Werewolf CEO 4, page 26
“I don’t know,” I said breathlessly. “Maybe it was a lower dose?”
“You think Mitch would take any risks using a lower dose?” Mia asked. “He was going to use it on me. No doubt, so he could control me and use me against you.”
“Don’t remind me,” I growled and glared in the direction he’d run off. “I’ll fucking kill him.”
“There will be time for that,” Mia said as she cupped my face and tilted my head from left to right. “Your eyes are green.”
“Is it a good look?” I jokingly asked.
“Surprisingly, yes,” she said with a breathless chuckle. “I just don’t understand it. I… I thought I’d lost you.”
I could see the fear in her eyes as she continued to inspect me for any sign that would show her the serum had done its intended purpose. I couldn’t imagine what she had gone through when Mitch had injected me. I would have gone out of my mind if he had actually injected her, and having to sit back and watch us fight without knowing if I was actually still myself must have been terrifying.
“You’ll never lose me,” I said as I softly gripped her waist and squeezed. “No matter how much juice Mitch pumps in me.”
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t get pumped with any more juice,” Mia said with a weak smile. “But… I’m glad it didn’t change you.”
“Me, too,” I said as I pulled her flush against my chest and rested my forehead against hers. “It won’t be long until this is all over.”
“And we can finally start that family we talked about,” my mate said.
“Yeah?” I asked as a smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “You think you’re really ready for that?”
“Yeah, I do,” Mia said as she nudged my nose with hers. “Maybe it was seeing you almost turn into a zombie wolf, I don’t know.”
“Right,” I played along. “That would be the only reason.”
“Exactly,” she said with a playful smile. “In all seriousness, though, Josh, I… I think I’m ready for it. Like, really ready for it.”
“So am I,” I said as I squeezed her waist. “All the more reason to finish this off, right?”
“Yeah.” Mia nodded with a bashful smile. “All the more reason.”
I closed the gap between us in a soft kiss, and Mia immediately melted under my touch. I sighed against her lips, and I felt myself slowly start to shift back. I could still feel remnants of the serum running through my veins, but I had enough control over my body to be able to shift back.
Mia wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me deeper, and I could feel the desperation in the kiss. This fight had really shaken her up, and I couldn’t blame her. But her bringing up starting a family together instilled me with hope I knew I needed in order to see this whole Z-TECH mess finally dealt with.
We eventually pulled away for breath, and I rested my forehead against hers again as I panted. My grip on her waist tightened for a moment before I reluctantly pulled away.
“I should give Vic a call,” I mumbled. “The treaty packs need to know what’s just gone down.”
“I already told the pack through the bond to call him while you were fighting,” Mia said. “Mitch isn’t going to wait around. He’s had too many close calls, and he knows we’re onto him.”
“No doubt his master plan to gas out New York has been pushed up,” I grumbled.
“We can do this, Josh,” Mia said as she grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
My eyes ghosted over the white pillar dedicated to my mom and dad.
In Loving Memory.
I’d see this through and finish what my dad couldn’t. Maybe he didn’t realize just how insane Mitch was back then. Maybe he thought if he cut off all of his resources, that he’d forget about his crazy plan to build a superwolf army.
Mitch had declared war.
And I was going to make sure he didn’t get let off so easily this time.
Chapter Eighteen
With the treaty pack leaders aware and already moving their men, I knew we were on a ticking timer. We still didn’t know where Mitch’s lair was, and he still had no scent trail. Mia and I had both tried to follow it, but there was nothing. Even the trail of blood from his wounded leg didn’t smell like anything, and that stopped as soon as he had crossed the fence.
That meant we couldn’t follow him back to wherever he was going to nurse his wounds. Our only plan now was to have each pack post their men near each base so we could storm them at the same time, when the time was right.
There was still a lot of uncertainty about what going into these places would bring, but it had gotten to the point now where we didn’t have much choice left. Mitch had made one hell of a bold move luring me to my parents’ graves, and an even bolder move when he tried to attack my mate.
My phone buzzed in my pocket as Mia and I started making our way out of the cemetery, and I didn’t want to miss what anyone wanted to say to me, so I immediately pulled it out and answered the call.
“Josh, it’s Grizz,” the Alpha of the werebears said gruffly. “Victor told me everything.”
“Yeah, sorry I’ve dropped this on you guys,” I said as I rolled my shoulder to ease the muscle a little.
