Chapter 53: Chapter 53

Millan manages to keep his head down, looking scared until they’re close to the valley.

He knows the hard part is ahead and its success depends on Amir’s logic. So far, Amir’s plan hasn’t failed him, so he has to go all in and trust it’ll work.

As soon as they step into the pathway Grant had established as the best spot, Millan starts to chuckle.

He bites his bottom lip as if trying to stifle his laughter effectively making Axel stop walking and turn around with a tilt to his head and an arch eyebrow.

“What the hell are you smiling for, kid? You know you’re in deep trouble here, right?”

Millan's eyes widen as if he were caught doing something he shouldn’t have.

Axel is now frowning at Millan who does his best to look as if he’s trying not to smile.

Seeing Axel’s irritated expression, Millan thinks they should give him an acting award already.

(Flashback)

“How do you know Axel himself is going to pick Millan up?”

“Axel gets off on giving the illusion of power, that much is clear. But as I understand it,” Amir turns to Millan, “Millan, your father gets off on actually exercising power, right?”

“Yeah. That’s right.” A gigantic understatement, Millan thinks.

“I don’t think those two get along very well. I think Axel wants Travis out of his house as soon as possible. He probably made a deal involving Millan and once that’s done, Travis will be on his merry way. Not only is he eager to end this but Millan has bruised his ego more than once in the past. He probably wants to see him scared and intimidated just for the fun of it.”

Everybody around the table nods their ascent except for Weston whose low threatening growl makes Amir bend his neck in submission while Millan barely manages to resist the urge.

“I don’t like this.” Weston says through gritted teeth, knuckles white where he is gripping the desk tightly.

Millan rests what he hopes is a comforting hand on them.

“I’ll be fine, Weston. You said it yourself. Axel’s bark is scarier than his bite.”

At Millan's calming voice, some of the tension alleviates in their bond, but Weston is nowhere near relaxed, jaw clenching and unclenching repeatedly.

Amir chips in, “I may have a way to ensure Millan's safety from a distance,” he looks at Grant, “Grant, what’s the best spot, close to the border, that would give us an advantage in a fight?”

Grant frowns as he analyzes the map displayed on Weston’s desk.

“A couple of spots, but closest from here would be… right here.” Grant states in his usual unaffected tone, “It’s a valley only on Brook's side, so we’d have higher ground. It’s almost surrounded by our border; we could have soldiers posted alongside it. I have a squad trained to ignore the trespassing pains; I can mobilize them easily.”

“Good. So, all we need to do is make sure the confrontation with Millan's father happens in that little valley where we can back Millan up if things go sour.”

“Oh, is that all? How are we going to do that?” Amara says, arching an eyebrow, unimpressed.

Amir smiles, excitement shining in his eyes, “With someone like Axel Brook? Easy…”

(End of Flashback)

“We’re not going further until you explain yourself. What is so funny?”

Millan ‘tries’ to school his expression back to his previous submissive demeanor but makes the struggle apparent.

“Nothing’s funny, Sir.” Millan says in a ‘neutral’ tone.

“Is that right?” Axel gestures to one of the bodyguards who grabs Millan's shoulder harshly, Millan ‘gulps’ acting up his fear.

Everything is going so well, it feels like something’s bound to go wrong at some point.

(Flashback)

“Now, Millan, you said there were two bodyguards last time, correct?”

Millan nods, “Yes, and during my first encounter with Axel, they were there too.”

“Good. So, it’s safe to assume they’ll probably be there again if Axel comes to get you in person. Now you said last time you stole a key from them. Could you swipe say… a knife?”

Millan ponders that for a second. A key is smaller, less heavy. But Millan is confident that he can find a way, so he nods.

“If you carry a backpack in, they’ll probably search you. If we plant a knife there, it’s safe to assume one of the bodyguards is going to end up with it. You could retrieve it as you did the key last time and use it if push comes to shove.”

Millan nods, one hand playing with his bottom lip as he’s already thinking up ways of getting back the knife.

“Yeah, all right, I can probably do that. As long as I create a distraction. Last time, I made them fight me so I could get close enough without them realizing.”

Weston growls at his side making Millan's heart jump in his chest. “You’re not making them fight you.”

“Weston…”

“No. You’ll have to find another way Millan.”

The stern look Weston gives him is enough to make Millan nod in understanding.

They had just mated and this is the most Weston is willing to risk for Millan or else, his alpha will go crazy. That much he understands, and he wouldn’t want Weston to undergo that torture.

He’ll just have to figure something out.

(End of Flashback)

Axel looms over Millan menacingly, the two bodyguards grabbing his shoulders tightly behind him.

It isn’t too difficult for Millan to look intimidated.

