The Alpha's Prisoner

Rescue Plan

Sarah

Tyson hadn’t returned after he had heard the news of his families capture. He had run out in a hurry before I even had the chance to say anything. I had begun working on the doctors. Doctor Anthony had a lot of questions about my method of healing but after reminding him of the urgency of his wife’s condition he quickly quietened to let me work. I could tell he was still brimming with curiosity as the song began to work and their injuries healed. Doctor Myra was soon awake and able to lean against her husband and she too stared at me with confusion.

“I’ve never heard of a healing ability like this, what is it?”

At least Doctor Myra seemed well enough now if she was willing to talk. I shrugged, shaking my head.

“That’s what we came here to ask you about”

“I’m sorry, I doubt we could be much help now”

Doctor Anthony gestured to the rest of the office space. I nodded as I took in all the papers thrown across the room. My stomach rumbled, and I couldn’t help but be embarrassed at the sound. These people had just lost years of their work and almost their lives, and my stomach was complaining about missing food for one day. I regretted not taking up Tyson’s offer to go hunting before.

“Oh, are you hungry? I can go grab you something from the kitchen”

Doctor Myra began to get up, but I was quick to gently push her back next to her husband.

“No, I’m fine. Rest, I should probably go check on Tyson anyway”

The Doctor seemed ready to argue but I was already heading out the door. I needed to find Tyson; it was all I could think about while I was healing the doctors. As I rounded the side of the building, I could see him crouched staring down at the ground. He didn’t look up as I approached, his head still bowed watching the ground in front of him.

“It’s a trap”

I sat next to him and rested my head on his shoulder, hoping he would continue.

“The message is only meant to bring you back to them”

I nodded beside him, pursing my lips.

“What if it’s not a trap?”

He finally turned to me; despair was written clearly on his face.

“Maybe it’s a trade”

I saw his jaw clench at my words.

“Then they’re stupid”

“It’s not the worst idea”

His face darkened and his beautiful eyes dimmed with anger at my suggestion.

“No.”

“But…”

“NO!”

He quickly stood and paced away from me, but I was quick behind him. Grabbing his arm to turn him back around.

“Just hear me out”

“No. I don’t want to listen to any of this.”

Tyson ripped his arm from my grasp and quickly paced back inside the building. I was left alone staring at the empty space where my mate had just been. I shook my head rolling my eyes as I headed back towards the entrance.

The smell of food caught me off guard as I headed back through the building. My stomach hurt and I couldn’t help but hunch over at the pain. A warm bowl was soon placed into my hands and I was helped towards a seat. I began devouring the warm stew. 

I had wanted to catch back up with Tyson, but I couldn’t control myself as the food began spoon after spoon disappearing into my mouth. Bread was placed in my lap and I began stuffing my face carelessly. Only once my raging hunger had dissipated did I look up to find a smiling Doctor Myra. I returned her small smile embarrassed at my poor quality in front of her.

“Well I haven’t had anyone enjoy my cooking like that for many years”

A small chuckle played in her voice as she gently took the bowl off me.

“It was really delicious, thank you so much”

It really was. I hadn’t had a decent meal for a long time, and it was nice to have a full stomach.

“Are you ‘hick’, feeling much better? 'hick’”

Eugh hiccups. Not the best way to recover from the embarrassment of savagely devouring the kind woman’s food.

“Much better, thank you. Actually, I’m feeling much stronger than I have in years”

‘hick’

Doctor Myra turned around and began rifling through the drawer behind her. I took the opportunity to survey the room, trying to find where Tyson may have headed. Myra quickly turned around and pushed a spoon brimming with strange orange liquid towards my face. I opened my mouth and she dropped the liquid onto my tongue. I probably should have taken the spoon; it was a little strange to be hand-fed by a stranger. More importantly, I should have asked what it was before accepting it.

“It’s for the hiccups. It would also help with the heartburn if that develops. We keep spares around because my husband has the same habit”

It was strange how quickly she answered my question. It was almost as if she could read my mind.

“That’s because I can dear”

Cr**, what else has she heard then? How many powers are there that I am unaware of?

“I’m guessing you’re new to the magical world then?”

Yes

“Yes”

She shook her head at my response.

“Remember, I know what you’re thinking dear. You don’t have to say it twice”

Oh right. I opened my mouth to speak but quickly stopped myself. A humoured smile played on the doctor’s face as she sat down in the seat next to me.

“It would take too long to tell you all of the abilities in the world, but I think that it’s important to know that your thoughts are safe with me”

I nodded slowly. I barely knew this woman though, how could I trust her? I shook my head frustrated at myself for thinking the words so blatantly after learning of her power.

“Don’t stress. The reason you can trust me is because it is trained into telepaths like myself when we are very young. Knowing everyone’s darkest thoughts comes with its own costs. We are bound to your secrets”

Myra pulled down the collar of her shirt to reveal a deep scar running down her neck towards her heart.

“This is the result of a binding spell. If we reveal the thoughts of anyone to another without their permission, then we are to be burnt alive. The scar will ignite, and our hearts will catch fire”

I stared at her, gaping at the horrific reality of her power.

