Jessie

I woke up in a white room, and my head was pounding. I groaned as I sat up. "What the hell happened?"

"I'm so sorry. I had no choice," a young woman appeared from the dark corner. I took one look at her, and I knew who she was. This woman is Mirage.

"You must be Mirage," I smiled at her.

"You know me?" Mirage gasped with shock.

I nodded. "I do. Addicus and Link found me, they are safe, Mirage,"

Mirage shook her head. "No one is safe from Thaedus, the big boss. He will find them,"

"Trust me, if he thinks about trying to get them, he's got another thing coming. Addicus has the protection of two packs," I smiled at her.

"Two? How?" Mirage said.

"His mate is the Alpha of my neighboring pack and my brother-in-law," I said.

Mirage's eyes welled up. "I'm so happy for him. He's lucky,"

"I don't know about that," I rubbed my arm.

"Why do you say that?" Mirage tilted her head.

"At the moment, Addicus hasn't been able to recognize him as his mate," I said. "He'll be okay, and once we get out of here, you can help him. You're the whole reason I'm here. I'm here to bring you home,"

"Addicus knew you were still alive. He didn't know for sure. Link still says goodnight to you," I said.

"Oh, Link, my baby," Mirage fell to her knees, crying again.

"Hey, it'll be alright. I have a pregnant mate at home, so I don't plan on staying long. I will get us home," I said.

I'm sorry; it's all my fault you are here. I'm the reason you are in this cell. I was the one that caught you,"

What? No, I smelled a hybrid!" But realization hit me like a ton of bricks. "Oh fuck. They turned you into a hybrid!"

Mirage nodded. "The werewolf hunters succeeded in everything they have been trying to do here. And now, they're going to do it to you,"

I laughed. "Good," I smiled. "I'll be stronger, we'll get out of here quicker then,"

"No, you don't understand. I'm so sorry. The hunters found Addicus; they knew where Link was. They threatened to kill them if I didn't do what they ordered," Mirage said.

My heart stopped. Marian is in trouble; our children, our pack, the wolves, and the wolves of the Crimson Howlers are in danger, too.

"They won't be touched unless I do what they say. The hunters said they would not attack Golden Leaf or the Crimson Howlers," Mirage stood up.

"Okay, okay, I can do what they want. Bet they've never transformed an alpha before?" I crossed my arms

"NO! You're not getting it! I'm the ONLY ONE that survived the trials. I'm the only one that's been turned," Mirage said.

"How many have survived the trials since your transition?" I was scared about her answer and knew I would not like it.

"Fifteen, and you will be the sixteenth test subject," Mirage said.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "We need to get out of here,"

"You can't. Before, the hunters had leverage over me to stop me from escaping. Still, they have been pumping wolfsbane into the cell since you arrived. It's subtle, but it's taken my wolf smell and hearing away. It would render you human while you're inside this cell. You won't be strong enough to break free.

Shit, Marian, I'm sorry. I'm not coming home this time. "How long have I been out?"

"Two days," Mirage answered.

"Fuck," I huffed.

(Later that Day)

I sat by the wall with my head down, resting and conserving my strength.

"You, wolf, let's go," said one of the hunter's doctors.

"I think I'm good here," I smirked.

"You don't have a choice," she said.

"How can you do any of this?" I lifted my head. " You're torturing and experimenting on human beings. Where are your ethics? Your morals?"

"You are not human. Are you?" the doctor smiled.

"That shouldn't make a difference, bitch. I can eat, shit, walk, talk, feel pain, fall in love. I work just like you, and the only difference is that I don't fucking kill people," I said.

"That's not quite true, is it?" the doctor said. "I know about your pack mentality, the wars between rogue and pack wolves. You kill. The only difference between you and meme is that my work contributes to science. I am making a differnce. You? You kill because it's wired into your very being and for no other reason than to protect a piece of land. Use the tranq, and put him on the table in the other room," she said.

I felt a prick on my neck and pulled out the dart, and I smiled at her. "The Moon Goddess will send your soul to hell," I felt my head hit the floor, and everything went black.

The doctors experimented on me for hours, draining me of my blood. I'm too weak to move and turn my head to see what's happening. I'm barely able to stay conscious. I'm too weak to feel the bond... I'm not going to make it.

"The subject is still alive! This is very promising," the female hunter spoke, writing on my notepad. "Starting the transfusion now. I think this one is going to take, you might want to brace yourself, wolf. This is going to hurt,"

I screamed at the top of my lungs as the doctor turned on the machine to begin the experiment. My thoughts rushed to Henrik and Marian, my children. The pain is nothing that I have ever felt before. I can feel myself slipping away.

"Goddamnit, we're losing him! Get the adrenaline now!" The hunter yelled.

"We've already used too much! If we give him anymore he'll die," the doctor yelled.

"He's already dying. JUST FUCKING DO IT!" the hunter yelled again. "The boss needs this one to live. If it works, then we get to go to phase two. Get more vampire venom in him now!"

I woke up in a cold room. I don't know how much time had passed since I died, but I was feeling so hungry. I was in an autopsy room, and the man who was going to cut me up looked at me with shock as I stood up.

"You're suppose to be dead!" the man said.

"Marry Christmas!" I laughed as I sunk my fangs into his jugular. I drained him dry, and I dropped to the floor.

This couldn't be real, and yet, I know it is. I can feel it. The changes in my body, the way I moved, the way my body knew how to drain the blood from my victim. I felt more agile, like I was not weighed down by my weight, more powerful, and didn't need to pull from my wolf because the strength was already there. I can hear more, hear further than what I could before. My smell is sharper; I can sense how many bodies have been in this room, how many were alive and not.

