Rejected Mate and Following Fate - Awakening Book
Chapter 107: The Frequency

We know. Vampires are trailing off and heading your way. Get inside the manor and replace the controlroom to try and disable it.

Colton's fast response is ragged and strained and I can tell they are really in the thick of it and notdoing so well. I can feel his fatigue, hear his stress levels in just one link. Without seeing what'sgoing on, I can tell the valley must be a bloodbath right now. They are fighting hard to stay incontrol and god knows how many have died already.

Are you okay? I reply in panic, not knowing how to feel with the way things seem to have suddenlycombusted and are no longer in our control. Our plans have gone to hell and I feel useless andsomehow cut off from what's going on. No sense of what to do or how to help.

We're holding on and pulling villagers with us. We're coming to you as soon as we can but just doas I ask. There are more of them than us and half of the Valley wolves are weak and sick.

We shall Alpha. Be safe... Luna.... He's right. We need to disable it.

Radar breaks into the link, which Colton sent using the sub pack bond before I can formulate aresponse. I'm still rooted to the spot as I let this sink in and try to think. The urgency around ushemming in on me so I feel instantly suffocated and my brain doesn’t want to cooperate. It'sspiraling.

Take care of her for me. Colton ends the link and goes back to fighting to save his people with onelast commanding order.

“He wants us to go inside and disable the tone that's making the wolves weak.” I relay to thosearound me who weren't part of the pack link.

"Get these boys up, they're coming with us. Move. We don't have time to wait around.” Leyanne'scommanding voice comes at us from behind, startling me, and it's only now I realize she wasn't withus. She's moving fast, followed by a high-flying stream of crows as she paces at us, her robesflapping in the speed of her own motion. I have no idea where she went but she’s good at doing thedisappearing and reappear act.

“The manor?” I ask with uncertainty and am caught by the wrist as she passes and tugged towardsthe house with hurried force. “What about Juan?” I yelp in fright with the sheer strength of hermaneuver.

“He's not important right now. The wolves are losing because of his damned weapon. We need toturn it off but leave the defense intact so they vampires don't use theirs. My magic can't do a thingwith technology.” She for once sounds ruffled and majorly annoyed. Dragging me from the centerof my pack and with her towards the stairs. My guards seem momentarily shocked that she wouldhaul their Luna this way and then scramble to follow while dragging our prisoners with them.Carmen doesn't question but hops behind me, Sierra on her tail and I can tell that like me, they arenow uncertain and worried. It's only a matter of time before the frequency affects us too and wedon't know how long that will take. Like a slow poison invading our systems.

“The control room for the cameras used to be on the ground floor near the sub common room.”Carmen flits to human form, pushing in front of us with speed as we get to the door of the manorand halts before she grabs the handle. The door isn’t boarded or blocked but she hesitates andholds up a palm behind her to stop us moving forward.

“What?” I blanche in irritation

"Wolfsbane...can't you smell it.” She leans in and around the door, her nose inching close,scrounging up her face in disgust and then moves to the handle with caution.

“Really?” I snort in amused disbelief “He would swoop as low as tainting handles with wolfsbane.What's wrong with him?”

“What's right with him?” Carmen retorts with gritted teeth and moves aside to let the witch try thedoor. Wolves are harmed by wolfsbane even with the simplest touch. It's one of the few poisonsthat merely grazing our skin can burn in the most agonizing way.

I flinch a glance at Radar from the corner of my eye and watch that proud wolf form tense slightly.His eye scar came from a combo of using a silver dagger and wolfsbane and I know it's one of thefew things in life that still makes him nervous. Even in the grimoire library we banned it from thehouse as it's so potent against us we cannot be around it safely. It's our Kryptonite and yet Juan hassmeared his own front door with it. It sums him up entirely.

“I guess he never ventures out this way, or out at all.” Leyanne observes and one of our wolfprisoners let's out a wry laugh.

"Why do for himself what he can make others do. Juan only takes the likes of us in, and we don'tcome back out.” Taemin snarls and then slumps against Radar, who is still holding him tight asthough he doesn't even have the energy to hold himself up anymore. They have been exposed tothe frequency for god knows how long and I'm worried about their usefulness and health if we takethem further. Carmen seems to gaze into the distance for a second, her body stiffening and I knowshe’s momentarily lost in memories of what was done to her in this house.

"Hmmm... Seems he doesn't care all too much about protecting the way in. This wolfbane isnothing more than a deterrent.” Leyanne shoves the heavy door open after a few taps on the lockand a spark of light, which I assume is some magical unlocking ability and swings the heavy woodenslab back into the once familiar hallway.

Inside it looks the same as when we left, only dark, dusty and unused as though it's sat dormant andempty for months. The air is stale, and the lights are all out, leaving an eeriness in as Leyanne lightsthe way with the glow from her hand to cast some illumination. It's too still, too empty. We knowJuan and his minions are inside this manor, but it seems they care little about protecting the maindoor or leaving life down here.

