Chasing A Runaway Mate

Chapter 15

Black

His chest rose and fell quickly with Black's heavy breathing. It had been a tough fight with many lives lost, but they all stood still for a moment, taking in their bloody victory.

Bodies, broken and still, covered almost every inch of the floor. Looking around, he made eye contact with Peter. The commander had surprised Black with his ferocious fighting. The man had cut through his opponents, discarding them like they were nothing more than a pest. It occurred to Black that maybe he had underestimated the Council and their forces. A shiver ran down his spine as he considered what could have happened had they not managed to get the Council on their side.

"I have received word. Ivan has been taken into custody." Commander Peter's voice sounded heavier and deeper than before. Black wondered if it was due to exertion or because of the violence he had displayed.

"Custody? You know that is a dangerous move, Commander. You won't be able to hold him long. If he came quietly, it means Ivan has something else up his sleeve."

"We're aware, Alpha. We're not planning on staying here long enough for whatever that plan is to reveal itself. The bastard might think he will be taken back to Headquarters, but his blood will flow before the day is out." Black rose his eyebrow in response.

"I will not taint this pack or these people further by having his blood stain their soil. His throat will be cut and his body buried in an unmarked grave where no one will see it."

*****

Something shifted in the air the moment Black and the rest of Commander Peter's men entered the vast room where Ivan was being held. Just like everywhere else, dead bodies lay strewn on the floor. The color of the tiles was unknown as they were tainted red from all the blood. On the other side of the room stood a small group of men. Ivan was gagged and chained off to the side with a single guard. The other men were huddled around something, but Black could not see what. Black scanned the room, trying to spot the vivid red hair of his sister's mate, but he could not see Wren anywhere.

"No!" The word came out more like a plea as realization settled heavy in Black's stomach. As he neared the group of men, he saw him. It could only be him. No other wolf he had ever seen had fur that color. It was the same shade of copper-red as Wren's hair.

The wolf lay motionless, his eyes closed. His fur was coated in blood, but Black could not see if it was his or his enemy's. Wren was injured, and badly. The fact that his body had not reverted to its human form at least meant that Wren was still alive. However, he was clearly injured so badly that he could not shift.

"We have to get him back to the camp, but we're afraid of injuring him further. He's lost so much blood already," a man said to Peter. "If only he could shift, it would be so much easier to transport him."

"You will just have to make a plan! There is no way I am telling my sister I let her mate die because we didn't know how to carry him," Black snarled at the man.

Thankfully, Peter kept his cool and quickly scanned the room. He instructed the men to rip one of the large doors off its hinges. They made quick work of it, and soon they had Wren's limp body laid out on the door. Black was glad Ivan could not speak. The mad man looked very pleased, not at all like someone who had been captured and would die soon.

The journey back to camp was quiet and slow. With every jostle of the door, Wren's wounds leaked more blood. By the time they reached the tents, the sun had set and twilight had set in.

"Do you want to do it?" Commander Peter asked Black, indicating to where Ivan was being pushed down onto his knees. Black was torn between staying with his sister's mate and taking out the man who had caused his family, and his pack, so much pain. In the end, Black knew he could do nothing for Wren as the medical crew began their inspection of his injuries.

"Not here."

Black thundered towards Ivan, Dimitri hot on his heels. Without a word to the guards, he grabbed Ivan by the throat and began dragging him away and towards the treeline. The disposed Alpha tried to wrestle against Black, but he simply tightened his hold around Ivan's throat. He knew Ivan couldn't shift into his wolf because of all the chains binding him. Peter had informed Black that the chains had been cursed by a very powerful witch who lived nearly two hundred years ago. Once they were fastened around a shifter, they would not be able to shift into their wolves. Trying to do so would only bring them great pain.

When they reached the treeline, Black threw Ivan away from him. Dimitri made sure to stay close to Black's uncle, but Black took a few steps away from where Ivan was trying to get back up to his feet. Black ran both his hands through his hair, his back turned on the other two men. He was fed up with it all. All he wanted was to put this whole ordeal behind him and go home to Rose.

Black could feel Dimitri's eyes on him. He knew his friend would not push him, but Black knew him well enough and could practically hear the unspoken concerns of his Beta. Wanting to get this over with, Black drew from his belt the knife he had taken from one of the Enforcers and walked back to Ivan. Realizing what was going to happen, Ivan tried to make a run for it. But Dimitri was too quick for him and kicked his feet from underneath him. Without pause, Black reached down and grabbed a handful of Ivan's hair. With eyes the color of a starless sky, Black looked his uncle in the eye as he ran the blade across Ivan's throat. The cut was deep, severing not just the arteries but cutting straight through Ivan's windpipe.

Absolute fury gave way and Black smiled at the fear he could see in his uncle's eyes. He held fast to Ivan's head, watching the life drain from him as his body tried to fight and heal itself. It took longer than it would've for a human. The gurgling sounds as Ivan tried to splutter and hold on to life felt loud among the quiet trees. Finally, Ivan's eyes rolled back in his head and his body went completely limp. Black let go of his hair and his body slumped in the now red snow. Black and Dimitri stood in silence as they listened, waiting for Ivan's heart to give out.

When the heart gave its last beat, Black turned and headed back to the camp. He wanted to be done with Ivan and his evil legacy. Someone else would come and take care of the body, he was certain. Sure enough, as they entered the tent line, two men passed them, each carrying a shovel. Black nodded at them, giving them his silent thanks.

Dimitri stopped Black with a hand on his shoulder. Surprised, Black turned to his friend. Dimitri looked at Black with a steely gaze for a long moment before speaking, his voice hoarse.

"It's done, Black. You've done it, Alpha. Your people are avenged and safe." Years of pain and worry etched into Dimitri's expression mirrored the heavy emotions in Black's chest. For a moment, the two men stood there, allowing themselves a moment to just feel before locking it all away again. Black reached for his friend and placed his hand on Dimitri's shoulder. With a nod and a squeeze, he acknowledged what his friend's words and what they meant.