Chapter 23

Claudia’s POV
I am sitting in Dad’s office with Mum and Tracey. They insisted they were with me, as I made the phone call to Todd. “Shall we do this?” I ask them. “I’m getting nervous” Tracey informs us. “We better get it done” Mum encourages me.
I pick up Dad’s phone and look for Todd’s number. “How come Dad has Todd’s phone number in his phone, anyway?” I ask Mum; “We are neighbouring packs; it’s essential to alert the neighbours of attacks. He would have James’ in there too” Mum answers me. I find the number and hit the call button, putting it on speaker.
“It’s ringing” I tell them. “Hello” “Todd, It’s Claudia” I tell him. “It’s about time, you called me” he says back. I look at mum and she nods her head at me, for encouragement.
“Why didn’t you just call me, to meet up with me?” I ask him. “I did, but your mate and father must not have passed my messages on” he snarls. “Well, I’m calling you now.”
“I really want to get to know you, maybe we could get together” he says in a playful tone; I put my fingers to my mouth and do a gagging motion as Tracey stifles a laugh. “That would be great” I say to him excitedly and then change my tone “I can’t leave the pack territory. Since my father isn’t here, I have had to take on the Alpha roll” I tell him, with annoyance in my voice. “I can come there” he answers me. This will be easier than I thought.
“Really?” I slightly yell, sounding excited again. “Sure; I can be there in 20 minutes” he answers. “That’s wonderful. I just want it to be you and me; finally getting to know one another” I tell him; playfully. “I would really love that” he coos at me as I try to hold my breakfast down. “I will see you then” I say to him, hanging up the phone.
“That was easier than I thought” I say to Mum and Tracey; double checking I had hung up the phone properly before I said that. “I told Paul we may be expecting a visit from Todd today. He has guards at all the border entrances; they will let us know when he is detained” Mum explains.
“What do we do now?” Tracey asks; “I don’t know about you, but I feel like some pancakes with pickles and corn chips” I laugh at her. “That sounds yummy; you can skip the corn chips” Tracey says back. “I am happy; you both have the cravings and not me. The looks I got when I was eating my sandwiches” Mum joins in.
……….
*“We have him!”* Cynthia yells through a mind link. *“Take him to the dungeon and shackle him up. See how he likes being chained like a dog”* Mum answers her. *“Make sure he isn’t near Joanna”* I add.
I can hear Todd yelling as they bring him closer to the packhouse “Let go of me! Claudia is expecting me. Bring her down here; she will be able to straighten everything out” “Claudia is the one who asked me to detain you” Cynthia yells back; dragging him to the dungeons.
A mind link comes through *“Claudia; I know you have Todd. I need to see him. Please!”* Joanna pleads with me. *“Why?”* I snarl at her. *“I need to do something; I should have done years ago. You can be with me and put me back in my cell, when I am done”* she answers.
I was going to let Todd wait it out for half an hour or so. This is going to hurt him more than anything I could do to him. *“Ok, Joanna. I will be down in ten minutes.”*
*“Mum, Tracey, Cynthia; meet me at the dungeon entrance in ten minutes; Joanna has a little surprise for our honoured guest”* I mind link them. Why should they miss out on the fun of seeing Todd being rejected? I smirk at the thought; he is definitely getting his share of karma today.
I head out of Dad’s office and down the stairs to the dungeon entrance. “I didn’t think you were interrogating Todd” Tracey says to me. “I wasn’t; but I wouldn’t miss this opportunity for the world” I tell her.
“Let me see her” I order the guard as Mum, Cynthia and Tracey follow behind me. “Claudia” Todd calls out and I ignore him. “Ready?” I ask Joanna; she smiles at me and walks out of the cell. “Wait here a moment” I whisper to the four ladies.
“Todd; what a pleasant surprise” I announce, grinning at him. He takes a step backwards, “You’re pregnant?” he gasps. “That’s what happens when you mate with someone. There’s lots of sex and with that; pregnancy is bound to happen” I chuckle at him.
There was an awkward silence, before I continued; “I couldn’t greet our special guest, without giving him a present. Bring her in” I call over my shoulder. Cynthia comes in holding Joanna as Mum and Tracey follow in behind them. “Joanna” Todd beams at her. “Don’t Joanna me! You fucking asshole” Joanna growls at him.