“Where are they?” Sierra also turns human and moves in beside me, taking my hand in hers as wecreep in quietly. My guards let go of the prisoners and flank around us in a semi-circle immediately.Realizing they pose no threat when we are literally walking into the lion's den. Aiden moves to thenearest couch and sinks down exhaling heavily and seems to instantly pass out. Taemin and the lastwolf edge back to the door and stay there seemingly afraid to come in. They're spent and they haveno fight in them anymore. They won't help nor hinder and my guards leave them be.

The hair on my neck stands up and my skin goosebumps all over as we move further in, tiptoeing,and yet we all sense something and stop abruptly.

“I don't like this” I point out with a nervous waiver in my low tone.

“Me either” Carmen whispers almost into my ear as she moves in against my other side and takesmy free hand. Squeezing it tight as though needing assurance or giving it.

“Let's replace the control room and quickly.” Radar also turns human, moving past us fast and headsdown the dark passage to what once was our daily route, keeping eyes on our surroundings andusing his ability to sense for others. To our once loved common room and place as a sub pack weliked to be together. For a second I long for Meadow and Colton beside me to go through with thisand cross my fingers that both and the rest of our pack are safe. They're warriors and some of thefiercest fighters of the Santo pack, but I'm still scared to death about what they are enduring rightnow, out there. I need Meadows presence here to fire up my own courage and regret not askingColton to send her by my side too.

We move as one fluid unit in rapid speed, alert to our surroundings even though it truly seemsdeserted. We get to a small door just past our old corridor and Radar kicks it in with ease, breakingit from its hinges and the heavy door falls backwards into the pitch-black space with a grind andthud before replaceing a resting place against shelving. Leyanne moves in behind him and lights it upwith both her palms glowing bright white. That room of monitors and keyboards and endless wiresand tech. This used to be manned around the clock and now it sits here ticking on its own, likesome lonely forgotten entity. A dark empty and airless space with only small red lights blinkingquietly to themselves to indicate some things are running.

“Where is the one who was controlling the camera out there.” I ask quietly remembering one ofthem was operational and trailed our movements. Someone was definitely watching out there.Radar moves inside and flicks at the wall bringing illumination to the room and scans the space tobe sure we're alone.

"Either its movement sensitive and automatic, or else they are using security from somewhere elsetoo.” He moves across the desks with his fingers, clicking buttons here and there and trying tolocate the audio control for the speakers outside.

“They left this running by itself because he’s short on manpower.” Carmen butts in and moves Radarout of the way while she too starts pressing buttons and brings a seemingly dark monitor to life.“This is the main system to access the audio feed to the perimeter speakers. It's on a loop andcomes from a frequency recording they made at the lab. I can access the main files here. We needto separate it out from the new tone that's weakening the wolves.”

I gawp at Carmen and this new sudden ability with computers I never knew she had. I know Radarwas familiar with the security and the feed as he was a sub pack captain and often came in here, butCarmen seemed oblivious to this side of things.

"She was often on Rota for control room duties” Radar reads my mind and nods at Carmen, makingme blush at my stupidity for a moment. I forgot that all wolves at some point got switched aroundto cover almost every chore we ever had in this manor. I just never lasted long enough to get thesekinds of duties.

"Why aren't they protecting this?” One of the Luna's guard wolves pipes up behind me and Radarshrugs.

"Who knows. Like the main door being vacant, and the grounds outside. Maybe Juan has really losthis mind and up there hiding in the shadows like some kind of feral beast.” He snorts in disdain.“Move, let me work. I can do this if you give me some space.” Carmen enters bossy mode and yanksa seat out so she can slide in at the desk and proceeds to pull up different screens on the monitor.Instantly immersed and looking competent with a keyboard as she starts pounding it noisly.

“This seems too easy. This doesn't feel right.” I point out and Sierra squeezes the hand that's stillenveloped in hers. She has been silently looking around and summing things up yet doesn’t seemphased at all by the progression of things. There's a weird calm to her and a hint of fire that wasalways lacking. I wonder if this is how Luna Sierra of the past was and how she managed to run tosave a child when she was on the verge of being ended. Seeing her this way, a silent strength andease, I suddenly feel confident with her presence.

“We should look around. Try to make sense of what's going on here. Alora’s right. Something's offand knowing him like we do, he would never just leave this so open and accessible.”

“Colton wanted us to stay put. Near the entrance until they get here.” Radar warns but Sierra shakesher head.

“If Juan really is hiding in here like some deranged coward then we might put a stop to this if wedrag him out and throw him to Varro ourselves. Isn't that why he’s here? Look around, does thisseem like the set up a sane Juan would have?” She splays one palm wide to gesture oursurroundings and Radar only dodges her and shrugs. That stubborn in him only adhering to orders.We all stand quiet for a moment, even Carmen pauses her typing as we throw one another looks. Allhuman now as we stand in this small open doorway and narrow hall and the witch who has beenpensive breaks the silence.

