Chapter 43

Lily was trying to go to sleep when the memory hit her. Alpha Michael always called him the shadow; what was his real name? I know this........
Then it hit her like a bolt of lightning, Valdis Cessair. He was the one that always took only specific individuals for experimentation. She kept searching her mind; she saw it in one of the ledgers. It was so frustrating to have it on the edge of her tongue.
She decided to take a long hot shower; sometimes, it helped relax her body and mind. She let the waterfall on her and took deep cleansing breaths. She was just staring at the water when it hit her.
"Octo Corp." that is where he sold them. She got out of the shower and went to get dressed in a hurry; she had to get the message to the King so he could tell Alpha Duncan and Luna Adria so they could finish cleaning up this horrible mess.
She wasn't sure why it was vital that she relayed this information; she felt it was essential and urgent. She ran faster to the King's chambers hoping that he was there and that he would receive her at this late hour.
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Marnie and Adira were both awake, the drugs finally wearing off. They were in the back of a grey van; they were still tied up. Instead, their hands were in front of them, and their feet were tied together. So neither Adria nor Marnie could runoff.
There were two males in the back with them, there was a driver, but they couldn't see him. Adira had a very ominous feeling about where they were going and what they planned to do with them. If she had to guess, it had to do with money.
She remembered hearing rumors about some of their pack members being sold for science. She just assumed that it was like organ donor stuff like when you die. Still, not too many in a shifter pack just dropped dead.
She did have other things on her mind, like working on escaping. She hoped that they were not selling them for science or the other possibility, sex slaves.
She tried to move, and so did Marnie. The two guards moved closer to them, you two will have to stay quiet, or we will drug you again. It would be fine for this one, as he touches Marnie’s face. However, I don't think you will want too many more doses in your condition.
Adira did the only thing she could, glared at him. After they went back to their side of the van, Adira tried to contact Artemis again. She could hear a little this time, but it was as if she was far, far away. Taking a deep breath, she tried to mind link, Marnie.
Success!" Are you alright, Marnie?"
"Yeah, a few bruises and an ass-kicking to my pride, but I will be fine; I can't say the same for these jokers, though, once Duncan catches up to them."
"Are you ok, Adira? Is the pup alright?"
"We are doing alright; I don't want any more drugs; I don't know what they will do to him."
"We need to figure out where we are to tell Duncan where to find us when the drugs finally leave our system. I just don't think we will see much till this van stops. So when it does, and they take us out, look for anything that can tell us our location."
"Also, a while ago, when we were still at the castle, Duncan insisted that I carry pepper spray that works on weres. They didn't search us that well because I can feel it still strapped to my leg."
"I think I can feel my knife on the inside of my boot, Adira. So we are not completely out of resources. Unless they try to make, us strip off our clothes or do a more extensive search."
"Marnie, can you mind link Duncan at all?"
"No, it is like my wolf or anyone in the pack is very far away. I think it has to do with the drugs they gave us. Also, it could be a combination of distance and the drug."
"If the distance becomes a problem for me, it won't work for you because your link with Duncan is much stronger than mine, Adira. Once the meds wear off, you should try again."
"Either way, Adira, I will not dance to their tune. I would rather die."
"You will if you have to; Marnie, Trust me; you will dance when it comes to survival. Just remember that it isn't you that they are attacking. Keep yourself with your wolf. That can't touch you that way."
"We will get through this; they won't touch my pup. If that happens, Artemis might go crazy on their asses, and I will let her have full control. We can't shift into Artemis's full form, but we can switch to the Lycan form without hurting our pup."
"For now, Marnie, we wait, and we watch. Take note of everything and anything. Never let them see that you know anything or are planning. It is always best when the enemy thinks you're stupid."
With that, they both went quiet and waited.
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Duncan and Apollo were keeping themselves in check; it wasn't an easy thing. Finally, Marco’s mind linked him that they had all the guards assigned to the Luna, all but two.
They each had a cell in the dungeon waiting on the Alpha's pleasure. Duncan decided to let Jack and his friend Archer talk to them first; they can weed out the good, and then he will deal with the bad. If he went down there right now, he would kill them all just for failing to keep the Luna safe.
Marco came back up to be with Duncan; he was just as agitated as Duncan, only keeping his cool for now.
"Don't worry, Duncan, we will find them; they will be alright. Soon we will have them within our borders again. Unfortunately, we probably won't ever allow them to leave again. But that is a fight for another day. We will find them and bring them home."
There was a knock at the door, and in walked Archer; he looked at them for a minute. He was a strange kind of guy, tranquil, but Duncan felt that he would be a force to be reckoned with if provoked. He could see why Jack and Archer were friends. They were made out of the same stuff and moral code.
"Alpha Duncan, my two brothers, are following a van now; they are unsure if it is your Luna and sister, but they know that two females are in the van. They will see if they can't get a closer look to see if it is them."
"They will Link with me when they know more. I told them if it is the Luna and your sister, they are to stay with them and report their destination to us before trying to rescue them."
Since all this started, Duncan felt hope take over him for the first time. He prayed that those two had found Adira and Marnie. Tell them, if you will, that I want at least one of their captors alive and not harmed too much.
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August and Ashton were in their Lion forms following a grey van; they were going the speed limit, which wasn't that hard to keep up with. They stayed within the tree line so they wouldn't know they were there.
They could smell the females; they weren't sure yet if it was the Luna and the sister, but they would find out. Either way, they were taken against their will and would get them back to safety; they hated anyone who abused females of any species; they were the lowest forms of life, just above those who harm children.
Wherever they were going was way off the beaten path; they kept going down a long gravel road. They were now, my guess, at least three hundred miles away from the town; they only stopped twice. Once for gas and then food. They never left the van unattended.
The driver of the van looked like he was the one giving orders. He must be the leader, which meant they had to take out the guards first, so the slimy bastard didn’t use them for protection or distraction. He would also make the perfect gift for the Alpha.
They hoped they would stop for good soon or at least the night; they were getting a little tired though determined. They ran silently through the forest with nothing but the stars as a witness.
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Valdis wasn't the type of guy to lose control; he always prided himself on his power. He kept feeling that this was going to be his last sale. It was not because he planned on giving it up. Instead, the two in the back were of high importance. That kind of shit always led to trouble.
Those idiots just had to go and take the two most essential pack members, nothing like inviting death to your door. Fucking idiots. Now he hoped that he would be able to sell these two before some scout got a good whiff of what it in this van.
He knew the scientists would be interested in these two, especially the pregnant Luna. If he doesn't do this fast and correctly, then no money in the world will do because he would be too dead to spend it.
He didn't like stopping for the night. However, it was still another two hundred miles to go; if they didn't stop, they took the risk of not being at their best should trouble find them. They were about half an hour from a tiny little town; let’s hope they have a rest area or a motel.
Val knew that time was running out, and stopping would bring trouble; if it came to that, he would abandon this mission and take off, leaving his two guards to deal with what was coming.
Still, his mind was going on how he could still profit if he had to split up their little group.