by Cheree Alsop
Cassie arched one eyebrow. “Are you going to continue this battle with,” she glanced in the basket, “Two full balloons and one that is leaking the rest of its water as we speak?”
Alex glanced down to confirm. One orange and one green balloon remained in the basket while a yellow one in the corner was getting smaller by the second.
“Your move,” Jaze called.
Alex blew out a breath. “I would say never surrender, but I think my pack’s given up.”
Terith nodded and pushed past him. “All in the name of chocolate.”
“Chocolate good,” Amos confirmed, pushing past him as well.
“Fine,” Alex called needlessly as the professors and students met each other laughing and soaking wet at the door. “We give up.”
“You negotiated,” Jaze pointed out. The front of his tee shirt was soaked, though it looked like the pillow had saved his wife from the worst of the attack.
“Negotiation for chocolate is honorable,” Nikki said, smiling at Alex.
“And just in time,” Meredith said, coming from the medical wing. “I was ready to pull the fire alarm.”
Everyone looked up at the white sprinklers set inconspicuously in the ceiling tiles.
“Remind me not to go to war against you,” Jaze said, chuckling.
“Next time, you’re with us,” Alex told his mom.
Meredith laughed and put one arm around his shoulder and the other around Cassie’s. Cassie held Tennison’s hand with her free one. Together, they led the way to the Great Hall where Cook Jerald had the pie ready.
Chapter Twenty-five
“Alex, wake up!”
Sleep faded immediately at the urgency in Jaze’s voice. Alex sat up in the dark room.
“What’s happening?” he asked.
“Kalia’s gone.”
The dean’s words sent a knife of ice through Alex’s heart. He stood up and reached for his shirt.
“What do you mean?” he asked as he pulled it on.
“Her car was stopped on their trip home yesterday. Boris was shot with a silver tranquilizer and Kalia was kidnapped,” Jaze told him.
Alex’s mind raced. “Who did it?”
Jaze’s words confirmed Alex’s fear when he answered, “We have reason to believe it was the General.”
Alex hurried out the door. “I need my team.” He paused in the hallway with the realization that Jericho and Pip were gone while Kalia was the victim of the attack. “We’re a few short.”
“It’s okay,” Jaze told him. “My men will fill in for your missing teammates. I already have Gem and Dray waking your sister and the others. We’ve got to get going.”
Cassie appeared with Terith close behind. Alex could hear Dray talking to Trent a few rooms away.
“Do we have any leads?” Cassie asked.
Tennison appeared and Cassie’s hand slipped into her boyfriend’s as though she needed the reassurance of his touch. He pulled her close to his side and gave her a small, worried smile.
Jaze led the way to the door. “We’re heading out to speak to Kalia’s father. Alex, you’re with me. You’ve met him before and a familiar face might help ease his anxiety.”
“Is there a problem?” Trent asked, reading Jaze’s tone.
Jaze nodded. “Unfortunately, we’re not the first organization Adam Dickson went to. Apparently, he has his own form of security.” He glanced at Alex. “You know what that means?”
Alex nodded, thinking of the guards that patrolled the house and followed the Dicksons everywhere. Only once had Alex seen Mr. Dickson without his hired thugs, and that was when Alex had found himself acting at the criminal defense lawyer’s security instead.
Jaze continued, “They’ve done all they can and haven’t been able to locate her. We’ll talk to the driver and Mr. Dickson to see if we can find any leads.”
Jaze’s team was already waiting in the cavern beneath the school. Alex entered the Wolf Den and walked straight to the weapons table. Caden, Brock’s cousin, stood behind it. His hair was extra spikey from being pulled out of bed at the early hour. Despite that, he seemed to be in a very good mood.
“Everything has been tripled checked. I assumed you wanted the Glock, so I loaded a few extra cartridges in the belt,” Caden said, handing the objects to Alex.
“Thank you,” Alex replied. He strapped the belt on and slipped the gun into the holster. He helped Cassie put on her bulletproof vest, then strapped his on as well. The familiarity of the extra weight calmed the way his heart threatened to burst out of his chest. If anything happened to Kalia, he didn’t know what he would do. He vowed over and over again that he would bring her back safely.