“Don’t apologize,” he said in a serious voice. “He tried to attack your mate.”
“Yeah, he did,” I said as I instinctively reached for Mia’s hand.
“Then it’s war,” Grizz almost growled. “I know too well what that feels like. What happens next has been a long time coming, but if you fuck with a mate, you fuck with all of us.”
Grizz’s mate, Calissa, had been killed fighting the Guild all those years ago during the massacre. I couldn’t imagine the agony he’d gone through in losing her. If anyone knew how close it had been today, it would be him, and I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me.
“Thanks, Grizz,” I said. “I appreciate it.”
“I mean it, Josh,” the werebear said. “We might have been nervous about going into these bases before, but now, I say fuck it all. Mitch can throw whatever he wants at us. But that bastard’s gonna pay.”
“Yeah, he is,” I said in a low voice. “If you and your pack find him at the lab you’re heading to, save him for me.”
“With pleasure,” he replied, and I could hear the grin in his voice. “Where are you guys heading to? We’ve got everywhere covered apart from the Upper West Side.”
“That’s my territory now, so I guess that’s where we’ll head,” I said. “Wait for my signal, and tell the others, too. We need to move at the same time as one unit, even if we are spread across the top half of Manhattan.”
“We won’t move a muscle unless you say so,” Grizz said. “What’s the likelihood of us attacking tonight?”
“I’m not sure,” I sighed. “I don’t want to rush into this thing. As long as we have eyes posted on the manholes, I think one more night is enough to prepare ourselves.”
“Victor said something about an antidote,” Grizz grunted out. “Is that worth waiting for?”
“As long as it’s by tomorrow, yes,” I said. “If not…”
“We go in anyway,” the werebear finished for me. “We can do this, kid. You’ve already proved yourself more than capable of a fight like this.”
“Thanks, Grizz,” I said with a weak smile. “I hope you’re right.”
“I always am,” he said confidently. “Good hunting, Josh. I’ll see you on the other side.”
“Good hunting, Grizz,” I said before I hung up the phone and slipped it back into my pocket.
Alright, listen up, I said down the bond to all of my pack members. I want everyone at the den, as soon as possible. This thing is happening, and we don’t have much time.
Emily and I are on our way now, Hallie said. We’ll see you there.
What’s the plan, Josh? Finn asked.
We prepare, I said. The treaty packs are posted near every manhole in this half of Manhattan. Mitch isn’t getting out, which means we’ll have to go in.
We’re going back into the sewers? Luke groaned. Great.
Duty calls, little brother, Amy said. Time to get your feet dirty again.
I’ll see you guys soon, I said. We won’t be long.
Mia and I powered over to the Aston Martin and hopped in. Then I headed straight for the den in Hell’s Kitchen. The entire drive back was spent in silence, and I could tell we were both trying to wrap our heads around what had just happened.
My head still felt a little fuzzy, and I wagered it was because of the comedown from the serum. It was like my thoughts were all mushed together, and it was hard to follow just one.
Something that did stick out to me among the jumble was why the hell my dad ever let Mitch go all those years ago.
Maybe he hadn’t realized how serious the bastard was about going through with his insane plan of building a superwolf army to take over New York, or maybe Mitch hadn’t been as unhinged as he is now. Either way, it still baffled me why my dad would just… let him go.
The more I drove, the more my brain started to calm down, and I found myself thinking what I would have done in his shoes all those years ago. Would I have just killed Mitch outright? Or would I have tried a different approach?
Maybe my dad really did try to help him. Maybe he thought letting Mitch go and cutting off his resources would nip it in the bud. Even though he was wrong, it was the humane thing to do. I guess that was one of the things I still needed to figure out. How to completely harmonize my job as CEO with my role as an Alpha. The easier thing to do would have been to kill Mitch, but what if it was someone like Victor?
Maybe that’s what happened with my dad. And he seemed to have everything figured out. He found the balance in the CEO life without losing his humanity.
And that’s what I needed to do, too.
I needed to play this thing like a wolf, and like a human. Because I was both. I’d lived as a human almost all of my life, up until recently, since my parents had kept the werewolf world a secret from me.
They were good people. And I knew if my dad was still alive today, he’d see to stopping Mitch. But the important thing was he gave Mitch a chance. A chance Mitch threw back in his face.
I couldn’t make the same mistakes.
