WILLIAM

I couldn't believe it. Was that my brother's voice after eight years of silence?

Jeremy's thoughts smiled. Hey little bro.

I was stunned. Completely speechless.

When I didn't offer anything, he continued. Hey, uh Will? I don't want to alarm you any more than necessary, but I've got an unconscious girl here. Said she was your mate. Mind finding us some rope?

You've got Kara!? Yes, she's my mate! Where are you?

He smirked through his thoughts. Pretty one Willyboy.

I growled. Did he have to joke around right now?

His thoughts laughed. I wouldn't growl at the man who was holding my girl away from a pack of hungry mutateds.

I gasped and restarted my search, nose to the ground again. Where are you? I can't get a scent on her.

We're in an underground cavern. I'm not sure where it is, but there is a small trap door at the top. She came in through it. If you'll get some rope, we can climb her out. Don't fall in or you'll be trapped too.

A cavern? I ran back to where her scent disappeared and stuck my nose into the dirt and scooted around minutely. I zeroed in for any change, and a small puff of cool air drug over my cheek. I stopped and gazed at the area.

With a breath inward and closing my eyes, I shifted human. Opening my eyes, I spread the leaves away and there was a single switch. I pressed on it, and the ground shifted under my arms opening in a two foot square. I arched back to make sure I didn't fall in and then peered down.

Even my wolf eyes couldn't see to the very bottom.

Heyyy, he laughed. There you are. Good to see you Willyboy. Missed your ugly mug.

I turned back to the sandy wolf who was gazing with wide eyes at the trap door. "Can you get some rope? Sturdy. And lots of it."

The wolf gave a nod and then shot off with the white wolf racing behind.

"Is Kara okay?" I shouted to the hole.

"I think so," he called up, but the sound echoed around the cavern causing chattering and grunting of other creatures. "She's unconscious, but she's breathing."

"Is she safe? You said there were werecreatures down there?"

"We're holding the mutateds off for now. They aren't trying to attack."

"She healed you? You were one them?"

He stopped yelling over the creature's sounds and linked instead. Yeah. She put her hands on a few of us and we're human again. But she passed out.

How many of you are there?

Five of us she changed. Me and Jack are awake, the other three are unconscious. There's ten more halfsies and fourteen mutateds.

I was about to ask what that meant, but the trapdoor then closed automatically. I jumped back trying to make sure a hand didn't get caught.

William! Jer started panicking.

I'm still here. Hold on. I searched the area and grabbed a broken piece of log, setting it on the switch. The door flipped back open, and I peered inside.

How far is it down? Do you know?

Uh, he paused, I can't tell. Fifty? Maybe a hundred feet? Hope your friend brings lots of rope.

Me too. I looked up to the way that Evan and his mate had ran, hoping to see them coming back. I took the few steps over to the tree and placed my clothes back on.

I tried to reach Eric through mind link, but the connection was spotty this far from pack borders, so I pulled out my phone and texted.

Found Jeremy and lots of other werecreatures on Fremont land. Kara healed some. East about a mile from the turn off route 24. Dirt road. Contact Alpha David.

Evan and his mate came back, both holding coils of rope between them. They spat it at my feet. "Thank you," I told the wolves and then tied the rope against the tree trunk using plenty of tight knots.

I yelled down to the cavern. "I've got the rope tied. I'm coming down!"

Evan and Carla then shifted to human, tossing on clothes from their bags.

"I've got her Will," Jeremy cautioned from below. "You need to stay up there and make sure the rope stays attached."

I turned to Evan and pointed at the rope. "Stay with it. If it breaks, you need to get more."

My phone dinged a text in my pocket. I took it out and looked. It was Eric.

Jeremy?? He's alive? I've got a message to David to send a medical crew. Do you need anything else?

No. Thanks E. They're all in a big cavern underground. I'm going after Kara.

I didn't wait for some idiotic alpha command to stop me from getting to my mate. I tossed the rope down and waited for some indication that it hit floor.

I've got it Will. I'll be right up.

Forget it. I'm coming down. You've got to help the others.

He sighed through the link but didn't argue. He knew the pull to keep a mate safe. Then my heart poured out thinking of his lost mate and almost choked thinking Kara could die. His Faith really did die in the rogue attacks thirteen years ago. To live that long without a mate? I couldn't even process it now. They had loved each other so much.