“Let’s move out,” Mouse called.
Brock waited by the helicopter. “Be careful, you guys. Don’t take risks,” the human told them as he handed out ear pieces set to the Wolf Den’s signal. Each werewolf could communicate to Brock by pressing the small button on the earpiece, and Brock could talk to each person individually or to the entire group. It was reassuring to know that Brock had their backs.
“We’ll be careful,” Alex told him, slipping the piece into his ear.
Alex’s pack followed him into the helicopter. Jaze climbed in with them. Dray, Chet, and Vance followed.
“Where’s everyone else?” Alex asked over the intercom.
“Hopefully meeting us there, but we’re having trouble reaching the GPA and the Black Team’s on a mission up north. We might be short-handed on this one,” Jaze replied.
The look in his eyes let Alex know just how worried the dean was about Kalia. Alex was glad that no matter how many students were at the Academy, Jaze took the safety of each and every one to heart. Together, they would bring Kalia back.
Alex studied the ground as they lifted past the greenhouses and took off above the forest. He couldn’t help feeling that Kalia’s kidnapping was somehow linked to him. He had stayed at Kalia’s house the previous Christmas. Maybe whoever had stopped the car had hoped he was doing the same thing this year. Perhaps they took her because they knew he would go after her.
Alex gritted his teeth at the thought of their last argument. She only wanted to go to the ball. Why couldn’t he have just said yes? It wouldn’t make a difference in the current situation, but Kalia would have known that he cared for her, even if it wasn’t the way she wanted him to.
“Are you okay?” Cassie asked over the beating of the helicopter blades.
Alex nodded and swallowed down the emotions that threatened to choke him. “Fine. I’m just worried about Kalia.”
Cassie nodded. “Me, too.” She forced a brave smile. “She’s going to be okay.”
Alex nodded back, but he wished he felt as confident as she did. He had seen what the General did to werewolves. Thoughts of Siale and all she had been through filled his mind. Alex pushed them away. Fear for Kalia’s safety wouldn’t help her. Determination and having a clear head would. He was going to get her out, and he wouldn’t stop until he did.
They reached the Dickson residence at sunrise. Adam Dickson and half a dozen guards ran out as soon as the helicopter landed in his backyard. Jaze jumped down with Alex’s pack close behind. Vance, Dray, and Chet followed.
“Thank you for coming,” Adam Dickson called over the sound of the blades winding down.
Kalia’s father’s expression changed at the sight of Alex. Relief filled his gaze.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he said, holding out a hand.
Alex shook it. “We’re going to find her; I promise.”
“We need to know what you know,” Jaze said.
They filed into the house, passing Mrs. Dickson who sat on the couch with two maids attending her. Tears streaked her cheeks, chasing away her usual mask of indifference so that she looked like a mother mourning for her lost daughter instead of a woman bothered by the presence of her werewolf-blooded children. Alex was glad Jaze had decided to question the rest of the household before pressing her for what she
remembered.
The werewolves from the Academy stared as they walked through the massive mansion. The answering stares and scents from the servants revealed fear. Alex thought of his stay at the mansion and the words of Henry, the servant who had befriended him. “Servants know a lot more than we let on.” It was obvious they guessed the secret origins of their new guests.
Mr. Dickson led them into the huge library. He motioned to the table. “Please, take a seat.” He poured something golden from a decanter on the desk and offered a glass to Jaze. “Would you like some?”
Jaze shook his head politely. “No, thank you. It’s not recommended for werewolves to have alcohol.”
Mr. Dickson’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, really? Why not?”
Jaze gave a small smile. “The lowering of inhibitions and impairment to judgment doesn’t exactly suit a werewolf well.”
“Understood,” Mr. Dickson said with a solemn nod. Alex was surprised the man didn’t wince at the word werewolf that was forbidden in the Dickson household. Instead, Mr. Dickson continued, “I appreciate your restraint.”