"AdaAdam, can you hear me? Please talk to me," I said, calling to my wolf.

"You think those bastards can tear us apart? Bitch, you are stuck with me," Adam said. "But I feel different,"

I thank the Goddess. I can still feel Adam. He felt like he'd been upgraded, but I can feel it, too. As much as I should hate what happened to us, I don't know if I could. They've made me stronger. I need to find Mirage and get the fuck out of here, and along the way, I might have some fun. It will be for the greater good, after all.

After a while and leaving a trail of bodies in my rampage, I found Mirage after punching down the cell door. She was happy to see me, but she was shocked. "You survived, and you punched down through a silver-coated steel door. It didn't affect you?"

"Hardly felt it, those bastards think I'm dead, but that will change once they see the carnage I just left. Let's go while we still have the advantage," I said, holding my hand out to her.

"I can't," Mirage shook her head.

"Mirage, I'm trying to be nice, but I just died and felt my own bond snap. I have a pregnant mate to reclaim. You can stay or go, but I promise you that these fuckers won't live to see another day if they come for anyone else I love. Please, do you want to see Link again, for him to be in your arm, to raise him as his mother?"

"I do; I want to see my son; take me to Golden Leaf," Mirage bolted out of the cell with me following right behind her.

Henrik

It's been two days since Jessie went out to look for the facility where the werewolf hunters kept Addicus and Link, and I am still waiting to hear a word from him. I was running in my wolf form to clear my mind and let Ghirahim get a chance to run free.

I checked on Marian as her thoughts and feelings overwhelmed me.

"I'm worried about Jessie, Rik, he should have been back by now," Marian said. "I can't feel him, but I know he's alive,"

I shifted back into human form in front of my sister.

"Talk to me about what's happening," I said. "Your mood is suffocating, and I can't think straight. Your feelings are coming off strong,"

"There's a pair of shorts over on the chair," Marian said. I walked over and put the shorts on.

"Okay, I'm partially dressed. What's going on? What has you worried?" I asked.

"It's been days; Jessie should have been home by now. But he's not home, and two days ago, I stopped feeling him. No feelings, thoughts, or tugs. Nothing, Henrik. And there's only one thing that could sever a bond like that without feeling the death snap," Marian paced.

"Wolfsbane," I growled.

"Something terrible has happened, Henrik, and I don't know what to do," Marian's eyes welled up with tears.

I hugged my sister. "I'll handle it. Call Garland and tell her to get her ass back to America. I'm going to need her help," I put my hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Don't worry, Marian, we will bring Jessie home. I want you to focus on the baby and leave everything to me,"

"Please, I don't... We need to be fast, Henrik. Something terrible is going to happen," Marian breathed deeply.

"I'll bring him home, Marian, I promise. Go lay down; you look exhausted and stressed, and that's not good for the baby," I smiled.

"Okay," Marian wiped her face and walked to her room.

You're not the only one with a bad feeling, Marian. I feel it, too. I exited Marian's home and ran to Addicus's house. I knocked on the door, and Addicus opened it.

"Henrik? This is a pleasant surprise," Addicus smiled.

"I'm not interrupting anything with little Link am I?" I said.

"No, I gave him a bath, and now he's sleeping. Link loves his power naps. Is something wrong? Is that why you're here?" Addicus asked me.

"Jessie hasn't come back. I'm waiting for my cousin to arrive, and then we're going to get them both back," I explained.

"Oh Goddess, no, no, no, no," Addicus grabbed his head and hyperventilated. His back hit the wall.

Shit, he's having a panic attack. "Addicus, breathe, you're safe here," I took him in my arms and held him close. He started to breathe normally. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere,"

Addicus split himself from me and took another deep breath. "I'm sorry,"

"It's okay. If there is anything you can tell me, will be a tremendous help," I smiled.

"The lab also runs underground. I don't know how far deep it goes, I've only heard it from the other prisoners or the hunters working there. I was kept above ground. They said wolves don't do well underground,"

"Shit, okay. So there could be hundreds more being held down there. Do you know what they were trying to do," I asked.

"No, I never heard their plans," Addicus said. "Please be careful, Alpha Henrik,"

"I will," I winked at him. "Do me a favor and watch over Marian for me. I'm worried the stress is going to be too much. She could be putting herself and her baby in danger,"

"You can count on me, Henrik," Addicus said.

I embraced Addicus again, but he gasped in surprise at my touch. "Thank you. I need to sort my pack out before Garland gets here. I'll see you later,"

I set up a meeting with wolves who have volunteered to help me get Jessie back from the hands of the hunters. Everything has to be planned and executed perfectly. Otherwise, we will all be dead. Garland will be landing in an hour. Moon Goddess, please let Jessie be okay.

"Henrik, something is wrong with Marian. One of her warriors is here asking that you go and see her. Marian is also asking for you," York said.

"I'm in the middle of a meeting, York, but my sister takes priority," I said.

I rushed to the Golden Leaf Pack House and heard Marian crying out in pain and saying Jessie's name.

"JESSIE!!!" Marian screamed, and her hand went to her chest.

"Marian, what happened?" I said.

"It's Jessie! There torturing him!" Marian rasped. Crap, she's struggling to breathe.

"And you're feeling everything he is feeling," I said.

"No, HE'S DEAD! I felt the bond snap!" Marian and I embraced each other as she cried.

"I'm here, Marian, I'm here," I said, a tear falling from my eye.