Authors note:
This chapter is dedicated to mahicsu ! Thank you for all the love and support 🤍:)

— •⚡️Isabella⚡️• —

Shock filled every cell of my body. "They've done what?!" I demand.

Every bit of remorse I had towards her vanished when I heard the words that left Claire's mouth.

They locked her up.

They locked Emilia up.

My body set alight with fury. At that moment,
I did the only rational thing I could think of.

I stormed towards the dinner hall.

The sky mirrored my emotions, with a dangerous crackle of lightning striking across the sky.

Generally, I am quite impulsive, but I do usually weigh up my options when emotions are involved. Acting on emotions often leads to trouble. Or at least that what my mum taught me.

This was a whole new level of idiocy. Here I am, storming towards the dinner hall, where I will make a scene, shout at the Alpha for locking her up, even though he's given me very valid reasons for such an act.

Here I am, about to go threaten the people that kidnapped me... because there's no way that couldn't go wrong.

Claire tailed me, shouting questions such as "what are you doing?" And "where are you going." I couldn't answer, I was too mad, too wrapped up in my emotions to comprehend a sentence.

It wasn't until she grabbed my arm and pulled me to a halt that I eventually came to some sort of sense. The smudge of red emotions that clouded my mind cleared with the contact.

"What are you doing?!" I demanded. Mad that she was trying to involve herself in my plan.

Her gaze burned into mine, "what are you doing?" She relayed.

I let out a huff. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going to get Emilia out of whatever dusty cell she's been put in." I say, anger laced through my voice.

She shakes her head. "And how do you suggest you're going to do that? Storm into the dining hall and demand her to be released? It wouldn't be your best move." She says knowingly.

Her words hit me. Knocking some fraction of rationality into my brain. "I... I don't know." I say defeated.

A slight smirk plays on her lips.

"We have to get her out," I mutter, my voice cracking slightly, as the thought of leaving her there overwhelms me.

"And how do you suggest do that? You've only been here 2 days." She says sarcastically but with a hint of amusement.

Thinking for a moment, a new, smarter determination filling my cells. "True, and that's why you're doing to help me." I state.

Her eyes practically bulge out of her head, her face pales and her voices breaks to a whisper. "But- I... what if we get caught? I'll be in so much trouble." She mutters to herself.

I place a hand on her shoulder and watch as she relaxes. "You'll be fine, I'm not going to do anything to put you in danger Claire," I reassure. "But I need to get to the cells to get her out, and well... I don't know where they are."

She gives a small nod. "Okay, I'll help you." She says.

I'm still unsure of who I can trust, but as of right now, I need to trust somebody, there is no way I'm getting Emilia out of the cell without aid.

"But we are going to need a plan." She states.

I nod my head in reply, "what do you suggest?"

— •⚡️• —

We decided to run over the plan a final time before putting it into action.

"So you are going to distract the guards somehow, and whilst you're doing that I'm going round the back, where you let me in-" I say, but Claire cuts me off.

"I might not be able to let you in, what if I get pulled to one side? You need to climb through a window or something, but not the first from the right because that's directly underneath the Alphas office and he could hear you." She adds.

I nod my head, "okay so what happens once I'm in? Where will you be? You're going to need to take me to the cells, I don't know the layout of the packhouse yet."

"It would have been easier if we did this when you've been here for longer, if we are together it would be more suspicious." She says.

"But we are always together, wouldn't it be more suspicious if I was found walking alone towards the cells? Besides you could say you were showing me where I would end up if my loyalties changed."

She smiles at that. "Good idea, but let's try not to get caught." She laughs.

"Okay. So after we get into the cell, how do we get Emilia out of the basement?" I say.

"Emilia will get herself out. Get her out of the cell and then leave, we don't wanna be caught with her, if we aren't there, it will just look like she got herself out." Claire says firmly.

"Okay. You ready to go then?" I say, anxious to rescue Emilia and also to get her out as soon as possible in case anyone heard us talking. We were well hidden away from camp, but anyone could be lurking in the shadows.

With new determination, we head towards the packhouse.

Putting the plan into action, we separate off just before we reach guard visibility. Claire heads straight towards the packhouse entrance and approaches a guard as I slip up the left side of the building and round towards the back.

Checking my surroundings, as nerves fill my body, I creep towards the window I think I need to enter.

Sliding the shutter up, I do a double-take. Did she say the first from the right or the first from the left? Panic rises and I desperately try to reach Claire to clarify.

"Claire, which window can I not climb through?"

Though it seems the link never reached her as a result is never received.

Damn, looks like I've got to pray to the gods I choose the right window. My gut is telling me to go through a window further to the left. I count 3 windows across and choose that one, only hoping that I'm not going to be met with anything dangerous- like an angry wolf.

