Moonlight

Chapter four: Helping Layla

Lucas looks straight into Layla's teary eyes and feels a strange need to comfort her and tell her that everything will be fine. "Let her go," he then orders the guards. Layla stands up once she is free and waits for Lucas' decision. Is he going to help her or not? Lucas mindlinks Shean, "What do you think?" "She doesn't appear to be dangerous. Her eyes hold brokenness as well as determination. I can't think of why she looks so broken, but I'm more than sure that the determination in her eyes is for her children. She plans on helping them even if we refuse. The only reason she is here right now, is because she knows that chances of her rescuing them on her own are extremely low. Especially if the children are surrounded by those same rouges that keep attacking us. I say we go and save them. There is nothing more precious in the world than your pups." Lucas looks over at his beta and best friend. There was sadness in his eyes.

Four years ago, Shean had a pup with his mate, Addie. They were extremely happy and went on a vacation to spend time as a family. However, while on vacation, their pup was kidnapped. Shean informed Lucas of it and Lucas sent out a search team right away. He couldn't be there himself because the pack was facing some troubles and needed him on the premises. He told the team to stay there as long as needed to find Shean and Addie's pup. They searched for two weeks with no result, but then Shean found the body of a four-month-old pup in the woods. He picked him up and brought him back, because it was his little Aaron. When Addie saw them she broke down in tears and kept denying it. She couldn't believe their baby boy was gone. Tears were also streaming down from Shean's eyes and both broke down.

After they buried Aaron, neither of them exited their room for two days. The kidnapper did it to break Shean and through that get to Lucas because he thought it would be easier, but when Shean came out of his room, he was stronger and more determined than ever to protect everyone he loved, including his alpha and best friend. So when the rouges attacked, they were all killed and every single one that tried couldn't get past Shean. He became a killing machine on the field. To this day, he still mourns his little boy but doesn't show it and there is this sadness in his eyes, every time someone speaks about children, that never goes away, only lessens with time, but never disappears.

To be honest, Lucas would have helped Layla even if Shean hadn't agreed to it, because there is this voice inside of him, that is telling him to help her save the children in every way he can. Why it's like that, he has no idea, but he does know that every time this voice speaks, he needs to listen to it.

So, looking at Layla, he says, "We shall help you get your children back." Layla falls to her knees and thanks him over and over again. "Stand!" commands Lucas. Layla does just that even though she doesn't have to but she can't afford to offend the alpha before her. "Now tell me where the rouges are hiding and where they are keeping the children," says Lucas.

"They are hiding in the old dragon caves up north. It's about a 2-hour walk and a one and a half hour run, but in human form. In wolf form, it would probably take a little over an hour when walking and 30 minutes when running. There are three caves in total. The biggest is on the right and two smaller ones are to the left of it. My daughter is kept in the middle cave and my son in the left cave. They are kept at the very back, right next to the secret entrances I found. But the rouges have no idea they exist." "How come they don't know about those secret entrances?" asks Shean. "They haven't been looking around in the caves because they are too busy preparing for an attack on your pack," says Layla while looking Lucas straight in the eye. It's a sign that she isn't lying.

Lucas nods at that and then commands, "Shean, get all the warriors who are well rested and ready to run. Also, get Abigail here. She will get Layla to the clinic to get checked up." "No," says Layla. "Excuse me," says Lucas, looking at Layla. "What do you mean 'no'?" he asks. "I am not staying here. I am going to come with you and get my children back," she states. "You are in no condition to come with us. You will only make us more noticeable and ruin the surprise element we are going to have if we leave this instance," says Lucas. "With all due respect, alpha, you have no right to decide if I am fit enough to go or not. I might not look like I have the strength, but trust me, I have got enough willpower to cover for it if I need it, but I don't. And besides, you have no idea where the secret entrances are and without them, you won't get the element of surprise," argues Layla. Lucas looks at Shean. "She's right," he says. Lucas looks back at Layla. "You'll come with us and show us where the entrances are, but then you are going to stay away and let us do the rest." Shean shakes his head in disapproval at Lucas' statement. Layla looks at Lucas like he is an i***t. Lucas sighs and says, "Fine, you'll come along to save the pups." Layla just nods. Shean gets to work on getting the warriors gathered. And when everyone is ready, they get going with Layla leading them.