33. Deacon

The last forty feet of the trail fly by in a blur as I tear the makeshift rope off and leave Amira for Finn to deal with.

Please be okay…

Please be okay…

Be okay…

The thought consumes me as I cling to anything I can to keep moving and stay on the ledge. When I reach the last ten feet, I jump down, taking the impact as I roll and pop up before racing to Marcus's side.

Please…

He's lying on his left side, his arm bent under his head in an altogether unnatural position. Carefully, I roll him onto his back, checking the area for blood. I let out some of the air I've been holding when I don't find any.

My ear drops to his chest, frantically searching for a heartbeat, breathing sounds, fucking anything to tell me he isn't dead.

Come on, Marcus. You don't get to do this. You don't get to die on me.

My heartbeat is so loud it blocks everything else out. Lifting my head, I push two fingers into his neck and wait.

Thump... Thump…

Relief floods me as I feel the blood still pumping in his veins.

"Wake up! Stone. Come on, you need to shift right fucking now!" I slap his cheek, yelling into his face in hopes he can hear me. A low groan escapes his lips, and I try to lift his eyelids.

Open them up, big guy.

My hand slips beneath his head and turns it toward me as I feel for blood in his short blond hair.

Marcus slowly opens his eyes, searching the sky without focus. I slide my face into his frame of view, finding his line of vision before shouting at him again.

"You need to shift!"

His lids squint closed, and he shakes his head slightly as he moans again. This time it sounds like he"s trying to speak. He reopens his eyes and looks over my shoulder, widening the crystal blue orbs intently.

Turning, I see Finn and Amira finishing the final fifteen feet on the trail, and I realize what he means.

"Finn!" My shout pulls his attention before I continue. "Take Amira somewhere else. She can't see this," I finish, hoping he understands as I whip back to Marcus and find his eyes sliding closed again, his breathing labored from what I would assume are quite a few broken ribs.

"No, you don't. Stay with me, Stone." I order, giving Finn time to shield her from us. I grab his chin, cupping it so I can squeeze his cheeks to shake him a little.

"Eyes on me, Marcus. You're going to let that wolf out right now, or so help me, I will force you." My threat falls on deaf ears, and I know I can't waste any more time. Locking his gaze on mine, I push every ounce of command I can into one word.

"SHIFT."

His icy stare turns glacial as his wolf shines out, trying to fight me but not having the physical strength. I release my grip and take a step back as his body transforms. Where once was Marcus's broken body, before my eyes is now an ash-gray wolf, panting from the exertion.

"Good. Shift back." I command again, forcing him back into his human form. His body is covered in a sheen of sweat, and he's attempting to hold in the cries of pain he is feeling as his bones, muscles, and ligaments stitch themselves back together more with each transition.

Four more commands, and almost an hour later, he's so far past the brink of exhaustion that I don't dare push him any farther. The sun has started to rise, rays slipping into the area telling us we need to get moving before we have company.

On his last transition, Marcus is able to put weight on his hind leg and limped on his front paw with only a whimper. Now back in his human form, I can see his hip and shoulder are inked in deep purple bruises thanks to the daylight, and he's moving his shoulder and hand gingerly.

His left shoulder must have taken the brunt of his fall.

A throat clears behind me, and Finn hands me the sweatpants he had hanging around his waist. Grabbing them, I see Amira huddled into the rock wall with a sweatshirt covering her.

At least she didn't see anything.

I toss the pants at Marcus, so he can cover himself before we have to move. His movements putting them on are slow, but once he's dressed he stands and signals for Finn to return his bag.

"I got it, Stone. You don't need the extra weight until you can rest," Finn answers the gesture, shaking his hand.

"She okay?" Marcus asks, his chin indicating who he is referring to.

"Yeah. She made the rest of the descent herself since I couldn't carry her and two bags. She's tough." Finn replies.

Guilt hits me as I realize I left him up there with not only double the supplies but a frail human to safeguard.

I needed to know Marcus was alive.

It was more important in that moment than finishing the trial.

We all made it. That's what matters.

"I'll carry Amira. We need to move. Saint's team will be close by now." I say, before turning back to look at Marcus. "Can you make the last half mile?"

I see the doubt flash momentarily across his features before he masks it and nods. These are the moments I hate the politics of our kind. The moments I hate playing the game. The moments that drive me to get Grace out of this world.

When I reach for Amira, she's shivering. Her lack of body fat doesn't help in any way to stave off the chill of the early morning. I scoop my arms underneath her, lifting her light weight easily, and tuck her into my chest, hoping to warm her as we move.

Finn takes the lead this time, with Marcus and I following. Our movements are slow, accounting for Stone's injuries and the added weight both Finn and I possess. The half mile takes us less than ten minutes to complete, and we reach the makeshift event space without issue.

The outdoor arena is two stories tall with an entry point at one end of its oval shape. Two guards lean against the structure, their tired expressions show how long they've been stationed here.

Our movement pulls their attention, and they straighten, looking at each other before fixing their eyes on us.

Well, now everyone knows we're here.

We pass by them without being stopped and step through to the arena"s ground floor, complete with the stage I had seen from above. A few people are making last-minute adjustments, but no one occupies the sections, and no retreat leadership is present at this hour.

They will be.

Twelve chairs sit at the base of the stage, which I assume will be for us, so I wander over, dropping my bag to the floor and collapsing into one, my eyes closing and my head falling back.

