

Casey lifts an eyebrow, running a look over my sister, then gives a nod. “Sure thing.”

Willow pulls back. “What? No! I’m going with you!”

I turn to look at her. “You can’t, Wills. I need you safe.”

“Then we can both be safe together! Come with me!” Her eyes are wild.

“I’ll be with you soon enough,” I say, praying as I say it that I’m telling the truth. “But there’s something I have to do.”

“Riley, I—”

“Please, Willow.” I squeeze her hand. “I can’t do this if I’m worrying about you. You have a little boy to think of. A mate.”

She exhales a deep breath, deflating a little as she does. “Fine. But if you don’t come back out, I’m coming in after you. And I’m gonna kick your ass!”

“Deal.” I manage a tight smile, then look over at Casey. “Take care of her.”

She gives a curt nod, indicating to one of the shifters nearby, who steps up beside Willow. “What have you got planned?” she asks.

“You’ll see,” I tell her, already striding away. A plan is formulating in my head. A plan that involves releasing every miserable creature that Parker has locked up here.

And then I’m going to burn this whole damn place to the ground.