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Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 36

As the wolves gathered outside there was a sense of controlled chaos. They were a well-greased engine when it came to battle but this was different. The aftermath of the attack left them all feeling like the energy had been drained from their bodies. There was no time to recover; it was time to begin the journey to what would probably be the most important mission of their lives. Not only they were rescuing the son of the Aleph, they were protecting their family and way of living.

The wolves were divided in four separate packs of ten men each. Carlisle, Eric, Edward and Paul would act as alphas of each individual pack with Billy serving as the link between them and Seth. Edward was reluctant to accept the responsibility but all it took was one look from Embry to make him accept. He needed to do everything in his power to make sure the mission was a success; the life of the man he loved depended on it. The last thing he wanted was for his sweet submissive to end up hurt again, he had suffered enough already.

At last Billy came out of the house followed by the other alphas and the submissives. Paul went to his family to say his goodbye knowing all too well that it could be the last time he saw them. Taking Sophia in his arms he allowed the sweet innocence of his daughter to fill him with hope. Emily was extremely worried but still kept a brave face for her husband's sake. Each pack gathered around their new appointed alpha waiting for the Aleph to address them.

Even the wind ceased in respect and reverence when Billy raised his voice to address his men. "As you all know my son is being held by the leaders of the west coast pack. There are no guarantees, this might prove to be a futile suicide mission but we have to try… I have to try. I will not hold it against any of you if this doesn't make sense and you choose to back down. All I ask is for you to do it now, before we leave, because we'll need every member of the packs to have their senses attuned to the task at hand." He paused and looked around the group. In their faces he saw a multitude of emotions, fear, apprehension, anger, worry but more than anything determination.

"As of this moment you'll block your thoughts to everyone outside your pack. I will only communicate with the alphas. It's of the utmost importance that your thoughts are kept hidden. If our enemy learns of our plans we'll lose the element of surprise and it will be a slaughter. Since we won't be able to communicate effectively, today more than ever you'll need to rely on your wolf. Trust it to help you be able to smell your pack mates intentions and anticipate their thoughts. You must have questions that at this moment I cannot answer. There is no plan since we don't even know where he is being held. We'll plan on the go and as the situations present themselves." To this last statement there was a low rumble of voices as several wolves questioned Billy's decision to attack. The Aleph knew that more than one would question his sanity, after all, he was asking for a miracle in an era where those were unheard of.

"You must think I'm crazy but I'll explain. We cannot plan anything until we know what we'll be facing. All I know is that we'll get there. Seth will lead us to my son, he is a tracker and I'm sure that if anyone can find my son it's him. Now listen to me now and listen well. As of this moment, Seth is in charge. If he tells you to run you run, if he tells you to stop you'll comply, no questions asked." Several men opened their mouths to object, there was no way they would follow a slave to what could possibly be certain death. They questioned Billy's leadership and clarity of mind. The submissives stood next to the Aleph holding hands. Neither one of them lifted their eyes from the floor, they felt uneasy under the scrutiny of everyone present and if it wasn't for how resolute they were on finding Jacob they would've run the other way even if it was to escape the eyes of all the dominants present.

"Billy with all due respect, you cannot expect us to follow a dog into enemy territory."

"You're right, I don't expect you to follow a dog, I expect you to follow and obey a man. He is the only person here that has the ability necessary for this task. If you can't do this please move aside, I trust him and I will follow him." Billy was placing all his trust and faith in Seth. "We leave now; it's your decision if you want to follow."

Edward took Embry's hand in his own and interlacing their fingers led him to where his pack waited. Seth followed the Aleph through the crowd who observed them with incredulity and curiosity in their eyes. Embry handed Edward his collar, which Seth had unlocked before they exited the house. The cook looked at the wretched piece of metal with anger in his eyes before tossing it on the floor. He had no intention of allowing anyone to put that piece of crap on the submissives ever again. Seth followed suit and gave his father-in-law his collar. Just like Edward had done he unceremoniously threw it on the floor.

