Arise

“You stay behind Shaw at all times, do you hear me?” Caleb gripped my shoulders, shaking me to understand.

I rolled my eyes but nodded in confirmation. After much convincing and sparring with Joann, Caleb finally agreed to let me join the attack. It had been less then twenty-four hours since the Trackers scoured the mountains. They couldn’t stay too long in fear of being caught, but from their intel, it was confirmed that that’s where the base was.

In the middle of all of this, it had started snowing. Hard. The blizzard wasn’t going to end anytime soon, and we weren’t going to stop. We had to execute the plan tonight, otherwise there would be no other chance.

“On my signal, you enter the base. Do not wonder away from Shaw and he will lead you inside. Shaw can hold off anyone that comes at you. Your only job is to defend yourself and find his parents.”

I nodded. I wasn’t planning on starting a dispute with mutts anyways.

“And another thing,” Caleb handed me a bag. “They won’t recognize you, but they’ll recognize the scent.” I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as I pulled out whatever was in the bag.

I clenched my jaw at the sight. “I’m not wearing his hoodie.”

“His parents need to know that you are involved with Logan and this gives that away,” he reasoned. “Besides, it’s snowing, and a winter jacket is too bulky and noticeable.”

“Fine.” I put the hoodie over my head, ignoring the feeling it gave me, and laced up my combat boots. Tying my hair back, I followed Caleb to the group of warriors.

Snow matted the ground and my hair. I couldn’t see at least four feet in front of me, which meant I wasn't going to be very helpful. Shaw had shifted, bending his head, allowing me to sit on his back. He rose steadily, and I gripped the furs on his neck.

This was the first time I had ever ridden on a wolf. I had seen them shift multiple times, had been with Logan every time he shifted. But, I had never been on him. After I adjusted, I patted his head, combing my fingers through his fur. A growl rumbled behind me. I turned around, meeting CeCe’s angry gaze.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” she muttered.

I nearly laughed but reigned it in as I saw her move to face Shaw. She rested her chin on his snout and kissed the fur just above it. I couldn’t look away from their intimate moment. It was too hard not to watch them interact. Not to watch them dance around each other.

Worry brimmed her eyes. She licked her lips. “Please be careful.”

If he mind-linked her, I didn’t know, but the moment lasted forever—even after she walked away.

I patted his neck. “Let’s go, Shaw.”

He waited for Caleb’s signal, and then we were off. I hadn’t expected a wolf to run this fast. I mean, I knew wolves were fast, but to experience this level of speed was unimaginable. I kept my eyes open, relishing every moment of this.

The cold slapped my face, causing pieces of my hair to fall out of the ponytail. The trees and bushes around me blurred into blobs of black. I moved in sync with his legs as they pumped against the snow.

In a matter of minutes, he slowed down as he neared the border of the territory. We were about a hundred feet away, but I could see the mountain that Barry was referring too.

Shaw leaned down as I slid off him and waited for him to shift. I handed him his clothes and preceded to scan the forest. The snowfall had momentarily slowed down but would soon pick up. We would use the blizzard to our advantage.

Caleb and the other warriors were already assuming position as we silently walked to ours. The Trackers had found gaps in the rogues’ patrol schedule and showed us areas that seemed to not be protected. Sebastian found the entrance of the base an hour before we left. It was just as he described it: a giant cave at the bottom of the mountain. Even with my eyesight, I could see rogues walking in and out of the cave.

We walked through the forest and slowly approached the mountain.

“This is as far as we can go without being detected. Caleb will give us the signal and we go straight in.” Shaw sat down against a giant pillar of a rock, and I took a seat next to him.

I swung my backpack around and handed him a water bottle and watched him drink it. I couldn’t help myself. “Can I ask you a question?”

“We are in the middle of a stakeout and you want to ask me a question?” He took another swig.

I rolled my eyes, stuffing my hands into the hoodie’s pockets. “Caleb won’t send the signal for another ten minutes.” It was way too cold for this.

“What is it?”

“How did CeCe get that scar?”

He didn’t move as much of a muscle, but his eyes hardened. “She didn’t tell you?”

