Chapter 33: Chapter 33

‘I know,’ Xavier said and gave someone named Darrow some instructions via mind-link. Angel could feel that the Were was also an Alpha wolf but not of Wulfblood. He wondered then just how many alphas were there! He almost laughed out loud. Antonio Rufus had no idea what he had walked into for sure.

‘Will you tell me your name?’ Xavier asked, drawing him out of his musings.

He let out a sigh and replied, ‘Call me Angel.’

‘Thank you, Angel. I hope we get to talk and meet when this is over…’

Angel wanted to reply but Antonio Rufus yelled, “You are a fool if you think you are in any position to make deals. Perhaps I ought to show you a demonstration of what I'm capable of…” He then stepped back and raised his gun, directing it to the head of the male Were posing as Xavier’s father. Angel clenched his jaw, shut his eyes and heard Antonio Rufus add, “I see this didn’t work on you…” Then a loud blast resounded in the night. The smell of blood assailed his senses. When he opened his eyes the male Were was dead. Angel noted that was the second Were to be wasted that day. He directed a cold glare at Antonio Rufus back and then the bastard yelled, “Find the she-wolf and if anyone stands in your way kill them all!” commanding his men, including all the Weres under his command

Angel felt his inside cloud with dread when Antonio Rufus raised his right hand ready to press the controller strapped around his left wrist. He knew exactly what would happen when he pressed it. Every single Were would lose their minds! Including him. He lowered his gaze to Aaron and watched as the human meet his gaze. From the corner of his eye, he saw Antonio Rufus pressing the button

All the Weres stood straighter and stepped forward in perfect formation. Angel did as well but he noted something mind-blowing. Although the device could indeed control him, he found he could resist it! He saw Aaron doubled over in abject pain, cradling his head. Angel discreetly raised his hand to slip a finger into the collar band. Aaron raised his eyes filled with anguish to meet his. "Hold on, human," Angel muttered. Aaron nodded. His agony was quite evident.

“I want this fool’s body parts scattered all over the grounds that it would be impossible to put him together,” Antonio Rufus said, pointing at Xavier. Xavier smirked. "Be a good girl, Bethany, and find the she-wolf for daddy," Antonio Rufus said to the she-wolf he brought to pose as Xavier's mother, dropping all the act.

Angel felt sad for her, remembering when she was a vibrant and beautiful Were. And now reduced to nothing but a body to satisfy sexual urges and a house pet.

Antonio Rufus then stood back and smashed his palm against the controller. Angel felt his body regressing and noted all the Weres were changing as well. They all lunged forward, leaping in the air ready to obey Antonio Rufus's command.

"Sorry man," Angel said and used the back of his paw to smack Aaron to the side of the shrubbery close by, making sure he landed on a pile of snow.

Angel then completely transformed into his primal form as he was scaling through the air, realising the mind-controlling device around his neck was powerless against his primal powers.

He wondered if it was because of where he was or his link with Xavier. Because they had used it on him before and it had worked. But then, before he could land on the snow-covered plain, the grip around his neck released and fell uselessly. Angel landed and was in utter shock.

Angel saw that Freki was way ahead of the formation and was close to Xavier, he was about to swipe his claw at the Alpha Were but Xavier half-shifted, and scaled through the air to meet up with him, only he didn’t use his claw to disarm the other Were, he gave him a hard punch in the middle of the chest, held on to him and seemed to go higher still and then came right down to slam dunk the smaller Were like a ball to the ground in a fast. powerful motion moves that left him enthralled.

Angel swore the ground shook. The act was an astounding statement that paused every single action, somewhat letting them all know the kind of shit they were in. Angel wanted to howl in triumph. And when Xavier straightened his spine and stood tall in his white fur glory, Angel felt his eyes smart with tears. He could not be more proud. But then Angel noticed it wasn’t only Freki that was now lying on the floor motionless, eight of the Weres Antonio Rufus brought were also unconscious now except for Bethany and Blaze.

