Chapter 109 Dilemma

*Diana*

Alpha Connor, my dad and Uncle Mike took one look at the High Lord Wolf and began to chuckle which escalated to laughter. Emmett, at first, stared at them with a bewildered expression on his face. His expression suddenly brightened when he finally figured out why the three men were laughing and joined in the laughter.

"Why are all of you laughing?" The Warden asked.

"He...doesn't...know...why...we're...laughing...," Alpha Connor managed to say as he continued to laugh. He hit my dad in the chest and pointed at the Warden like he was a joke. Uncle Mike nodded his head at Alpha Connor, wiping the tears from his eyes and trying to compose himself. My dad coughed and the laughter finally died down.

"Now that we have all composed ourselves," the Warden said, glaring at the four men who stood behind me, "you can tell me what's so funny?"

"This," my dad pointed his finger at the warden, the High Lord Wolf, and the Wolf Troop with an axe in his hand. "You honestly believe you can stop the black wolf by threatening to kill the High Lord Wolf? Have you seen the state of your guards?"

"Well, no, but I heard gunfire and since all of you are here before me unscathed, it only means you shielded yourselves from the gunfire," the warden answered nonplussed.

"That explains it," Alpha Connor chuckled. "Most logical explanation. There is no way the black wolf could stop them in their tracks. I don't know what planet you're from, but you have got to use your imagination."

"Warden, what Alpha Connor is trying to tell you is that this," I twirled my finger at the wide-eyed High Lord Wolf and his sullen-looking guard, "won't stop me and this is why the gentlemen with me are laughing at you," I explained, hoping the Warden would be enlightened and would work with us not against us. Unfortunately, Aranck had gotten to him first.

"So, you do not feel threatened at all if I kill the High Lord Wolf?" He asked, puzzled. I shook my head as an answer.

"No. This is just a distraction. Aranck is in the infirmary having himself stitched up," I retorted. "You think I don't know he's here?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," the Warden replied, obviously lying. He kept a straight face and turned the tables on me. "I'm surprised you don't feel in any way threatened. You aren't as benevolent or compassionate as I had believed. Well then, I, for one, honestly think we need a change in leadership. I believe I would make a better High Lord Wolf. Since the High Lord Wolf will not step down from his position for any reason, then death it is. As the human fairy tale goes, off with his head." The huge Wolf Troop beside him lifted his axe in the air. I snapped my finger and the Wolf Troop froze in position and the chains around the High Lord Wolf fell to the floor. The Warden stood up from his chair and aimed a gun straight at the High Lord Wolf. The High Lord Wolf immediately raised his hands in the air while Alpha Connor quickly rose from his chair and backed away. Emmett, on the other hand, moved forward to intervene.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Warden, or you may suffer the same consequences as your guards outside," Emmett warned.

"Enough of these games. There isn't much time and I need to get the mages out to a secure location," I said. Emmett twirled his fingers and the documents on the Warden's desk caught fire. The High Lord Wolf took advantage of the warden's astonishment and punched him in the face knocking out the Warden who collapsed on the floor. Emmett twirled his fingers again and the fire disappeared.

The High Lord Wolf took off the duct tape which covered his mouth. " Oh, thank you. I thought you were going to allow this menace to chop off my head with an axe."

"Of course not, High Lord Wolf. It won't get us anywhere if you are killed," I told him. "Emmett, twirl your fingers so the Warden is the one chained to the desk." He twirled his fingers placing the Warden in the same position the High Lord Wolf was in earlier. "Uhm, Emmett, place him on the other side of the desk. We don't want the Warden to lose his head. Maybe just a little bit of hair will do. Oh, and schedule the lock to open in twenty four hours and place a spell on the chains and desk that will make them impossible to cut. I don't want him interfering with the task that lies ahead of us. It will also give us enough time to reinstate a new warden and put him behind bars where he's suppose to be." Emmett twirled his fingers again, placing the warden on the other side of the desk. After he was chained and locked to the desk, Emmett touched the chains to place the spell I had asked him to do. The chains emitted a bright light that radiated throughout the desk. Uncle Mike tested the desk with a knife he found inside the office. As hard as he tried, the knife could not penetrate the wood which was a clear sign the spell was working. He then moved to the Warden's laptop and began to bypass his security.

"High Lord Wolf, where are your bodyguards?" My dad asked.

"Captain Hathaway and his men were taken to the maximum security wing of the penitentiary," the High Lord Wolf answered.

"Good. That's where we need to go," I told them. "Uncle Mike, take that laptop with you instead, because we need to get going. The doctor is almost done stitching up Aranck and the two men with him seem to be fine. Most likely, they were healed by Aranck. We need to get the mages out of here now. When everyone is out, Emmett and I will face Aranck and stop him once and for all. Without the mages, he will use whatever resources that are left and that means the strongest among the inmates. They may be strong, but it won't be enough to stop us. Come on," I said, gesturing for the men to follow me. The maximum security wing's entrance was near while the infirmary was on the other side of the building. We still had time to get the mages out.

"Diana, what do you mean only you and Emmett will face Aranck?" My dad asked, worried.

"Dad, I know you want to help, but Aranck will kill you. Think about what that will do to me. I know you made a wrong decision in the past when you rejected my mother, but believe me, she's in a good place now. Do this for me. Onyx, Emmett and I can do this. What I need you to do is get the mages out. Emmett will place a binding spell so they won't use their magic and you can transfer them to another location without any problems. I'm counting on you, Dad." I placed a hand on his shoulder hoping he would agree. He nodded his head and kissed me on the forehead.

"Alright. I'll do what you ask, but make sure you call me when your done with Aranck," he said. "So your old man will feel at peace. Kill him if you have to."