After twenty-four hours without sleep and the adrenaline rush of Marcus's fall, I'm spent. I need the other teams to arrive so that I can sleep. I'm impatient on a good day, but without rest? I have a hair-trigger temper.

Grace jokes that I should have been a bear shifter because of how grumpy I am without sleep.

She isn't wrong.

Thinking of her now, a smile lifts the corners of my face.

I did it, Tails. I won. We won.

This means I'm one step and one day closer to returning to her—my home.

I feel Marcus take the seat next to me, groaning as he adjusts to find a way that doesn't press on his bruises. The forty-plus foot fall did a number on him, and it would be days before he returned to normal. We heal fast, but that didn't mean the pain wasn't just as deep.

"You gonna make it?" I ask, not opening my eyes and not hearing Finn or Amira sit in the remaining chair.

"Jury's still out on that one," he answers, a bit of humor in his tone that relaxes me.

"You know Superman's the one who flies, right? Captain America doesn't have a cape," I say, making him laugh before groaning.

"Don't make me laugh, asshole. It hurts," he replies, his voice still light.

Opening my eyes, I look over at him to see his posture mirrors mine, and Finn is with Amira in the row behind us, looking every bit as ragged.

Fuck this trial.

I nap for the next half hour or so until I hear people begin to arrive. Alpha's start filling in the sky boxes on the second floor with their entourages. I adjust my posture to avoid showing weakness and tap Marcus to do the same.

The areas aren't labeled by pack, but as I scan them, I identify many leaders from events I have attended. I find myself searching for Luca, who I know wouldn't miss this. I don't expect my father to make an appearance, but Luca would be here for me. I know he will.

Noise behind me has me looking over my shoulder as Saint and his team come waltzing into the arena, the light leaving his eyes as he sees he has been beaten. The cold mask of indifference slides into place as his team sits across the aisle from us, looking well-rested. His eyes find Amira, and the creepy serial killer half-grin makes an appearance.

"Dieci, your humanity is showing. I would have thought someone with your reputation would have been decisive, not weak," Conner says, his eyebrow lifting at the taunt.

"Well, that"s what you get for thinking," I retort, not giving him my attention as Rodriguez enters the arena floor and heads toward the stage, his face showing his distaste for how this trial ended.

I give him a full smile and a wave before making a gun with my fingers and blowing the end of it, pretending to holster it into my side, all while holding his eyes.

I know what you did, and I will kill you the moment this retreat ends.

His face pales, but his eyes lose none of the hatred oozing out of them. My reason for disliking him in the past was artificial and a mask I wore in faux support of my Alpha. My disdain now has its own reasons.

Get your affairs in order, Stickman. You're dead.

Movement in one of the last empty boxes pulls my glare, and I see Luca staring down at me, a smile filling his entire face. My anger dissipates immediately as he gives me a thumbs up and a small air clap.

Giovanni: Well, I guess you didn't completely fuck this up, Deacon. Are the alliances in place?

The mind-link statement surprises me, and it"s only then that I see my father walk to the edge of the box. He's dressed in a full suit despite the fact that we're in the middle of the woods, and my mood sours immediately.

What the fuck is he doing here?

One of the staff members brings him a drink, and he takes the amber liquid without thanking them, not taking his eyes off me as he waits for my response.

Deacon: Who were those with again? Not sure I recall which alliances I was supposed to be making.

Giovanni's jaw clenches, and the look of furious disappointment I have come to know so well slides into place.

There he is!

Giovanni: I should have killed you. Your insolence knows no bounds. Answer me!

He demands sliding command into the mind-link in an attempt to force the information out of me.

I may be tired, but my wolf has been dying to come out, and being able to take my Alpha down is almost too tempting. It takes more effort than usual to maintain my indifference before responding.

Deacon: Cute. Really. Someday you will realize that will not work on me. As for the alliances, Moore was removed before I could. I have McCormick.

I finish, my eyes flashing back to Finn, wondering if that were true. He had worked with us, but was it just for the trial? That, I didn't fully know.

Giovanni: What is Rodriguez doing here?

Looking over at the stage, I see him sitting at the table behind the podium, discussing something with the Beta sitting next to him.

Deacon: He is running the retreat for the LLC.

Giovanni: Why wasn't I informed?

Pausing before I answer, I realize there is a tiny bit of fear under his question.

Deacon: I didn't realize you were unaware.

"Alphas, if I can have everyone"s attention," Stickman starts now, standing at the microphone. "We will complete the trial for the first two teams now. I have been informed the other two teams are still some hours out, so we will reconvene this evening for the final release of the cadets so as to not waste your entire day. Would the two teams please rise and present your item," he asks, pulling the attention of all of those in attendance.

We all rise, stepping forward. Finn guides a trembling Amira to stand in front of our team as Saint puts his hand out in silent request for their map.

"Each team was tasked with traversing a maze, acquiring a map, and following it to this arena. Team West. I was told you arrived first, bring your map forward."

Finn guides Amira up the steps to the stage, turning her around before assisting her in revealing her tattoo. Murmurs spread among the boxes as they realize that the woman is the item, and eyes slide to the other group, questions hanging in the air.

Rodriguez briefly inspects the tattoo, turning Amira to show it off to the boxes before walking her back to the microphone with him. Finn waits at the top step, Marcus and I behind him.

"You have provided the map assigned to your team. I've been told no rules were broken in acquiring it. As such, you are the victors of this retreat," he says before unceremoniously snapping Amira's neck and allowing her body to drop to the stage unassisted.