After removing their clothes they summoned their wolves and phased. The slave sat on his hunches as he concentrated. If he had any hope of finding his master he needed to lose consciousness to the world around him and let his instinct guide him to his lover. The packs became restless, not used to having to wait for anything or anyone. Billy ordered them to stand down and allow Seth to concentrate. Without uttering a word Seth stood up and bolted across the yard. In a second the packs were in pursuit but struggled to keep up with the much faster small sandy wolf. They placed all their hope in one that was considered insignificant by many. Led by a submissive, the east coast pack headed into battle.

The forest floor was carpeted by a myriad of fall colored leaves, the springy moss underneath them damp from the rain. Even with the notable thinning of the vegetation the forest still seemed dark and mysterious. Seth was almost in a trance, so focused that he saw the world differently. He no longer smelled the various scents around him. He didn't feel the damp ground under his paws or heard the swooshing sound of the wolves running behind him. He only heard the double beat of his heart pounding inside his chest. He only smelled the faint aroma he grew to love, the scent of his mate. He focused all his strength, courage and love on the mission that only he could bring to completion.

Billy was in awe at what he saw through Seth's eyes. The surreal images were something he couldn't even begin to describe. Every single detail sharp and clear but at the same time submitting to the small wolf.

As the dusk's slow intermittent movement descended on the earth the shadows of dozens of fierce warriors moved speedily over the terrain. From the North, East and South several packs ran following the direction Billy's eyes showed them. They had responded to the Aleph's plea and were coming to his aid. Friends can be a man's biggest treasure or his greatest weakness. They had never met Jacob but all of them could understand the pain of losing a loved one and the terror in a father's voice as he prays that his son would be safe. Billy prayed for one more chance, for one more smile, for one more minute that could be the difference between life and death.

All of them were guided by Seth. Their north star was a small submissive who exuded courage and power through every pore. Behind Seth four rows of wolves, each led by individual alphas, fanned away from the submissive. They ran in strict formation as to not reveal their true numbers. After four and half hours of running at impossible speeds Seth slowed down to a trot. The packs became agitated, some in anticipation of a fight, others from impatience with the slave. Seth what is it? Asked Billy concerned.

I smell blood The Aleph's steps faltered in fear after hearing those three words. The usually self-assured leader was gone and left in its place a scared and worried father. He was not ready to see the mangled body of his only son. Not that any parent ever could. Everybody slowed down as they approached the place from which the smell originated. What they saw made their stomachs churn and the blood go cold inside their veins. The floor of the small clearing was painted red as the leafy environment told a tale of betrayal. The attack had been vicious. The bodies of Collin, Peter and Xavier were nothing but a mass of bloody and barely recognizable remains. The three unfortunate wolves found the end of their roads at the teeth and claws of their brothers.

Billy, I detect Jake's scent but neither one of these men is him. They took him alive.

Son, are you sure?

Yes I am; his scent follows that path. He said looking in the direction of a small path between two tall pine trees. Also I don't smell any blood from that direction, so it's safe to assume they hadn't hurt him when they took him. The Aleph let go the breath he had been holding. He was in awe of Seth's gift, all he smelled was the overwhelming stench of blood and decomposing flesh. How the slave was able to differentiate between all the different scents around him baffled him. At least there was still hope, if they had any intention of ending Jake's life any time soon they would've done it there. Instead they took him alive. Still he shuddered at the thought of what they could be doing to his son. His anxiety increasing exponentially because of the inability to shake off those tormenting thoughts.

Billy decided to address the alphas before continuing. These are our brothers; we can't stop right now to bury them. We can't help them now, but we might still be able to help Jake. On our way back we'll honor them like they deserve. They left the clearing with a heavy heart. It was hard to believe that such a beautiful place had been witness to such wickedness. He felt guilty for being happy that none of those bodies belonged to his son, but they were somebody's child and that filled him with grief.

With every step the scent of a new wolf joined the others. All Seth could compare it to was a relay race. Hopefully his master was giving them hell and every time he landed his hands on one of them he sent them away bloody and had to be replaced. Billy chuckled in his mind at the images running through the submissive's mind. It was heartwarming to see the admiration and love Seth had for his son. He saw him like this impressive giant, courageous like no other and with a good heart.