“How are you holding up?” Mia asked and broke the silence.
“I’m doing okay,” I said and gave her a reassuring smile. “Really, I’m okay. It’s really weird. I… I still had full control of myself.”
“Maybe you’re stronger than everyone else he’s tested the serum on?” Mia suggested. “Including Arlo.”
“Yeah, I doubt Mitch has been able to snag a Supreme Alpha before me,” I agreed.
“Well, either away, he knows he can’t just inject you with whatever serum he’s already made,” the blonde Omega pointed out. “You’re different, Josh. Which means it’s going to take a hell of a lot more to turn you into one of those things.”
“I suppose there’s some small comfort in that,” I said with a weak smile.
“I think there is,” Mia said. “We’ve all been worried about him getting his claws in you, but you’ve shown it’s not going to be that easy.”
“I guess you’re right.” I sighed as I pulled up in front of the old gym that was our den.
“Take comfort in it.” Mia reached over to squeeze my hand. “You need all the comfort you can get with what’s to come.”
I nodded and swallowed the lump in my throat. It was just like every other fight we’d had. There was an immense amount of pressure on my shoulders, and even though that burden was shared between the treaty pack leaders now, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of it all pushing down on me.
“Let’s go tell the pack,” I said after a few moments of silence. “They need to know.”
“Okay,” Mia whispered.
I was expecting the blonde to climb out of the car, but she quickly leaned over the gearshift and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek.
“We can do this, Josh,” she said quietly. “We don’t need to rush into it. We’ve got Mitch right where we want him.”
She was right. With lookouts on the manholes, Mitch wouldn’t be able to rear his head without us knowing. We knew the rough whereabouts of all of his labs and all of his avenues.
He was trapped and cornered like the rat he was, but that didn’t mean we could take this opportunity for granted.
I hopped out of the car, and Mia quickly followed suit. Then we both walked into the den together. My pack was all waiting in the living area. Most of them were sitting on the couch, but Finn, Katie, Tyler, and Elliot were leaning against the wrestling ring.
Elliot looked much healthier, considering it had only been a few days since the rescue. His skin wasn’t as pale anymore, and there was a slight flush of color on his cheeks. His eyes looked less sunken, and the bags underneath were slowly fading.
I also noticed someone had combed through his hair. My money was on Katie, who was the resident mother hen now, whether she knew it or not. His dark brown curls were slowly starting to form again from the bird’s nest that used to be his hair.
“You look good, Elliot,” I said as I approached them. “They taking care of you?”
“Oh, for sure,” the Beta said with a toothy grin. “More than I could ask for.”
“Good,” I hummed. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, guys. But… this fight is happening sooner rather than later.”
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a longgg time,” Elliot drawled. “I never thought there would be people out there who would fight back against that asshole.”
“Well, if it’s gonna be anyone, it’s gonna be Josh,” Hallie said with a small smirk. “Bad guys are drawn to him like a fly on--”
“Alright, Hallie, I think we get the picture,” Katie quickly cut her off with a playful glare.
“So, what’s the plan?” Finn asked as he crossed his thick arms over his chest.
“Well, the treaty packs are guarding the manholes Mitch would most likely use to get around,” I explained. “For now, that’s all I’ve asked them to do. I don’t want to rush into this thing without a level head, and without all of you guys being ready.”
“Is it wise to give him more time?” Klaus asked.
“He’s basically trapped,” I said plainly. “And he knows I’m not going down without a fight. When he tried to attack Mia today, I almost tore him to shreds. The only reason he got away was because of one of his stupid inventions.”
“So, we train,” Katie said with a firm nod. “Especially you, Elliot. No offense.”
“None taken, ma’am,” Elliot replied with a snort.
“Finn, can you get some of the auto-injectors and inhalers out?” I asked. “I want to show Elliot what they do and how they can help.”
“Sure can, boss,” Finn said and pushed himself off the ring to go and grab what I’d asked for.
“Okay, first things first, we--”
I stopped myself as I caught a whiff of vanilla and homemade soup. The sound of a car door slamming right outside the building followed, and I was walking for the door before I even knew it.
Knuckles rapped softly on the door just as I reached it. Then I caught a delectable and slightly familiar scent, and I opened the door with a surprised look on my face.
“Samantha?” I asked in confusion as the dark-haired Omega waved her hand awkwardly.
