New Life New Mate

Chapter Ten

It is now the morning of the rescue mission. The last several days have been a blur of training and preparing for the mission. The men sent to watch the warehouses found the one the hunters are planning to use, they have seen many hunters loading boxes and cages into the warehouse. The warriors who are going on the mission have supplies ready and have been spending time with their loved ones, knowing it is a possibility some may not make it back. It has been decided this mission will be done in human form as the area is highly populated with humans. Luke will be leading the mission, I am on the support team that will hang back unless all hell breaks loose. Luke will lead the team of twenty to try and stealthily steal the trucks loaded with wolves and take the trucks to the Blue moon pack to be cared for as they are the closest pack with the right sized medical facility. They have prepared rooms and OR's have blood stocked up and thirty packs have sent doctors and nurses to prepare for a large number of patients. No one knows for sure the number of wolves or what condition they will be in. Based on the size of warehouse and number of supplies brought in we believe the number to be in the 500 range. 

Luke and I are in our room getting ready to leave. I have knives and a 9mm handgun bullet proof vest and an ear, since not everyone is of the same pack mind linking won't work, plus I can only link Luke because of the mate bond.

"I still think you should stay home tonight, it is going to be dangerous. What if Drake is there and you have a flashback again?" Luke has been very persistent to keep me home tonight.

"We talked about this. I am not going to stand back and wait like some helpless child. I kicked Alpha Max's ass. You know I can handle myself in a fight. I will also have to face that son of b***h sometime might as well be tonight. I am on the backup team. If all goes right I won't even be needed tonight. If I am needed I promise to be careful, I am worried about you too. I would feel much better knowing I am there to back you up if the need arises." I want to roll my eyes but refrain because I am just as worried as he is.

"Beautiful you are strong and can kick some serious ass, I know that. I worry because if you get hurt it takes you days to heal whereas I heal in a few hours. What puts me in the hospital would put you in the ground. You have to see my point please, I don't want to risk losing you now that I finally have you."

I think over his words carefully, trying to think of a way to help. I don't want to just stand back as others risk themselves, I am just not that kind of a woman. "I will make you a deal, I will be on the backup team but in surveillance, I will only engage. If one hundred percent necessary."

"I can live with that thank you beautiful," Luke says relieved I won't go to battle.

"If, after tonight is over, you change me then I officially swear in as Luna." Luke's eyes look like they might pop out of his head. His eyes are shifting color between gray and blue and I can tell Ty is trying to make an appearance they both seem very shocked by my request.

"Are you sure love?" Ty asks, smiling like a child at Christmas.

"Yes I am sure. I already know I plan to spend the rest of my life with you. And if the thing keeping me back from helping more is my humanness then I see no reason to wait any longer." Ty picks me up and spins me around hugging me.

"You have no idea how happy this makes me, makes us. I look forward to meeting your wolf." Ty says before setting me down and giving Luke back control. "He is doing a happy dance in my head now, Goddess he needs to calm down and focus tonight." Luke laughs and I picture Ty in his wolf form shaking his tail and bouncing around causing me to laugh as well.

"Well we better focus now too, and finish getting ready for tonight."

The whole pack house is full of people rushing around getting ready. It is a long drive to get to the location of the warehouse so we want to leave at noon so we can stake out the location before dark. Luke and I will be traveling separately since we are on different teams. 

It is finally time and we begin to load up. Luke gets in a big black SUV, along with several others on the infiltration team. Myself and the rest of the backup team get into white work vans that will easily blend in around the warehouse. I start getting nervous as we drive away from the pack house.

'Breathe Beautiful, I can feel the knots in your stomach. Everyone coming today is a seasoned warrior." I focus on my breathing and before I realize it we are here. All the backup vans park around the block in various spots. My van is parked with an eye shot of the main doors. 

The infiltrator team, with Luke, are parked down the road hidden behind another Warehouse. And now we wait.

Several hours have passed with no movement, it is now seven pm and no signs of hunters or any one at all for that matter. I wonder if we have the right place or maybe we got the day wrong. Something just feels off. 

Finally a big moving truck drives up to the building then another and another, in total five big commercial moving trucks are here. One backs up to the loading dock and three people come out of each truck. The woman who spoke against Drake seems to be leading them. No Drake, or anyone else from the video appear to be here.

