Pursuit of Happiness 09

He was Alpha. He'd bluff his way out of it.

Justice was handed out by the Alphas. They had no way to punish him.

He drives back to the den.

Roland, Paul, and the other three wolves jump out of the cars and surge around and into the house.

[Careful, they'll be desperate. Kill only if necessary. Find Lyssa.]

[Thomas is here.]

That stops Roland briefly. Why and how? And what was he doing here?

[Ready, Wyeth? Now!]

Doors burst open as five wolf men storm the house.

[They came in the side door.]

[Nothing here. But a male's been sleeping up here.]

[I hear fighting. Downstairs.]

[Alright. Go.]

The stairwell is filled with furred and muscled flesh as they move to the basement.

[I smell Joanna. And males. And..]

Alan slams into Roland, who automatically grabs him.

"Paul, David. Hold this one." Roland shoves Alan aside and advances into the room. He sees three bodies on the floor. "Andy, help me. George, check Thomas."

Alan is frantic with fear. "No! No! It wasn't me. I was just following orders."

Andy and Roland haul Gerry off of Lyssa.

[HAVE YOU FOUND HER?]

Roland gestures Andy to Lyssa. [Yes, Emmett.]

The wolves in the car with him hear Emmett take deep breaths, his heart beat start to pick up. He swallows. [What have you found?]

Andy has checked Lyssa and gives a slight nod. Roland looks over the marks on her body, the bruising on her face and neck. [Alive, but in a bad way.] He notes the male's erection, fading now.

[I'm five minutes out.]

[Understood.] Roland turns to the other male. "Where's the key?"

Alan looks at him, dumbfounded. "What?"

Roland gets up in his face and bares his teeth. "The key. To the collar. Where is it?"

The sharp smell of urine fills the area. "I don't know. He took it with him."

"Who?!"

"He'll kill me."

"Which pack?"

Alan clams up.

"Roland. Thomas is alive, as well, but injured. The other male is dead."

Alan's eyes go wide. How was that possible?

Roland looks him over. "I don't see a mark on him. How?"

"I don't know."

"Alright, check the chain, look for tools. Get her free."

[Dad.]

[Here, Roland. With your mother and your sister.]

[Lyssa is alive but seriously injured. Thomas is injured, as well. We have captured one of the males, the other is dead.]

[Is Emmett there?]

[Not yet. Should be soon]

[We're taking your sister home. We'll have the medical ward ready. Bring them home, son.]

[Will do, Dad. Tell Jo I love her.]

Randall wraps his mate and daughter in his arms. "She's alive but badly hurt. Emmett will be there soon." Joanna cries harder.

He looks at the young wolf beside the motorcycle. "Young Severn, I can never repay you for what you've done. I owe you a debt."

Nathan's eyes widen. "Sir?"

"We're going to take her home. I will consider how to reward you."

Ariel unwraps herself from her daughter, walks over, and rests a hand on his arm. "Thank you for returning my daughter to me."

Joanna, her blue eyes swollen, her face tear streaked, in a blue sheath dress that gave glimpses of her breasts through armholes that were too big, comes over and gives him a peck on the cheek. "Thank you. You are coming to my party."

He mutely nods as Joanna is bundled into the car, followed by her mother. With a nod of acknowledgment from Randall, the car takes off.

Nathan stands there a couple of minutes, runs the back of his hand over his chin, gets on the bike, and heads for home.

Emmett slams the car into park and practically tears the door off exiting the car. [Erich, stay. We'll leave as soon as I get her in the car.]

[Ready.]

[Roland, coming in.]

[Emmett, they..] Emmett inhales at the tone. [She's been beaten. Prepare yourself.]

Emmett steels himself as he descends the steps into the basement. It's dark, the windows small and high and only a couple of bulbs illuminate the space. Wolf eyes allow him to see everything clearly.

He smells the males, Joanna, Lyssa, her blood. He sees his mate, his love, still, chained and collared. Hears her breathing, shallow, her heartbeat. He checks her. [I'm here, Lys.]

Thomas is struggling to sit up.

"Why is she still chained?"

"There's no key. We can't get her loose."

Emmett strides up to Alan, who flinches and cowers. "Where is the key?"

"Not here."

He points at Lyssa. "Did you do this to my mate?"

"No. Well, I helped chain her. I did dose her."

"Who ordered this?"

"Just kill me and be done with it. He'll kill me anyway."

Emmett turns back to Lyssa. "Roland, with me."

They grab the chain and heave. On the second attempt, two links part.

He gently gathers his battered wife into his arms, "Bring him. And Thomas. Let's get out of here."