I repeated the words CeCe told me. “She was tortured in another pack.” CeCe had thought I would accept that answer, but I knew when someone was lying. “I don’t believe that, so tell me the truth.”

“That is none of your concern.” He stared into the night, jaw clenched.

I raised an eyebrow. “I’m Beta. I take care of my own and she is of concern.”

“She’s fine,” he said it more to himself than to me.

My eyes softened. “No, she’s not. You know she’s not.”

He looked at me as if my words had burned him. “You think I don’t know that? You think that I don’t know that it’s my fault she is in pain. That damn scar on her face is a reminder of it.” He crushed the water bottle and threw it into the bushes.

“Shaw—”

“I did it. It was me. I clawed her face. She didn’t get tortured by another pack, like she told her parents. She didn’t fall. She didn’t get cut by a machine at the farm, like she told the pack. It was me. I decided to let my anger get the best of me. That scar is on her face because I put it there.”

My heart broke for him. There was love in his eyes. Love and regret and sadness. “Why?”

He shook his head and rose up. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I lost my chance when I decided to rip her face apart.”

“She’ll forgive you.”

“Just like how you forgave Logan?”

I looked away. “That’s not the same thing.”

He smirked. “Isn’t it.”

Just as I was about to open my mouth a scream resounded. I looked up at Shaw and saw a steady calmness overtake his body. “It’s time.”

Attacking at night had surprised the rogues because they weren’t prepared for us. Most of them fighting against Caleb and his men, while some started to flee. I couldn’t watch for long. I had a job to do. I followed close behind Shaw, my arm ready to reach the dagger on my side. Every so often a rogue would run towards us, but Shaw would tackle them down. We made it the cave without further notice.

The cave was larger than I had expected. It was dark at the entrance but brightened as we walked further down. There were multiple tunnels going in and out of the center.

“Keep your eyes open and stay alert. We don’t know where they could be.”

“Where do we even start?”

“Samuel and Grace were still bonded to the pack before they were taken. The connection is weak, but I can feel them.” He closed his eyes and turned toward the tunnel beside me. His eyes opened as he pointed at it. “There.”

We made our way down the tunnel stealthily. Thankfully, no wolves were found roaming the tunnels. Probably out there protecting it.

“Hey!”

Spoke too soon.

“Run!” Shaw dragged me by the arm and we ran straight down the narrow tunnel. From the sounds of the footsteps behind us, they were far but there were many of them coming after us.

“Mind-link Caleb!” I yelled breathlessly.

“He’s doing a scan of the perimeter. Another pack is surrounding the cave, awaiting runaways.” He turned around and threw a small knife at the rogues. “I’m going to hold them off, but you keep going. Do not stop until you find them.”

I nodded and ran even faster, exerting myself beyond belief. I had not noticed when Shaw stopped running alongside me. I had only seen the blur of the tunnel as I made it to the end.

I kept my breathing under control like Sebastian taught me and kept my footsteps light. There were rogues in here, but less than the amount chasing us. They would scent me soon.

I hid behind a crate when two men approached. “The pack is still attacking. We need to move those two to another site.”

A smooth, stealthy calm swept over me. I just needed to follow them, and they would lead me out. I walked behind them but kept my distance. They soon stopped in front of a huge box. My eyes widened. Had his parents been kept in a storage unit?

One man mumbled some words to the other and walked away. The other man pushed the latch up and flashed a light inside. As he moved inside, I quietly came behind and wrapped my arm around his neck, squeezing just enough that he would fall unconscious. My hands shook from the cold as I dragged him by the collar away from the entrance. I patted his clothes but found no sign of a key. It must have been with the other man, but he was gone now.

I grabbed the lantern and stepped inside. Inside the storage unite was a couple tied up in the corner, leaning against each other.

His parents had been gone for years, thought to be dead at the hands of rogues. Yet, here they were in front of me. I scanned them quickly for injuries. From the pictures I had seen, they had aged since they were last seen. Logan looked exactly like what his father might have looked like in his youth. His mother, even in this poor lighting, looked graceful. Not an ounce of fear but a ton of doubt.

“Samuel and Grace Miller?” I knew it was them, but I was still in shock. It was the only thing I could say to keep this moment real.

