The Falcon Ridge Series Book 2 Not Just A Girl
Chapter 36

(Chapter song ‘Beast Mode’ by Shapes)

JAYSON

It's really amazing what kind of tech you can bring on a mission like this. You think you'd have to sacrifice things like communication to the outside world, but not with the Mission Unit. We got that covered.

During every break, River's been communicating with the leaders and the bases. Intel is pouring in as we get closer to the rogue packs. Our trackers have them half a day out.

River's pacing around on a satellite phone then he strides to a laptop. "Show me."

He punches some keys and I stand behind him as concern fills me. Photos appear on the screen and my jaw drops. My brows go up and River meets my eyes with the same look.

He points to the picture. "This was over a day ago."

I scan the site photographed by our trackers. Rogue bodies are stripped to the bone. The place looked like a horror show. They’re definitely eating them now. Damn it!

"And this one, too." He clicks another button. "This was ten miles from there."

I stare at what looks like a deer herd.

They were absolutely gutted. Destroyed. They were barely recognizable and it wasn't just that. It was little things. Like fawns too small to eat, missing heads. Antlers broken in half. Mothers pulled in several pieces in different directions. I almost felt sick.

I stood up, scrubbing a hand down my face. I can't believe my kids would do this. That they would be so cruel and disgusting. “River… is that murder?” I almost choke on my words.

His brows cinch up. “I’m sorry, Jay.”

I press my lips together and stand with my hands on my hips. I can barely look at the picture. This isn’t my baby. She wouldn’t hurt babies. I won’t believe it.

"They're, OK?” River concentrates on his phone call. “Good... Keep them with you... Yes... Give them whatever they need and get as much information as you can... Ok… Check in, in five hours... Right..." River hangs up and slowly puts the phone on the folding table up. He turns to me. "They found three kids."

"Was it Sarah?" My head shoots up.

He shook his head. "No. They said Sarah left them there because they were dead weight. They got injured by the deer."

"My Sarah. My girl did that?" I placed a hand on my chest.

He ticks his head and shrugs a shoulder. "Looks like it. The kids are fine. One's still recovering from a punctured lung, but it seems we've crossed into the seriousness of war now. Sarah seems bent on winning this thing and she's calling the shots. We can only assume she's taken complete control of this pack and she's gone full on Alpha Female."

"Fuck. I've got to get to her man. I'm the only one that can talk her down." I tilt my head to him.

"We will. Just pray she doesn't do anything reckless because from the looks of it, all rational thought is checking out the door quick." He looks back at the pictures.

“Fuck.” I growl and walk away.

I replace a spot to sit and rack my brain. What's happening to my sweet girl? I'm afraid the blonde angel, dancing in the woods, is slowly dying. She’s being replaced by a ruthless killing machine.

Sarah's been exposed to something no kid her age should've been and I blame myself I should've said fuck this, took her and left. Left the unit. Left the camp. Left it all, but hind sight is a funny thing. I thought she would be safe. I thought she'd just move on. Clearly, I've underestimated the lengths she'd go to get to me.

I’m starting to think this whole thing is to prove how strong and powerful she is. That she alone can keep Black Lake safe. She doesn't understand how impossible that is. She doesn't get that keeping a pack safe means more than that. She doesn’t understand what it takes to be a pack leader. If we had the time, I would've shown her that. I hope I still have that time.

****

Four hours later, we're back on the move.

I'm tired, but my determination to get to Sarah is winning over my exhaustion.

My paws hit the ground with the beat of my racing heart. They should be hitting the third pack anytime now. As we get closer to the middle, the packs get larger and more fierce as the Dragons numbers start increasing. They’ve been busy.

Sarah has no idea. Dragons are not an easy fight at all. I've been fighting them for years and even I struggle still.

Let's also not forget White. If you thought Karver was crazy, you haven't met White. He’s built like a brick shithouse. His presence commands respect and demands fear. The guy is a thing of nightmares. I don't know why we ever thought he was a Gamma.

I'm broken from my thoughts when we are forced to stop. River shifts and peers over the edge of cliff. He turns waving us back with a finger to his lips.

I weave my wolf through the crouched wolves. I shift and crouch beside River. "What is it?" I whisper.

He points and I crawl to the edge. My eyes go wide. There's at least five hundred wolves and humans walking around a camp. There's a large tent and I watch the door. Desmond White struts out of the flaps to walk among his people. My lip threatens to snarl as he talk with rogues and stops Dragons to give instructions.

I swallow as I begin to realize this army is mostly Dragons. If there’s this many here, how many more are out there. This was not what we were expecting. I'm starting to doubt if we can win this thing.

I turn my head to River. "What do we do?"

He turns, leans his elbow on his knee and rubs his lips. "Let me think." He turns back around. Scanning the camp, his eyes stop on the horizon.

River grabs my arm and points out to an empty field on the other side of the army. "What's that?"

I squint my eyes to see better.

Just on the horizon, a large dust cloud rises and seems to be moving fast.

I grab onto River and panic sets it. "Oh my God, it's them. It's the kids."

River turns to the wolf army. ‘We go in now!’ He links to everyone.

My wolf claws and rips at my ribs so bad, I couldn’t shift fast enough. I shift and join the front lines. We take off like rabid beasts.

‘Sarah, no! Sarah, stop!’ I link out. Shit!! I wish she never learned to block! Damn it, Sarah!!

‘Hayden! Shane! ASHLEY! ANYONE!!’

I link my fool head off as I run into certain death to try and stop them.

The enemy army immediately picked up on us which I think was River's intention. To draw them to us before the kids reached them.

We were literally running to our deaths, and severely outnumbered.

We clash with the Dragons and the field roars with rage.

