Escaping Wildfire

Larkin

My father sent me off territory for the rest of the week for business meetings, and I was finally heading back to Wildfire. He liked for me to be off territory as much as possible so that I couldn't question his actions. The first time I questioned his behavior was when I was 12, and I found out why my mother was always sick. The bastard couldn't keep it in his pants even if his life depended on it. He made sure to keep me quiet by shipping me off to the furthest boarding school he could find back East. That was his first mistake.

If he wanted me to be a good little puppet for him, he should have kept me close. Instead, he sent me to a place where I learned just how depraved he had always been. I hated leaving Rory behind, but my father promised to leave her alone as long as I complied with going to the boarding school. I had stayed back East through college and had only returned a year ago after graduation.

When I turned 18, I asked my father if he would be sending me to alpha training. He laughed in my face and told me I was too weak to take over the pack, so I called up my contacts while at college and visited packs in the East. I met some good Alphas, who were nothing like my father, and learned a lot from them. Luckily, they were far enough away from Wildfire that they were willing to host me. I returned to Wildfire stronger than I had ever been, but I always kept my aura down while I was around my father so he would still think me weak.

When Nora turned 18, and our bond snapped into place, I was so happy to have my mate, but I knew we needed to keep it a secret. My father is smarter than I gave him credit for and smelled her on me one morning. I wouldn't say anything about it, so he called Nora in and commanded the truth out of her. That's when his search for my new mate started.

I wanted Nora more than anything, but my father threatened to let Griffin have his way with her if I didn't comply. He said he wouldn't hurt her or let Griffin hurt her as long as I did as he ordered, so I continued to reign in my aura, and I have played my part ever since.

I follow orders and take his beatings when I step out of line, but I also keep a close eye on Nora from a distance. At least for the most part because I miss her, and I couldn't stay away when I saw her at that farce of an engagement party. I saw the hurt in her eyes as Gema and I stood up at the front together, and I knew I had to go to her. I've always loved her soft green eyes. They always show more kindness than possible for someone who has experienced as much loss as Nora has. That kindness is what will make her an amazing Luna, though.

I nearly lost hope in finally being able to be with Nora when my father brought Gema. I knew Gema didn't want me either, but I knew my father had ways to keep her in line just like he did with me. Her having snuck in her phone just might have been the best thing that could have happened to us. She promised to get Nora out if I helped her, and for the first time in my life, that was a promise I actually believed would be kept, which was saying a lot as I had stopped believing people kept promises after my father sent me away that first time.

We pulled up to the border, and the guards waved us in, recognizing our vehicle. It had been too long since I had seen or spoken with Nora, and my wolf, Flint, was feeling on edge. As soon as the driver parked, I rushed out and headed to the back of the packhouse. Nora spent most of her time in the kitchen, so I was hoping I would run into her on my way upstairs.

As I turned the corner, the wind was knocked out of me, and I doubled over in pain. I felt a light prick in my neck, and then I was shoved to the ground as someone kicked me in the back.

"Were you looking for your little mate, your fated one that is?" Beta Griffin leaned down next to my face and whispered menacingly. "You won't find her in the kitchen today. She's been sent upstairs to tidy my bedroom…She's not my usual type, but she's cute, and I'll certainly enjoy breaking her in." Flint growled at Griffin's words, but he sounded distant, muffled even. I attempted to stand, but my head felt fuzzy and everything started spinning. Did he drug me? I tripped back onto the floor in my attempt to stand, and Griffin kicked me again, he continued his assault as he taunted me further.

"Did you really think your little alpha command could keep me from hurting anyone? I might not be able to touch your little bitch right now, but I can certainly hurt you, and she'll feel every…last…kick…and punch I inflict on you. Too bad she's not marked so she could feel your pain even more." He punctuated each word with a kick to my stomach, each kick more forceful than the last. "I bet she's up there in my room right now wondering what's wrong, crying her little eyes out." He yanked my head up by my hair and laughed in my face. "I'll find a way to get your command reversed, and when I do, I'm going to enjoy burying myself so deep inside of her that your lungs burn and your heart shatters from the pain of her betrayal." He smashed my face into the ground, and I wanted to feel rage, but my head was pounding so hard that it was hard to think. He continued to kick me, and I heard something snap before I felt a hard kick to my head, and everything went black.

Gema

Rory continued to spend time with me around the packhouse. We were both glad for the company, and I was certain she had never really had any friends while growing up.

It made me sad as I had always had Jasmine and couldn't imagine not having her, but then again, I didn't really have her now. She had stopped leaving her room in the last few days, and I wished I could do more for her. If we were back home, I would have already staged an intervention for Jasmine and begged her to meet with a psychiatrist or counselor for treatment.

As things were now, I was at least glad to not be kept locked up anymore. My phone had died again after Larkin left for his business trip, so I hadn't been able to call again. Rory said he would be back today, so I prayed he'd help me call again.

Rory and I had gone out to the garden as she was teaching me about how to take care of the plants. We were heading back inside through the back when we saw what looked like a man lying on the floor. Rory ran over to him as soon as she recognized her brother. "Larkin!" She knelt beside him and flipped him over. "Oh my Goddess, what happened to him?" She said with a sob. "He needs to see a doctor, we need…we…we need to find someone to carry him." She stumbled through her words, and I ran inside to see if anyone could help. "Help! Is anyone here?" The first floor was quiet, so I ran up to the second floor where I knew the warriors stayed. I yelled out again, "Help! We need help!" I knocked on a few doors, and finally, one warrior stepped out. "We need help, Larkin has been injured, and we need help carrying him to the clinic." The man didn't need to be told twice before he followed me downstairs. Rory was crying and cradling her brother's bleeding head when we arrived. "He's not waking up. Who could have done this?" I gently guided her away from Larkin as the warrior picked him up and put him in the back seat of an SUV. He drove the three of us to the pack clinic where the doctor took one look at Larkin and called the nurses into action. I turned back to the warrior, "Thank you for bringing us. I'm sorry but I don't know your name."

