Chapter 41
We left early the next morning for the Black Mountain copper mines. Four black SUVs, three of which were packed with our security detail and more guards. The boy from the tower was in our vehicle with Amarisâ personal bodyguard, a huge mountain of a man with a stern face that conveyed a no-nonsense message clearly. The boy was not chained and dressed properly, looked as if he was treated well.
âThis is Thaddeus,â Amaris introduced him, âhe will be our guide, seeing as he escaped my so-called. sl avery at the copper mines.â Amaris held my hand tightly, keeping his eyes on the boy and the boy kept his eyes averted,
âI never said I didâ¦â he mumbled.
âThe mark on your back is the mark of a sl ave, Thaddeus. Although it is not my mark. I do not keep sl aves.â Amaris turned to me. âSo Thaddeus here is an Alphaâs son. Alpha Kade, a rogue Alpha, or so Iâve
been told.â
At that the boy looked up, his blue eyes glowing with defiance. âWe werenât rogues! Not until your warriors plundered our pack.â He snapped his mouth shut as if he had said too much.
Amaris smirked at him. âAnd so you formed an alliance with the Blood Fang and Crescent Moon packs, not so?â
Thaddeus turned his head to look out of the window.
âWho killed your father, Thaddeus? Tell me, how did you end up at the copper mines?â Amaris didnât raise his voice, in fact he spoke calmly, almost kindly to him.
âHelp us find out who is behind this, Thaddeus. We need your help.â I tried to get through to his sullen mood.
âI never saw who did it. I was at the river with my friends when these wolves ambushed us. We were herded into trucks and taken away.â A look of pain flashed over his face, making him seem older than his years. âI knew my father was dead when I felt the bond break.â He took a deep breath, âIt wasnât the first time our pack had been plundered. In the name of the king.â He added bitterly.
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Amaris shook his head, âThaddeus, I promise you, I will find these traitors and they will know the full
force of my anger.â
âBut how did you escape?â I asked, âHow did you come to be at our wedding?â
Thaddeus fixed clear, blue eyes on me. âI never said I escaped. I was let go.â
Amaris let out a growl and I put my hand on his arm to calm him. âTo deliver a death threat. Who gave you that order, Boy?â His voice lashed out, the bodyguard glared at Thaddeus who tried his best not to flinch, without success.
âThey have my mother and sister!â he blurted out, his mouth trembling. âPlease, if I tell you they will kill them. Theyâre the only family I have left.â
Amaris sucked in his bottom lip, a habit I found he had when he was about to lose his patience. I pressed his hand tightly.
âThaddeus, you will have to trust us. We can help you get them back.â I tried to convince him, if only Amaris wouldnât stare with so much unspoken threats in his eyes.
âJust by taking me with you, your Majesty, could have already put them in danger. If they see meâ¦â He held his hands up to his face.
âWell then, youâd better talk fast boy! If you donât, Iâll haul your a ss out there for everyone to see.â
âAmarisâ¦
âNo, Raine!â his voice shook the car. âI have reached my limit with this boy.â He reached forward and grabbed Thaddeus by his neck. âYou have the queen to thank for your life, I would have killed you on the
spot for you
your act of treason. So, this is your last chance.â
Our procession reached the mines, and we were flagged through by the guards,
âLast chance, Thaddeus.â Amaris released him and he fell back against the seat.
âIt wasâ¦
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Gunfire! The window exploded, spraying us with glass and blood. In a split-second Amarisâ body
covered mine. Chaos erupted around us. Shouting, more gunfireâ¦
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âStay down!â Amaris cried out. Metallic smell of blood filled my nostrils, sickening. And underneath it all
the unmistakable stench of death.
âF uck!â Amaris lifted himself off me. I didnât need to see to know that Thaddeus was dead. The shooting had stopped, and our guards surrounded the SUV.
Amarisâ bodyguard was wounded but still alive.
Amarisâlifted me upright, eyes scanning over my body. âYouâre unhurt?â
I nodded, barely able to speak.
âDonât look.â He took my face between his palms, âDonât look.â
But I did and a cry wrenched from my gut. Where the boyâs face was, there was nothing left but a bl oody smear against the car seat.
âStay in the car.â Amaris got out. I tried to stop him, but he pushed me back. âI will be fine.â
He shifted into his wolf and loped away with some of the guards following closely. I was beside myself with worry. If whoever shot at us, had weapons that can cause this amount of damage, what chance would he have against them?
âWe canât just stay here! Our mate is in danger!â Tasha was as eager as I was to follow him.
I got out of the car. But as soon as I did, the guards formed a protective barrier around me.
âYour Majesty should get back in the car.â He was staring me down; I felt his stronger aura trying to push me into submission.
Not this time. My mate was out there! âThere is a dead boy in the car! Do you really expect me to stay in there?â
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Chapter 41
âOur apologies, your Majesty. We will take care of it.â
As soon as they turned around to take the poor Thaddeus out, I made a run for it, following Amarisâ scent. I was a fast runner, years of running from my bullies gave me an advantage. Fortunately I was dressed in slacks and flat shoes.
He was higher up on a ridge with his guards, surrounding a group of men armed with rifles. I caught
their scent, they were humans.
Amaris returned to human form. âDrop your weapons! You are no match for us.â
âI wouldnât be so sure, Buddy.â One of the men sneered at Amaris. âThese babies are loaded with silver bullets. Come any closer and youâll regret it.â
I heard Amaris chuckle, a deep ominous sound. âNumber one, I am not your buddy, Number two, your are tresp as sing, and number three, you almost killed my wife.â He turned to one of the guards. âDid I leave something out?â
âI believe theyâve run out of ammunition, your Majesty,â the guard snickered.
A howling roar shook the air as they transitioned into their wolf forms. Screams of terror followed directly after and I closed my eyes, I didnât want to see Amaris and his guards tear into the humans.
âLetâs go back,â Tasha suggested. But just as I turned around, pain exploded in my head, and everything
went dark.
Excruciating pain burst behind my eyes as I tried to open them. I tried to move but found I couldnât.
âWhat happened?â I tried to communicate with Tasha, but she wasnât speaking.
âAmaris!â I called to him through our link. Nothing.
Rope burned into my wrists which were tied above my head to⦠I blinked, trying to focus â a cage?
âHelp! Help me!â I struggled against the rope, trying to break free. Panic made me desperate. Why
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couldnât I break free. I was an Omega, but I wasnât useless
E
âAhâ¦youâre awake. No use struggling against those ropes, Sweetheart. It was soaked in wolfsbane.â
TESTE