Seth felt they were getting closer, his spirit guiding him. He slowed down, his steps silent and calculated. He expected the forest to thin out but it was quite the contrary. With every step their surroundings seemed to be closing in, affecting the visibility of the small wolf. Sturdy oak trees stood as sentinels, watching the wolves as they followed the slave. When his eyes failed him he used his heart and followed the second set of beats of his heart, the ones who belonged to his lover. Nobody dared to even think of what could happen in the next few hours, if they were going to rescue a friend or bury their alpha.

Halt. Embry snickered at his friend's attempt to sound official. Leave it to him to find something to smile about, it was a tool he learned to use to keep himself sane and survive.

Three sentries. Seth looked in the direction of each wolf but nobody could see them. It was like these guards only existed in the slave's mind. We must be getting closer.

What the fuck are you talking about? I can't hear or see a thing. Wolves in general lacked patience and restrain but Paul really took the cake.

There are three sentries about a quarter of a mile from here. They are positioned in strategic places to provide them with a better view. They need to be neutralized but you have to be extra stealthy. They're in wolf form and you will only get one chance to attack before they see you and warn the others.

Six wolves were sent to take care of the guards, two for each wolf. Their movements were swift and efficient. The only evidence of their presence was a flash of yellow eyes before they struck down their unsuspecting victims. They attacked without pity, silencing the wolves' thoughts in an instant.

At last the forest began to thin out. As they ran, sparse birch trees replaced the much dense pines and spruces. Seth was very cautious, with every step they very getting nearer. This was the moment of truth, failure was not an option. They stayed a prudent distance from their destination. Seth, Billy and Paul got closer, making sure to stay low, downwind and hidden by the greenery.

I see five more sentinels. He pointed to each one of them and they ran with the same luck as their packmates. The dark moonless night presented a challenge to the wolves. Even with their privileged eyesight they could barely see more than a dozen yards ahead of them. But that went both ways and they could use it to their advantage.

At last the conglomerate of warehouses that made up the industrial park came into sight. It looked deserted and if it hadn't been for the sentinels they found around the periphery they would've thought Seth made a mistake and guided them to the wrong place. Fuck there has to be twenty warehouses in this damn place. How the hell are we going to find Jake? It will be like finding a needle in a haystack. There is no light coming from any of them and I can't hear anything. A soldier from Edward's pack grumbled frustrated by what seemed to be a futile attempt.

Just because you can't hear something it doesn't means that it's not there. All the warehouses are empty except three. Jake can only be in one of them of course. It's safe to assume that the other two are decoys. Billy please ask Emmet if he sees movement from his angle. Nobody had noticed when the Canadian packs joined them. Their thoughts heavily shielded and their consciousness hidden from everyone. Emmet wanted to talk to Seth, he had so many questions. He always knew Seth was special but was flabbergasted when he learned the extent of his talent. But that was one conversation that would have to wait; they needed to focus on the mission.

He can't see anything and is asking if I want him and his pack to get closer. What do I tell him? The Aleph was discussing strategy with a slave? Nobody had ever heard something so absurd and if they were told this would happen they would've laughed in the person's face.

Tell him that instead of making themselves visible to move back at least fifty yards and send one wolf to assess the situation. There has to be guards on that side too and all it takes is one of them to blow the whistle. Billy did as instructed and waited for reports.

Seth crawled closer to the forest's edge. With his belly flush against the soft damp ground he tuned in all his senses trying to pinpoint his master's location. The westerners had played their cards well. They posted guards inside and out of each one of the three warehouses in an effort to make the sounds coming from one indistinguishable from the other two. They illuminated themselves with small lamps on the lowest settings. The weirdest thing was that he could sense his master's scent coming from all three warehouses. Seth panicked for a second; he wondered how he was going to be able to find his master when their trickery was throwing him off.