“Hi,” she said with a nervous smile.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I… well, I wanted to help,” she said. “Hallie sent me your address. She said if I needed anything from you guys to just come here, but I… Well, I thought you might need me. To help with Doctor Moore.”
“You… You want to help us take him down?” I asked.
I don’t know why it was taking my brain a few seconds to process that she was actually here in front of me, but I’d honestly thought I wouldn’t be seeing her for a while. She didn’t need to be involved, not when she was pulled into this world against her will. She had her mom, and her old life was still waiting for her.
But here she was.
“Hallie told me things were getting serious with Mitch,” the Omega said. “That I should take my mom and get the hell out of Manhattan before it was too late.”
“So, why haven’t you?” I asked.
“I’m not going to sit and cower in the dark anymore,” Sam said in a firm tone. “Because if I do, he’s won. Regardless of whether he goes through with his crazy plan or not.”
“Have you fought before?” I asked. “I mean… Sam, it’s not that I’m not grateful, but what we’re doing is gonna be dangerous.”
“I’m a wolf now,” she said like it was obvious. “I think I can handle it. Besides, I used to take karate classes as a kid.”
“I don’t know if that will be enough,” I sighed. “You saw the types of wolves he’s created.”
“Super wolves,” she said with a hard swallow. “I know. I know more than anyone what he’s made. I saw them turn, Josh. I saw them tear off their own skin and nearly smash their own brains out.”
I closed my eyes at the thought of what she’d had to endure, and what all of those other wolves did, too. It was gut-wrenching, and it made me hate Mitch even more.
“I’m not the only one who wants to fight,” she said. “There are others he’d kidnapped. They’re coming here right now.”
“They are?” I asked in surprise.
“I figured a call to arms was needed,” she said with a sheepish smile. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“I…” I trailed off as my brain finally started to catch up with me. “The more, the merrier, I guess. But are they aware of the risk they’re taking?”
“More than aware!” a voice called out from down the street.
As I poked my head out the door, I recognized the male wolf from the other night, and I gave him a subtle nod in recognition.
“We want to help, Josh,” Samantha said with a pleading look in her dark brown eyes. “Please.”
“Even if he doesn’t give us permission, we’re going anyway,” another voice said from my left, and I spotted another wolf from the other night rounding the corner and making her way over to us.
“You think Mitch would take any risks using a lower dose?” Mia asked. “He was going to use it on me. No doubt, so he could control me and use me against you.”
“Don’t remind me,” I growled and glared in the direction he’d run off. “I’ll fucking kill him.”
“There will be time for that,” Mia said as she cupped my face and tilted my head from left to right. “Your eyes are green.”
“Is it a good look?” I jokingly asked.
“Surprisingly, yes,” she said with a breathless chuckle. “I just don’t understand it. I… I thought I’d lost you.”
I could see the fear in her eyes as she continued to inspect me for any sign that would show her the serum had done its intended purpose. I couldn’t imagine what she had gone through when Mitch had injected me. I would have gone out of my mind if he had actually injected her, and having to sit back and watch us fight without knowing if I was actually still myself must have been terrifying.
“You’ll never lose me,” I said as I softly gripped her waist and squeezed. “No matter how much juice Mitch pumps in me.”
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t get pumped with any more juice,” Mia said with a weak smile. “But… I’m glad it didn’t change you.”
“Me, too,” I said as I pulled her flush against my chest and rested my forehead against hers. “It won’t be long until this is all over.”
“And we can finally start that family we talked about,” my mate said.
“Yeah?” I asked as a smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “You think you’re really ready for that?”
“Yeah, I do,” Mia said as she nudged my nose with hers. “Maybe it was seeing you almost turn into a zombie wolf, I don’t know.”
“Right,” I played along. “That would be the only reason.”
“Exactly,” she said with a playful smile. “In all seriousness, though, Josh, I… I think I’m ready for it. Like, really ready for it.”
“So am I,” I said as I squeezed her waist. “All the more reason to finish this off, right?”
“Yeah.” Mia nodded with a bashful smile. “All the more reason.”
I closed the gap between us in a soft kiss, and Mia immediately melted under my touch. I sighed against her lips, and I felt myself slowly start to shift back. I could still feel remnants of the serum running through my veins, but I had enough control over my body to be able to shift back.
Mia wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me deeper, and I could feel the desperation in the kiss. This fight had really shaken her up, and I couldn’t blame her. But her bringing up starting a family together instilled me with hope I knew I needed in order to see this whole Z-TECH mess finally dealt with.
