Prints on our hearts

Chapter Nineteen

While Alex and Dakota made a plan with miss Barred, Raoul called every member of his pack. They all arrived quickly. Once the plan was established and everyone was briefed, Raoul lead everyone down into the basement where he had an arsenal. Everyone loaded quickly. He grabbed Alex and pulled her aside. "I crafted this when your mother first told me she was pregnant. It's sharp enough to go through bone.", he said handing her a well-crafted dagger. She smiles and strapped it to her upper thigh. Everyone loaded up into trucks and jeeps and followed Miss Barred as she flew ahead of them. She had found where Charles was hiding out. It was an old rundown warehouse. Inside, he had Amelia locked up. James was chained and beaten near the center. As she sat beside her father in his truck, Alex stared at a picture of Alma on her phone. As a tear rolled down her cheek, she looked up to her father. "I need to make a quick stop.", she said as her voice began to crack. He nodded and called Miss Barred back to the truck. She flew in the window and sat on the dashboard as Alex directed them to a friend. They all pulled up to the medical center. She hopped out and took Dakota with her. The doctor met her inside with a smile. She shook his head. "Have you perfected the egg fertilization?", she asked quickly. Dakota looked at her confused then back to the doctor who nodded. "Indeed I have. Ready to take me up on my offer?", he asked not realizing the rush. She nodded. "We have to be quick. It's important.", she pleaded with him. He nodded and took them back. He only numbed the one spot and quickly began to work. After about 10 minutes, she was stitched back up where he had extracted bone marrow. She turned to Dakota after she had her shirt back on. "You are to hurry back to Alma. Bring her here. As quickly as you can. Once he is done you take her home and you keep her there. Do you understand?", she said in a stern tone. He nodded and hurried out. Alex took some painkillers from the doctor and hurried back out to the trucks. Raoul did not question his daughter but hurried on their way. Alex held tight to the M16 in her hands. They were a few hours ride from the warehouse. Her thoughts stayed on Alma. She had promised to return home safe but now she wasn't sure she could keep that promise. They were all walking right into a trap and they knew it. The pack would follow their alpha anywhere though and right now he was following his only daughter. As they drove, Alex's mind raced. So many things could go wrong and so many people could die. Could she handle that? All the thinking was giving her a headache. She was not going to lose anyone and she was going to make damned sure of it. Despite all of the hell she was about to run right into, Alex's mind wandered to Alma. Every smile she had ever given Alex, every kiss they had ever shared, and most importantly, the promise she gave her. The one she was sure she was going to break. At least she had a chance to have a child. Alex had made sure of it. He was a good doctor and would take good care of her. Plus, she trusted Dakota to protect them all with his life. She knew he did not want to leave her but she had given him a direct order. She just prayed he would obey and keep Alma far away from this. A feeling deep in her gut told her that they were running headfirst into a trap. Did they have another choice? He had Amelia. There was no other choice. She had to save her baby girl. At any cost. The only thing keeping her sane was that Amelia was very skilled in combat. She was smart too. The crushing feeling in her chest grew as she thought what Charles could be doing to her. The horrible thought sickened her to her core. A growl rose involuntarily in her throat. Raoul glanced over at her. "We will get him I promise.", he said with his greatest attempt to be soothing despite the circumstances. After an awkward silence filled the air, he spoke. "Gods how I wish I could have raised you and protected your mother. I was ready for a happy family. Safe and sound. I understand why she panicked. I just wished I had taken you home when I first discovered where you were. Things would be so different for you know.", he said as he fought to keep his voice from cracking. Alex forced a smile. "That is true but if you had then I would not have Amelia or Alma.", she said quietly as a pair of beautiful green eyes flashed in her mind. He glanced from the road and over to her. "Alma. Is she my future daughter-in-law?", he questioned, trying to lighten the mood. She smiled at the picture and held it out for him to look at. He looked down and smiled. "My daughter has great taste. She is indeed beautiful.", he said proudly. Alex could not help the pride that swelled in her heart. A man she had wanted to know her whole life was expecting everything she told him. There was never a tone of doubt or anger in his voice when he praised her. It made her believe she could do anything. The rest of the ride was silent. Alex tried her damnedest to attempt to rest or relax but there was not easing her racing mind. No matter how hard she fought it, she kept seeing James and Amelia dead in the back of her mind. It was a haunting though which continued to return every time she believed she had gotten rid of it. The thoughts gave her a migraine. She sighed and stared out the window at everything racing by. All trees and bushes plus the occasional animal which was frightened and racing back into the forest. At some point in time, she eventually nodded off. She was awoken by her father shaking her slightly and telling her they were almost there. There were on a dirt road now. Dust flew up all around the trucks. They emerged from the trees to see a large rundown warehouse just as Miss Barred described. Grass grew up everywhere and there were cement blockades sitting around. The trucks pulled to a stop and slowly, everyone got out. It was dead silent as Miss Barred flew to a man holding out a sheet with a stack of clothes on the hood of the truck. Once changed she was handed a rifle to match Alex's. Everyone listened carefully and began their search of the grounds. Alex was headed straight for the doors when gunfire and shouts erupted around them. They were being ambushed from all sides. Charles had known and had set up the perfect trap. She dove behind a blockade with her father as bullets flew all around them. They were both breathing hard. Alex tensed, ready to spring. As soon as he had to reload, she was going to end him. She looked around to see all out hell breaking loose. Wolves flying at men, bullets flying everywhere, and cries of agony. She looked over to the warehouse to see the door open. She looked over to her father. "Cover me!", she shouted above the gunfire. He nodded and quickly gave her cover fire as she darted towards the warehouse. Once inside, her eyes quickly adjusted to the lack of light. She looked around quietly and began to head for what she believed to be the middle of the warehouse. As she rounded hopefully her last large shelf, she saw James. Tied and bloodied. "James!", she cried out. Her armor was gone. Her defence was down. He looked up and panic spread across her face. As she turned around prepared to shoot, something large and hard collided with her skull. She fell in slow motion to the ground. She blinking slowly as the pain in her head overwhelmed her. The last thing she could remember seeing was a stream of blood running down her nose. After that, everything around her went black and she went numb.