“From a magical perspective. The air is strange, and it does seem that living energy is faint and few.If he's here, he doesn’t have many men left with him and he’s certainly not down here.” It's almostlike she’s agreeing with Sierra and Radar seems to hesitate. His aura getting bristly because hedoesn't like being questioned.

“Less than half a dozen, on the upper floors. Changes nothing.” He grits his teeth and then looksaway, a strange expression on his face. One of his gifts is replaceing bodies at distance, even throughwalls and I guess from the second we got in here he pinpointed where all the dangers lurked. Iknow he's being cautious and wants to protect us as Colton ordered and I understand this is how heis.

“There's more of us than them. We can do this. You know where they are.” Sierra turns to him with apleading expression and like always he lowers his head to avoid her gaze. His face flushing withsome color because he doesn’t want to argue with his Rema and he definitely will never disobey herson.

"With due respect Rema, the Alpha told us to say by the entrance and to disable the audio tone. Weare not going further in.” He turns his head away, stiff and pointed in tone and I know how much hemust be hating saying No to her. Sierra digs her heels in though and that flash of fierce shows faceas she tries to bring her small frame nearer to his tall height, her eyes ambering out.

“I trump the alpha’s commands when he isn't around, and the only one who can say no right now ismy Luna.... Whom I doubt will do so.” She smiles with a wicked and almost smug expression andthrows me a raised brow as though challenging me to deny her. I swallow hard, eyes flickering fromRadar’s bowed head to the witch and then Sierra as I feel cornered about how to answer. My throatinstantly dry with the pressure to say something.

“Sierra, I don't...” I make a feeble start to reason with her, not sure about what we should do but sheisn't backing down.

“I'm going to look, so either come with or don't. I'm not afraid of that man anymore and I'm notwithout my own talents. Besides, Leyanne will come, right?” she nods to the witch, makes a move tostep around him and Radar explodes. He catches her by the shoulder and pushes her back enoughto make her step back inside again.

"Over my dead body!! You stay with the Guards and you stay by my side! I'm not even joking withthis bullshit. He's up there, whether sane or not, armed or not.... you stay put and do what the alphatold you to do! There's no arguing with this, or me.... Do as you're told!" His voice booms crazilyloud, his tone enough to make even me tremble and all of us flinch. I think it's the first time I haveever seen Radar lose his temper in such an explosive way, with a ripping growling tone that puts thefear of god into all of us.

Sierra turns her face away refusing to engage with the death glare he throws her way and I blancheat the irony of this. The first time his direct look at his Rema is in anger while she sulkily lookselsewhere.

“We should look around even a little. To secure the ground floor at least.” I try weakly to diffuse thesudden tension with a soothing hushed voice, dampening the sparking air around us and Radarsoftens slightly. Instant submission as he regrets his outburst, and I can almost taste his apology inthe air. He nods and then bows my way, returning to respectful sentinel. Knowing that he shouldn'tdisregard my request.

“I'll take three and do a sweep while you all stay here hemmed in with the rest to stay safe, Luna.You go nowhere but right here while we scope the floor.” Radar commands and I nod, even thoughI'm the one who should be issuing orders. I'm already tired and uptight and I know Colton willexplode if I disobey what he told me to do. “You three...come.” Radar clicks his fingers at the wolvesstanding furthest out from the door and motions them to follow. Fast to do something because Ithink he needs some breathing space to calm down. The others split apart to let him leave and theydisappear without a backwards glance into the darkness, transforming to wolf like giant darksilhouettes in the hallway as they go silently.

As soon as they are far enough away to not hear us anymore, Sierra turns to me with a defiantgleam in her eye, determination ebbing my way. Her posture strong and upright and her eyes areglowing with orange fire.

“Let's go. Radar means well but he cant stop us from doing this. Juan needs to be found andthrown to the enemy as soon as possible.” Sierra pushes past me, marching towards the door anddespite coming face to face with a wolf blocking her path she faces them down with ferocity.Carmen freezes and turns her head to stare, while Leyanne smirks and shrugs at the sudden show ofpsycho Sierra. I exhale loudly my head beginning to ache and wonder how I ended up with amother-in-law who has a sudden death wish.

“Move or suffer.” She snaps at the nearest wolf and I know Radar made a wrong choice in pickinghis three men. He left behind those who won't stand up to a Rema or Luna and I know I better picka side. One word from me and they won't argue. They know better. I falter, seeing the angergrowing in Sierra but the witch pushes me forward and I know I'm at a loss. Sierra is right and myconfidence is knocked from what happened in the forest. I'm hesitating because of the babies in mybelly and knowing I cannot turn.

"Come on...with me you're safe. Maybe we can end this quickly.” Leyanne’s voice seems to entwineinside of me like a warm hug and I am calmed with her warm touch on my arm.

I'm pushed forward to Sierra's side, no more thought required, and with a click of fingers the wolvesmove, although I know they are immediately linking Radar to report this, so we better run.0