One of the men in my truck speaks over the comm system, "they are here, five trucks and at least fifteen hunters. All but two have gone inside."

Luke's voice comes over the comm next, "Roger that, infiltration team move." I watch as Luke and the rest of his team quickly and quietly move to the two hunters standing guard outside the door.  Two of our men split off, one sneaking up behind each of the hunters and then, snap. The hunters fall to the ground, their necks broken. Then the whole team rush inside and all I can do is listen to the comms and wait.

Over the comms you can hear footsteps, a few struggles, muffled cusses but nothing else.  Several minutes pass when Luke's voice comes over the comm and I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. "All but three hunters have been dispatched, only the female in charge with two guards are waiting on the other side of the loading doors. We are going in." 

Two gun shots ring out over the comms then deathly silence. My heart stops. Several moments pass in silence as we wait for any signs of life.

"Hold it right there," the female hunter says barely audible over the comm system.

"Why did you shoot your own men?" Luke's voice is heard and I sigh in relief.

"They were weak, and loyal to Draken. He has gone mad, this stupid experiment to save the men from the beast, impossible. Although it pains me, the best way to end this experiment and get back to ending you beasts, is to let you free." Her voice is slightly louder, she has stepped closer to our men, or they stepped closer to her. "You will gash my shoulder and shoot my leg. Leave me here and take the trucks as you planned. Leave me alive so I may take Draken's place as leader. Better hurry though backup is on its way." 

"How did you know we would be here?" Luke asks her.

"Simple, we bugged your pack house, we knew your plans. Draken planned to capture you for his experiment and take back Ana as his toy. Tick tock five minutes."

I speak into the comm, "van one, van two, send five men to get check the moving trucks for our fellow wolf's then get them outta here. Go now. Luke follow her plan. Shoot her leg then go like you plan to s***h her shoulder but snap the bitches neck." 

"My pleasure," a gun shot rigs outs. 

"Good, you made the right the right choice. I look forward to killing you in battle."

"You wish," her neck snapping can be heard over the comm. The trucks are now being driven off. Full of the captive wolves. The loading dock doors open as Luke and then take off running to their SUVs. "Backup teams get the hell out of here we will meet you at the Blue moon pack." Luke orders and we take off towards the pack.

It takes about thirty minutes to get there and the trucks are already being uploaded and the now free wolves are being carried to the pack hospital. I am waiting to see the black SUVs, waiting to see Luke safe. It feels like I am staring at the empty road forever, although it's maybe only been a minute or two before I see headlights. When the SUVs pull up next to the vans my heart skips waiting to see the love of my life. He finally drags his slow ass out of the vehicle. I run to him so happy until I see the blood on his shirt.

"Luke, oh my god. What happened?" I half yell half cry.

"Nothing too serious beautiful, the b***h must have known that I wasn't going to follow her instructions all the way and stabbed me. She missed all the vital organs and I am already healing. I am fine." Luke gives a pained smile.

"The hell you are you have lost a lot of blood. You are being looked over now." I yell, grabbing his hand. He doesn't follow me and just stands there.

"Let the others be checked out first, they have been through so much worse than I."

"Fine at least come inside so I can look at it and bandage it please," I beg him with my eyes.

Luke rolls his eyes but follows me to the triage. When I peel his bloody shirt off I can tell this is bad, how bad I don't know I am no doctor. But there are no signs of healing, like what it would look like if a human had been stabbed. I grab some disinfect, gauze and bandages. I begin cleaning the wound and Luke hisses as I am sure the disinfect stings. "Oh sure walk around with a stab wound like it's nothing but his at me when I clean it. Luke this is not healing like I would have thought, it looks like a human wound. Don't lie to me what happened?"

"Silver, it was a silver knife but she hit nothing vital or I would already be dead. I will just heal like a human due to the silver." Luke doesn't look me in the eyes. 

"Luke, look at me," I place my hand on his chin and turn his head till our eyes meet. "I love you, don't hide your injuries from me. I am glad you're not dead or dying but this will need stitches. We will bandage it up for now, I know you want the others to get care first but if there is one thing I know is the care of a human wound. I can't do stitches but we can try to stop the bleeding so you don't bleed out." I say with authority.

He looks at me smiling and says "yes Luna." I raise my eyebrows questioning his response, "you may not be a wolf yet, but you just used your luna tone with me." We both laugh, Luke winces at the pain in his chest from the stab wound.

