Elliot

The door of his room opened and he came in with a small pep in his step.

"Where have you been for the past few days?" I asked Logan from the chair behind Logan's desk.

Logan looked over at me when he finally realized I was in his room.

"What are you doing here Brother?" Logan asked sharply.

"Waiting for you to get home. Where were you?" I asked leaning forward in the chair, very interested in what my twin brother had to say for himself.

"I was picking up Sydney and cutting off a loose end. Why must you know?" Logan asked with a playful edge to his deep voice.

"You what?!" Fury struck through me and I shot up to my feet.

"Quite down Brother. Wouldn't want the rest of the pack to hear now would you?"

Logan walked around the room and unbuckled his watch dropping it onto his dresser.

"What did you do to Sydney?" I demanded through a clutched jaw.

Logan turned and faced me with a smirk playing on his lips "Why little Brother, is that anger and possessiveness in your tone?"

I threw an accusing finger at him. "You shut the hell up Logan. You know damn well I asked you not to hurt her!"

My brother smirk turned more evil. "Yes, I know what you said Brother, but you know that for my plan to go on, there is no way she cannot get hurt."

"Logan, why not go directly to the source of the problem!? Why jump through hoops and hurt innocent peop-"

A mad look took ahold of Elliot's eyes, "Innocent? Innocent!? How the hell is she innocent!? She is the mate of the scumbag that killed Lilly and Ceciley!"

Right then and there I nearly lost it. My wolf surfaced for the first time in a long time. A vicious growl exploded from me. "Don't you DARE say her name! You have no right!"

Logan took a breath and calmed himself before saying anything else to me, "Elliot, all I am saying is that this is all Jaycen's fault. And don't you want him to-"

"How is this his fault!? It was his father who was in power not him!"

Logan stalked towards me his face red with rage, "Jaycen was the one who ended my precious Lilly's life! And Elliot I don't give a fuck if you have some stupid fucking crush on Sydney, I am going to inflict as much pain as possible until she drops bloody and dead. Only then will Jaycen know the pain he's caused! I'm going to make that fucking son of a bitch pay for what he did to my mate! Do you understand me Elliot!?" My brother roared.

No. No I fucking don't. You are lucky I'm not strangling you with my bare hands. My usually dormant wolf threatened.

"Take me to Sydney."

Logan's eyes narrowed down on me. "Don't think about doing anything stupid Elliot. She's our prisoner."

I remained silent hoping that would just compile. Thankfully he did and we started to walk downstairs to the basement where all the cellars were.

"So what was this loose end you were talking about?" I asked.

"Brendon."

"What?" I asked looking at my brother, bewildered.

"Well, that wasn't originally the plan, but he got in the way of me taking Sydney."

"Have you told Sasha?" I asked almost hesitantly.

He looked towards me confusedly. "No. Why would I?"

Before I could tell him why he should tell our little sister, we stopped in front of the furthest cellar.

"Mind you Brother; she has been in here ever since our arrival," Logan said sharply looking at me out of the corner of his eye. "She has been unconscious for two days. That stuff Brendon gave us worked like a charm. Who would've thought holy silver would knock a white wolf out for two maybe more days straight?"

"You did what?!" I asked him through clutched teeth.

He didn't answer. Pulling out a steel key from his pocket he unlocked the heavy metal door.

My eyes immediately fell on pale Sydney who sat barely awake on some weird white sheet and what looked to be a piece of thick plywood.

Rushing to her side I looked over her pale and confused face.

"What the hell Logan!? She's hurt and she's been out for over a day and a half! Has she even been feed yet!? And what the fuck is this she's sleeping on!? Is this an excuse for fucking bed?!"

I felt the urge to reach out and cup her soft face as she blinked away her tears to look at me clearly.

"You will not speak to me that way. I am your Alpha!" Logan growled out at me. "Do you fucking understand me you bastard?"

I dropped my gaze from Sydney's beautiful eyes to the floor, swallowing hard. "Yes, Alpha."

"You better you fucking idiot. Now, I'm going to go get her some food and clothes. Don't do anything stupid while I'm out, Brother."

Logan turned and left the room leaving me alone with Sydney.

Sighing I looked down at her and whispered, "I'm going to save you."

After I told her I would save her she stared at me with confusion.

"Elliot?" She asked.

A frown curled on my lips, "Yes."

"Why?" Sydney questions sounding dazed.

"Why what?" I asked, thoroughly confused.

"Why are you so-called going to so-called help me?"

Sighing, I gingerly brushed a curl from her face. "You just remind me of someone."

"Who?" She asked, curiosity playing on her face.

"I'll tell you later but for now we need to get out. I'll come back tonight when everyone's asleep. I will bring you some clothes then we will take one of the cars and drive some of the ways back. Then we'll ditch the car and find someplace to stay for the night and run all the way back to your pack the next day. Okay?"

She looked at me curiously and glanced back towards the doorway, then rapidly nodded.

I looked over her to see the rest of her condition. Though she was pale and bruised in some areas she was seemingly all right until my gaze landed upon her hands.

