Moonlight Run

Twenty-Six

Nikolai’s POV

“Nikolai,” My father followed after me down the annex hall. “You’re acting impulsively, son. We need time to plan, perhaps send scouts first.”

“You heard what Cyrano said, Dad. Now that Pipa’s tracker is on the radar, if even one person in Julius’ pack has an Apple device, they could get an alert that an AirTag is nearby.”

“And you said Pipa Fournier understood the risk involved.” He chastised me as I made my way down to the records room. “I will not permit you to endanger the lives of everyone else in—”

I turned on my heel as I opened the door. 

“Just because Pipa knew the risk, that doesn’t mean I won’t act quickly before she is found out.” I paused, nodding my head towards the rows of filing cabinets behind us. “Isadora’s birthday is on Tuesday, father… just four days from now. We still don’t know what Leon was trying to tell us about that. Now, I’m going to be here as long as I can until I can figure that out, while Marisol buys us some time. But on the off-chance I don’t? This is happening tomorrow night, whether you permit it or not.”

As the door swung shut behind me in my father’s face, I felt my phone vibrate. It was a text from Valric. “Truck is up and running now. Do you want us to get her loaded up?”

I typed my reply, as I made my way over to the cabinet labeled P. 

“Not just yet. Make sure Marisol is fed and let her get cleaned up. She was a mess this morning… We can’t risk invoking Julius’ wrath if it doesn’t look like we’ve been taking care of his mother.”

“Got it. Let me know if you have any luck down there.’

I slipped the phone into my pocket and began to flip through the file tabs, looking carefully for the one I would need. Finally, I found it. I pulled out both folders labeled Petrova, I. and found Isadora’s. As I flipped it open I sighed. There was no official birth certificate, but the souvenir document from the pack hospital was there. June 14th, 2002 was clearly written below her name. I began to close the file with a sigh, my hunch proven wrong. 

But then I realized something was familiar about the signature on the document, and I looked again. That couldn’t be a coincidence.

I marched back up to my father’s office, tossing the paper on his desk.

“You were right,” I said. “Her birth certificate isn’t there.”

“As I told you, it wouldn’t be. There’s not so much as an immunization record in that girl’s file. School records, social security… Other than that,” he motioned to the paper, “there’s hardly even a record of her birthdate.”

“And look at the name of the doctor who signed off on it.” I said.

“Maximus Falto,” he read. “Yes, he was a pack medic before Ivan fell. They were friends. He was one of the men sentenced to live as a rogue after Ivan was unseated.”

“I’ve met him.” 

My father looked at me questioningly. 

“He was there, at the exchange. Julius said he practically raised him.”

My father sighed, leaning back in his chair. “If Maximus Falto is still alive, you can almost be sure that’s who helped Leon get the boy out when Ivan was killed.”

“And if he delivered Isadora, he could know what Leon meant… What Marisol couldn’t tell us, about Isa’s birthday.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “I take it your little rescue mission has now expanded to include kidnapping?”

“Something like that.”

***

I stepped out to the front of the packhouse, once again looking over the message I’d received on the burner phone. 

Valric had spent most of the early afternoon fixing the damage to the white truck I had held in the impound lot since my first encounter with Isadora’s brother. She would be driving it back to Julius… with the wooden box that he was assured would hold Bianca’s body in the bed of the truck. 

I had messaged Julius that morning, offering him the opportunity to have his mother and his mate returned to him, as she would only continue to live in our cells should she stay here. He was agreed.

“If I have the slightest inclination that you’ve had her followed, I’ll be sure to address the matter with Pipa.”

Valric appeared next to me, “You ready for this?”

I nodded. “You made sure Marisol saw us loading Bianca into the truck bed?”

“She did,” He replied.

“Good. Let’s make the switch then.”

***

Isa’s POV

I stood in the shower stall rinsing off when I heard the voices outside the bathroom. A moment more, Maximus popped his head in through the door. “Isa?”

“Yeah?” I asked from behind the shower curtain. 

“Your mom’s just arrived. They’ll need me to prep Bianca for the burial tomorrow… I’m leaving you in Vlad’s hands now, kid. Wrap up your shower and he’ll take you back to the house. Got that?”

“Got it,” I said.

As I finished washing my hair I let out a nervous breath, revisiting my conversation with Pipa earlier. “They’re sending mom back,” she had said, giving my hand a short squeeze. I got the hopeful impression that help was finally on its way, but I knew she couldn’t say more even if it was. My time with Pipa was always closely chaperoned, so we could never discuss the possibility of a rescue. But even in this otherwise exciting moment, with the possibility of returning home on the horizon, I could only feel concern over what might come next for my sister.

Pipa hadn’t yet marked Alvis, having convinced both him and Julius to wait until the first weekend of July, when the full-moon was due to bring her next heat wave. She offered the suggestion under the cover of the romantic notion that the timing of their fresh commitment could bring a honeymoon baby; the first born in Julius’ new pack. Something about that appealed to Julius and he agreed to let Pipa wait.