"Sure, Dad. I don't want to miss my anointment as Alpha of the Alphas for later tonight," I replied.

"Come on, you two. There's a riot happening at the maximum security wing. It's starting," Uncle Mike said, gesturing for us to follow him. We quickly left the Warden's office, through the corridor of injured Wolf Troops and out again in the open on the ground floor of the penitentiary. We ran towards another set of security doors which Emmett had opened with a twirl of his fingers. He's really useful.

We could hear yells, growls and snarling from a number of inmates above us who were let loose by the Wolf Troops to block our path. The mages were at the end including Minerva Allen. I could hear her asking for forgiveness over and over again. She was clearly suffering. Well, it was time to give her her eyesight and voice back. "Onyx, you know what to do," I told her.

"Can I take her tongue again if she starts complaining?" Onyx asked.

"Sure," I answered as we went up stairs to the second level where the jail cells were. Emmett stopped right before the security door. A team of Wolf Troops had all their weapons aimed at the door.

"Allow me," I said and snapped my fingers. The door opened and the team of Wolf Troops stood before us with their guns aimed at us. I walked towards them, smiling at all of them. Their eyes were moving all around, clearly puzzled, while their leader was mumbling something. He couldn't move his mouth to speak.

"I'm the black wolf to answer your question. Now, please move so we can pass through," I said. One half of the team slid to one side and the other half to the other, all of them facing each other. "If you get any ideas and decide to pull the trigger, have pity on the Wolf Troop in front of you." I walked to the middle of the corridor and the sounds of growling caught my attention. A brown wolf was slowly advancing towards me from one end while a gray and white wolf and a reddish-brown wolf were approaching from the other end. The lights above us flickered. Suddenly, the corridor went dark.

Onyx grabbed the brown wolf by the neck and threw him at the two wolves on the other end like a bowling ball, knocking them off their feet. All three hit the doors of the silver cells and they began to burn. They stood up whimpering. Onyx took the opportunity to pounce. One by one, she took their necks and sank her teeth in them, breaking their necks with her powerful jaws. Their blood tasted awful and their flesh smelled putrid. They were rotten to the core.

When the lights turned back on, the wolves had reverted back to their human form, eyes wide open, fear etched in their face, naked with their heads dangling from their bloody necks. I had shifted back, trying to wipe off the taste of their blood from my mouth. Emmett ran towards me, conjuring a white robe for me to wear. He draped the white robe so I can take a moment to clean myself.

"Here, my Alpha, use my handkerchief," Emmett said and handed me his handkerchief. He conjured a blanket to cover the naked dead bodies.

"Thanks, Emmett. I think I can conjure clothes," I said. I snapped my fingers and pictured my favorite long sleeve beige blouse, a pair of jeans and my boots. I took off the robe now fully clothed underneath. "That's better. Onyx did it for me before when I first shifted."

"Your powers have grown. When you are anointed tonight, you will be most powerful," Emmett said, bowing.

"Dad, it's safe to look now." My dad poked his head into the corridor, then turned to Uncle Mike, Alpha Connor and the High Lord Wolf to tell them the coast was clear.

"Three wolves under five minutes. Good job. Now where are the mages?" He asked.

"At the end. Emmett, I need you to use a binding spell or they'll use their magic on them," I said, pointing at my dad, Uncle Mike, Alpha Connor and the High Lord Wolf. I snapped my fingers and the prison doors at the end of the corridor opened.

The first one to come out of her cell was Minerva Allen. Although she didn't have the power to hurt us, she was still a manipulative old lady. One by one, the others came out. Emmett conjured clothes for them and performed a binding spell. One was missing though...Andrew. He was two floors above us, the floor of the inmates on death row while Captain Hathaway and his men were on the third floor. Anyway, we had to go up to the helipad. It was along the way.

"Where's Andrew, High Lord Wolf?" Alpha Connor asked.

"He's upstairs along with the other inmates sentenced to death," the High Lord Wolf answered. We suddenly heard clanging coming from the stairs and whistling. Aranck and his men were already on their way.

"It's okay. We need to get to the helipad anyway. There's a secret hatch on that floor. We also need to get Captain Hathaway and his men on the third floor, then grab Andrew on our way to the hatch. Move, all of you. That way," I said, pointing to the end of the corridor. There were stairs leading up to the upper floors. My dad and Uncle Mike assisted the others, leading them to where we needed to go. The mages followed them without complaint. However, Minerva Allen didn't move. I knew she was going to be a problem.

"What is the meaning of this? Why are we running?" Minerva Allen asked. Alpha Connor grabbed her arm and yanked her from where she stood, dragging her to where we needed to go.

"Shut up, you old hag," Alpha Connor said. "Someone is on his way to take your bodies. That's all you need to know."

"Get your filthy hands off of me," she yelled, trying to wiggle her way out of Alpha Connor's grasp. She then turned to the High Lord Wolf. "The Moon Goddess has heard my prayers. Soon I will extract my vengeance from you!"

"Minerva Allen, if you do not shut up, I will kill you myself," Alpha Connor said. He picked her up and threw her on his shoulder. She screamed and kicked her feet in the air. She was a dilemma I wished I didn't need to rescue.

"Onyx, take her tongue." Her screams turned to gurgling noises, but she was still kicking her legs and feet in the air. I was about to snap my fingers to paralyze her when I heard clapping from behind.

Aranck and his men finally caught up to us.

"Emmett, bind him," I said through mind-link. However, Emmett was on the floor, out cold. Standing above him was another cloaked figure who had surprised him from behind.

"Seems the old lady doesn't want to join you, Black Wolf. Maybe she would like to join us instead," Aranck said, smiling, with one eye stitched shut.