A barrage of emotions assaulted him, from sadness and dismay to anger and anxiety. As he was pondering on this new development his ears picked up the faintest of sounds. His stomach dropped at the same time he heard his master's scream. He surprised himself when instead of a whine a deep growl emerged from his chest. Those bastards were going to pay; he would make them wish they had never been born.

Jake is in the warehouse farthest from us. We should move back and go around to approach it from a different angle. All the wolves followed Seth's orders without any argument. At last they were starting to have faith and respected the slave's authority. As a great alpha he was holding the pack together. He wasn't the biggest or baddest wolf, but he was earning the respect of all those around him. They stood at a safe distance from the warehouse. It was bigger than the others and the few windows it had were boarded up.

How the hell are we supposed to get in there? I can see from here that the place is crawling with motherfuckers.

From the number of separate heartbeats I can tell that the majority of the wolves are outside. Jake seems to be in a lower level, possibly a basement. There are only two small windows that are not boarded off; they are close to the roof. Seth had taken command of the operation and came up with a plan in matter of minutes.

Hello, reality check, am I the only one who sees that those windows are tiny? None of us can fit through there.

They are very small indeed, that's probably the only reason they didn't bother to cover them. No dominant would fit through those, but a submissive can. I'm small enough to enter through there and unlock the door. We cannot risk knocking down the door, it will be too noisy and we won't be able to reach Jake in time.

Embry stepped forward, leaving Edward's side from the first time since they left the house. I'll go with you. Edward went to protest but held back. He knew it had to be done and two submissives had a better chance to succeed.

We'll need you to silence the wolves that are outside. All these buildings have fire escapes; we'll use it to scale to the roof. From there we'll have access to the windows. Embry will lure whoever is inside the door away from it and I'll open it.

Seth how are you planning to reach Jake? Asked Quil concerned for the little wolf.

I'm not entirely sure, but please don't worry, I'm willing to do anything for my master. I'll reach him even at the expense of my own life. The plan is simple; the most important thing is to make sure we work as one. Time will be of the essence but if we work together we'll be able to do this.

At last they were going to do what they went there for. The packs were all itching to fight; they had been surprised during the attack at the manse. Now others would be the surprised ones. Everybody got in position, there was no turning back. The moment Billy gave the order everything would be set in motion.

The submissives kept to the shadows as they headed to the back of the building and the fire escape. As discussed, as soon as Seth gave Billy the signal he gave the order. Let's kick ass! Once the order was given eight packs descended on the wolves guarding the warehouses. They had only one thing in their minds, to conquer their enemies. After disposing of all the wolves except the ones inside the warehouse where Jake was being held, the packs had nothing to do but wait for the submissives to do their part.

Seth and Embry climbed the fire escape ladder moving like greased lightning and reaching the roof in less than a minute. From there they swung inside the building with the grace and strength of a dancer. They were lucky that the drop inside the windows wasn't big at all and they basically slid to the floor with very little effort.

"Em there are only two guards and they look about to shit their pants. Make one follow you and I'll take care of the other." Embry didn't have to do much to make the guard follow him. He climbed down naked as the day he was born and both guards turned to look at him with lusty black eyes. He took off running making one of the wolves follow him while the other stood guard.

Putting on a burst of speed Seth leaped for the remaining guard, phasing on the fly he took him down. The sound of tearing flesh and the coppery taste of the guard's blood overwhelmed Seth's senses. He didn't kill him, but caused enough damage to render him incapable of moving. Seth was not made for killing, his spirit refused to stoop to that level. The only circumstance under which he would consider taking somebody's life was if his master's life depended on it.

Seth opened the door and whirled around seeking his friend. He was relieved when he saw Embry climbing out the same window they came through just minutes before. Edward went after the wolf that was chasing Embry and made short work of him.

The wolves saw as Seth took off running for the metal stairwell but nobody followed him; they were too busy dispatching every wolf that came at them. They came in waves, like they had mysteriously multiplied. Seeing that his wolves had control of the situation Billy tried to follow the submissive to what seemed to be the bowels of hell. Unfortunately the sheer number of levels and the stench of rotting wood and mold made the task almost impossible. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't catch Seth's scent, he decided to make himself useful and herd the stray wolves that were running in all directions trying to escape.

