Jaycen

After everyone was gathered it was announced that we would be going to war to collect our female Alpha and Beta as well as put an end the feud between our pack and Logan's.

The majority of the pack roared in support of this, especially fueled by their anger of their future Luciana being taken.

I dismissed everyone to get ready for the war and called a meeting with my third in command, Luke, who I only talked to in brevity, as well as my father.

"Alpha," Luke entered the room, first letting my father come in first, a sign of respect, before closing the hefty door softly behind him.

"We need to make a plan of attack, but first we need to find out where they a-" I was cut off by the door opening unexpectedly and an additional two people coming. I hated to think it, but they were just the people I needed.

"Elliot," I acknowledged with a nod. "Brendon," I repeated the same action.

Elliot offered pointedly, leaning against my desk on his fist. "We're here to help. We are getting Sydney and your Beta back."

"Good, where should we be looking for them?"

"Let me see your computer. I'll pull up all the places that he could have taken them to." Elliot walked around my desk to my open laptop.

"Sure let me sign in first," I told sliding into my leather seat.

I typed in 'starmate' and my computer came to life. I clicked on the Internet browser and when it opened I saw I had an email from an unknown address that had a video attachment.

"What are you doing?" Elliot asked agitated as to why I was even bothering about thinking about opening it.

Ignoring him I click on it and my eyes were immediately drawn to the still image of Sydney kneeling on the floor beaten and battered. A stood man over her.

My eyes I felt start to glow as I forced myself to click the little play button.

The video skipped back to the beginning and it was focused on Terrence. He too was bloody and beaten to a pulp. I had never seen a werewolf torture, usually, we were quick when delivering death, so I was shocked to see the wounds covering Terrence, that seemed to refuse to heal.

Whoever did that to him must have been extremely strong and heartless.

"Touch h-her and I'll k-kill you." Terrence spat out with a tremble of pain in his voice.

The camera jiggled as the person holding it placed it on a side table beside a metal bed. My mate sat on the floor beside it, hands pressed into the ground trying to hold herself up.

I tensed at the sight of my vulnerable mate and a bed, along with males that I didn't know in the same room, but that seemed to be further down on my list of worries.

"Get on the bed." The man from the original image said.

Sydney tensed but stayed put in her spot.

He walked up to her and grabbed her chin harshly.

"Say hi to your little mate, Sydney." He said right in her ear as he waved his fingers at the camera giving his version of a wave.

Sydney's eyes fell to the ground as she refused to do as he said and as a repercussion the mans' hand went down hard against her cheek making it echo in the room.

"In the corner. Now." He demanded roughly.

Over on the opposite side of the room, Terrence tried getting out of his captor's grip but had no such luck.

Again when she didn't do so he punched her across her cheek causing her to collapse into the stone floor. Her hands slapping against the floor causing a loud clap.

"Don't touch her!" Terrence yelled out.

"Shut him up," The man said now proceeding to kick Sydney in her side.

Her body jerked at the force.

Before I could think, I picked my laptop up and threw it into the bookshelf in front of my desk watching it shatter into variously sized pieces. My chest was heaving with rough breaths as I attempted to control myself and not go on a bloody killing rampage. I dug my nails into the wood of my desk and watched the wood make way and splinter.

Elliot slammed his fist into my filing cabinet expressing the same livid anger humming in my blood. He growled lethally, "I'm going to kill my brother."

"Not before I get to him," I snarled.

"I know where they are keeping her," A small voice said from behind us.

We turned our attention to Brendon who stood with his fists balled and head down. I sometimes forget that Brendon was friends with Sydney too.

"Where?" I rushed towards him.

"It's where we used to have our meetings." He sounding ashamed of himself.

I want to know why was he working with them again?

As though sensing what I was thinking he added, "I was working for them to save my little sister. Plus I was there for Sasha..." He ended softly.

"How are you and Sasha mates?" Elliot asked exasperated beside me.

"I'm only an eighth wolf, and I never shifted." He answered plainly.

"Enough chit-chat. We need to save the future Luciana and the future Beta." My father announced breaking up out wasteful chit-chat.

"Get everyone ready to be on the road in ten." I told Luke.

He nodded and raced out the door, "On it."

☽✣☾

Terrence

I tried twisting my arms out of the guards' tight grips, but it wasn't happening.

Sydney yelped as Tether sent his foot flying into her stomach again and again. Her hair was matted with blood and every inch of her skin was marred with bruises and cuts.

"L-leave her the hell alone!" I growled out as vicious as I could.

I knew my words held no threat because I was useless here, but I could always hope that he might think over his actions. It quickly became clear that he didn't take my words to heart as he continued to beat her.

Sydney tried her best to fend of Tether's attacks but overwhelmed by Tether's brute strength, combined with the multiple doses of drugs they had been injecting us with, she seemingly stood no chance.

He grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and yanked her up off her feet to be face to face with him.

Just when I thought things could only get worse it turned out that I was wrong.

The doors to the cell busted open and a breathless man came in.

Tether let out a lethal growl as he turned to the door looking more predator than ever. His face was scrunched and it was then I saw all of Sydney's blood that was sprinkled over his face and on his shirt.

"Alpha, your mate, Jasmine called and said they are gearing up to ambush us. What do you want us to do?"

Jasmine? I thought to myself. Damnit! Why didn't I realize this earlier?

"Damn-it." Tether whispered to himself harshly.

