The Criminal and The Vigilante (boyxboy) Bk 3

Chapter 29; No time for marked graves.

Chapter 29

~Lucas’ POV~

It had been ten minutes since Rivers had dropped the bombshell. Ten minutes since I’d made a note of how many guards we’d need for the mission. Ten minutes since I’d made the swift decision to carry it out.

Ten excruciating minutes where all I’d felt was fear and worry and anger. Fear for the life of a man I loved beyond reason, worry for his wellbeing and anger at the fools who had dared to take him from me.

Since the moment he’d been taken I hadn’t allowed myself to believe that Adrian wouldn’t make it out of this alive. No matter how much time had passed for whatever reason I had housed the thought in the back of my mind that he’d be fine, that his brothers would rescue him and we would put all of this behind us and now that Rivers had relayed the news all I could think about was Adrian; his body lifeless in a marked grave.

I couldn’t allow that. I wouldn’t, because despite everything we’d been through I couldn’t continue without him; I couldn’t stand the pain of having to.

I allowed Jessie to rewrap the large bandage that covered my torso then it was back to business. I pulled out weapon after weapon from the armory passing them out to the others who’d already agreed to come along on this final rescue mission, then I turned to the guards I’d asked to gather.

There were over two hundred of them still here at the camp because, like a fool, Carson had put his pack before his own safety and had only taken less than half the men with him.

“I’ll need at least a hundred and fifty of you with me; suit up and be ready to move out in ten minutes.” I issued the order but no one moved a muscle. And this was the problem with pack guards; they only took orders from the Alpha and his Beta.

I clenched my teeth, pissed at their ridiculous sense of process in a time like this. As I watched them watch me I decided right there and then that I’d go with the few who had already volunteered and no matter what, I’d bring home Adrian and I’d even bring them back their Alpha who they now stupidly thought they were serving by standing there doing nothing.

I’d already turned to resume my weapon gathering so I was surprised when Laken placed a land on my shoulder to stop me and I watched as he turned to address the men.

“I’ve never known a set of pack guards to let down their Alpha in his time of need.” He began and the murmuring started.

“The Alpha himself gave us orders to remain here and protect the pack, do you expect us to defy him?” one guard spoke up and the others were quick to agree. The murmuring grew.

“The job of the pack guard is to protect every member of this pack to the best of his ability. You all made that pledge when you began and now your Alpha, your Beta and even your fellow guardsmen need your help and you would stand by and do nothing? Do you not have minds of your own to do as you deem fit for the wellbeing of your own pack?” Laken continued. His voice had risen a notch and the courtyard went silent.

“As the Alpha’s mate I won’t command you to do what’s right, but just know that if you stay here then you’re no more than cowards and I want no part in it! I’ll be going out to give aid to my leader in a time when he needs me the most. If any of you feel the need to do the same then you have ten minutes to grab your weapons and suit up. We need one hundred and fifty but if we fail to even get one at least I know who was willing to risk it all for a leader who has risked it all for them.”

When Laken ended his speech the yard was deathly silent and I stared at him in surprise. I’d never thought he was capable of such boldness and I found that when you were in love you saw sides of yourself you never even knew existed.