"You okay?" He called up when I stalled at the top.

"I'm fine." I shook out the horrible thoughts of a life without Kara by my side and started climbing down.

The darkness soon surrounded me as I descended, the trapdoor opening high like a canlight in a ceiling. My wolf eyes took over and started to adjust to the lack of light.

The cavern was a wide room like a basketball stadium, a dark cave opening high to the right set in the wall. Rounded walls made of soil and various roots grew out into the vastness. Shadowy bodies lined the floor walls, moving in agitation, growling low sounds. The low babble of water came from the steep left. The feeling of sinister eyes watching my every move hovered around me.

As I got closer to the ground, two bodies focused in. One standing upright, another carrying a limp form.

Kara!

I jumped the rest of the way to the muddied floor, narrowly missing a filthy bare man laying lifeless.

My eyes were on my mate and I surged forward to take her into my arms. Once she was against me, my eyes closed in pure relief and joy. Even if she was out, she was alive and with me. I kissed her forehead and tightened her against me.

Don't ever do that to me again. I cautioned the sleeping girl.

Jeremy's hands came up in disgruntlement. "Hey. Hi? Brother who saved your mate from gettin' eaten here. Also, haven't seen the sky for like a hundred years."

I smirked over to him, and adjusted Kara so I could nudge him with my elbow. "Good to see you Jer. Missed you."

He was thin and coated in blood and grime and he desperately needed a shave and haircut. But it was him, just a mess of him. His white teeth shown bright against the filth. "Good to see you too."

The other upright wolf, just golden eyes against dirt, spoke with annoyance. "Can we keep the family reunion short? I'd like to get out of this place."

I surveyed the wolves at the back walls. All were various stages of werecreature. Some transformed fully like the Hollywood monsters in the dungeon, others more like Evan was after he was half healed.

"How many did she try to heal before she lost power?"

Jeremy stared down at the bodies on the floor. "Us five."

I motioned to the wall where the partially healed creatures were. "What about them?"

He followed my gaze. "No. She didn't touch the rest."

It was eerily spooky how they just stood. Even the fully diseased monsters just circled the walls instead of dashing out to attack. One jumped forward a few feet like it was ready to, but a hiss from an almost healed wolf pushed it back in formation.

"Why aren't they attacking?"

Jeremy's eyes followed around the room. "I'm the acting alpha. I told them to stay off the girl."

I looked down to the unconscious three dug into the mud. How would we carry them all up? I tried to come up with a plan. We couldn't leave any down at the mercy of the werecreatures. So that meant getting them all up at once.

I thought quick and then widened Kara's neck, latching on my marks. Wake up honey. We need you to climb yourself out.

Her eyes widened and she gave a sharp intake of breath, muscles tightening in my hold. Then she slackened and groaned in pain, holding her head and making a raspy cough.

When her eyes opened again, gold of her inner wolf started shifting through while her eyes adjusted to the dark. She shocked straight at the sight before her.

"It's okay. We're in a cavern. You just healed these men. I know you're tired, but I need you to climb out on your own. The rest of us need to carry the others."

Her head twisted to look down at the unconscious men and then up at the spot of light above us. "Okay," she said meekly.

I put her down and steadied her as her feet slipped in the muddy floor. "You good?"

"Yeah. I'm good."

As her eyes fluttered to werecreatures flanking the outer walls, I started to feel her healer presence coming forward. I cautioned, "sweetheart, stay in control."

"Shouldn't I help them?"

"You will. But not right now. We'll come back. I promise."

She nodded, eyes still on them.

"Jeremy, you grab that one," I pointed to a body, and then to the one Jeremy called Jack, "You must be Jack? You grab that one. We're going to have to shoulder carry while we climb."

"No," Kara's voice was rough and adamant as she stared to the light above us.

"No?" I asked, already crouched to my charge.

"No." She stated firmly. Her eyes were ablaze with gold, but I knew the healer hadn't taken full control. This was just Kara. These men aren't capable of making the rope with another weighing them down.

I looked at Jeremy and Jack. They did seem incredibly frail after possible years of being stuck down the cavern.

"I can wake the others. They will have enough strength to pull themselves out."