“How do you know our names?” Samuel’s voice was deep, deeper than I had imagined.

Relief came over me and a smile rose up my face. “Logan speaks highly of you two.”

They sniffed the air, scenting the hoodie, confirming their thoughts. “Who are you?”

I stepped closer to them and brought the lantern to my face. “I’m Rosetta. His mate.”

Grace’s soft voice broke as she asked, “Logan found his mate?” Tears formed but doubt remained. Samuel shifted closer to his wife and looked up at me.

“He did, but right now we need to get out of here.”

“How do we know if you are telling the truth?”

I set the lantern down. “Mrs. Miller, I can explain after I get you two out. I knocked out one guard and the other will come back.” I cleared my throat and revealed a fact only his parents would know. “Logan hated when his mom would make mac n’ cheese. He said only his dad knew just the right amount of temperature to bake it.”

She gasped as a sob rose up her throat.

Pain rippled in my arm as I was shoved into the side of the unit. I fell right to the ground with a groan. Logan’s mom gasped again.

The rogue had come.

Shaw was nowhere to be found.

I was a dead woman.

His grip was hard as he raised me up, digging his fingers painfully into my shoulder blade. I took a swing at him, landing my fist in his stomach. He doubled over, coughing but recovered quickly. He came at me full force, but I ducked in time. I turned around quickly to kick him, but his hands grabbed my ankle and twisted it.

I shrieked as my body hit the ground, my back taking the brunt of the fall. He landed a kick to my stomach. I curled in as pain overtook my entire body.

I couldn’t control my breathing. I could barely move, it hurt too much.

He wrenched my hands away from my stomach and punched me in the face. Warm blood seeped into my mouth. He busted my lip.

Tears blindly fell down my face.

He wrapped both his arms around my neck and began choking me. I gasped as my windpipe started closing. My eyes widened as it was getting harder to breathe.

I tried to pry his hands off me, clawing his skin. I screamed and gasped.

I reached my arm up and tried to push his face away, but I was too weak. His palms pressed harder against my throat.

My chest was hurting.

My head felt light.

I felt my heart slow down.

Suddenly, his entire body stilled, and he slumped forward, landing on me. I scrambled to move his hands away and pushed him to the side. His body was limp.

I coughed and gasped, my entire body welcoming the open air. My chest heaved as a hand patted my back. “You’re okay, Rosie.”

I closed my eyes and rested my hands against the cold metal. “Thanks,” I panted.

I spit out the blood and grimaced.

Caleb helped me up and we walked to where Shaw was untying Samuel and Grace.

“Thank you,” Samuel said as he rubbed his wrists. His wife and he cried as they took in Shaw and Caleb. Grace brought her hand to her mouth as reality hit her. They were free.

Caleb and Shaw hugged them and helped them out of the unit. I followed slowly behind.

The conversation was kept light as we walked out of the cave.

“Caleb, you have grown handsomely.”

He blushed at Grace’s word. “I’m married now.”

She smiled. “How is Valerie?”

“She’s good. Making an amazing Luna.”

“That’s nice to hear.” She looked over to Shaw. “What about you? Have you found your mate?”

He nodded. “Her name is CeCe.” His voice was clipped, making everyone aware he was unwilling to say more.

Once we reached the outside of the cave, we were met with a ton of cars.

Samuel looked around and saw all the wolves walking back to the safety of the pack house. “Where’s Logan?”

Caleb glanced at me quickly before clearing his throat. “There’s been an altercation with him that we are handling. Right now, I would like you guys to go see Pack Doctor. We need to do a checkup and schedule an appointment with the psychologist.”

Samuel seemed unconvinced. “Of, course, Alpha, but where is Logan.”

“He’s in a cell,” I said. Everyone looked at me. Caleb’s mouth parted in disbelief. “He was found conspiring with those rogues.”

Grace shook her head. “No, he wouldn’t do that.”

I walked over to the triplets, finding comfort in their protective presence. They opened the door of the car for me and waited for me to enter. I turned around and stared at Logan’s parents. They had lost four years with the pack. Four years with their son.

I smiled softly and felt a tear slide down my cheek. “He would if it meant saving you.”