Chapter 27: Waiting game.

Chapter 27

~Marcus’ POV~

The moment the bullet pierced his flesh, I grabbed him, pinning him safely to the wall beside me. It was a mess out there but so far we’d suffered no casualties and we weren’t about to start. Not if I could help it.

While I kept up the spray of bullets, one of the pack guards crouched beside Thomas, pulling off his jacket to get an idea of how bad the wound was.

“It’s just a scratch, go make yourself useful.” Thomas argued with the guard who after only brief protest, got up and resumed his position.

We’d only gotten as far as their territory border and already we had opposition, I could only hope they didn’t call in reinforcements but at this point I didn’t doubt they would, which meant we needed to act fast. I looked around at Thomas who was tying a strip of cloth around his wound. Definitely not a scratch.

“Maybe you should head back. We could send two of the men with you.” I told him but he was adamant in his decision to stay.

“I’ll be fine.” he said and as if to prove it, he pushed up from the wall and lifted his weapon once more to assume his position.

We were an hour in, past the border and just a little bit closer to our destination when he stumbled against me and I allowed him to pull me behind the only  durable shelter available in the thick underbrush; a tree.

“It’s slowing me down, I gotta get it out.” Thomas said. He was sweating profusely, his voice hoarse and face as pale as white chalk.

His appearance threw me. He looked like death warmed over and I wondered if he would make it past the night.

“Somebody hand me a lighter!” I shouted and a second later one was placed in my outstretched hand.

I pulled out my pocket knife and stuck the blade under the low flame while another guard pulled the bloody strip of cloth from Thomas’ arm.

“We have nothing to clean the wound with. After I remove the bullet, it might get infected.” I told him, making sure he understood the implications. He nodded.

“It won’t, just do it.” he said, clenching his teeth.

“How long will it take to heal?” I asked as I got to work, something to distract him while I stuck the knife it.

“It’ll start healing the second the bullet’s out but it’ll heal completely in about a week.” He finished with a curse and I nodded, hoping he was right.

I never thought it would happen but I was actually worried about him. I must be getting soft.

When the bullet was out and another strip tied over the wound Thomas still didn’t look much better. If anything he looked worse and I was torn between ordering a few of his men to drag him back to camp or just moving forward. In the end I decided we should keep going. Despite his injury we needed every man we had.

In all the craziness I’d unconsciously blocked out Rivers emotional transmit and as we prepared to move I got it all on full blast.

“Shit!” I exclaimed when it all hit me and a few of the guys looked at me in askance.

“What?” Thomas was the only one to pry.

“It’s Grady.” I began and as quick as that, he became more alert. “Rivers must have picked up on my emotions before… he probably knows something’s wrong with you and told Grady.”

“And?”

“I don’t know, Rivers is worried about him.” I finished then wiped my blade against my pants before sticking it back into my boot.

Thomas sighed in frustration. “Gimmie your phone, I gotta call him.” He said, fishing into my pants pocket for the tiny device.

“You can call him later, right now we’ve gotta move. If we don’t meet up with Carson in time he’ll think something’s up.”

I reached down to pull him from the ground and not long after, we were off.

………………………………………………..

~Lucas’ POV~

"It’s Thomas, he’s...” Rivers trailed off and the anxiousness I felt escalated.

“He’s what?” Grady asked, backing away from Rivers. He’d gone pale and his lower lip trembled as he said the words.

Rivers looked at him helplessly, “I don’t know, he’s just…something’s just wrong.”

Grady’s expression remained unchanged, “But what? What’s wrong? How do you know it’s Thomas?” he was grasping at straws now, looking scared and I felt awful for him.

“I just do…you know I can’t explain it.” Rivers finished, looking troubled.

“So is he…” he started then shook his head and started over “Is it bad?”

“I don’t know, I just know that something’s wrong with him.” Rivers finished looking at me then back at Grady.

He wanted me to take over, to reassure him but I wasn’t even sure my words would have much impact.

“I gotta call him.” Grady said then, fumbled for his phone. His hands shook so much I was sure he’d drop it.

“Grady I’m sure his phone will be off on an assignment. Just wait for awhile I’m sure you’ll hear something soon.” I tried to reason with him but he was already dialing the number.

When it didn’t go through the first time, he cursed under his breath. On the second try he looked at us in desperation and when the third attempt failed Jessie went over and hugged him while Laken pried the cell phone from his shaking hands.

“What exactly did you get from Marcus Rivers?” I asked

Rivers looked at me then back at Grady who was just standing there looking lost.

