Shadow Wars

Chapter 12 - Mags

For some reason, my anger was larger than life. Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't get in contact with any of my troops. Or maybe it was the fact that that damn rogue was still on the loose. Either way, I wasn't happy and I knew exactly where to go to release some stress.

I headed down to the cells, unaccompanied. My two wanna-be guards stayed at the entrance of the prison. I didn't need any protection down here. This was my place. Besides, I wanted some alone time with the remaining three prisoners of that rogue leader.

I walked around the corner and saw the three sleeping. They were still extremely weak from the poison. I turned off the gas and pressed one of my favorite buttons. I call it the reveal. Red lights flashed and a high pitched sound blared. The doors were opening. But not really.

After a previous incident where a prisoner tried to escape, I installed this little baby. It is a 6 inch thick clear glass that had been mixed with wolfsbane and silver dust. I've learn to mixed everything with these two. Most wolves cannot stand the touch or smell of either. But they aren't me.

Mags was the first to wake up as I leaned against the wall. Her long red hair was frizzy and sticking to her face. She was still wearing the dirty tank top and shirt off short that she wore when she first arrived. She pushed her hair off her fave, as she started to sit up. She pulled her knees close to her chest as she leaned against the padded wall.

Looking at her actually calmed me. Maybe it was her youth or her innocence. I don't know what it was about her but she put my wolf at ease. She reminded me that I had a promise to keep. She looked up and saw me.

"Come to take another one of us to our death," she said harshly.

"Death," I grinned. "Of course not. I'll be setting you free soon."

"Free?"

"Yes," I simply said. "I made a deal with your friend, Dylan. If he takes my troop into the forest to help find the rogue leader, then I would set you and your friends free."

"He would never help you," she growled.

"Yet, he did." I stood up straight, moving closer to her cell. "I never intended to hurt you. I just really want him dead and I will do whatever it take to do it. If you only knew the whole story, you would understand my hatred towards him."

"Runs deep, huh," she added. I nodded. "I can relate. Before I met Luke, there was another. We were suppose to be mates. You know, the whole 'love of my life, high school sweetheart' thing. It turned out to be a trick. He wasn't my true mate but he refused to let me go."

"So, what did you do?" I asked, very interested in her story.

She shrugged, "I did what I had to do. There wasn't anything that would keep me from the one I was meant to be with, my true mate."

At that exact moment, Luke started to stir. He rubbed his drowsy eyes and crawled over the the wall that separated the two and leaned his head against it. Not once had he looked up to see me. It was like he was in a dream state and he just needed to get to her.

"Mags," he whispered.

She smiled, "I'm still here."

He rubbed the padding of the cell as if he were touching her and sighed. When he finally sat down, he noticed me. He jumped a little. Maybe it was because I was fascinated by his action. I'm sure I looked strange to him. He stared at me as I stared right back. I smiled to lighten the mood but that only darkened his eyes.

"It's okay," I smiled bigger. "I would be hesitant towards me, too. It's not like I've treated you fairly. But soon, you won't even have to worry about that."

"What do you mean by that," he asked. His eyes remained as dark as the Blackwood Forest.

"It means we going to be free," Mags replied, happily. "And, I can see you again."

Luke narrowed his eyes, "Really?" I nodded. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"You'll see it soon enough. It should be only a matter of time before my troops return and you three will have no more trouble from me. Well, as long as you stay out of my territory."

Just then, Travis linked me. They were on their way back but something was wrong. And just like that, he was gone. It was just that fast. I didn't know what to make of it. I looked at the three prisoner in from of me: two fully awake and fully in love with each other and who was just waking up one. I was hoping their friend wasn't dead, fighting in a battle not his, for a freedom not promised. That would be tragic.

I stepped back from the glass, "It looks like my troops are heading back."

"What about Dylan? Is he still alive?" Luke asked.

I couldn't answer that. I honestly didn't know if he was or not. I just smiled, "I rather not spoil the surprise."

I walked over to the switches and stopped. I looked over my shoulder, and closed the lockbox. "I guess I can keep this off for a while. You'll need your strength, if I was to release you."

"Are we going home," Titus said, drowsy.

He turned to look at me. That's when I noticed an interesting necklace around his neck. It was a round pendant with three wolves forming a trinity knot. It was definitely Celtic. I've never seen anything like it before and I liked it.

I smiled, "Yeah, you are."

And with that, I walked away, heading back to my office. I knew I was going to be waiting a while for my guys to return. I didn't know what shape they were in or if they had that rogue. It was a tough battle and didn't know the extent of it.

When I entered my office, I couldn't sit down. I couldn't think of anything other then the condition of my troops. What if they never returned? What if they were attacked in the way back? What then? My mind started working overtime for an event that might not happen. But if it did, what would I do?

I needed to have a backup plan for if Damien did not return. I needed to have something in place for the unthinkable. I stared out of my office's window, thinking of several possibilities. But nothing was good enough, not without him.

I don't know how long I stood there. The scenery wasn't the greatest but we are warriors not gardeners. However, the fallen leaves just reminded me of our fallen soldiers. How they lost their lives and we are still in the same spot we were when we started? So many wolves, dead and gone.

Just then, Neil knocked on the door and opened it, "Damien is back." I smiled subconsciously.

"Does he have 'Him'? I asked.

"I'm not sure." he replied as I nodded. "Sorry, Alpha."

Neil closed the door and I turned back towards my window. I stared out trying to determine my next move. If Damien wasn't successful, we would try again in a few months. Nothing has changed. We are still the strongest pack. And with Damien's return, we are even stronger still. I am Alpha and I will act like an Alpha. That rogue will be captured and killed. That I can guarantee, if it's the last thing I do.