"I'm James."

"Thank you, James. I don't know how we can repay your kindness, but please know that we are very grateful for your help." With that, he left me and Rory to wait for Larkin. The clinic staff rushed around, but no one stopped to give us an update.

"Nora." Rory suddenly whispered as if remembering something long forgotten. "We should tell Nora." My eyes widened realizing what she had said.

"It's okay, my brother told me you know about them. I've known since the beginning. Larkin trusts me, so he told me when they first found each other. She should be told what happened to him though."

"You're right, are you able to mind-link with her?"

"Oh…I've only ever linked with Larkin…but I should be able to with anyone who's pack, right?"

I nodded, silently urging her to link Nora. Rory closed her eyes for a few minutes. "I did it, she's on her way." Rory's eyes glimmered with her still unshed tears for her brother but also with slight excitement for managing to link Nora.

Rory was older than me, but in so many ways I was the older one. She had lived such a sheltered life and hadn't experienced many of the normal childhood and teenage things I had experienced. In other ways, she was light years older than me, having had to grow up secluded and with the father she was given.

I prayed Moon Goddess sent her a good mate who would take her away from all of this, but then again, even if she did find him, would any of it matter if we couldn't defeat her father?

"How is he?" We heard Nora as she ran up to us, with a worried look. "I knew something felt off, Lily kept whining, and…and…" She struggled to get her words out, but before she could continue, the doctor came over to us.

"Ladies, we have managed to bandage up the Alpha heir. He has a few broken ribs and a fractured arm. It appears he was given a mild mixture of silver and wolfsbane that is keeping his healing from kicking in, but we have given him pain meds to help him sleep and his body is already working to flush out his system. We'll continue to monitor him, and if he doesn't wake up by evening, we'll see what else we can do to speed up getting his system cleared from the poison.

"He'll be fine then?" Rory asked for us.

"Yes, he was brought in quickly after the attack, so we were able to prevent major blood loss from occurring. Has the Alpha been notified of the attack yet?"

"No, but I'll let my father know. No need to worry yourself about it. When can we see him?" Rory's tone had taken on an air of authority that I had never heard from her before. She seemed to want to appear more confident than she usually was.

"We are moving him to a room now, so you can sit with him in there while he sleeps. I'll have a nurse take you to his room."

"Thank you, Doctor."

The three of us were ushered into the room where Larkin lay. Nora immediately rushed over to him in tears. "It's good you're here. Having a mate close by helps with the healing process for an injured wolf."

We sat quietly for a long while as Nora cried and held Larkin's hand. "Do you know how this happened?"

"No, he was already unconscious when we found him," I told her.

"I should have gone to look for him as soon as I sensed something was wrong." Nora shook her head in frustration.

We heard a knock on the door, and Nora quickly pulled her hand back before a nurse entered the room. "I'm just here to check vitals."

She did her job and left right after, but the three of us remained quiet. The sound of the machines was the only noise in the room.

"How about I go get us a snack?" I was feeling restless and needed a break from the waiting for a few minutes, so I went down to the cafeteria and got us some snacks.

When I returned, Nora and Rory were beside Larkin, helping him sit up. "He's awake!" Rory and Nora smiled my way, and Larkin even attempted to smile through his pain.

"I brought snacks if you're hungry." I knew I sounded awkward, but I wasn't sure what to say at the moment. I felt like the odd one out here.

"I'm not hungry, but I'm glad it's just the three of you here," Larkin answered. For some reason, his face looked more swollen now that he was awake than it had when he was unconscious.

I nodded before setting the snacks on a table and sitting down. "Do you know who attacked you?"

"Beta Griffin"

No one said anything or even gasped, it wasn't shocking that it was the Beta. It almost made sense, like it couldn't be anyone else but him.

"I want you to get Nora out of Wildfire." He spoke quietly but firmly. "Call your brother, whatever we need to do, we'll do it, but I need to get her somewhere safe. If Beta Griffin can do this to me, then no one is safe."

He looked at me, through his swollen eyes. "I know you want them to get you and your friends out, but Griffin said he'd come after Nora next. I can't let him hurt her." His voice cracked and he reached out for Nora. "Get her out, and I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to get you and your friends out.

"Larkin, I don't want to leave you." Nora looked at him with desperation.

"I'm not asking for this because I want to be apart from you, I'm asking for this because it's what will keep you safe. It's not forever. As soon as I find a way to take down my father, we'll be back together again. We're not on our own anymore, Nora. Let them help." Nora furrowed her brow before she looked back at Larkin and nodded her head.

I nodded at Larkin as well, and the four of us came up with a plan to call the boys later that evening. Larkin would have to stay overnight, and Rory had agreed to stay with him as Nora would not be able to stay, but she could go with me to my room and talk to the boys with me. We stayed with Larkin through dinner and knew we couldn't stay any longer as it was getting dark. "Let's go call them now." I turned to Nora, and we both walked back to the packhouse together and went up to my room to start charging up my phone.