"What the hell happened here?!" I demanded with a snarl.

She sighed weakly showing her hands, "The bars. They are either laced with something or covered in it...I don't know what it is." She said softly, not looking me in the eye.

Standing up I examined the bars in the door.

Brushing my pointer finger over the bar I jump back with a yelp.

"Elliot, what the hell!?" My brother growled coming back down the corridor to my aid with clothes and a blanket in hand.

"What's this Logan?" I demanded turning to face my brother with a scowl.

"It's to keep the fucking prisoners from reaching out and touching things they shouldn't. Why did you touch it?"

"Because Sydney's hands are messed up now!"

Logan turned to Sydney, concern briefly played on his normally set in stone face. "Let me see Darling."

"Fuck you." She spat out.

My brother's face lost its concern and he started smiling like a chester cat. "Gladly Darling-"

Standing up, I got between the two of them huffing with the need to shift and defend the beautiful and innocent girl behind me. "You stay the hell away Sydney."

"Brother, I thought we talked about this? We are doing this for our mates," He emphasized, smiling an evil smirk.

"I never said anything about allowing you to touch her in any way."

Logan stared at me deciding what route he was going to take. "Whatever. I'm sending guards down here in a moment. Again Brother don't do anything stupid." Logan then turned and stomped off taking down the hall.

I didn't even need to see Sydney to know how angry she was. I could feel her anger coming off her in waves that made it difficult to breathe.

Turning around I knelt beside her and held her by her arms.

"You okay?" I asked softly.

She nodded.

"Well here's the blankets, a set of clothes, and here's some food to hold you off till tonight."

"Alright." She said quietly.

"I'll be back tonight. Be ready."

"Not like I can do much else," Sydney said as I stood in the doorway of her cellar.

I chuckled softly at her. "Okay, Sweetheart. Tell the guards if you need me."

"Okay."

Turning out of the room I reluctantly closed the heavy door slowly.

"Oh, Elliot?" Sydney called.

I turned and looked at her through the holy silvered bars. I smiled down at her, which prompted her to ask, "What?"

"Nothing, I think that's the first time you've called me by my name." I smiled shaking my head in disbelief. Happy disbelief. "But what did you want to say?"

"I wanted to say, thank you."

I quirked my eyebrow up. "For what?"

"For helping me."

I smiled softly. "Of course Sweetheart."

☽✣☾

Sydney

I was rudely awakened by the chill of the cellar along with the sound of footsteps.

"Sydney. You awake?"

While I was asleep, I certainly wasn't in a deep slumber, "Yeah. You got everything ready?" I asked Elliot, rising from my make-shift bed.

Immediately my back and sides began to ache as a result of the harsh 'bed.'

"Mhm, I just needed to grab you and we'll be out of this place for good." Elliot said, unlocking the heavy door.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked waiting for him to open the door, shifting from foot to foot due to the extremely cold stone floor.

Elliot sighed softly, "Because, I don't agree with my brother and what he's planning."

When he didn't offer anything additional, I remained silent until he opened up the door.

"C'mon Sweetheart. We need to get out of here as soon as possible."

I nodded and came to his side.

"Want me to grab you a blanket? It's cold down here."

"Oh, I'll grab it thank you," I said briefly, grabbing one of the warmer blankets and then rushed right back to Elliot's side.

"Now come on Sweetheart," Elliot already scanning the corridor.

I nodded and followed him as lead us up the stairs from the cold basement and weaved us out of what struck me the size of a mansion by the long and winding hallways.

The whole time we kept silent, in fear of someone waking up.

"We have to walk by some of the pack who are supposed to be on guard, okay?" Elliot asked me in a hushed voice.

I simply nodded and carefully followed him through an open doorway, into a living room.

There were two boys on the couch. Their feet in each other's faces and their limbs sprawled out all over the couch. Another boy slept with a girl folded in his arms on the short love seat. The brown-haired girl he was holding was nuzzled into him like a puzzle piece. Four other people slept strewed across the floor.

Elliot looked at me and pointed to the four people lying on the ground seeing as that was pretty much the only way to go.

I nodded to him understanding what he meant.

He went first, tip-toeing over the people making it to the other side before I went.

Carefully placing my fanned toes in between the first and second guy, I briskly stepped over the second guy so I had my other foot between the second and third guy.

About to shift my weight to the foot between the second and third guy, the third guy rolled onto my toes and wrapped his arms around my leg.

I bit my lip to retain a yelp.

"...I erm miss..." The boy's words drowned off.

Locking my eyes with Elliot's I saw his start to have the tint where I knew his eyes were getting ready to darken in either anger or fear. I was going with fear.

Elliot held out his arms like I was supposed to hug him. When I didn't move, he wiggled his hands to motion me to start moving.

Taking my back foot I carefully stepped over the third guy, in between him and the last fella.

Looking to Elliot he held up a finger to have me wait a moment.

Bending down he carefully pried the boys' fingers from my leg. Then I slowly pulled my foot out from under him and completely stepped over him.