One of the monster werecreatures then dashed forward, jaws snapping in fierceness. I was on the verge of shifting when two humanized creatures leapt on it, shoving it to the muddy floor and holding it down in the muck. Kara's eyes glowed a raging gold as her gaze strayed to the other beasts at the walls. The ones with more humanistic features nodded a bow and then turned to guard over the more extreme creatures.

"What did you do?" I asked, seeing the creatures converge.

"I told them I would be back for them and to beg their help that we be able to leave without harm."

Jeremy looked to the beasts, eyes filling with confusion. "I can't link them anymore."

Jack followed. "Me neither."

"It's Kara's power. She's a healer. For some reason she can still link them like that. The rest of us never could."

"Is that why no one came when we called?" Jeremy's eyes met mine. "You couldn't hear us."

"You tried to call out? No, we couldn't Jer. I'm sorry if you thought we abandoned you."

He gave a sad half smile and nodded.

My eyes met Kara's and motioned to the still men. "Wake them. Try to stay in control."

"I think I can." She then knelt down in the sludge close to the men, eyes closing. Only her fingertips brushed over the man's filthy hair before he was leaning to her. She did the same with the other two and stood as they slowly started to come around.

One looked up to her and after a moment followed the line of the rope to the sky. He nodded and stood on rocky feet.

The second followed in the same motion, but the third stared at the rope and then his hands. She smiled and leaned to him, hand outstretched. His weary eyes watched her hand, and then to me. He must have sensed the presence of our matebond and was worried about the touch. I nodded a single acceptance. He put his hand in hers and I could almost feel the energy flowing through her to him. Her link to him, passed into me as well. All will be okay Ethan. You just need to climb and then you'll be able to feel the sun. Scent the flowers. Taste pure water. See Alexandria.

His smile lifted to her and she helped him stand.

Kara looked to me. They're ready.

What about you? Are you ready?

She smiled softly and looked up, but fear flowed through her.

The excessive use of her power showed as she swayed. Waking the men hadn't helped her.

"I can carry you," I offered.

"I can do it on my own." She shook her head sadly. I'm stronger than they are at the moment. It will challenge them to see a female go up.

"Okay." I couldn't contain my grin as I fell in love with the girl just a bit more. She was trying to be the leader I knew she already was. Then guide the way, my lady. I motioned to the rope.

"I feel like I'm in high school gym". She grabbed the rope and began pulling. "Time me," she winked and then started up singing along the way an out of breath tune that I vaguely remembered from Mom watching My Fair Lady. I pulled out my phone and cheered her on. Even though her movements weren't swift she was powerful. My wolf watched her control in contentment as she made the top.

I yelled her time and she looked satisfied, though I knew she was going to collapse as soon as she hit grass. Then I held up my phone ready to time the next wolf's climb. "Anybody think they can beat her time?"

Jack strode over quickly to take the next turn, and the others followed with eagerness, all beating her time. Jeremy lost some time when he stopped fifteen feet from the opening and glared at the dark cave wall while he rested his arms. When Ethan, the last, made it to the top, I took my turn.

As I climbed, I could feel the sinister eyes continue on me. I glanced down to the werecreatures and growled, though it seemed no creature stirred.

When I reached the top, I did indeed see Kara passed out against a tree, a clothes bag tucked under her head. I looked to Evan and nodded my thanks.

The Fremont medics had made it out somewhere between the men's climbs and were getting them on side by sides to take back to their hospital.

When I strolled up to Kara, one female medic in white scrubs asked, "should we take her? Or do you want to take her back to your doctors instead?"

"I'll take her. Thank you." I pulled her up into my arms, letting her head rest against me. The healing and climb had taken a toll on her.

Jeremy came up beside us, putting on a pair of sweats another medic had given him. "I'm going with Will too."

She nodded and strode back to the others.

Eric and Alpha David both came upon the scene then, running in wolf and immediately shifting human.

Eric buttoned up his jeans as he looked over Jeremy. "Wow. It really is you."

"Eric," he said joyfully recognizing his old friend. "Looks like you finally made Alpha." He reached out for a full arm handshake.

Eric knocked his shoulder. "Sorry you never made it to Beta."

Jeremy shook his head sadly. "I guess it wasn't in the cards for me after all." His eyes then flew over Eric's shirtless frame. "Wait. Your scars?"