“Just you know, fear, worry, concern…more than I usually feel from him.” Rivers said and I nodded, feeling just as helpless as everyone else.

“Fuck.” Grady cursed then pulled out of Jessie’s arms. I’d never seen him so distressed and that worried me.

“Maybe we could call one of the others.” He pushed but Laken was already shaking his head.

“They won’t have their phones on Grady.”

“I need to go find him.” Grady said then but when he didn’t make a move to the door I knew it was because of how futile that would be.

“Do you think you could contact Marcus? Heighten your emotions or something so he gets in touch with you?”

“No…Grady it doesn’t work that way.” Rivers said gently.

“How fucking useless are you!” he exploded.

Rivers flinched.

“Grady, stop it.” I commanded and he scowled.

Then he rounded on me. “This is your fault, if you’d just stayed in London where you belong Thomas wouldn’t be out there trying to save Adrian’s ass!” he spat.

“I know you want to throw the blame around because it’s easier that way, but this would have happened even if we weren’t here. Victor’s daughter is seeking revenge against the pack not-”

“Then why would they take Adrian?” Grady retorted and I chose to remain silent.

He was hurting right now, he was allowed to be angry.

“Maybe this is all just a mistake, maybe Thomas is fine and Marcus was worried for nothing.” Laken tried his hand at reassurance. “How does he feel now Rivers?”

Rivers looked at all of us in turn and his expression was answer enough.

Grady broke away from us and went to sit in his far corner once more. He looked worn and more than a little worried, but he wasn’t freaking out which was good.

After that we were pretty much out of things to say and everyone pulled away to their own corners. It wasn’t just Grady who was worried at this point. We all loved Thomas and more than that I was sure that everyone must have realized that if Thomas was hurt then this mission couldn’t be going very well which in turn meant that any one of our lovers could be next.

………………………………………………………

~Adrian’s POV~

I didn’t know how to handle children but something told me this one was supposed to at least be crying or making a fuss at being locked up in a place like this and with a stranger no less. Or maybe two year olds were fearless; maybe this was an adventure for her.

I felt awkward holding the sleeping child in my arms. The moment she’d seen me she’d immediately fallen into my arms, wrapping her tiny  arms around my neck. I’d held her in shock, horrified that my retched captors had thrown a baby into this filth. It was abhorrent!

After I’d gotten over the shock I’d asked her for her name, where her parents were, the usual, but when she hadn’t answered I reached up to touch her back to find her limp and asleep. Now she was curled in my arms, looking small and frail and too precious to be in a place like this.

No one had visited the room since, so I had no idea why she was here. On top of that, getting out of here on my own; the way I’d planned it wouldn’t be possible with a child in tow and so I had no choice but to wait it out and pray my brother and my crew made it here before it was too late for us both.

……………………………………………

~Lucas’ POV~

He’d resorted to pacing the room after the first hour had passed and we all watched him wanting to offer comfort but knowing it wouldn’t be accepted. It was when he was halfway across the room again that his phone rang and we all jumped. The sudden break in the silence was alarming.

Grady grappled with his phone, pulling it from his pocket and finally managing to hit answer.

“Hello?” he greeted, his voice uncertain but hopeful. I watched as he listened to the voice on the other end and as quickly as that, he sighed in relief, a smile breaking out on his face.

“Thomas?” we were all alert at that.

“Thank God! Are you alright? Rivers said-” He trailed off, listening, gripping the phone tightly in his hand.

“Jesus, how bad is it? and tell me the truth.” He said. My eyes narrowed.

“You should come back home, or I could come get you, where are you?” he continued.

“Get one of the guys to take you back then. The doctor’s here we could-”

“What do you mean you’re not coming, Thomas you’ve been shot you can’t stay there!” he argued, voice rising a bit at the end. Rivers gasped.

“Babe please, they have alota guys out there, they can handle this without you. You’re hurt.” Grady’s voice gentled as he spoke.

He walked to the far end of the room, resting the back of his head against the wall as he listened to whatever it was that Thomas was saying.

“Well I fucking need you too, let them risk their lives, you need to come back here where it’s safe!” He looked pissed but something told me Thomas wouldn’t be letting up on this one and I was right.

“I’m being selfish? You’re the one who left without asking me how I felt about it you damn jerk!” Grady continued. Somehow I never expected the call to go quite like this but with Grady you never knew what you would get.

As we all continued to watch him and listen to his side of the conversation, Grady stood, biting his lip as he listened to Thomas’ comeback. I wished I could hear his side of the conversation.