Bethany seemed to have gained a bit of her strength and lunged forward toward Xavier. Angel didn't seem bothered by her. He figured if she was far gone to try and follow Antonio Rufus's orders, Xavier and the others would stop her. Blaze however was struggling to stay upright but was conscious, his golden fur was magnificent. Angel had never seen him in his wolf form before, and was quite proud of the young were.

Angel saw Xavier punch Bethany to stop her from passing him and going into the camp, causing the she-wolf to fall motionless to the floor, but when he took a threatening stride towards Blaze, Angel snarled loudly at him in a warning. Their eyes met and a silent message passed between them. Angel let him know that Blaze was not to be harmed. Xavier stepped back and Angel turned away from him, heading back—fast and purposefully—towards Antonio Rufus.

From where he was, Angel saw Antonio Rufus startled backwards upon seeing him coming at him. Angel could smell his fear and panic. He chuckled to himself. 'Not here, not now boss, it would be too easy…' Angel thought, forging forward. The guards rally around him in a protective shield as if they could protect him from him if he had wanted him dead.

Angel swatted both Antonio Rufus's guards and Xavier’s werewolves out of his way as he waded his way toward Antonio Rufus. Seeing now that Xavier was getting dangerously close to the bastard, he knew he had to be quick and save him, otherwise, Mathew and Daniel would make a road kill out of his friends back in the hell hole.

Xavier was about to grab Antonio Rufus when Angel pounced in between them, catching the alpha Were by surprise, he shoved Xavier back and carried Antonio Rufus, running back to the shoreline.

Blaze joined him, moving at the same pace. The two shared a look. Angel loved that he had been able to forge a friendship with a few of the Weres to the point that sometimes words were not needed. Just when they were close to the boat, a bullet whizzed passed his ear, hitting Antonio Rufus on his exposed shoulder. The other man flitched and cried out in pain. Blood splattered and smeared Angel’s fur. Another came almost immediately hitting Antonio Rufus in the kneecap. He groaned loudly, hanging his head in pain. Angel tilted a bit to shield him and got shit in the back of his shoulder. He leapt on board the boat and quickly hid from sight, breathing hard.

"You saved me," Antonio Rufus muttered, nonplussed, before starting to rant at his guards, “You fucking assholes! Angel had to get hit to save me! You are all fucking useless!" Angel saw Blaze train his gaze on Antonio Rufus’s blood, pooling below his wounded foot.

Angel was about to get him below deck so as to tie something around his wounds before he bled to death when a loud whoosh sounded from the back of the boat. The boat shook hard and the night lit up as the boat caught fire. Shards of wood flew all over the place, causing Angel to dock, shielding Antonio Rufus and Blaze.

Something heavy and sharp hit him in the back. He grunted hard. And then another hit sounded from the other side of the boat. Antonio Rufus went very quiet, watching in shock as his guards’ bodies littered the deck. Blaze held Angel's face.

It appeared Xavier and his team had decided none of them was leaving the island alive. He knew then that if he wanted to get out alive with Antonio Rufus and Blaze, he needed to beg for them to let them go. He shut his eyes, grunting from pain in his back and desperately sought to link up with his cousin, hoping he was still close enough.

Immediately he felt his skin start to tingle, he knew he was in Xavier's head. And aside from the mind-linking connection with Xavier, he could feel some kind of energy running through his body from the other alpha Were and he felt himself physically healing from his wound. Something fell from his back to the floor and rolled in between his boots, and when he darted his eyes in the direction, he saw it was a bullet.

'You've got to let us go, Alpha,' Angel pleaded, breathing hard. Although he could not make sense of it, he knew connecting with Xavier was making him stronger.

‘I wasn't expecting you to save your captor…’ Xavier replied.

‘I really have no choice in the matter, brother.’

'I see…'

'I promise you. I will deliver him into your hands … just give me time."

'How long would this take?' Xavier asked.

'A few days at most, I promise you. If we don't get him back alive, all my friends back there will be killed. Aaron, the human, has Rufus' coordinates and the phone I would be using to communicate with you. Find him.’

As soon as he said that another explosion hit the boat shattering it all to bits. Angel, Blaze and Rufus found themselves in the deep, dark depth of the water.