“Now, I’ll ask you again one last time. What. Is. So. Funny?”

Millan averts his gaze, knowing he can’t submit too easily, or it would look suspicious. He shakes his head, “Nothing, Sir. I was just… nervous.”

Millan hopes Axel isn’t going to be dense enough to believe that. Axel smiles, obviously enjoying the way Millan recoils in fear.

“Unfortunately for you, Millan, I don’t believe you. I think you had a reason to laugh and I think I’ll make you tell me one way or another.”

The bodyguards’ grips tighten and Millan whines in pain. Millan gulps again, hoping he is not overselling it. Then, he looks back up, a ‘sudden’ resurgence of confidence and defiance.

“You underestimated Weston.”

“Oh, is that right?”

Millan lets a moment of hesitation pass over his expression before going back to his defiant stance.

“Yes. Do you think he’d let his mate get thrown into the lion’s den without any back-up?”

Axel seems to notice the fresh bite mark on Millan's neck, frown deepening.

Millan is thankful for Weston’s possessiveness, wanting everyone to be able to see his mating mark, making his story slightly more believable.

“Back-up?” Axel says, a hint of worry in his voice.

Millan shuts his lips tightly, looking down as if regretting what he just revealed. Axel grabs Millan's neck applying pressure menacingly, but not enough to cut his airway.

All bark, no bite, Millan thinks.

Millan's mating mark starts to burn under the Alpha’s hands, and he is thrown off by the sudden discomfort.

*****

Under the covers of the trees, looking down at the scene in the small valley, Weston snarls darkly.

He can feel Millan's discomfort as loud as if it were his own.

Seeing red with no other need than to protect his mate, Weston lunges forward. He growls louder when a force pulls him back into cover.

Weston turns towards the offender, standing between him and his mate.

“Weston, for fuck’s sake. Snap out of it! Millan is okay, everything is going according to plan. We move only when Travis Caelan shows up.”

It takes a moment before it registers that the voice is Jace’s voice and that he is gripping Jace’s arm tight enough to leave a bruise.

He shakes his head slightly and swallows back his wolf’s instincts. He has to get a grip and trust his soul mate, or he’ll be the one putting him in danger.

He turns back to the scene unfolding before them. He has to admit; Millan is a good actor.

Weston keeps having to search their bond to confirm Millan isn’t actually scared but feeling rather confident. An impressive feat for an omega as tiny as him surrounded by three large alphas.

Gosh, his mate is a badass.

And he is so damn proud of him.

*****

Millan's hands go to grab Axel’s in an attempt to make him back off, but the two bodyguards are quick to restrain his arms behind his back firmly.

Millan struggles to get out of their holds, knowing full well it’s a lost cause, but the scuffle provides a good enough distraction for the shining blade of a knife to disappear underneath his sleeve unnoticed.

He resists the urge to punch Axel’s pleased smirk and quickens his breath to look scared instead.

“Talk.” Axel says sternly applying a bit more pressure on Millan's neck.

Here we go, Millan thinks.

“Weston has implemented spies on your territory years ago. They’ll protect me as soon as we get to Headquarters. They helped me escape once before.”

Please take the bait, please take the bait, please take the bait, Millan chanted in his brain.

“Who?”

Millan's eyes widen a bit in surprise. Of course, Millan is bluffing, so even if he wanted to give any names, he couldn’t. He should have seen that question coming. He puts some confidence back in his eyes.

“Who do you think?” Millan says, as if it were so evident Axel should know already.

It’s a gamble, but Millan stifles a sigh of relief when Axel responds.

“Is it Karl?”

Millan hopes this Karl isn’t going to get in too much trouble because of this, but he keeps a straight face not confirming nor denying anything.

They stare at each other for a moment, gauging each other as Millan ignores his mating mark burning under Axel’s unwanted touch as best as he can.

Axel finally breaks eye contact, looking up over Millan's head.

“Clifford, take over. Gab, go get Travis Caelan and bring him here.”

“Sir, it’s a little early, he’s probably still sleeping.”

Millan has to refrain from laughing while Axel’s stare sends daggers in Gab’s direction.

“I don’t care if he’s sleeping! Wake him up. We’re finishing this here and now. Our little friend here says he’s got some help waiting for him in Headquarters. Well then, we won’t get to Headquarters.”

“Of course, Sir, I’ll be right back with Mr. Caelan.”

Axel keeps his eyes on Millan as Gab departs hastily. Millan does his best to look petrified, as if Axel had managed to mess up their plans.

Axel lets go of Millan's neck making him sigh in relief.

“Don’t let go of him, Clifford. We wouldn’t want him to get any ideas while we wait patiently for his father now, would we?”