“Thomas please…” He began to plead now, his voice cracking on the last word and I saw his bottom lip tremble as he listened again.

Then I watched as Grady looked over at us, lowered his head and turned to face the wall, lowering his voice as well.

“I have a bad feeling about this Thomas, please I’m begging you.” He mumbled the words probably thinking we weren’t able to hear him but it was hopeless and the emotion I heard in them made me feel even worse for the kid.

“What if something happens to you?” he mumbled next, his voice shaking with raw emotion.

“Come home…for me…that’s all I want, do this for me just this once.” He begged. Laken looked miserable as he watched Grady and Rivers looked to be on the verge of tears. It was only Jessie who sat listening with a blank expression but her eyes told me she was just as distraught over this as the rest of us.

“I know you do… I love you too but-” he listened some more.

“No...no Thomas don’t hang up…”

“Thomas?”

“Hello?”

I watched him look down at the phone screen, then he dialed the number again and put the phone to his ears. I assumed it didn’t go through because he tried again and once more before he shoved the cell into his pocket and moved to look out the window; shoulders slumped.

I pushed off the bed, my body aching and slowly made my way over to where he stood, dropping a hand on his shoulder.

“Thomas is one of the most determined and capable men I know, if he says he’ll come back to you then he’ll do everything possible to make that happen.” I told him and for a moment I thought he’d shrug me off or  just stand there and say nothing at all but then he turned, buried his face in my chest and sobbed; quiet sounds that wracked his body. I put my hands around him and held him tightly.

For the brief time that I’d known him I’d learned that Grady was strong; he didn’t like to show any form of vulnerability, anything that made him a target for pity, so seeing him now, like this, pouring his heart out into my shirt; me, a guy he barely liked, shook me to the core and it hit me for the first time how truly serious this situation was.

It wasn’t going to be like the last raid, where we’d defeated the enemy pack with ease. No; this was orchestrated to have damning results and for the first time since this all went down, I experienced a heart wrenching fear for Adrian’s safety.

……………………………………………….

~Scottie’s POV~

I’d killed more men in the past four hours than I had in my entire life and I wondered briefly if it was something I’d ever recover from.

Carson let off another round of gun fire and I followed his lead, taking down two more men with ease. So far we’d had no trouble but then the enemy didn’t seem very capable. I wondered briefly if Marcus and the others were doing just as well. We’d split into two groups earlier so we could cover more ground.

The plan was to meet up at a central location, that being north of the third gate leading into the territory; then while Carson’s guys took care of the enemy pack guards; Adrian’s men would surround the camp, taking down as many as they could.

Carson, Thomas, Marcus and I, accompanied by a few others would slip in undetected and rescue Adrian. Along with being a rescue mission this was also a takeover. The enemy pack was being run by incompetent, vengeful leaders who would only bring harm to the innocents housed there.

It was our job to take them out and see what could be done about the future of the pack. I’d learned that this was about the third time Carson’s pack had had to deal with this particular camp.

It started out with the raid that had killed Carson’s mother and not more than a year ago the last Alpha of the enemy pack; Victor had carried out another raid on Carson’s pack in which Lucas had had to jump in to save the day.

This time however we didn’t have Lucas and the Alpha we were dealing with was Victor’s daughter who was trying desperately to avenge her father’s death. What I couldn’t understand though, was why they had taken Adrian. It just didn’t add up, but it worried me and I’d be damned if I allowed these idiots to take my brother away from me.

I dropped to the ground as another round of gunfire bathed the tree above my head, then crawled over to an even thicker trunk, hoping it would provide me with the shelter I needed.

“Some of them are shifting!” Carson shouted over to us.

“Shit.” I cursed under my breath, checking the chamber to make sure I had enough bullets.

“What do we do? It’ll be easier for them to take us out that way!” I shouted back and after he let off a few more rounds he replied.

“A few of us need to shift while you and your men cover us!” he shouted and I nodded.

He handed off his weapons to the nearest men and looked over at me.

I’d wondered how Adrian’s men would take the sight of humans shifting into animals but so far they’d taken it in stride, if anything, it made them fight even harder. I suppose I had Adrian to thank for his smart move. He always did make sure to hire the best.

“Go then!” I shouted waving him forward and in a flash he shifted down to size, a few of his men following suit and they were off.

“Cover them!” I shouted to the guys then darted behind another tree in an attempt to get closer to the action.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY SO....ON TO THE SHOUTOUTS!

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-unedited