A Secret Alpha Mate
Chapter 97

(Jackson)

Cam gives me a look and I scramble to put my phone back up to my ear, I couldn't lose control even momentarily.

"Hello?" I say into it, hoping I didn't lose the connection.

"Alpha. We are prepared to send our men in. We wanted to make sure it was okay with you before we went across your pack borders."

"I'll send out my Gamma and some warriors to meet you," I make eye contact with Cam and motion for him to come over, he excuses himself and is by my side in a few moments. "They are on the South side. I'll instruct them to await your Gamma." He pauses for a second, "I do apologize, Alpha."

"Once we locate him, we can put this behind us."

"Thank you, Alpha. Call back if you need more assistance."

"Thanks." I rush to hang up the phone and turn to Cam.

The Elder's trackers traced him back here - I link, there were too many ears around

Cam tenses and looks around

Their trackers are waiting at the South side for you and your warriors

Ill bring some of the men from Silver Moon and some of the new ones to meet the Elder's men. Bryce and the others will stay back here to protect the pack members,

Do you think we should continue with the barbecue?

Definitely, having most of the pack members in one place will make them easier to watch

Okay, get going. I'll fill in Lucas and Isla

(Cameron)

I let Bryce on what was going on, immediately linking him, and splitting our warriors into two teams, most would stay with Bryce, with the Elder's men we should make quick work of one injured wolf.

We didn't know what we were getting into and the safety of the pack was our top priority, even more important than capturing Benjamin, so it was important that we had warriors around the packhouse until he was found. The Elder's trackers were waiting a few feet from our pack borders.

"Gamma." One of them comes up, "We followed his trail to this spot. We have some pieces of his clothing that your warriors can use to get his scent." I nod to him.

"You're welcome on our land as long as you need. Hopefully, together we can finish this once and for all." The trackers walk onto our territory. There were six of them, and I was grateful to have their trained help, and numbers. They immediately started to follow the scent. I let my warriors have the scrap of cloth while the trackers worked ahead of us.

"Alright, those of you that are new. We are looking for this scent. I don't want you to split from the group, always have at least one person with you. We should all be following the same trail anyway. If you see something, anything you think might be even slightly important, link me immediately.

Bryce and the rest of the warriors have stayed behind to protect the pack members at the barbeque and to continue to run regular patrols. If we know anything about Benjamin it's that he is unpredictable and not against violence. I want us to all stay safe." "Yes, Gamma." They said in unison.

The trail was faint, but we were able to follow it relatively easily because there were drops of his blood left behind. Even though they were now dried and days old, but it was still something to go off of.

We came to an area that had a massive door and a large stone fence. I motioned for my men to pause. Was this the abandoned omega village that was mentioned during the trial?

I instructed my men to circle around it from both sides, but they reported nothing out of the ordinary. The trackers double-checked and didn't see anything either.

"Should we go in?" I asked them,

The lead tracker nods and goes to push the door. It won't budge. I came up and helped him but it seemed like there was a barrier that was preventing us from getting past. It almost seemed like, ah Valoria. "One second, I think this is magic. Let me make a call." I stepped away and ring William.

"Hello, Gamma."

"Hi, William. Sorry to disturb you, I know it's late, but I need to speak with our dark witch."

"Of course, I was actually still in the office so it's not late at all." I fill him in on everything here as he heads down to the dungeon.

"I have to say, to his credit, he really wont give up. Even when he should have." William chuckles, "I hope you boys are being safe." He adds

"We always are, William."

"What now?" I hear Valoria sounding muffled and annoyed in the distance.

"The Gamma wants a word."

"What?" She spits into the phone, "Even though I'm locked up I still need my beauty rest."

"The omega village," I say, "How do we get in?" The line was silent.

"William?" I ask.

"Yes, Gamma."

"Call one two of the guards in with you, I need the answers from her and I don't care how you get it."

"Of course." I hang up the line.

"It seems to be dark magic." I say coming back to the group, the trackers look at me completely hopeless, "The good thing is is that we have Benjamin's dark witch in our possession, we just need to wait until she gives us the answers." I look at the imposing gate again and I can feel everyone else visibilly relax around me.

"I say we take shifts, I want this place watched 24/7!" I say to them all, "Are you okay to stay with us until this is finished?" I ask the lead tracker, he nods without a moment's hesitationation.