We eventually pulled away for breath, and I rested my forehead against hers again as I panted. My grip on her waist tightened for a moment before I reluctantly pulled away.
“I should give Vic a call,” I mumbled. “The treaty packs need to know what’s just gone down.”
“I already told the pack through the bond to call him while you were fighting,” Mia said. “Mitch isn’t going to wait around. He’s had too many close calls, and he knows we’re onto him.”
“No doubt his master plan to gas out New York has been pushed up,” I grumbled.
“We can do this, Josh,” Mia said as she grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
My eyes ghosted over the white pillar dedicated to my mom and dad.
In Loving Memory.
I’d see this through and finish what my dad couldn’t. Maybe he didn’t realize just how insane Mitch was back then. Maybe he thought if he cut off all of his resources, that he’d forget about his crazy plan to build a superwolf army.
Mitch had declared war.
And I was going to make sure he didn’t get let off so easily this time.
Chapter Eighteen
With the treaty pack leaders aware and already moving their men, I knew we were on a ticking timer. We still didn’t know where Mitch’s lair was, and he still had no scent trail. Mia and I had both tried to follow it, but there was nothing. Even the trail of blood from his wounded leg didn’t smell like anything, and that stopped as soon as he had crossed the fence.
That meant we couldn’t follow him back to wherever he was going to nurse his wounds. Our only plan now was to have each pack post their men near each base so we could storm them at the same time, when the time was right.
There was still a lot of uncertainty about what going into these places would bring, but it had gotten to the point now where we didn’t have much choice left. Mitch had made one hell of a bold move luring me to my parents’ graves, and an even bolder move when he tried to attack my mate.
My phone buzzed in my pocket as Mia and I started making our way out of the cemetery, and I didn’t want to miss what anyone wanted to say to me, so I immediately pulled it out and answered the call.
“Josh, it’s Grizz,” the Alpha of the werebears said gruffly. “Victor told me everything.”
“Yeah, sorry I’ve dropped this on you guys,” I said as I rolled my shoulder to ease the muscle a little.
“Don’t apologize,” he said in a serious voice. “He tried to attack your mate.”
“Yeah, he did,” I said as I instinctively reached for Mia’s hand.
“Then it’s war,” Grizz almost growled. “I know too well what that feels like. What happens next has been a long time coming, but if you fuck with a mate, you fuck with all of us.”
Grizz’s mate, Calissa, had been killed fighting the Guild all those years ago during the massacre. I couldn’t imagine the agony he’d gone through in losing her. If anyone knew how close it had been today, it would be him, and I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me.
“Thanks, Grizz,” I said. “I appreciate it.”
“I mean it, Josh,” the werebear said. “We might have been nervous about going into these bases before, but now, I say fuck it all. Mitch can throw whatever he wants at us. But that bastard’s gonna pay.”
“Yeah, he is,” I said in a low voice. “If you and your pack find him at the lab you’re heading to, save him for me.”
“With pleasure,” he replied, and I could hear the grin in his voice. “Where are you guys heading to? We’ve got everywhere covered apart from the Upper West Side.”
“That’s my territory now, so I guess that’s where we’ll head,” I said. “Wait for my signal, and tell the others, too. We need to move at the same time as one unit, even if we are spread across the top half of Manhattan.”
“We won’t move a muscle unless you say so,” Grizz said. “What’s the likelihood of us attacking tonight?”
“I’m not sure,” I sighed. “I don’t want to rush into this thing. As long as we have eyes posted on the manholes, I think one more night is enough to prepare ourselves.”
“Victor said something about an antidote,” Grizz grunted out. “Is that worth waiting for?”
“As long as it’s by tomorrow, yes,” I said. “If not…”
“We go in anyway,” the werebear finished for me. “We can do this, kid. You’ve already proved yourself more than capable of a fight like this.”
“Thanks, Grizz,” I said with a weak smile. “I hope you’re right.”
“I always am,” he said confidently. “Good hunting, Josh. I’ll see you on the other side.”
“Good hunting, Grizz,” I said before I hung up the phone and slipped it back into my pocket.
Alright, listen up, I said down the bond to all of my pack members. I want everyone at the den, as soon as possible. This thing is happening, and we don’t have much time.
Emily and I are on our way now, Hallie said. We’ll see you there.