Having not yet completed the process would lessen the pain of losing Alvis. But since she wore his mark, it was going to be a painful experience all the same, one that seemed inevitable if Alvis should fight alongside Julius when our moment of rescue finally arrived.

I turned the water off and stepped out onto the cold tile floor. As I wiped the condensation from the mirror to see my reflection, I jumped back with a small yelp. I blinked a few times, willing my eyes to readjust… it was gone now, but I was sure that I just saw Nikolai’s face in the mirror, instead of my own.

*** 

Nikolai’s POV

The ride in the wooden box was a long one. I knew it would be three hours before we reached our destination, and the temptation to sleep was alive and well in my mind. But I willed myself to stay awake, ready for anything that may happen upon arrival.

This could go a number of ways, but I was only prepared for two of them. With my team waiting in a nearby town more than twenty-minutes away, I knew that once I set the signal, I would have at least twenty-minutes before I could expect backup; twenty-minutes of critical time during which I hoped the lid to this box would stay safely shut.

As the truck finally rolled to a stop, I held my breath and listened.

“She’s here!” a voice called out. “Find Alpha Petrova— tell him Marisol has returned with his fallen mate.”

“What do we do with this?” another voice said, and I felt a knock on the side of the box.

“You leave it alone and show some respect,” I heard the first man smack the second. “The hell is wrong with you, kicking somebody’s coffin? Get down out of that truck bed.”

I quietly exhaled with relief. As I heard the voices fade away, I worked my hand down into my pocket, feeling around for the phone that lay beside my thigh. I tucked my chin to my chest, trying to look at the screen as it prompted my passcode entry. Once it was unlocked, I made my way into my contacts, found Cyrano’s name— the first on my list — and hit send, praying the ringing of the line would be quiet enough.

“Do you hear that?” a third voice asked. s**t. I couldn’t have known someone else had been near the truck. I quickly ended the call, hopeful they got the signal and were on their way.

“I wouldn’t open that,” Marisol said, still close by. “You’ll want to get her to Maximus for prep. It’s been almost a week since she’s gone, boys. She doesn’t exactly look pretty.”

***

Isa’s POV

Several loud knocks came from the restroom door. “You good in there? Hurry it up.”

“Just a minute!” I called, taking another look in the mirror before I threw my clothes on. 

Thanks to Pipa’s insistence, Julius had finally had some of his men pick up a handful of clothes that actually fit, brand new undergarments, and some hygiene products like razors and deodorant. I’d finally shaved my legs for the first time since I’d arrived, and was grateful to finally slip into a pair of denim shorts in the June heat. I pulled the shirt over my head and groaned when I realized it was a v-neck. Pipa was always steering me away from my usual t-shirts towards anything with a neckline, adamant that my bust was a must-feature attribute.

As I was drying my hair, I heard a commotion from outside the restroom. I threw the towel on the edge of the sink and went to the door, jerking it open. Vladimir wasn’t there. I stuck my head out into the hall. “Hello?”

Another clang came from down the hall. I cautiously made my way toward the noise, wiping the dust off the eroded hallway signage I’d passed by with Maximus several times over. The arrow pointing in the direction of the sound’s source read ‘Exam Rooms, Morgue’. I took a deep breath, momentarily debating returning to the bathroom until Vladimir returned.

And then the scent smacked me in the face, and I felt my heart rate quicken and my feet began to move, overcome with a need to find the source.

***

Nikolai’s POV

I cranked my neck once more to look at my phone as I rocked around in the wooden box. Backup was still thirteen minutes away. With any luck, wherever I was being taken, took a long enough walk to shed a few more minutes off the clock.

“Bloody hell,” one of the earlier voices said. “Julius didn’t tell me he had mated with a linebacker.”

“You should be grateful it’s not one of those fancy caskets; you wanna talk about heavy.” The second voice chuckled. “This is the way to go, mate. Just put me in a pine box.”

“I’ll remember that when I finally get sick of your ass.”

The two continued to banter, and I was relieved when I heard the sound of a door, and a third voice.

“Bring her on in, and set her on the table.” The man growled. “And let Julius know I’ll come get him when she’s ready for viewing.”

After a brief silence, I could hear the sounds of scraping metal and the opening and closing of cabinet doors.I looked down at the phone once more; nine minutes. I braced myself as the teeth of the crowbar found their way inside, wedged under the lip of the box, knowing the time had come. When the wooden lid came off the top, the large bearded man took a step back and dropped the crowbar, startled as I sat up from the box. My hands quickly found their way around the back of his neck and over his mouth, respectively.

“Hello, Maximus. We need to have a chat.”

I looked at the crowbar on the ground, and he did, too. “Don’t even think about it!” I leapt out of the box and off the table towards him, sending Maximus flying into the metal storage cabinet behind him. I stomped on the end of the crowbar and caught it as it flew up towards me, before I stepped towards Maximus and held the tool across his throat.

He gasped underneath the crowbar’s hold, tapping for me to let up.