Pushing the shutter up, on the old-style wooden window, I shuffle my body through the hatch and land with a somewhat soft thud on the floor. This window practically touches the floor, so it was less of a fall and more of a roll.

Shaking myself off, I anxiously scan the surroundings of the room. It seems to be some sort of storage room, although I can spot a desk, so I'm assuming this used to be an office and whoever was in charge isn't here anymore.

The bubbles of nerves rise as I step closer to the door, hoping I can make a quick escape without being caught. I still need to find Claire and I'm not sure I'm even in the right room.

Gripping the handle tightly, I take a deep breath to swallow my overflowing nerves and turn the handle slowly, slipping out into the corridor.

Whipping my head around, I breathe a deep sigh of relief when I see an empty corridor.

Slowly creeping down the hallway, I try to make out where I actually am.

Realising that me and Claire never discussed this part of the plan; how the heck we would find eachother when I don't have a clue where I am.

There's the fact that I also don't even know if I came in through the correct window. It's too late to turn back now, it will be all the more suspicious to climb back out of the window. For all I know, there could be a guard eyeing up the open window I forgot to close behind me.

Turning left down the corridor I smile when I think I see Claire, only to realise it's the Alpha.

Well shit.

Before I can turn-tail and run, he spots me. "Isabella, what are you doing on this corridor?" He questions, eyes blazing into me, reading my every move. Not suspicious as at all.

I plaster a relaxed grin on my face, as if I'm happy to see him. "I was looking for Claire, she was meant to give me a tour of the packhouse, so I'm not getting lost like this," I let out a slight laugh before continuing, "but now I've found you, you can help me. Do you know where she is?" I say brightly.

Sensing my fake relief, he relaxes slightly, but I still see the suspicion burning in his eyes. He shakes his head at my question, "I don't know where Claire is, but I could show you around if you like." He practically purrs as the words fall off his tongue. Suddenly, I feel the urge to puke, but refrain.

"Sure you can show me around." I say happily. Still pleased all the less, maybe knowing the layout of the pack house wouldn't be such a bad thing when trying to escape.

When he tries to hold my hand I bat him away, "don't touch me." I growl, before flashing him a smile.

Confusion fills his face and I almost burst out laughing. Males.

He shows me all around the bottom floor, avoiding the corridor we were on, which is where I think the door to the cells must be, and then drags me upstairs to show me the second floor.

The tour goes well for the most part, with me just humming short replies to whatever spills from his mouth. He stops outside a room that from the outside just seemed like all the others.

"This," he breathes, stepping closer, "is my room."

I nod my head in understanding but he must have mistaken that for consent because he steps closer, pushing me against the wall, just next to the doorway.

The fucking bastard trapped me.

I desperately try to think of a way of getting out of this without releasing Athena.

His breath fans my neck, and I swear to the moon goddess I heard him mutter 'that's where my mark will go.'

He brushes his fingers over my collarbone, and panic fills me, what is he doing?

I should say something, anything. He's invading my personal space and touching my neck. I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Why can't I function?

He must have again mistaken my actions for consent because he presses his lips to mine, and I feel my heart bang against my chest, and not in a good way. This is wrong, it feels bad, so why can't I do anything.

What the heck is going on.

He moves his lips from mine and over to my neck. I hear him inhale sharply before licking my neck. It felt disgusting.

Then I hear an o-so familiar voice and my heart leaps at the sound.

"Hey what the fuck do you think you are doing!?" Claire shouts.

Oh god Claire save me.

The Alpha raises his head and bares his teeth furiously. His arms still on either side of me, in an attempt to keep me trapped.

The sight of Claire sent a jolt of electricity through me and I felt my limbs flex as they were freed from whatever the hell just happened.

Claire bares her teeth at the Alpha in response and it's enough of a distraction for me to raise a knee to his groin and slip underneath his arms.

He coils over in pain and I sprint over to Claire's side.

We bolt down the stairs and she pulls me into an alcove at the first chance she gets.

"Are you okay?" She asks, worried.

I nod my head but still no words come out. I'm still shaken up from the whole experience. God knows what could have happened if Claire didn't come.

I gulp down the adrenaline. "I- I couldn't move. It was awful." I say.

She shakes her head and lets a low growl slip her lips. "I'm going to kill that bastard. He was going to mark you."

Confusion fills me, I still don't know what that means.

She must have noticed because she spoke, "if you wear his mark, you belong to him, you become his mate. But it would not end well, you would eventually die after giving birth to his pups, as you are not soulmates." She says.

The realisation of what she just said hits me and I have to resist the urge to sink to the floor and cry.

"But why couldn't I move, it was like my body wasn't responding to me." I say.