"Who do we have here? How thoughtful of Victor to get us a bitch to fuck, especially a feisty little cunt like you." It was a blast from the past, a nightmare Seth didn't want to relive. The submissive felt naked and vulnerable as he stood before Felix. His earlier bravery and determination being chased away by a demon with the face of a man. The bully that drove him to the darkest moment of his existence. When he became resolute in ending his life.

The fear disappeared as fast as it raised its ugly head. He couldn't afford the luxury of losing his courage. He was a little dog with a big reason to fight. "I knew I would get the chance of avenge James. That fucking bite you gave him made him get an infection that killed him. Nobody knew why or how he got so sick. He died a slow painful death. My little whore I assure you that your death will be more painful even if it's not as long as his, I'll make sure of that." Felix circled Seth like the predator he was. He licked his lips anticipating the long awaited chance to get back at him. The slave debated whether to run or stay and fight but decided for the latter, knowing all too well that if there was a way to warn whoever was guarding his master Felix would do it. Instead of being intimidated by the man in front of him the slave stood his ground, his eyes bulging with rage. Adrenaline coursing through his veins and hatred filling him with strength.

Felix attacked first leaving himself open, taking advantage of this Seth punched his gut with all his strength. He moved out of the way fast as Felix clutched his stomach while gasping for air. The sting was sharp but faded fast. The slave stood still, momentarily losing focus when the sound of a scream tore through the air. It was filled with pain and anger but more than anything Seth could almost smell the fear emanating from it. This distraction proved almost fatal when the slave felt a sudden sharp pain on the side of his head, the blow caused him to blink blood as he staggered back. He barely had time to duck before the filthy arm of his aggressor swooshed over his head in what was meant to be a powerful punch.

Seth needed to plan every punch in order to cause the most damage. If he allowed Felix to get the upper hand he would be killed. He moved around trying to find an opening, waiting for a chance. Unexpectedly the slave's leg swept out hitting Felix ankles with enough force to make him lose his balance and fall on his back. Before the dominant could even realize it he was on the floor. The submissive smashed his foot down onto his genitals and grinded it. Felix was in such agony that he couldn't even scream, his face contorted in pain and his eyes widening in shock. Seth would never be proud of having been his tormentor but couldn't bring himself to stop. He even felt a sick satisfaction when a bright red spot began to form on the perverted moron's pants. "This is for me."

After another scream reached his ears Seth knew he needed to hurry. "And this is for Mike." He stomped Felix's head with all his might, leaving him unconscious on the floor. Whoever was causing his lover so much pain better be ready for the storm that was coming their way.

Seth pondered why Felix's attacks hadn't been more effective but attributed it to him being an idiot. What Seth didn't know was that he moved so fast and with such fluidity that to his opponent he was almost invisible. The submissive felt himself moving at a normal speed when in reality he was barely a shadow. Felix only caught glimpses of him. Was this another gift? One that the slave ignored?

After going down two more levels the slave found a heavy gate that was probably meant to be kept locked but had been left ajar. Felix was probably supposed to be guarding it. This was one lucky break for the slave, one of the few in his entire life. He slid past the gate quietly, making a point of being stealthy. A short concrete stairwell led to a dark rat and mold infested basement piled high with boxes containing a variety of metal parts. The only light originated from a set of fluorescent lights that buzzed annoyingly. The damp musty odor mixed with human waste was almost unbearable. Seth could barely smell Victor over the pungent smell that surrounded him so it was safe to assume that Victor couldn't smell him either.

What proved to be far worse than anything the slave had ever witnessed was the scene playing before his eyes. From his position Seth could see that Jake's body was chained to a chair with a slave's collar around his neck. His head hung down like he was unconscious. Blood dripping from his hands and from a multitude of cuts in different stages of healing. A puddle of blood, mixed with vomit and urine covered the floor around him. Seth wished he was wrong and that was not his master but knew that was one wish that would never be granted.

