Chapter Seven

Before I went to sleep, I recited my script over and over again. I had to have my words down or else nothing would go across our bond. I could share my show, pictures of where we were. They were much easier to convey than the words for some reason. This was my first time with that struggle, but also this was my first time with a blocked wolf, and I wasn't altogether sure how much the collar actually blocked him.

We were on borrowed time. From what I could tell via our dreams, the alpha understood the urgency of the situation and felt passionate about helping us get out of here. All I knew about him personally was that he was an alpha and cared about these kids and getting them to safety. For now, that would be enough.

In our most recent dream together, he tried to show me his plan. All of my attempts to decipher the blurred message were met with failure. I was relieved he was coming to help us but fearful he needed me to do something to prepare, something I was unaware of. I was going to keep the kids together as much as possible—no reading on the porch or working on drawings in their rooms. From the time we woke up, we were together. I even had Sally sleep in one of the other rooms. This was no time to take chances.

The day of the rescue was a whirlwind. I hadn't realized that; ever since I'd been caught and beaten, they had people—shifters—circling the area, making sure we didn't leave. So, when someone came in, shifted in the living room, and told all the kids to get to the basement because we were under attack, I was caught off guard, unsure at first if he was there to help or harm. When he used my name, I had my answer. He was one of the bad guys.

I wished I'd known who he was so I could know what exactly I was up against. If I had access to my beast, I'd have taken him down then and there. But I didn't. Instead, I shuffled the kids to the pantry, pretending that we were going to the basement, opening and closing the basement door and clicking it locked.

Thank Gods they didn't check to make sure I followed through.

If my dream alpha was rescuing us, I wanted him to be able to find us, and the basement added an entire floor between us. This was better.

The kids did their job. They were silent, even though some of them were barely containing tears. They didn't make a sound, not even when someone walked through the kitchen. Not even when the pantry door swung open and a stranger stood there, counting the kids, his lips moving but sound not coming out.

"We're here to protect you." I wasn't sure if it was the person from my dreams or not. But it didn't matter. At this point, anything was better than what was going to happen to us if we stayed.

We followed him out and were split into a couple of vans. The kids didn't like to be separated. I didn't like it either, but we had to do what we had to do to get out of here and, without a bus, going in two groups was the only option.

The driver's side door opened and closed, the scent of blood tickling my nose.

"That's the last of them." He pulled on his seat belt, not even paying attention to his nakedness.

"You're gonna put some pants on there?" the man in the passenger seat asked.

"Pop-Tart, shut the fuck up. We need to get out of here, and you're worried about my lack of fashion sense. You didn't see me commenting on your dumbass cap this morning, did you?" He was already driving.

It actually relieved me that they were able to joke around like that. It meant, the immediate threat had been decimated. Or, at least, I hoped it did.

Whichever the case, it had Sally giggling for the first time, and that alone was gold. She snuggled close to me.

"Don't worry, sweetie. We've got this."

They drove us back to a warehouse, and everything was so chaotic yet organized. My students weren't the only kids there, and there were caretakers immediately at the ready to help us. To my surprise, I relaxed. We were safe. I felt it deep down. My kids were safe.

"Let's see if we can get you to shift," someone said to me, their eyes on my wrist. I wasn't sure who they were and didn't think to ask.

I shook my head. "I can't." I pointed to the collar. "Believe me, I've tried. This is my punishment."

They winced and immediately schooled their face. "Well then, let's see what we can do about that."

They took me off to a corner where others couldn't see and called in a couple of alphas. They all looked at my collar and tried to figure out how to remove it without hurting me.

"We're gonna need a dark healer," one of them finally said. "At least I think so because there's some dark magic bullshit keeping this sucker closed."

I sucked in a breath. "Maybe...maybe human intervention?" I held up my useless hand, sucking back the cry of pain trying to force its way out. "Like a cast, maybe? It could help."

"Yeah, we'll figure out something. Let me make a call."

The alpha left. I still didn't know a single person's name here. It hadn't been relevant at the time, but now? Now it was.

"What's going on?" The alpha who had been sitting in the front seat of the van, the one who drove us here, naked, came into view. When his eyes met mine for the first time, I realized this was him. He was the one I had shared my dreams with.

"You," I said.

He looked at me and gave a half nod. "Can we go somewhere and talk?"