"All gone." Eric's glance came over Kara. "She healed them. She's a heal..."

"No!" Jeremy cut in harshly over him. "Let's not talk about that right now."

"What? Okay. Why not?"

"Let's just talk business later okay?" He gave a strong look our way. The walls have ears, brothers.

Alpha David? He already knows, man. Eric's glance went to David hovering over the medics.

No. But I'll tell you about it later.

After a silent minute and Jeremy refusing to speak further, Eric just shook his head clear. "Man. You're actually alive. I almost didn't believe William, but others have come back living after being dead this week too." He glanced at Kara with a friendly smile.

Jeremy gave a confused smirk. "What does that mean?"

Eric nodded her way. "Remember Kara Day?"

Jer's wheels started ticking, brows lowered in concentration. "No? I don't ...think so?"

Eric prodded on. "Jared's little sis. From kitchen crew. When we were kids? You would have been, uh, eleven, I think."

Jeremy looked at her and gasped. "This is Jared's sis? Whoa. We thought they all died."

"Well, Jared did. She escaped."

He stared at her for a long minute and then gave a light chuckle. "Little brat."

I bristled. "Excuse me?"

He laughed outright. "She was a little terror! She literally stole the last cupcake right from my hand and when I complained said, 'I'm a Beta, get over it Scout.' And then ate it in one bite in front of me. I was almost going to cry." He pointed at Eric. "And then you stomped on my foot."

Eric's eyes went wide in recognition. "Oh dang, I forgot about that. Didn't she chuck the wrapper at you?"

He nodded. "Good aim too. She hit me right in the face."

Eric laughed. "We got in so much trouble from the Kitchen Master. Sorry about that man. We were effing monsters."

Looking down to Kara, she seemed like an angel to me. I couldn't imagine her like that.

"Sorry Willyboy," Jeremy apologized. "You got yourself mated to a bully."

I rolled my eyes. "She was what, seven, eight, Numbnuts? I think she's grown out of that phase." I pointed an elbow to Eric. "This one however..." the thought was left open ended.

They both chuckled.

Jeremy exhaled. "Dang. It sure is good to see you guys. And see the sky." He got thoughtful looking up at the sun, a hand shielding the light.

Alpha David trotted over. He was older in life, only a few years left to Alpha before his son would take over. He threaded a hand over thinning dark hair. "This is her? She's the new heal..."

Jeremy coughed loudly and placed a harsh look to him, shaking his head tightly.

David got the message. "Is she alright? What happened to her token?"

"Token? What token?" I asked.

"That centers her heal..."

"Gentlemen!" Jer cut in again.

David glared at Jeremy and then changed the subject. "What do we do about the rest down there?"

Jeremy stood straight, taking lead. "We leave them. I know it's not ideal, but they know we'll be back for them. They'll understand we can't get them out without..." his head nodded Kara's way. I tucked her tight against me, anxious about Jeremy's reactions.

He continued. "But maybe if you could send some extra food down the trapdoor, that would help. Venison and lots of it."

He nodded. "I can get a team on that right away. Do they need anything else? Water? Blankets?"

"No," Jeremy said. "There's a spring and we all were warm enough. Just not always enough food."

"I can do that."

Jeremy patted my shoulder, staring down at Kara. "Maybe we should get the little devil home?"

Ass. I linked at him, but nodded anyway, taking the hint. I met glances with Alpha David. "We will be in contact when we have more information on how to proceed."

"Thank you Betas." He tipped his head respectfully and ran back over to some patrol guards that had just arrived.

Betas. The whole beta family. I missed the sound of that. A smile rose my lips that my brother was back. My brother was actually back.

Eric cut my revelry short. "What do you need from me?"

I looked over Kara. "Can you take her car back to the packhouse? I'll take her and Jer back with me."

"I can do that. I'll go check in with David about getting some food down to the werecre... to the men and then be right after you."

"Her keys were still in the ignition. Were you able to see our cars on the way here?"

"Yes, we found them."

"Good. Alright then, we'll see you later."

"Bye Will." Eric grinned at Jeremy and slapped his shoulder. "It's good to have you back Jer."

He punched Eric back. "Good to be back." He looked to me. "Come on. Let's get your girl a nap. I really want to see mom."

I grinned. Mom was going to flip.