"Let's get this patched up Alpha. It will likely be another sexy scar."

Lifting his eyebrow at me, "you think scars are sexy?"

"Yes sir, they show just how strong and tough you are despite how gentle you are with me, most of the time," I wink and Luke gives a low, aroused, growl. "Simmer down you need to heal first." With that I place the gauze on the wound and wrap the bandage around his chest. 

Doc sees us and walks up just as I am finishing up, "Alpha what happened?"

"Stabbed with silver. No vital organs were hit." Luke says, all matter of fact like.

"Come with me now, you are too pale. I will give you some blood and that ought to fix you right up." Doc says turning around.

"What is with all these women bossing me around today," Luke says under his breath.

"It's because we care about you," Doc and I say together, then we laugh as Luke rolls his eyes. Doc sets him up in a recliner in the lobby with several other wolves receiving blood.

As we sit there the young woman next to us looks at us. "I don't think I saw you in the warehouse."

"No, we were a part of the rescue team, this is Alpha Luke, of the Blood moon pack. I am his mate Ana."

"Alpha, Luna, thank you so much for coming to our rescue. It was awful in there. They starved us, injected us with different cocktails of drugs. Some died, some went mad, those not killed usually passed out then when we woke they gave us a drug that forced us to shift. When we did shift we were beaten and they talked of another failed attempt." This woman was crying by the point. 

I left Luke's side and walked to the young woman wiping her tears aways and holding her hand. "It's okay, you're safe now. Once your body is healed we will work on healing your mind. I can not even begin to understand the suffering you went through. But we can and will get through this together." She smiles at me, a genuine smile not forced.

"Thank you Luna, your words mean the world to me. To be treated like a person after all this time and not as a beast." 

"You rest now, all will be okay now." She closes her eyes and falls right asleep. I turn to Luke, "I need to go."

"Go where beautiful?" Luke is confused.

"There are more here who need to hear this, I need to help them relax so they can begin healing." I tell him and kiss his forehead.

"My beautiful Luna, taking care of her people. I know you were worried not too long ago of not being able to fit the part, but if what you just said doesn't prove you were made for this nothing will." I smile at Luke kissing his lips gently.

"Now you rest so you may heal too."

I spent the next five hours walking around the hospital talking to different people of all shapes and sizes, young and old alike. Some could tell I was human, some couldn't or at least they said nothing about it. All were thankful. All in all I talked to hundreds of people. I spoke with Doc who said no major injuries and all 476 of them could be released from the hospital tomorrow. I sit down ona waiting room chair exhausted. It must be two or three at night by this point. I decide to rest a minute before finding Luke.

I must have passed because Luke just woke me with a kiss. "Morning beautiful."

"I can't believe I fell asleep." I say yawning.

Luke chuckles, "I believe it Doc told me spoke with over 300 people last night over five hours. We are having a meeting with the other Alphas and Luna's to discuss what to do next in one hour. Let's get you a shower and fresh clothes.

Fifty minutes later I am showered, dressed and have a strong cup of coffee in hand as I walk into the meeting room. Sitting next to Luke we wait for the meeting to begin.

Alpha of the Blue moon pack speaks up once everyone is here. "Alpha Luke, this was your mission to begin with how about you lead this morning's meeting."

Luke stands "thank you all for helping and lending aid. I honestly have no idea what to do next. Any ideas?"

I raise my hand, Luke nods his head giving me permission to speak. "I understand that we have damn near 500 folks out there in need of somewhere to go. Not a single pack here is equipped to take on that number of refugees. But there are 10 packs represented here in this room, and if we each take 40 to 50 in then we can give all of these former captives a safe environment to heal their minds, souls, and hearts. When the time comes each person can decide for themselves whether to join the pack or seek home elsewhere and possibly build a new pack. For now these folks need therapy and the safe place to lay their heads. I suggest we gather on the lawn for a meal with all the refugees and tell them they are welcome to join any of our packs and we will help rehabilitate them. I also suggest we don't assign anyone to a particular pack and allow them to choose where they would like to stay so that way if any have formed bonds well in captivity they may stay together." I sit down when I finish and wait for someone to say anything.