Elliot stood up after carefully placing the boy's hand on the ground. He turned to me and looked ready to signal me to go on when someone said. "Haley!" I jumped and Elliot's hand found mine as he pushed me behind him, ready to fight. "Haley...don't leave me....I didn't mean it..."

Looking down it was the same boy just talking in his sleep.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Elliot tugged my hand and we continued to move.

When we finally made it to the garage door we carefully slipped in before closing and bolting the door shut.

"The light should be here somewhere..." Elliot drowned off in the dark from beside me.

There was a click and the light turned on illuminating the room.

I was met with the sight of a huge garage filled with the most expensive cars and trucks.

"Holy..." I couldn't even finish my sentence I was so shocked.

"Come on. We are going in the black SUV down at the end. Nobody will miss it."

I walked down to the SUV at a quick past alongside Elliot.

"Go on and get in I just need to-" Elliot was cut off by the sound of the garage door, that lead to the outside opening.

"Hide!" Elliot quietly rasped.

I dropped down to hide under the car, but it was too late.

The fiery redhead saw us, and her jaw nearly dropped. She ripped out her earbuds and stuffed them in her pick jacket pockets.

"Sasha please don't tell Lo-"

"What the hell is going on!?" Redhead hissed.

"Sasha, this is Sydney. Sydney this is my little sister Sasha."

Awkwardly, not knowing what else to do, I fanned my fingers and did a small wave.

"Eh, hello?" I asked more than said.

"Ehh, hi. Um, mind if I talk to my bro real quick."

I shook my head, "No not at all. I'll just, um, be in the car." I squeaked.

Elliot nodded, and I hopped in sealing them out of my world for just a moment.

☽✣☾

Elliot

"What are you doing Elliot?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Sasha hissed.

"I can't let Logan hurt her. What has she done!? She's as innocent as Brendon..." I said drowned off.

"What?" Sasha asked, suddenly eerily calm.

I looked up and meet her very blue eyes. "Oh god, Sasha. I'm sorry I didn't know I forgot-"

"Forgot what?!" She demanded.

"Logan said he tied up 'loose ends'."

"What? What do you mean 'loose ends'? Where's Brendon?" Sasha asked a slight sliver of helplessness already burrowing into her voice.

"Sasha. I don't know-"

"Oh my god!" Sasha, cried collapsing to the floor.

I rushed over to her side and held my little sister to me.

Sydney too rushed out of the car and to my side.

"What's wrong?" She asked me. "Is she okay?"

"Do-do you know what happened to Brendon?" Sasha asked Sydney, with bloodshot eyes from the crying which had now taken a toll on her body.

Sydney frowned and swallowed hard before nodding yes. "Yeah..."

Sasha looked at her hopefully. "Is he okay?"

Sydney dropped her gaze from Sasha. "I-I don't know...He shot him before he took me...I'm sorry I have no clue."

Sasha burst into tears again.

"Sasha, Sweetie, tell me what's wrong." I cooed to her.

"Br-Brendon's my mate," She sobbed.

Sydney gasped while my heart broke for my hurt sister.

"B-but don't you both have to be werewolves to be mates?" Sydney asked.

Sasha nodded and sobbed. "Brend had some werewolf blood in him. He didn't shift or anything. Oh god. He's dead. I knew something was wrong," She chocked out.

"Hey, hey. We don't know that. My mate and his pack were there. And now that I think about it, they probably have him with the pack stitched up and they're asking him questions! You would know for certain it if he was gone wouldn't you?" Sydney suggested.

Sasha pondered on this theory for a moment before nodding. "Mean, I know something was off, but maybe y-you're right."

I smiled seeing my baby sister and the girl who had a part of my heart talking and working together.

"Okay, Sash, we need to go before someone notices that she's gone. Will you keep this a secret? Pretend you never saw us."

Sasha nodded. "Of course big bro. I would never turn on you."

I frowned. "But I thought you were with Logan on what was going on."

She swallowed hard and I saw Sydney move to the SUV out of the corner of my eye, giving us privacy.

"No. I never thought what you guys were planning was right. The Starling Pack had every right to start a war with Lily's...I don't think they went about with the killings the right way though...but more death never solves anything..."

I heard some voices from inside the house.

"Sasha, we have to go. Stay here and act like you know nothing alright?"

Sasha nodded.

Standing up she walked over to Sydney.

"Keep my big bro safe, will you?"

Sydney's eyes passed to me then back to my sister. "Of course."

Sasha smiled and hugged her.

"Good, I'm on your side."

After we swapped goodbyes I got in the driver's side and Sydney hopped into the passenger's seat.

"You got everything?" I asked her.

Nodding, we looked to Sasha who clicked the button to have the garage door behind us open.

Backing out, I quickly drove us away from that horrid house, and hopefully closer to freedom and happiness.

But, as I suspected it only took only forty-five minutes of driving for my phone to start ringing from between Sydney and me in the console.

We exchanged looks and we both had a pretty good idea who it was and why they were calling.

☽✣☾

EDITED JUNE 25 2020