“Thank you,” Jaze replied. He took the seat Mr. Dickson indicated. “Can we talk to the driver?”
Mr. Dickson hesitated. “I’ve already verified that he doesn’t know anything.”
Jaze nodded. “All the same, in an investigation like this, we like to interview anyone involved. You never know when a clue could give to us more to go on than the average human.”
Mr. Dickson’s eyes widened as though he hadn’t thought of that. He snapped a finger. A man wearing a dark suit in the corner disappeared through a side door.
Alex and his friends exchanged anxious glances. Alex couldn’t hold still. He paced the end of the room, feeling Mr. Dickson’s eyes on him as he walked from wall to wall. After a few minutes, a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” Mr. Dickson said.
The man in the dark suit returned with another man in tow. Beneath the bruises and swollen eyes, Alex recognized the same driver who had driven him along with Boris and Kalia to the Dickson residence at the beginning of the previous Christmas break.
Jaze’s lips tightened into a disapproving line.
“Let me guess,” Brock said into Alex’s headset. “The lawyer’s done his own interrogation mafia style.” Alex knew he didn’t need to answer.
“As I said,” Mr. Dickson told the dean without looking the least bit cowed by the werewolf’s obvious disapproval. “I’ve already ensured that he doesn’t know anything.”
“I would still like to question him,” Jaze said in a level voice.
Mr. Dickson nodded and motioned for the driver to be deposited on a chair.
“Manny, this is the dean of Vicki Carso’s Preparatory Academy where Kalia and Boris go to school,” Mr. Dickson said.
Fear suddenly filled the man’s gaze. He gripped the arms of the chair as though he wished he could disappear inside the wood. He obviously knew the siblings’ school wasn’t a normal one. What he thought the dean would do during his questioning, Alex couldn’t guess.
“I don’t know anything,” the driver protested, his words thick behind his split lip.
Jaze gave the man a small smile. “I just want to talk.” He met Vance’s gaze. “I’ll meet you outside.”
The werewolves obeyed the dean’s suggestion and filed out the door. Soon, Mr. Dickson joined them. Alex wondered if Jaze had asked him to leave or if the man couldn’t stand being in the same room with the werewolf who had helped to kill off many of his Extremist friends and family members.
Mr. Dickson cleared his throat uncomfortably. “So, uh, how was your trip.”
“Dark,” Chet said dryly. He met the gaze of one wide-eyed servant and lifted his lips just enough to give a hint of menace. The servant’s face paled and he hurried from the room.
“Let’s sweep the perimeter,” Dray suggested.
Mouse nodded. “It’d be good to find out if the Dickson residence has been monitored by the General’s men. It’s possible they’ve had a close eye on this place for months. I doubt their acquisition of Kalia was done lightly.”
Mr. Dickson looked alarmed by this information. He stared after the older werewolves as they exited the house. “Alex, can we talk?” he asked when the front door shut behind them.
Alex nodded. “I’ll be back,” he reassured his pack mates.
It felt strange to leave them in the cavernous hall of the mansion and feel like he was abandoning them. Instead of the unbreakable Pack Jericho, he saw only four Lifer kids from the Academy huddled together beneath vaulted ceilings and marble pillars.
“You’ve got to help her, Alex,” Mr. Dickson said as soon as they were alone in his vast office. “I’ll give you anything you want, just bring her back safely.”
Alex held up a hand. “I want the same thing you do, Mr. Dickson. We’ll do anything to bring her home.”
“She sounded so frustrated the last time I spoke to her,” Mr. Dickson said. He wrung his hands, looking completely the opposite of the composed, self-confident criminal defense lawyer Alex remembered. “Do you think she knew something was wrong?”
A pang of regret filled Alex’s chest. He knew her frustration was because of him. He had pushed her away, afraid that continuing to be friends would lead her on. He didn’t want her thinking he had the same feelings she was projecting to him. Perhaps shielding himself from her had been the wrong thing to do.