Luna of the Blue moon pack stands, "I concur. Well said Luna Ana. I can not think of any better way to show everyone they are welcome then to feed them. I have already mind linked my head omega to make the preparations. Unless anyone has a better idea?" She waits a minute and when no one speaks up she says "great we will have a late lunch at 3 pm and have the wolves choose after we eat and explain the process. Luna Ana since it's your idea and you already spoke to a majority last night I think it best if you make the speech at lunch. All right let's get to it."

Oh great now I get to give a big speech in front of hundreds of people, what have I gotten myself into now.

At 3 there are hundreds of tables out on the lawn with a large buffet. All the Alphas and Luna's are at one large table in front of all the others on a stage. Once everyone was sitting I stood up projecting my voice over the crowd.

"Everyone settle down for just one moment. All of you have gone through a very tough time. I know we lost many good people along the way. Look around you, each and everyone of you is a survivor. You are strong, you walk through hell and made it to the other side. The journey is not yet complete. Now is a time of healing. As you can see the lovely Blue moon pack has prepared a lovely buffet for us all," cheers erupt from the crowd. I wait for everyone to settle down before speaking again. "I am Ana many spoke with me last night, for those I was unable to meet last night I apologise. The Alphas and Luna's up here represent the 10 packs that put this whole operation together to get you here safe. I am so happy to see all of you out of the hospital already." More cheers, I smile waiting. " I am also glad to hear so many energetic voices. Now please give me just one moment then you can go attack the food I promise. When you are ready after eating we have sign up sheets. Each pack represented here has agreed to take in 40 to 50 of you. If you have any bonds with your fellow wolves please let us know so we can keep you together. Now please form a line and be nice to one another. There is plenty of food. Enjoy" I sit down but nobody moves. Luke links me 'they are expecting us as alphas to go first' I nod and stand again. "We have not been starved. I know it is normal etiquette to wait for your Alphas, but today we throw etiquette out the window. Go and get your food first." With that they hesitantly get up and go to the buffet.

An hour in, a woman approaches Luke and says "I don't know if you remember me."

Luke looks at her, his eyes become huge, "Maggie, oh thank the Goddess. Jake will be so happy to see you."

"Really? I figured he would have found a chosen mate after all this time."

"Oh no Maggie, when Luke and Jake told me about you. Jake's eyes were full of love, determination, and sadness. It is so great to meet you." I say to help ease her mind. I grab the sheet for our pack and write her name in. "Welcome home Maggie." I smile at her.

Maggie begins to cry, "once he learns what happened he won't want me any more I can't… I just… I'm sorry," with that she runs off. I immediately follow her.

She stops at the edge of the forest. "Maggie, talk to me what makes you think he won't want you?" 

"The men, the hunters.. they would take their pleasure with us. I am no longer pure for my mate. Between beatings and injections I was too weak. I just let them do it." Maggie is crying, not just tears but pure ugly crying.

"I thought the same thing when Draken r***d me. At first I felt like I cheated on Luke, I thought he would think I was a white. I was under a dark magic spell that made me unable to fight or say anything." I shudder when I think back. I didn't want to talk about it but I felt she needed to know she is not alone.

"Draken got you? Why though?" She looks confused so I take a deep breath and tell her everything. I am human, Drake is my ex, he thinks I still belong to him. My whole nightmare, how I still see his face when I close my eyes. Everything.

"But this is different. You were in a dream and he didn't get you pregnant." My jaw drops, oh s**t.

"Maggie, are you sure?" I ask.

"Yes the doctor told me last night. I am three weeks in. Many of us feel pregnant but usually miscarried due to the abuse those who didn't were forced to an abortion. This is my third pregnancy, I can't give up on my child. I can't bear to lose another."

"Oh Maggie," I hug her letting her cry, I rub her back until she calms down. "Give Jake a chance to love you and your baby. I have gotten to know him over the last few weeks and I am confident he will make the right choice."

"I don't think I can tell him." Maggie is struggling with herself.

"If you want I will tell him. It is your choice if you want to be there or not."

"Would you really do that for me?" I nod my head. "But why you don't know me at all?"

"I am Luke's mate, Jake is like a brother to Luke. That makes you as Jake's mate my sister. I will be there for you no matter what"

"Thank you, I would rather not be there if I am to be honest." I nod understanding. And we go back to the buffet area and she grabs more food while I go back to sit with Luke.

'what happened?' Luke asks through our link.

'It is private, but I need to speak with Jake when we get home before he sees Maggie,' Luke nods and we finish up with lunch and getting all our new members.