“It really isn’t that bad. Without it, we wouldn’t be trusted to function in society. There is a lot of power in knowledge, you yourself had just admitted that you were concerned with trusting me with it”

It was just a silly thought. I wouldn’t want anyone risking being burned alive for the mere privilege of trust.

“The risk is minimalised as we were taught how to control ourselves when we were very young. Your thoughts resonate to me as their own voice, and we are instructed how and when we can answer to that voice. We learn to gauge how far away the other voices are to save us from risking an untimely demise”

I shook my head. Who knew the magical world could be so brutal?

Myra chuckled, shaking her head.

“What is put upon me isn’t even that bad. You should hear what werewolves must go through to control their changes. It is the price that comes with power”

I hated to think what Tyson must have gone through if the threat of death paled in comparison. To my surprise, Myra didn’t answer. I listened closely and began to hear the approach of footsteps. Anthony entered waving a mess of papers into the air.

“I found something; I think you should all come and see this”

I quickly made my way to the table where Doctor Anthony was setting out the documents. They were pictures of ornately carved artefacts. I couldn’t decipher anything that was on them however from the years of decay.

“Where’s Tyson?”

Anthony questioned, turning towards me. I shrugged; I doubt Tyson wanted to be found by me. Myra quickly walked out the door and down the hall, the doctor and I watching after her. The silence stretched between us and I felt suffocated by it. Wait what if he…

“Are you also a telepath?”

The question seemed to stir the doctor from his thoughts, bringing his attention back to me.

“No, that is Myra’s gift. I am more in the realm of telekinesis”

I nodded slowly. I guessed that must have been what Senator Fayron was too, a telekinetic. It was strange hearing these words placed so effortlessly in conversation. It seemed straight out of one of my father’s bedtime stories. Perhaps he had known about the magical world too.

Two sets of footsteps sounded down the hall and I turned to see Myra and Tyson heading back through the door. Tyson didn’t look at me as he rounded the table and stood on the other side of Doctor Anthony.

“So, what does all of this mean”

Doctor Anthony jumped as Tyson spoke, waking him from his deep thoughts.

“Right, right. Well, you see here…”

The Doctor circled an area of the paper in front of him. Outlining a rough figure of a man that had been carved into the pottery.

“We had first believed that it was a crude reimagination of a vampire, perhaps an older variation of a winged half transformation. As we studied the pot further, we can uncover details of a battlefield”

Anthony continued to circle figures on the ground, tracing the strange unnatural curves of their bodies.

“These deep lines are displayed coming from the half-transformed man into the battlefield. We had first believed them to be the wind from the wings, but your healing trick made me take a closer look”

He traced the lines as he talked.

“They seem to come from the mouth of the creature”

I nodded as I studied the parchment. This must be what I am. However, if this was all lost, how would the Senator know what I was?

“Do you know what they are called?”

I looked towards Anthony. I could see his brain ticking as he studied the photocopied picture.

“I am sorry, I don’t recognise the language. I hope some of this might help though. I have been going through working out the details of each decorated fragment that we could find. So, do you think this could be what you are?”

I nodded as I looked at the rough figure of the man carved into the pot.

“Well! This is very exciting! This might just be one of the most important archaeological finds of the century!”

I shook my head cutting him off quickly.

“I am very sorry doctor but I’m not sure it’s wise to let anyone know of your finding”

Doctor Anthony turned towards me, his cheery face turning into a confused frown.

“Seeing the lengths the Senate is going to try to catch me and keep this hidden, I think it is dangerous to admit what you have discovered. For now, at least.”

Doctor Anthony nodded in contemplation before turning towards me with a small smile.

“I am sorry, you are right. I do tend to get ahead of myself. Please feel free to take a look at our notes”

Anthony quickly paced down the hall with Myra close behind. She turned around to give me a small nod and a smile before disappearing. Only Tyson and I were left in the deafening silence of the room. I stared into the papers, hoping it could save me from my the tension. With the doctors' notes, I could decipher the images that were present on the shards of clay. Whatever they were they looked powerful. In one image the creature’s wings spanned almost over the entire fragment, they looked magnificent and powerful spanning far over the battlefield. Mine seemed pitiful in comparison. Their shrieks were bringing down entire armies, where mine barely stopped a courtyard of humans.

“Look, I’m sorry”

I turned towards Tyson as he spoke. He moved closer towards me; his head still sunken.

“I just don’t know what to do”

“Look I know you don’t like the idea, but it is the only plan we have”

Tyson shook his head and turned towards me.

“They would have no use hurting my family, but we know what they’d do if they got their hands on you. I can’t let that happen”

I placed my hand on top of his, he felt so cold to the touch.

“There is a reason that they have resorted to this plan of action. Once you have your family safe, then perhaps I can find a way to break out”

“How? They would have planned for this”

I shrugged, looking down at the papers still in front of me. Casually turning each over.

“Perhaps there is something here that may give us the upper hand”

I handed the papers to Tyson and he nodded as he took them. It wouldn’t take long before Fayron’s men returned. 

This had to work, it was the only chance we've got.