“You’re gonna tell me whatever Leon couldn’t.” I snarled, pushing the bar tighter into his neck. “Are we understood?”

He nodded, his face turning red. I relaxed the force on the crowbar and he gasped for air.

“You’ve got less than ten minutes. Go.”

***

Isa’s POV

The intoxicating scent continued pulling me forward, until I was surrounded by the deep woody fragrance. I found myself in front of a large steel door, and my eyes skimmed over the eroded plaque next to the door that read morgue. I grasped the handle, and just as I was about to turn it over in my hands, I was jerked away suddenly. Before I could emit a shriek, a hand found its way across my mouth, and I felt my back thud against the wall. 

“Shhh,” My shoulders fell with relief as I appraised my would-be assailant. 

When I realized that Dimitri stood before me, he gave a nod and released me from his grip. I opened my mouth to speak and he shook his head, putting his finger over my lips.

He pointed to the door next to me, then he held up his palm, motioning for me to stay put. When his hand found its way to the door, he took a deep breath and pulled it open. I heard a continued sound of a struggle that concluded with a large cracking sound. I cringed at the noise, but then the fragrance caught my attention again… I stepped away from the wall, and peered into the doorway. 

Dimitri stood over a body that I recognized to be Vlad’s. He lay limp on the floor at Dimitri’s feet, his head turned in an unnatural way; his neck broken. 

But my eyes very quickly moved past the dead body to the two other figures in the room… first to Maximus, who lay on the floor next to Vlad… choking for air. A familiar hiking boot was pressed into his neck, and I followed it up to the wearer…

“Nikolai,” I breathed out.

He quickly turned his head to me, taking his foot off of Maximus’ neck for just a moment, before stepping down hard on his chest. “Move and you’re next,”

“Secure him and get him into a car,” Nikolai said to Dimitri, as he looked at me.

Dimitri kneeled down beside Maximus, and in a few short strides Nikolai closed the space between us, pulling me into his arms. His arm found its way around my waist and his other hand smoothly crept into the space between my hair and my neck, taking a handful of my hair into his grip. In an instant, he pulled me to his lips, and I felt my whole body relax as I was enveloped in the scent… his scent. 

The kiss lasted just seconds but I could have lived in that moment. I gasped as he pulled away from me, a grin dancing on his lips. 

“Well, it’s about damn time.” I said. “Now how the hell are we getting out of here?”

Dimitri forced Maximus out the door, his arms bound in silver shackles behind him, and we followed. When we emerged from the dilapidated building, I stopped short as I saw the scene before us. Bodies were slamming into bodies, some wolves, some humans. I gasped, and Nikolai extended his arm out to hold me back. 

“Stay with Dimitri,” he said, taking a step forward. 

I grabbed a handful of the back of his shirt, and he glanced over his shoulder at me. “Come back,” was all I could say. He nodded and stepped out of his boots, sprinting towards the house. 

I grabbed the boots from where he left them and looked back at Dimitri, asking, “What’s the deal with these anyway?”

He raised a brow. “That’s what you want to talk about right now?

I stared back at him in annoyance and he gave a reply. “They’re his favorite pair. He says wearing them keeps him mindful of his temper.”

“His… temper?” I asked hesitantly.

“Would you want to wolf-out and ruin your favorite pair of shoes?”

“Oh.” I looked again at the conflict before us. “I feel like I should be helping.” And then to Dimitri once more. “Have they found Pipa?”

Dimitri nodded. “We know where she is. They’re working on getting her out.”

“She’s still in there?” I motioned towards the house. “I have to go help—”

“Isa, you can’t!” Dimitri raised his voice.

“I can’t just sit by while—”

“You’re too important, okay? You need to stay here, away from the fighting, where you’re safe.”

“Too important? Look, just because Nikolai has it in his head that I’m—”

“It’s not about that, dammit.” He cringed. “Isa, if what this scumbag said is true,” he gave Maximus a shove, “then you’re our only other way out of this.”

“What do you mean?” I raised a brow at him.

Dimitri gave Maximus a shove again, and this time he fell to his knees. “Ask him what he told Niko.”

My eyes met with Maximus and he quickly looked to the ground. “I’m not saying another word.”

I kneeled before him and said softly, “Maximus… if you don’t tell me whatever you’ve told Nikolai, I’ll have Dimitri here snap your neck… just like he did to Vlad.”

Maximus looked at me dangerously, and I continued. “And if he refuses, I’ll do it myself.”

The grey-bearded man looked up at the sky and closed his eyes thoughtfully before turning back to me. “Your father was so power hungry, that he brought you into this world under forbidden circumstances, Isadora. If a man like Phineas Blackburn knew what you were…” He shook his head. “Well, it would’ve been a danger to all of us. So, before your father surrendered to him, we buried your birth records.”

“What circumstances, Maximus?”

He shook his head again. “Unspeakable ones, Isadora, the kind that could get you killed for just existing.”

“Tell me,” I said, “...or you can join Vlad in the afterlife.”