What’s the plan, Josh? Finn asked.
We prepare, I said. The treaty packs are posted near every manhole in this half of Manhattan. Mitch isn’t getting out, which means we’ll have to go in.
We’re going back into the sewers? Luke groaned. Great.
Duty calls, little brother, Amy said. Time to get your feet dirty again.
I’ll see you guys soon, I said. We won’t be long.
Mia and I powered over to the Aston Martin and hopped in. Then I headed straight for the den in Hell’s Kitchen. The entire drive back was spent in silence, and I could tell we were both trying to wrap our heads around what had just happened.
My head still felt a little fuzzy, and I wagered it was because of the comedown from the serum. It was like my thoughts were all mushed together, and it was hard to follow just one.
Something that did stick out to me among the jumble was why the hell my dad ever let Mitch go all those years ago.
Maybe he hadn’t realized how serious the bastard was about going through with his insane plan of building a superwolf army to take over New York, or maybe Mitch hadn’t been as unhinged as he is now. Either way, it still baffled me why my dad would just… let him go.
The more I drove, the more my brain started to calm down, and I found myself thinking what I would have done in his shoes all those years ago. Would I have just killed Mitch outright? Or would I have tried a different approach?
Maybe my dad really did try to help him. Maybe he thought letting Mitch go and cutting off his resources would nip it in the bud. Even though he was wrong, it was the humane thing to do. I guess that was one of the things I still needed to figure out. How to completely harmonize my job as CEO with my role as an Alpha. The easier thing to do would have been to kill Mitch, but what if it was someone like Victor?
Maybe that’s what happened with my dad. And he seemed to have everything figured out. He found the balance in the CEO life without losing his humanity.
And that’s what I needed to do, too.
I needed to play this thing like a wolf, and like a human. Because I was both. I’d lived as a human almost all of my life, up until recently, since my parents had kept the werewolf world a secret from me.
They were good people. And I knew if my dad was still alive today, he’d see to stopping Mitch. But the important thing was he gave Mitch a chance. A chance Mitch threw back in his face.
I couldn’t make the same mistakes.
“How are you holding up?” Mia asked and broke the silence.
“I’m doing okay,” I said and gave her a reassuring smile. “Really, I’m okay. It’s really weird. I… I still had full control of myself.”
“Maybe you’re stronger than everyone else he’s tested the serum on?” Mia suggested. “Including Arlo.”
“Yeah, I doubt Mitch has been able to snag a Supreme Alpha before me,” I agreed.
“Well, either away, he knows he can’t just inject you with whatever serum he’s already made,” the blonde Omega pointed out. “You’re different, Josh. Which means it’s going to take a hell of a lot more to turn you into one of those things.”
“I suppose there’s some small comfort in that,” I said with a weak smile.
“I think there is,” Mia said. “We’ve all been worried about him getting his claws in you, but you’ve shown it’s not going to be that easy.”
“I guess you’re right.” I sighed as I pulled up in front of the old gym that was our den.
“Take comfort in it.” Mia reached over to squeeze my hand. “You need all the comfort you can get with what’s to come.”
I nodded and swallowed the lump in my throat. It was just like every other fight we’d had. There was an immense amount of pressure on my shoulders, and even though that burden was shared between the treaty pack leaders now, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of it all pushing down on me.
“Let’s go tell the pack,” I said after a few moments of silence. “They need to know.”
“Okay,” Mia whispered.
I was expecting the blonde to climb out of the car, but she quickly leaned over the gearshift and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek.
“We can do this, Josh,” she said quietly. “We don’t need to rush into it. We’ve got Mitch right where we want him.”
She was right. With lookouts on the manholes, Mitch wouldn’t be able to rear his head without us knowing. We knew the rough whereabouts of all of his labs and all of his avenues.
He was trapped and cornered like the rat he was, but that didn’t mean we could take this opportunity for granted.
I hopped out of the car, and Mia quickly followed suit. Then we both walked into the den together. My pack was all waiting in the living area. Most of them were sitting on the couch, but Finn, Katie, Tyler, and Elliot were leaning against the wrestling ring.
Elliot looked much healthier, considering it had only been a few days since the rescue. His skin wasn’t as pale anymore, and there was a slight flush of color on his cheeks. His eyes looked less sunken, and the bags underneath were slowly fading.
