Alpha's Mate

Chapter 47: Art of Vengeance

"Jagger?!"

Leanna blinked, taken aback by the vampire before her.

He shot her a Cheshire grin, "Did you really think I'd leave you to fend for yourself? I haven't even been gone a week and look at the mess you've gotten yourself into."

A breathless laugh escaped her, relief flooding her veins like ice. "I guess I just like trouble," she sniffled, a wave of tears flooding her eyes.

"Come on, before that one comes to," Jagger rushed over to her, his eyes regarding her injuries. "It's a good thing I don't drink wolf blood because there is a lot coming out of you."

"Yeah, ya think?"

He snorted, "Less sass, more escape."

Pulling her to her feet, he glanced over at Rick. The wolf would gain consciousness soon, so they had to move quickly.

"That reminds me, Imogen gave me this. It'll hide you for the next 30 minutes," he pulled a small vial from his back pocket and she hesitated.

"Jagger..."

He sighed, "I know she's done a lot, so I'm not asking you to trust her. I'm asking you to trust me."

She met his baby blues, the sincerity clear. Without another word, she chugged the rancid-tasting liquid, shuddering.

"Ready to split?" He smiled and she nodded, eager to leave and return to Phoenix.

Moving out into the dimly lit hall, Leanna's eyes took a moment to adjust. When they did, her breath caught. The floor was littered with fallen bodies, broken violently. She looked up at Jagger, and he shrugged but something lingered in his eyes.

"Come on, we need to get moving. Is there a fucking window anywhere?' Jagger looked around, his eyes scanning the hall.

Leanna shook her head, "No. It's their way of deterring breakouts. If a rogue got loose, they would have to go up toward the pack. It's an easy trap."

"Well, fuck," he huffed.

"Wait, how did you even get here?" She looked at him, curious.

"Um, well, we used a portal, but we didn't want to raise suspicion, so she made it one way," he mumbled quietly.

"Well... Fuck!" Panic was slowly creeping back in as their chances of escape grew smaller. "We need to go now. Rick's going to wake up any minute now."

He nodded and grabbed her hand pulling her up the stairs, throwing open the door. There was thud as the door slammed into something, a man crumpling to the ground with a bloodied nose.

With no time to waste, they moved quickly throughout the house, hiding every so often when they heard something. It was a terrible game of hide and seek and it'd only be a matter of time before Rick sought them out with a vengeance.

Leanna did her best to avoid the thoughts of getting caught, focusing only on the task at hand. They were only a few feet away from the door when she a heard a voice that her freeze.

"Did you see her?" Elaine's voice was so different yet just as she remembered.

"Only for a moment," Elena's voice was soft, almost inaudible.

"I need to see her," Elaine's voice was riddled with regret and Leanna clutched her chest.

It was her way of holding back the loud sobs that threatened to spill out.

"She's my daughter," her adoptive mother carried on. "There's so much I have to tell her."

"I think you lost that right when you turned your back on her," the resentment was clear in Elena's voice and Leanna nearly laughed.