“I, Joanna Rebecca Elliot; accept your rejection and reject Todd Jonathon Molchany” she yells. Todd and Joanna, fall to the ground screaming. Todd gets off the floor; “Joanna, Baby; why?” he pleads. She growls and walks over to him; looking him up and down. Punches him in the face, turns on her heels and walks out the cell. “Guard, I’m ready to go back in my cell” she calls out.
“The way I see it; you have one choice. Release Danny or stay here rotting in the cell” I snarl at him. “He killed my mother; he deserves to be where he is” he yells back. “He did nothing of the sort and you know it. Do you know what happened? What really happened?” I scream at him; looking into his brown eyes. “I thought so; she asked the doctors to save Danny before they try to stop the bleeding” I inform him.
“That’s what Error told you” “that’s what Rachael told me” I snarl at him. He was shaken by this information. “She came to pay me a visit. You see, having a white wolf, has its advantages. I asked her and she told me. It was her choice, knowing she may not have survived” I yell.
“You’re feeling guilty?” Mum says behind me. “I don’t give a fuck. He has half an hour to make his decision” I scream, walking out of the cell; Mum, Cynthia and Tracey following behind me.
We get to the edge of the dungeon; “Claudia” Todd calls back to me. I walk back over to him, the three ladies following behind me. “What?” I scream at him. “Let me call my dad” he says to me. “I have a better idea” I answer and pull Dad’s phone out of my pocket; taking a picture of Todd.
“I’ll send this to your precious, father. Give him the option of releasing Danny for exchange of my prisoner” I growl at him. “He would rather die, than release him” he snarls. I smirk at him “I can tell Danny to make sure his dead; next time he chokes him.” His eyes grow wide as I head back up the corridor to the entrance of the dungeon.
I get back to Dad’s office and send the picture with a message. ‘If you want to see your son alive; release Henry, Jason and Danny.’ I put the phone back on Dad’s desk and look at mum. “We are playing with fire” she warns me. “What else are we meant to do?” I ask her as Dad’s phone goes off.
“It’s James” I tell her; answering the call and putting it on speaker. “I will kill them if you don’t release my son” he spits at me. “You won’t do that” I tell him. “Watch me” he screams. I pause a moment; mainly for dramatic affect.
“I don’t need to. Do you know why Todd has them in the dungeon?” I ask him. “Because one is our slave and the others were harbouring him” he snarls back at me. I start laughing; “Really? Is that what Todd told you? He is doing it because Danny is my mate and he wants me for himself. Being that Amanda is a white wolf and I am carrying your grandchild; you won’t kill him” I tell him in a sickly-sweet voice. “You’re lying?” He screams at me. I pause again; “If you think that, why don’t you ask them yourself? Oh, that’s right; you’re scared Danny might kill you this time” I smirk as mum shakes her head at me.
“How did you…” “I have a white wolf; we know things others don’t” I scream at him, cutting him off.
“You have half an hour to release your prisoners” I snarl; hanging up the phone. “Sweetheart; you are playing a dangerous game” Mum warns me again. “I’ve had enough of them having the upper hand. They need to be aware; I mean business” I tell her. “Be very careful, is all I am saying” she replies as Dad’s phone goes off again.
“What?” I scream into the phone at James. “Snow Blossom?” “Danny, sorry; I thought you were James” I smile at the sound of his voice. “Is Mum and Tracey there with you?” he asks. “Mum is, I’ll put you on speaker.” I place the phone on speaker and put it on the table.
“James is releasing all three of us. He is murmuring something about locking up the wrong kid” Danny tells us. “Thought he might” I smile at him. “We will be home soon; Betta Simon, Timothy and Rick want to come too. They are defecting; is that the word we use?” he asks.
“I believe so” Dad says in the background. “Tell Tracey; I will see her soon” Jason yells down the receiver. “I want to feel Sophia, kick my hand” he whispers. “You will” I answer him.
“I love you, Danny” I tell him; “I love you too. I’ve got to go; James is coming back into the room” he says; hanging up the phone. “What the hell?” “We need to be ready; in case James is setting us up” Mum says. “He isn’t; he won’t want Todd dead” I tell her.