Up on hind legs, I bite at muzzles and heads. Wolves fly through the air as we toss them like toys.

River tore the throat of one and in the same beat threw another one.

‘Here they come!’

The link comes through and I watch them come in like a fucking freight train, they did not stop. They didn't even assess the situation before they entered. They just bulled through the brush and plowed into the fight like a bulldozer.

I frantically ran into the battle looking for blonde wolves. I couldn't see anything but claws, fur and limbs.

As I turned, I was jumped by two rogues. They slam me down and bite at my body. I manage to spin and crush the front skull of one right down to the meat while the other latched onto my leg. My wolf grabs his scruff and throws him into a pile of Dragons.

I get up and spin my head wildly, looking for Sarah. I push through, dodging fights and bodies, ripping throats as I go.

I jump a rogue being severely shredded by our guys and was caught by something huge.

Searing pain came up my back and I whip around, snapping my jaws fiercely at my backside. It took a quick second to realize the gigantic white wolf was Desmond. He has my rump in his jaws.

I growl loud, whip my head to him and grab his ear. I don’t even hesitate. I pull and tear it off. He howls in pain and lets go. I jump at him, but his wolf grabs my neck and slams me to the ground, knocking the air out of me.

He shifts above me. His thick frame looms over me as my wolf claws at the mud to get away.

"You rip my ear off, I take your balls, Alpha." He reaches for me, but then he’s slammed by a light blur.

I adjust my eyesight to focus and see Sarah's wolf with her teeth sunk into his bicep. She's almost as tall as he is on hind legs. He grabs her scruff and she yelps. I struggle to my feet, growling and snarling. I lunge and he kicks me in the head. I bounce off the ground and slide.

My bells are rung and I lift my head. I watch with fear as he pulls her off him, grabbing her by the throat.

‘SARAH!’

Her wolf whines and kicks her legs frantically. He brings her muzzle close to his face. "SHIFT!!"

His words command her to shift and the wind swirls. Her naked body is hanging from his hand like a doll. She grabs at his hand as she struggles to breath. He arches a brow and eyes her body. With a lick of his lips, he brings her in for a sniff of her neck and puts her face in his. "Little girl, you really don't know who you be messing with." His black eyes pierce hers.

As soon as I see her, I immediately shift. "NO!!" I yell from the ground. I try to stand, but my head is still ringing from the kick.

Her eyes are slits as they replace mine. "Jayson." She chokes and struggles against his grip.

White turns his head to me. "Does this pup mean something to you, Alpha?"

Seething, I replace my strength and rise to my feet. My chest heaves and my fists ball. "Let her go." I grit.

He smirks. "Sure. I'll let her go. After I'm done playing with her." He smirks and turns with Sarah hanging from his hand, kicking wildly.

"NOOOO!" I try to run after him, but I'm jumped by four rogues.

I'm on my stomach reaching out as they drag me through the mud.

"SAARRAAAAHHHH!!"

I shift and fight back. I desperately try to get away before Desmond can disappear with Sarah.

I fight viciously to get them off and was about to lose with a rogue on my neck, but Wren and Luke bound out of the fight and pull the rogues off me, snapping their necks one after another.

I roll out of the way and try to stand. I’m chewed up and panicking.

‘White's got Sarah!’ I mind link everyone who's connected.

‘I can't see him! Kale!’ Luke connects and turns to where Kale is toward the middle of the field.

‘Me neither!’ Kale responds.

‘Jayson, the tent's empty.’ River jumps into the link.

‘He has to be fucking somewhere!’ I yell back as my wolf stands and gets his wind back. ‘Fucking replace him!’

I run through the battle, my eyes frantically searching for my baby. I don't see him or her anywhere.

‘They're running!’ Wren links.

I look around and she's right. Any wolf left standing has turned tail. With about a hundred or so left alive, they disappear into the trees. I shift as does everyone else.

"Where is she?" I look around growling.

Everyone's on the ground, tired, beaten and broken. We won this fight, but I lost the battle. I lost my girl.

I immediately start searching through piles of bodies. My heart's about to explode as I stand and pull at my hair. My eyes don't know where to focus. I'm fucking losing it.

"SSAAAAARRRAAHHHH!" I yell at the top of my lungs. I bring my hands to my knees doubled over in pain and anger.

River runs to me. "We'll replace her.” He lifts me up and stares in my eyes. “We'll replace her.”

"FUCK!!” I rip is arms off me and walk away.

Wren jumps in front of me and stops me. "Jayson. We'll get her back."

I turn and motion to the spot I lost her. "I fucking had her. She was right there... I had her..." Tears well in my eyes as thoughts of what could be happening to her through my head.

River stood beside Wren. "Listen. We'll regroup and debrief. They couldn't have gotten far."

I hang my head with my hands on my hips.

"We'll get a search party going. We'll replace White. We'll gather all the manpower we can, interrogate any survivors and take him down."

My shoulders rise and fall with heavy breaths. I don't even hear River. I think of Sarah's face. I think of White with his hand around her neck. I think of his smug face as he walks away with her, her legs kicking in the wind.

My rage grew like a hunger. My anger fueled the words I was about to say.

I raise my head and my eyes fill with murder. I slowly shake my head. "No." My lips quiver into a snarl.

"This motherfucker's mine." I growl.

I step back and shift, taking off in the last know direction I had.

"JAYSON!" Wren calls to my back, but I’m too far gone.

Fuck protocol. Fuck the Unit. Fuck the camp. Fuck everything. If I don't have Sarah, I don't want any of it.

I'm going to save her and I'm going to rip Whites head of his shoulders.

He touched what's mine and as an Alpha, I'm pissed.

I'm beyond pissed.

As of right now, my psychotic side is being released and I don’t feel sorry for anyone getting in my way.