Chapter 24 - Leslie

After Kyle leaves, I check in with Gina, who tells me the town is quiet. Bae and Jack have stayed in Silver Meadows, as well as a small group of fighters. All the vulnerable pack members are still on alert, just in case.

As I text with Gina, I get a sense of how bad the attack is. It seems like the Sawpit Pack has hit with their full numbers, but our guys are dealing with them well. I sit on the edge of the bed for a few seconds, remembering the feeling of Kyle in my arms.

Come back to me. Please come back to me.

I decide that I can’t just sit around waiting for news; I’ll just drive myself crazy. I have a shift at the ice cream shop, so I decide to go in.

It’ll be better than just sitting here imagining horrible things, and I don’t want to be at Shelley’s nervously checking my messages and listening to everyone talk about the fight.

For a few hours, I keep myself fully distracted as I hand out ice cream and clean fridges and buckets. The light work distracts my mind and keeps my hands busy. A few people mention a fire in Silverton, but I try not to pay too much attention.

As I leave work, I check my phone. Flicking open the screen gives me a sick sense of anxiety, and it only worsens when I see no messages from Kyle.

There are a few from Gina, just updating me that no one has been injured and the fight seems to have been decided. I get into my little car, wondering if I should go home to wait for Kyle or head over to Gina’s

I’m still undecided when my phone starts pinging like crazy. My heart hammers in my chest as I pick it up and open it, waiting to hear horrible news about Kyle.

To my shock, it’s the emergency network we set up days ago. Enemy wolves are flooding into town from the ranges, and we are being ordered into our safehouses.

Since I’m not far from Shelley’s, I decide to go there. I can’t go home or to Gina’s because we all evacuate from our houses if there is an attack. The majority of the vulnerable pack members will be moved to outpost cabins. There are five command centers set up around the outskirts, and that’s where any fighters will go.

Shelley’s will be well-defended, a command-and-recovery spot where anyone can come in for shelter or to get information on the attack. From there, they can retire to a safehouse or join the fight.

When I enter the back door, there are so many people packed in the meeting room I can barely move. Over at the main table, I see Gina texting furiously, surrounded by others who are handing out medical supplies and weapons.

I check my phone, but there is still nothing from Kyle. My heart flutters in my chest as I head towards Gina, hoping for an update. I’m almost at the table when her phone rings.

“It’s Bailey!” she cries, holding it up. She answers and puts it on speaker, holding up one finger for silence.

“Gina?”

“I’m here, Bae. We’re all here in command central. What’s going on?”

“I can’t reach anyone who went to Silverton. I haven’t heard from them in a couple of hours. We’ve found out that the Sawpit Pack hired some rogues to make that attack while they came at us from the mountains.”

“Okay,” Gina says, nodding. “How are the defenses holding up?”

“Pretty well,” our alpha answers. “All of our town posts are solid, they haven’t had much to deal with. The main attack is coming through the campground at the foot of the mountains.”

“Do you have Kelta and the other wild wolves?”

Bae sighs. “The last communication I had from her was the text that the Sawpit Pack was approaching. Since then, nothing.”

Gina blinks hard, and a murmur rumbles around the room.

This is bad.

“Gina—” Bae says softly.

“Oh, God,” she says. “What is it, Bae?”

“They have Lena.”

“What?”

“She was with Jack in a first defense line at this end of town. The fighting got brutal, and she was captured.”

“Oh no.”

“It gets worse.”

“How can it be worse?”

Bae sighs. “Is Leslie there?”

I take a little step back, hiding behind a few people. No one has seen me yet. Gina looks around.

“I don’t think so.”

“Good. Keep her safe. Keep her out of the battle. Move her to the safest outpost you have.”

“Why?”

“Because they will only give Lena back if we trade Leslie.”

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Gina curses. The room erupts with voices in various stages of shock. I just tuck myself a bit further into my hoodie and stay quiet.

“But what about Lena?” Gina asks, her voice high. “What are you going to do?”

“We’re negotiating. Working on a plan. Meanwhile, hunt down Leslie. We need to know where she is. If they have her already, there’s no point negotiating. If they don’t, get her to a safehouse right away.”

I start to go back slowly towards the doors, watching Gina’s face crumple as tears start to run down her cheeks.

“I love you, Bae,” she whispers.

“I love you, too,” he answers. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

I slip out the back door, feeling highly skeptical about Bailey’s statement. I hurry to my car and get in, driving slowly through the streets towards the campground. I’m pretty sure that’s where they have to be.

I’m not letting Lena take the fall. No way.

I park a few streets away from the main campground, the huge peaks of the range towering above me. I head into the trees and shift, loping towards the campground. When I see a crowd of people up ahead, I go around, coming at the location from the opposite side.

I have a clear view of Bailey and Jack staying ahead of a big group of Silver Meadows wolves. In the middle of the meadow, a scrawny-looking guy is holding onto Lena, Rider standing next to him. A few wolves are scattered in formation around them, and I can see other wolves in the nearby forest, just waiting to attack.

“Come on, Jethro,” Bae says. “Just give up. I have my whole pack here on full alert. You’ll never get out of here alive.”

Jethro laughs, and it echoes around the clearing, a cacophony of insane satisfaction.

