Chapter 83

Dylan POV

Bolt cutters would work even better than an axe, at least I one hundred percent would get to keep all of my appendages.

Ryan was quick to hand them to Adrian, although he may have been the youngest, he was the strongest one out of the three of us, and so the young alpha effortlessly cut the heavy chains off, and I sighed in relief as they instantly crashed to the ground, leaving the cuffs wrapped tightly around my limbs.

I was quick to stretch my arms up and groaned from the lack of movement they had before hand. I slipped my now free arms into the coat that lay over my shoulders, and zipped it up finally covering my naked torso properly. I was going to get quite hot in it though.

"Be safe Dylan, and please don't loose your voice. It's the one thing his grace cannot take away from you." I nodded my head and smiled at Adrian, he may be an absolute idiot but he really had earned my respect. Although his plan wasn't exactly thought through he did get me out, and I would forever be grateful to him for that.

"Why did you do all this?" The question had been playing on my mind since he came into my cell. I mean he was quite literally risking everything by helping me.

"No one should ever treat their mate the way he treats you. And I believe in you. There is a lot of us out there who believe that you can make a difference. Even Arya has been saying it lately. Now you have the chance to try. So don't waste it, your grace." He bowed low in front of me, out of both respect and adoration. I felt rather humbled so bowed my head myself. Usually

"Thank you, Alpha Adrian. Really, thank you." He chuckled and placed his hand on my extremely thin shoulder And pulled a small envelope out of his pocket before holding it out for me.

"This... was from your mom. Nick has been holding onto it for you, but with the way you have been, he never found the time to give it to you." I nodded my head, feeling tears building in my eyes as I took the envelope off of him and placed into Aryas coat pocket. I had no idea she even wrote to me.

"Your mom was so proud of you, you know." Ryan spoke after putting the bolt cutters back into his van. "She spoke about you all the time. Especially after she took that lashing a few weeks back. Wouldn’t stop going on about how much you did for her." Wait?! My mom took a lashing? When was this?

My entire face dropped at this revelation. I'd been back for nearly 2 weeks now and no one thought it a good idea to tell me.

"Why did she take a lashing? What happened?" Adrian looked like he had no idea about the incident, it made sense, lashings took place on the daily, so it wasn't a rare phenomenon. I doubt he took any notice.

"Well, Freddie did something to anger the warrior on duty at the rations depot. So your mom stepped in for him. She didn't take it well, but she did begin to see everything you did. I don't think anyone will ever know the full extent of your activities." He was right, the only person that would ever know everything that I had done in the past was me.

"I had no idea she went through that.” I was quietly seething at this point. I’d had failed my dad, I promised him, I promised everyone that I would protect our family no matter the cost, and I didn’t fulfil it. I allowed myself to be consumed by my own turmoil instead of realizing that everyone else was still suffering just as much.

“In honesty there have been an awful amount of lashings recently, since you were…” the alphas voice trailed off and I nodded my head, while my fists clenched in rage. That means they used me as reason to lash others. “I have to go and get back to the pack house before people notice. Plus your scent is still everywhere, I’ll have to mask it so that you’re not followed straight away. Good luck, Dylan.”

“Adrian, look after Freddie… Please… Please just watch out for him… I…”

“I swear it, I’ll protect him with my life, your grace.” I nodded and smiled at his sincerity.

“Thank you!” I watched him nod then begin to jog back the way we came and a smile crept onto my face. I still couldn’t believe he went through so much trouble just to get me out. After a bit more training and preparation, he really would make a good alpha, an equal alpha.

“Come on, we’ve got to go. We’re loosing time.” I nodded and picked up the heavy chains that were once connected to my hand and ankle cuffs, so I wasn’t leaving any evidence, and quickly followed after Ryan to his van, he opened the back and helped me in. “It won’t be the most comfortable journey, and it’s going to take a few days, but I tried to make it as soft as I could.” That was fine, at least I had my movement back. He showed me to the back left corner, we’re a few pillows were piled together and a small blanket next to them. It was already going to be more comfortable than what I had been receiving for months.

“Thank you so much, Clarke.” I glanced around slightly, and frowned at how empty it was. A small set of draws lay next to where I would be sat.