I also noticed someone had combed through his hair. My money was on Katie, who was the resident mother hen now, whether she knew it or not. His dark brown curls were slowly starting to form again from the bird’s nest that used to be his hair.
“You look good, Elliot,” I said as I approached them. “They taking care of you?”
“Oh, for sure,” the Beta said with a toothy grin. “More than I could ask for.”
“Good,” I hummed. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, guys. But… this fight is happening sooner rather than later.”
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a longgg time,” Elliot drawled. “I never thought there would be people out there who would fight back against that asshole.”
“Well, if it’s gonna be anyone, it’s gonna be Josh,” Hallie said with a small smirk. “Bad guys are drawn to him like a fly on--”
“Alright, Hallie, I think we get the picture,” Katie quickly cut her off with a playful glare.
“So, what’s the plan?” Finn asked as he crossed his thick arms over his chest.
“Well, the treaty packs are guarding the manholes Mitch would most likely use to get around,” I explained. “For now, that’s all I’ve asked them to do. I don’t want to rush into this thing without a level head, and without all of you guys being ready.”
“Is it wise to give him more time?” Klaus asked.
“He’s basically trapped,” I said plainly. “And he knows I’m not going down without a fight. When he tried to attack Mia today, I almost tore him to shreds. The only reason he got away was because of one of his stupid inventions.”
“So, we train,” Katie said with a firm nod. “Especially you, Elliot. No offense.”
“None taken, ma’am,” Elliot replied with a snort.
“Finn, can you get some of the auto-injectors and inhalers out?” I asked. “I want to show Elliot what they do and how they can help.”
“Sure can, boss,” Finn said and pushed himself off the ring to go and grab what I’d asked for.
“Okay, first things first, we--”
I stopped myself as I caught a whiff of vanilla and homemade soup. The sound of a car door slamming right outside the building followed, and I was walking for the door before I even knew it.
Knuckles rapped softly on the door just as I reached it. Then I caught a delectable and slightly familiar scent, and I opened the door with a surprised look on my face.
“Samantha?” I asked in confusion as the dark-haired Omega waved her hand awkwardly.
“Hi,” she said with a nervous smile.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I… well, I wanted to help,” she said. “Hallie sent me your address. She said if I needed anything from you guys to just come here, but I… Well, I thought you might need me. To help with Doctor Moore.”
“You… You want to help us take him down?” I asked.
I don’t know why it was taking my brain a few seconds to process that she was actually here in front of me, but I’d honestly thought I wouldn’t be seeing her for a while. She didn’t need to be involved, not when she was pulled into this world against her will. She had her mom, and her old life was still waiting for her.
But here she was.
“Hallie told me things were getting serious with Mitch,” the Omega said. “That I should take my mom and get the hell out of Manhattan before it was too late.”
“So, why haven’t you?” I asked.
“I’m not going to sit and cower in the dark anymore,” Sam said in a firm tone. “Because if I do, he’s won. Regardless of whether he goes through with his crazy plan or not.”
“Have you fought before?” I asked. “I mean… Sam, it’s not that I’m not grateful, but what we’re doing is gonna be dangerous.”
“I’m a wolf now,” she said like it was obvious. “I think I can handle it. Besides, I used to take karate classes as a kid.”
“I don’t know if that will be enough,” I sighed. “You saw the types of wolves he’s created.”
“Super wolves,” she said with a hard swallow. “I know. I know more than anyone what he’s made. I saw them turn, Josh. I saw them tear off their own skin and nearly smash their own brains out.”
I closed my eyes at the thought of what she’d had to endure, and what all of those other wolves did, too. It was gut-wrenching, and it made me hate Mitch even more.
“I’m not the only one who wants to fight,” she said. “There are others he’d kidnapped. They’re coming here right now.”
“They are?” I asked in surprise.
“I figured a call to arms was needed,” she said with a sheepish smile. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“I…” I trailed off as my brain finally started to catch up with me. “The more, the merrier, I guess. But are they aware of the risk they’re taking?”
“More than aware!” a voice called out from down the street.
As I poked my head out the door, I recognized the male wolf from the other night, and I gave him a subtle nod in recognition.
“We want to help, Josh,” Samantha said with a pleading look in her dark brown eyes. “Please.”
“Even if he doesn’t give us permission, we’re going anyway,” another voice said from my left, and I spotted another wolf from the other night rounding the corner and making her way over to us.