He dropped Sydney onto the floor then turned to the two guards restraining me, "Get them in the safe room and don't let anyone other than me in. And you-" he turned his attention to the man that just came in "-get my mate on the phone. Tell her I don't want her anywhere near this fight. Whenever Logan, Elliot, or Jaycen gets involved it seems that mates drop like flies. Nothing will happen to my mate."

"Yes Sir." The three men said in sync.

"Come with me," Tether said to the wolf that just came in.

After the two left, the guard to my left said to the other on my right, "I'll grab her if you got him."

The right guard nodded but I yanked out of their grip. The two prepared to pounce on me but, I raised my hands almost to surrender.

"I'm just helping her up. We don't have the energy to fight out anyways..." I said softly, hating that it was the truth.

The two stopped but eyed me cautiously as I went to Sydney's side.

"Sydney," I whispered rolling her to face the ceiling.

Her left eye was swollen and black from one of the various punches. Her lips were cut in three different places and her cheek was swollen to the size of an orange. Her temple was what really worried me when I saw blood oozing extremely badly.

"Sydney, wake up. Please." I whispered helplessly brushing hair from her mouth and face.

Her head rolled and her eyes slowly opened.

"Terrence," She mumbled softly.

"Come on we need to get going," One of the guards said from behind.

Sydney tried to push herself up but not fast enough for the anxious guards.

One yanked her up and as her legs wobbled beneath her unable to support her she fell in his arms. He grunted and pushed her towards me. I barely caught her with a loud groan of the added pressure and weight to my aching body.

"This way," The other guard said.

Holding Sydney the best I could I followed him out, the other guard trailing close behind.

We were about two-thirds way down the prison-like hallway to a single thick metallic door when there was yelling from behind us.

We all turned to look at who it was.

A black-haired girl was swinging her hand to motion for one of our guards to come.

The one closest to her turned to our other guard and announced, "I'll check it out, Jeff. You get them in the safe room."

Our other guard-Jeff-nodded and said, "Alright."

The nameless guard took off jogging to the girl who looked towards a door with shock and fear.

"Come on," Jeff said, nudging us to the thick door.

Once to it, Jeff lifted a little panel and typed in a length of digits. The door opened with a 'PSSSSHHH' like it had been pressurized inside.

Both Sydney and I had shuffled in when Jeff's name was called by the same black-haired girl.

"Logan's getting out! Quick we need your help!" She cried.

"Shit," Jeff whispered to himself.

He went to close the door, but in the rush to contain Logan he didn't see me slip my hand between the door and doorway. I waited to feel the crushing pressure but was glad to find the heavy door wasn't automated to seal, and other than it's heavy weight, I was able to pull the metal vault-like door open.

I held onto Sydney and tried to think about what to do next.

My eyes fell on the built-in bench right behind Sydney. Sure that the door wasn't going to seal shut, I slowly lowered her down. Bending down awkwardly to face her, I cupped her pale face in my hand and knew she didn't wasn't in her right state of mind the way she was bleeding out from a cut in her temple.

Then I thought of something that was scarily used throughout packs.

"S-Sydney, listen okay? I'm going to give me some of my blood, and-and it's going to help heal you. Then you're going to run. Okay?"

She mumbled a barely audible 'no' before letting her head wave a little.

"Come on Sydney, let's just do this," I whispered not sure who I was trying to prepare for this.

I pulled on my shirtsleeve and searched for a cut in my arm, hoping I wouldn't have to make one. Luckily I found a cut on my forearm and placed it up to her chapped lips.

At first she didn't really notice anything, but then her eyes shot open with shock. Her eyes frantically flickered all around as she became more aware of everything around her.

She shoved my arm away and pushed herself away from me on the bench. Blood smeared across her lip and part of her chin as she hectically attempted to wipe it all away.

Despite the wildness in her eyes, she was certainly more alert, and her skin seemed to take on a little color.

"Come on, you need to go," I told her reaching out for her hand, as I heard voices outside our door.

Hearing the voices fade, I tried easing her towards the slightly ajar door.

"Okay, come here." Sydney tugged at my arm and squatted to thread if over her shoulders.

I pulled away.

"Terrence?" She asked bewildered.

"No Sydney you need to go alone."

"What? No," She shook her head profusely, "Come with me." She whispered sounding distraught as she tugged at my arm.

"No, I'll slow you down. You need to run and get help."

She pulled at the sleeve of her shirt and looking for a cut of her own, only to find them roughly scabbed over scratches.

"Just go. I'll be alright."

Sydney's eyes watered and she shook her head no once again.

"I'm not leaving you here to rot. Just come with me," She begged.

My eyes started to cloud with tears and I chocked them back knowing she wouldn't leave if they spilt, "No. I'm sorry Cinderella,"

I grabbed her arms and yanked her to me as with all the strength left in my body. I shoved her towards the door where she stumbled to the ground.

I opened my mouth to apologize again when there was yelling and growling down the hall.

Panicked I tried to pull her up and get her moving more quickly. My weakened muscles strained to pull the heavy door open.

"Now run Sydney!"

Her eyes flickered between me and the hallway when the decision was made for her.

Down the hall, metal and wood exploded and a body was violently thrown to the floor. A ferocious growl followed and echoed throughout the hall sending vibrations into out bones.

Logan came out of the room and with one glance I could see he had no control and was completely animal.

His eyes scanned from right to left till they landed on us. More precisely Sydney. His new target.

☽✣☾

EDITED JULY 6 2020