“It has a secret back.” Ryan stated. He stepped in and opened up some of the draws showing them being rather empty. Then he pulled a small key out and slid it into the side of the draws. He grabbed the corner and pulled it open like a door. The draws came away and a small cabinet was uncovered. My eyes widened at how much contraband was inside it, matches, pills, condoms, tools for DIY, blankets, coffee, basically everything you could think of was currently sat in front of me, organized by district. My orbs quickly tracked down the rows of illegal items and a calculated look crossed my face.

“Here…” he handed me the small key to the secret cupboard and smiled. “If you hear three bangs on the truck, it means I’ve been pulled for inspection. You need to grab the pillows and blankets and climb inside here, lock the door behind you and don’t come out until I come get you with another three knocks. You won’t be found I promise. We will also stop every few hours for a bathroom break, but you will most likely have to go at the side of the road.” I nodded taking the key from him, that didn’t bother me in the slightest, I then turning back to the contraband.

“You have alcohol?” I looked at the dozen bottles lying on the bottom of the secret compartment. Vodka, whisky, Gin, rum again if you can think of it, then it was probably in there.

“Sure, everyone has to get a kick out of something, even you know that. Alcohol is probably the most requested thing from people at the minute.” I know I had delivered a few bottles now and again, and I had noticed people were starting to get more and more greedy with their requests. When me and Ryan started out we mainly delivered necessities, then it started to become somewhat recreational requests, I guess now it had become more along the lines of ‘if we’re able to get it then sure.’

“Can I take a bottle?” I asked my heart rate picking up slightly as I thought about it. I was getting out, there was no disputing that. Either I would make it to the rebellions base, or I would be killed along the way from trying to be smuggled through district lines. At this point, it was a win win situation for me. I had nothing to loose.

“I don’t see why not… but don’t get drunk on me. It’s going to be a rough journey. We might even get caught.” I nodded my head but frowned again, and grabbed one of the bottles of vodka.

“Can you drive past the square before we go?” Now it was his turn to frown at me, his entire face screamed nothing but intrigue at what was going on in my head. Even I didn’t understand my sudden idea but I wasn’t going to back out now. Freddie would be safe, for some reason I really did trust Adrian. I never ever would have thought I would trust a wolf to look after my brother, but here I was, knowing he was safe. “You can Leave the truck door open until we leave properly.”

He nodded and jumped into the drivers seat, before slowly pulling out and driving to the square. Flashbacks of all the lashings I’d taken in front of everyone shot through my mind, the little wooden stage sat in all its glory while the two wooden poles, that were there to be tied to providing access to our backs sat in the center of it.

This was were the king made his announcement about my kinds education, this was where my dad was being dragged to before he begged me to shoot him, it was where I took the first lashing of the new world. This was were my mother would have taken her lashing, in Freddie’s stead. It was basically the center for every punishment ever given.

I knew, I couldn’t get rid of public punishments or lashings completely, but I could stop anyone else getting injured here, I could let the king know I planned to join the growing rebellion, I could tell everyone here that I was still fighting for them.

I tightened my grip around the bottle of vodka and quickly grabbed a box of matches before jumping down and out of the van. I walked up the stairs of the stage and stood in the center thinking about everything. My heart was hammering in my chest, but my limbs were still and unshaken. I had never been more sure of my actions than I was in that second.

I poured the alcoholic substance all over the wood and walked around, making sure to coat most of the surface.

“What are you doing?!” Ryan Clarke had jumped out and was watching my movements in horror. I just looked at him determination in my eyes.

“I’m sending the love of my life a message, can’t you tell?” My voice was completely void of emotion as I stepped back down and took the box of matches out of my pocket, lighting one up and watching it slowly burn down the small stick. “I’m out for blood!”

With that simple sentence I threw the match onto the stage and watched as the alcohol caught fire, instantly lighting up the dark night sky. I ran to the truck and dragged my chains out, before throwing them down onto the floor directly in front of the now burning stage, so the king would know it was me.

“Let’s go!” I was calm, very calm as I stared at the flames and smoke that began to rise. The entire air would be filled with the scent of burning wood, masking my scent completely. Adrian, Arya and even Nick, would most likely be called out to help with the fire, so they too would be cloaked in the strong smell saving them from suspicion, and his grace would know that I left of my own volition.

I climbed in the truck again watched Ryan fumble with the door closing and locking me in.