“Do you think I care about my own life? You can’t threaten me, Alpha Bailey. Not just because I’m not afraid of death, but because I know you’re a fucking liar.”

“How have I lied?” Bae asks coldly.

“Your pack isn’t here, boy,” Jethro scoffs. “Your best fighters are all in Silverton. Don’t try and fool me.”

The silence stretches out as Bailey and Jethro stare at each other. No one moves until Jethro gives Lena a little shake, digging his long nails into her neck. She whimpers, and Jack growls.

“If you hurt her, I’ll—”

“Yes, yes,” Jethro waves a hand as if he’s bored. “Torture me, kill me, punish me, whatever. You know my terms, and this is getting old.”

“We won’t trade!” Bae yells.

The pained look on Jack’s face is a terrible thing to see. I know he would trade anything to have her back in his arms, and I don’t blame him.

“You give us Leslie,” Jethro hisses. “Then you can have this one back, safe and sound.”

He digs his nails into Lena’s shoulders, drawing blood. She cries out and struggles a little, making Jethro laugh.

“Well, mostly safe and sound. I’m getting bored. Might be time to spice things up.”

He tightens his grip on Lena and tugs her against his body. She closes her eyes, shaking her head. Jack growls, and Bailey puts a hand on his arm.

“Why do you want Leslie so much?” Bae asks.

Jethro laughs in that mad, high sound that chills me to the bone.

Kind of like a hyena getting gutted.

“That should be obvious, kiddo. For Kyle! You see, at first, we just wanted to push you guys around, kill most of you, force you to submit so we could move into your pretty town and take some of this nice luxury for ourselves.” He looks around, his face twisting into a frown. “Look at what you have!” he screams. “Just look! We have nothing, fucking nothing! You have to pay for that, Bailey.”

Bae just nods, watching him closely. Jethro’s wolves come a bit closer to the standoff, threatening Bae and his line of defense.

“Well, that’s just not enough, not anymore,” Jethro spits the words out, breathing heavily. “No, I have to destroy that traitor Kyle. I want him to know what it feels like to have his heart cut in two. We want his mate, and I’m taking her for myself as a fair exchange for all the wrong he’s done to us.”

“And what then?” Bae says, softly. “If we could give you what you want, what then?”

Jethro shrugs, grinning. “I don’t know. We might go away. We might not.”

They glare at each other for several seconds. Jethro grips Lena’s shoulder with one hand and throws her to the ground. He bends over, his hand coming down to slash open her throat.

“Wait!” I scream, charging out of the trees. Everyone turns to me, both sides shocked to see me.

“Leslie, don’t,” Bailey mutters. I shake my head.

“No. Lena’s not going to get hurt because of me. Let her go, Jethro.”

He stares at me for a moment, then releases Lena and takes a step back. She scrambles to her feet and runs towards Jack and Bailey. I’m standing between the two sides, slightly closer to Jethro.

“Well, come on then, little lady,” Jethro says, beckoning to me. “There’s no getting away from this now.”

I shake my head, a big lump rising in my throat. Tears are welling up in my eyes, and my whole body is trembling.

I’ve never been so scared in my entire life, but I have to do this.

“No,” I say as bravely as I can. “Not unless you swear a blood oath that you will never harm Bailey’s pack again.”

Jethro smiles, cocking his head at me. “A blood oath, huh?”

“That’s right!” I yell, feeling stronger by the second. “The kind of oath that is respected even by rogues. If you break it, you will be killed on sight by any wolf. If you swear the oath right now, I will come with you.”

“No!” Bailey yells. “Don’t do this, Leslie.”

“I have to,” I say softly. “This will fix everything.”

“No,” Lena cries from Jack’s arms. “Please don’t do this. They won’t honor it!”

I look around the meadow. The Sawpit Pack clearly outnumbers us, and we are seconds away from an all-out fight. It only takes one wolf to move at the wrong time, and both sides will attack, creating a melee of emotion and bloodlust.

It’s a fight we can’t win. Especially with most of our fighters in Silverton.

The thought of Kyle warms my chest and brings a smile to my lips. I don’t know where he is. I don’t even know if he’s still alive.

But I know he’d be proud of me. I’m protecting my pack. I might never see him again, but they’ll be safe, all of them.

“Tick-tock,” Jethro mutters.

I turn to face him, glaring into his eyes.

“Swear the oath, and I will come with you. All of us will leave this valley right now and never return to Silver Meadows.”

Jethro smiles, a sly look that enhances his sharp features. I’m caught on the edge of fear, terrified of his response, whatever it is going to be.

Either way, I’m pretty sure I’m dead.

Suddenly, a rustling noise falls around us. I look up, but there is no wind, nothing ruffling the leaves. I turn around and look into the forest, seeing wolves approaching through the scrub.

A huge black wolf covered in shimmers of blue trots out of the forest. His big blue-green eyes are fixed on Jethro as he paces across the meadow, never taking his eyes off his prey.

Kyle!

I’m so relieved, I almost collapse. My whole body is tingling, and I think I’ve forgotten how to breathe.

Kyle shifts, staring at Jethro with a steady gaze.

“You want me?” he growls. “Come and fucking get me.”