“It was a rough term,” Alex said. At Mr. Dickson’s anxious look, he continued quickly, “Our classes are getting harder and Kalia’s always been one to carry her end of the work,” he said honestly. “I think she was just looking forward to a break.” Just as he had been looking forward to her absence so that he could get his feelings straightened out. Now look what had happened. Footsteps alerted him.
“Is it your fault?” Boris roared, storming into the room.
Alex ducked the Alpha’s attempt to grab his throat. He spun away from Boris’ reach and backed up. “It’s not my fault.”
“Why else would they want her?” Boris demanded.
“I don’t know,” Alex replied. “Maybe because she has werewolf blood and the General’s intent on destroying anyone he can.”
“Then why leave me?” The anguish in Boris’ voice let Alex know how worried he was about his sister.
The fact that whoever had taken Kalia had shot Boris with silver and then left him concerned Alex more than he let on. If it was a vendetta against werewolves, they would have just killed both siblings right then, or taken them back for the General’s experiments. Alex’s stomach twisted at the thought of Kalia in the Extremist’s hands.
“We’ll get her back,” Alex told the Alpha. “We won’t stop until she’s safe.”
“I hope so,” Boris replied, but his tone was deflated and lost as though he couldn’t keep up his anger with his worry for his sister.
The fact that the General had only taken Kalia meant it was possible he had guessed a connection between Drogan’s capture and Alex. Perhaps the General was trying to get in his head. He had certainly gone to a lot of trouble to ensure that Alex was involved in the recovery attempt. Alex could only hope it was a coincidence, but deep down, he doubted it.
Chapter Twenty-six
Alex waited near the front door. Cassie and Tennison sat on the front edge of one of the delicate benches that lined the massive hallway as though they were afraid to break it. Trent and Terith stood in the middle of the floor with their backs to each other. Alex fought back a wry smile; it looked as though they were expecting an attack at any second.
A form appeared in a doorway. Alex smiled at Henry, the servant who had become his friend on his last stay in the mansion.
Henry crossed to him and spoke quietly, “I’m glad to see you, sir.”
“Same to you, Henry,” Alex replied.
Henry’s mustache twitched as his lips lifted in a smile. “There’s no one else they should trust with such a delicate situation,”
Henry said. There was a light of disapproval in his eyes when he continued in a level tone. “Manny would have given his life for Ms. Dickson.”
“I know,” Alex replied. “And Jaze does, too.” He gave the servant a reassuring smile. “No more harm will come to him, I promise.”
Henry nodded gratefully. “We’ve loved those children since they were born. None of us will rest until Ms. Dickson is back safely.”
“The same goes for us,” Alex told him.
The front door flew open. The servant whose job it was to open it stood gaping on the porch as Chet and Dray charged into the Dickson mansion.
“They’re still in the city,” Chet said.
Jaze was just coming from the library. Alex could see the driver peeking out the door behind him.
Jaze glanced at Mr. Dickson.
“Brock ran the information the driver remembered about the vehicle,” Jaze told him. He listened to what Brock was saying in his earpiece for a moment, then said, “They’re at the mall. Let’s go.”
“I’m going with you,” Mr. Dickson insisted.
Jaze shook his head. At the man’s continued protests, Jaze put a hand on his shoulder. “Adam, I know you want Kalia back safely. I am doing everything in my power to make sure that happens. But you also know a werewolf’s strength.”
Mr. Dickson hesitated, then glanced first at Alex, then at Boris before he nodded.
“You don’t want to get mixed up in a werewolf fight,” Jaze told him. “If we have to worry about protecting you, it could leave us with fewer options to get Kalia out.”
“Then take Boris,” Mr. Dickson said, his voice firm.
Alex glanced at the student. Boris was watching his father with a shocked expression on his face. Alex knew from his stay at the mansion a year ago how much Boris wanted his father to understand and make use of his werewolf strength instead of despising the fact that the blood of a beast ran through his son’s veins.
Mr. Dickson met his son’s gaze. “Bring your sister home.” He paused, then said, “Both of you come back to me safely.”
