Chapter 17 - Kaiden

I knew the only reason I'd fallen asleep that night was because my injuries demanded it. The wolves in Eli's pack had known we were coming, and they'd used that damn drug to keep us at bay. I'd never seen such ferocity from wolves that weren't rabid, and the numerous claw marks were a potent reminder of how much more careful we needed to be next time.

Because there would be a next time.

Eli had Kit, and as the morning hit me in the bedroom, my bed felt too damn empty. It had for a while, of course, because I'd shoved her right out the door and made her sleep in a borrowed room. What the hell had I been thinking? I took her there, and now Eli had her again.

"Dammit," I cursed loudly, throwing the blanket off me and not caring that my muscles protested the sudden movement.

I would heal quickly enough, and something had to be done. I couldn't leave her there. All this was my fault, and more wolves had been injured and—

Okay, this line of thinking wasn't getting me anywhere except closer to another involuntary shift. And as much as it pained me to admit, I needed to call in the other alphas. Their messengers, Grayson even, had been incredibly helpful. Still, they weren't willing to go into Eli's territory with me without direction from their alphas.

My wolves were recovering from this first attempt, and something told me that we'd need the strength of a descended alpha to contend with Eli's mangy crew of drugged-up shifters.

There were also new recruits among Eli's pack. I could smell the fresh pack bond on them, and I wondered why and how Eli was shoring up his numbers like that. It couldn't just have to do with me. There was more going on behind the scenes within the Williams compound, and I didn't like it.

"He's planning something. But why now?"

I slammed my fist down on the bed, got up, and walked straight to the bathroom for a two-second shower. I needed to call the alphas together, and I needed to ensure that Sunny had taken care of the injured wolves.

And there's the goddamn drug to contend with. You need to find a way to counteract it. Maybe…fucking hell, maybe Willow could help?

One of the wolves closest in age to me, Willow, had a scientific mind, and she'd been on standby to do something about this drug if we got more to go on. Maybe she could collect something from the wolves who'd been injured? I was not the chemist here. I had no idea how it worked.

After changing into a fresh set of jeans and a thin black sweater, I rush down the stairs and across the yard to the main house. What I saw when I walked through the front door nearly knocked me on my ass.

The volunteers from last night lay scattered around the room, Sunny tending to them as I stepped into the living area and closed the door behind me.

"Alpha," she said, turning toward me with a tired smile. "Morning. Before you ask, they're doing fine. This was just the easiest way for me to keep an eye on all their healing injuries without running around from room to room."

I relaxed at her words—slightly.

"Thank you, Sunny. Have you seen Willow? I want to bring her into the meeting with the alpha's men. I'll need Grayson and Lupe, too, but do you think—"

"I'm fine, Kaiden," Grayson offered, standing up from the couch where he'd been lying back against several pillows. "It was a little scuffle. That's all. I'm sure Lupe's all good to go, too."

At the back of the room, Lupe stood up from a blanket that had been laid across the floor and walked over, looking tired and haggard but offering a smirk, just like Grayson.

"Good to go, Alpha. What do you need?"

Sunny scoffed, and I glanced over at her as she rolled her eyes and went to sit by River, who was nursing a dislocated shoulder. "I swear. You can have these two. They've been nothing but pains in the ass."

Grayson and Lupe barked out a laugh, and I couldn't help my own chuckle from slipping free. I knew what stubborn male wolves could be like.

"She's exaggerating, Kaiden. Worrying over just a few bumps and bruises. You can tell Sunny," Lupe called over his shoulder, "that she's an excellent doctor."

My beta leaned in toward me, putting a hand to the side of his mouth and whispering. "But she's got to tone down the mothering."

Grayson did his best to hold back the grin, and now it was my turn to roll my eyes. Dumb, stubborn wolves. I knew they were trying to ease the tension, that subtle note of sympathy playing through Lupe's pack bond.

They knew I was upset, and I wasn't a huge fan of the fact that we all knew my plan had failed last night. Kit was a prisoner because I had failed.

"I'll keep it in mind, Lupe." I cleared my throat, noticing the burnt tinge to my own scent. "If you're both up for it, then assemble the Alphas' representatives. I'll be sending out a text to the alphas to join us here. There's more at play than just Eli's drug ring. I can feel it."

With a frown, Grayson stepped forward, and I could smell the char in his scent as well.

"We'll get her back, Kaiden." He nodded once. "We will. I…I do think you're right, though. I think…fuck, I don't know if I'm imagining it, but I swear…I swear I scented Leon at the Williams compound."

My stomach clenched as my pulse shot up. "Leon? Are you sure?"

Grayson lowered his stare to the floor and then met my eyes—hard.

"I know that smell, Kaiden. I've been tracking the asshole for months. He's got to be working with Eli or something. Maybe just using the drugs, too?"

Memories of Leon's betrayal of Jet's pack stirred, and I knew I had to call him in, too. He wasn't going to like it. Senna would like it less. But if this had to do with the pack member who'd sold them out to Terrance, then he deserved to be involved.

"I doubt we're that lucky. Call Jet. Tell him to come."

His eyes flared for a moment, but then Gray nodded. "Done."

I turned to Lupe. "Let's get this meeting going. Find Willow. See if anything from the attacked wolves here can help her make an antidote or something."

He looked around the room at the small handful of wolves who'd gone in with us last night. Aside from River's shoulder, Bolt had a massive gash across his chest that was keeping him immobile, and Cirrus had lost too much blood when one of Eli's men had bit through his leg. They were down for the count, but maybe something from the wounds could be used to help us.

Lupe put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm on it, Alpha."

I nodded back, swallowing down the need to tear off into the forest after Kit. Gray said we'd get her back, and we fucking had to. I didn't know what I might do otherwise, and that thought was scarier than I wanted to admit.