"Perfect, I'll assign shifts so that everyone has a chance to go get a few things they might need and to eat and shower. I hope we can figure this out tonight, but it might take a bit longer than that." I sighed, checking my phone, even though I knew I didn't have any messages.

"I'm going to fill in the Alpha." I say, after we figured out the shifts between my warriors and the trackers, "I'll bring some supplies back here after to make this as comfortable as possible."

After filling in Jackson, I had a few of the warriors that came with us from Silver Moon grab me some supplies, blankets, food, and water bottles. Most would probably shift to sleep, but I wanted to make sure everyone was as comfortable as they could be while we sat and waited for answers.

William calls me on the way back, hopefully with some good news.

"William, what have you found out?"

"Took a bit of blood shed, but we got something out."

"Go on,"

"You can only enter the village with fresh blood." Here's the problem, "It has to be Alpha Benjamins." f**k.

"Any other way?"

"She said she can get in but she has to be there." I didn't trust her, "I wouldn't trust her outside this dungeon though." He said what I was thinking. "So, how do we get in?"

"She seals it every time Alpha Benjamin leaves, she seemed to be serious."

"What's in there? Why so much protection?"

"She said it's where she's been living the past few years, Alpha Benjamin wanted to keep her close but hidden from the pack." That makes sense.

"So it's just where she lives? Thats it?"

"That's what she said."

"Well, we need another way to get in. I don't know how long Alpha Benjamin can hold himself there but I don't want to waste pack resources, and our warriors time, trying to replace out." "Unless you want to use the witch, I don't know if there is another way."

"F**k." Who knows how many supplies he has in there. There had to be another way. "Wait, you said she sealed it every time?"

"Yes."

"So what happens if he's in there now without her sealing it?"

"I have no idea."

"Find out please."

He stays on the line and I hear him talking to her, muffled voices. I couldn't make anything out.

"She says that if it wasn't sealed when he visited, then others would have access eventually. There is a powerful spell that would need to diminish."

"So she didn't actually say anything really, just maybe one day we get access to this hidden village?"

"If he's in there and she doesn't seal it, the magic doesn't stay up forever apparently."

"How do we get in? How long do we wait?" I ask,

"Why don't you try what Alpha Benjamin did? Blood."

It was worth a shot, and we were nearing the village now.

"Thank you, William."

"Call if you need anything." I hang up the line and paused for a second, I let my warriors fall behind me and I waited for them to catch up so we could walk towards the village together. The warriors there had a fire started and they were laughing and joking together, I was already so proud of the new warriors and how they were fitting seamlessly into the mix. "Hand out the food and water, I want to try something real quick."

I walk up to the door and survey it. If it needed blood where would the blood need to be placed? I couldn't replace any compartment or even anything that stood out, so I just went for it. Pricking my finger with a knife I waited until a drop of blood fell and then pushed my finger against the door.

Nothing.

After a moment, I heard a creak. It could have just been the wind blowing through the door it was so faint.

I tried my luck and pushed on it to see, it couldn't do any harm.

The door opened with a little effort. Holy f**k, I did it. Without Valoria to seal the door, this place had been susceptible to anyone. Anyone that knew that blood was the answer.

I quickly ran back to the warriors and explained everything. We put together a plan and had some of them shift while the rest of us walked up in human form, prepared for a fight.

We opened the door and immediately were on the offensive, checking every house, warriors hiding outside the front gates, the only gates, in case he escaped.

Nothing over here, Gamma.

We found her hut. It's empty.

Nothing here

Uh, so, I, uh, I found a pit of bones - A newer warrior enters my head

No one alive here

I walked through the village after there seemed to be confirmation that no one was here. Where could he have gone? Or was he hiding somewhere out of reach? Somewhere with dark magic?

I opened the door to another abandoned house to triple-check.

Only this one wasn't abandoned.

There was a soft glow and a quiet, ominous moan.

I need backup. The third house on the left

Coming

Outside now

I wait until I know there are warriors outside before I take a few more steps in. A young man that looks like he's aged past his prime. How could this be possible? The features of an elderly man and a young one mixed into one person. He was quietly moaning, the sound never stopped. Lamenting his pain.

Two people suspended in liquid floated in and out of view. They seemed dead, but I couldn't walk up closer, I have never dealt with anything like this and I wasn't scared to admit it freaked me out.

Alpha, you need to see this. Now.