"As an Alpha, he has very strong pheromones, and he used them on you, I'm so sorry." She said, her voice a mix of sadness and anger.

I shake my head and change the subject, "so how do we get to Emilia?" I ask.

A smile plays on her lips as determination glows in her eyes. "Follow me." She quips.

Tailing her, we sprint down the hallway, desperate to get to Emilia before anyone else does.

She stops in front of a large wooden door with locks on.

Ah so this is where she is I'm guessing.

She pulls two bobby pins from her hair and twists them around in the lock, until a distinct click is heard. She turns around and grins, "we're in."

She unhooks the lock from the latch and pushes the door open.

The reality of what we are doing finally sinks in and I can't help but think of all the negative things that could occur. What I'd there are guards down their already waiting? We didn't account for that in the plan. I shake off the thoughts and give Claire a smile.

We practically fly down the steps into the darkness below.

My eyes adjust slightly to make out a row of five cells. All unguarded. The thought puts me on edge, why would they leave 'criminals' unguarded?

I step towards the first cell, squinting my eyes to make out the inhabitants.

"You come any closer and I'll bite you." Emilia snarls aggressively.

The sound of Emilia's voice is like music to my ears, we've got her.

Claire is beside me, and begins to work on the lock, a click is heard and I smile at the sound.

"I missed you too." I say in response and Emilia darts across the cell.

"Izzy? Is it really you?" She says and shakes her head as if she's imagining it.

Claire opens the cell door and a loud scraping noise is heard as she does.

Emilia rushes out and falls into my arms. "Thank you so much." She says holding back a sob.

She glanced at Claire, "and thank you, I know how risky this is for you."

Claire gives her a warm look, "don't worry, you're my friend as much as hers." She says glancing at me, "besides, I was making sure this one didn't get into any trouble." She said and giggled.

Emilia pulls away from me and turns around, and faces her cell, "are you coming? We're freed." She calls out.

A short woman emerges from the darkness, she has dark hair and skin, but it looks more like dirt and grime than her actual hair and skin tone. She has a young face but wrinkles corner her eyes to give her a strange look.

"I'm okay darling, besides there's no way I'll be able to keep up with you youngsters." She says in a low croaky voice, like she's not spoken in years.

Emilia furrows her eyebrows at the short woman. "No. You're coming with me." She demands, her eyes blazing with an anger that dares her to argue.

The short woman never responds, just simply moves out of the cell and stands besides Emilia.

Her eyes glance around at Claire and then at me and I swear I see her start shaking but it was hard to tell in the dark.

I walk over to the door and am about to open it when it swings open, almost hitting me in the head.

"And where do you think you're going?" Nathan sneers as he stalks in.

My heart thumps against my rib cage as dread fills my body. We've been found.

Is he going to kill us? What is the penalty for breaking someone out of 'prison'? Or is he going to throw us all into the cells to rot forever. I'll never even get chance to return home like I promised Paige. Will Emilia get a worse punishment?

He's outnumbered.

Athena's voice fills my mind and I practically jump at the sound. She's been silent lately, and I don't know the reason.

Very true. I reply.

A smirk plays on my lips.

"What does it look like?" I counter.

The sarcasm shocks him but only briefly. "You really think you can escape? You're human, Emilia is weak from the sedative, Claire is weaker than me and she," he said signalling to the elderly woman, "well I could take her down in three seconds." He states smugly.

I let a low growl rumble in my throat and I watch as Nathan glances around the room trying to depict who challenged him. Everyone else in the room is silence, no one moves, it is very clear the fight is between me and Nathan.

"First of all," I retort, "Claire may be omega, but she managed to take down that blonde bitch in five minutes, so do not underestimate her abilities."

Letting the words sink in, I wait for him to speak before cutting him off just before. "Besides," I smirk, "you wouldn't hurt your mate."

His face contorts into a look of shock and realisation at my words and I watch as he glances at the young she-wolf.

Claire takes a step forwards, "but don't think for a minute I wouldn't try to hurt you. Mate or not, you threatened my friends." She speaks in a strained voice as if the very words pained her to say.

After letting her finish I continue on my rant before Nathan could speak, "Emilia may be weak but she's still the strongest person I know, do not underestimate her." I state. "As with the woman, you do not know of her abilities and talents, how silly of a Beta to underestimate the abilities of others, especially when outnumbered." A smirk playing on my lips as I gear up for the finale.

"As for myself." I say, before shifting into my wolf in a matter of seconds.

"Will not hesitate to kill you." I mindlink to him.

His face turns a ghostly shade and his breathing becomes laboured as he stumbles back.

Claire links to me, "he's called for backup."

Word count [3196]

Emilia has finally been reunited with Isabella and made a few extra allies.

Loads of drama and excitement in the next chapter!!

- Bri xox