A tall red haired man stood before his lover. The submissive had never seen him before but guessed this was the infamous leader of the west everybody had been talking about. "Tsk tsk my dear boy I didn't give you permission to sleep. Now I'll have to wake you up again." He stuck what looked like smelling salts under Jacob's nose making the alpha's head shot up and to the side to avoid the smell. When Seth caught sight of his master's face he was horrified. His master was barely recognizable, his eyes swollen shut, a bloody upper lip and a gaping wound on his cheek. The submissive wanted nothing more than to slowly tear that man limb by limb.

"Ok that's more like it. Now we may continue, at the risk of sounding repetitive, I'm getting bored with this. Pretty soon I'll call the men down here so they can fuck you raw like they did that stupid cunt. Sam's face was fucking priceless, he should've known better than to trust a treacherous bastard like myself."

"F…fuck you" Growled Jacob weakly. At least Seth now knew that the alpha still had fight left in him. He had too much dignity to allow that self-proclaimed bastard to see him give up.

Victor bent forward and painfully grabbing a chunk of hair on top of the master's head pulled his head back. "No sweetheart, fuck you."

The slave saw the light reflecting off the face of the blade as Victor brought it up to Jacob's eye level. The alpha began to trash against his restraints knowing all too well the pain that was coming. Seth slithered behind some crates and crouched down. Feeling uneasy Victor whipped around missing the slave by a second. He could've sworn he saw a ghost but laughed at himself thinking he was being paranoid if not ridiculous. Starting on the alpha's shoulder he sliced through skin and muscle causing a spine chilling scream to leave Jake's throat. The blade didn't leave the master's body until it reached the bloody mess that was his hand. Blood oozed from the massive wound falling as heavy droplets on the floor. The slave covered his mouth as he observed in shock the gruesome scene. Victor moved back and threw the blade on a table; picking up a bottle he doused the wound with its content. This elicited another horrendous earsplitting scream. This was a cruel torture, slicing open his skin then covering it with alcohol.

Seth covered his ears with his hands, not that it would prevent his sensitive ears from picking up the nightmarish sound, it was mostly a reflex. He wanted to jump out and attack the man who was hurting his boyfriend but thankfully was able to stop before putting himself in evidence and ruining everything. He would be of no help to his master if he got caught. It broke the submissive's heart to listen to the pain laced pants of his master and wished he could trade places and take all that agony from him.

The slave needed to show his master that this would be over soon, the Calvary arrived at last. He wasn't much, but the wolves that were backing him up were an impressive machine. He took advantage of the fact that Jake was facing him but even more importantly that Victor's back was turned to him. The slave stood up enough so that his master could catch a glimpse of his face and gave him the best smile he could manage. Jacob spotted him but his reaction was atypical for him. He started bawling like a little kid. Victor infernal smirk and arrogant nature was multiplied by a thousand as he thought that he had completely broken the alpha. In reality, Jake had been terrified of his sub being harmed. He would rather be tortured for an eternity than have any of these men get their hands on him. He'd preferred that Seth left him there to rot, than risk his sweet angel to fall in the hands of men such as himself. His heart was doing cartwheels, that bald little head was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. His submissive was safe, there was still hope.

"Boss!" Someone hollered down the stairs.

"What?!" Victor bellowed in reply. Seth heart thumped in his chest; if someone came down the stairs he would be spotted and everything would be lost.

"Boss!" Someone shouted again.

"What the fuck is it?!" Victor roared as he turned around and looked in the direction of the stairs.

"We're under attack!" The same voice said with difficulty.

Victor ran up the stairs and saw the wolf lying at the top of them, injured and bleeding. Victor's eyes were wide and frightened, he suspected Billy would try to rescue his son but was certain they wouldn't find him in time. After climbing up two sets of stairs he took inventory of what was happening. He saw how with a loud echoing snarl Felix's head was ripped from his body by a grey wolf with black tipped ears and paws. Edward had recognized the moronic pervert and felt a sick satisfaction with the condition of his body. The idiot had regained consciousness but the pain and the bleeding between his legs kept him on the same spot Seth had left him. He made the biggest mistake of his life when he called Embry a fucking cunt as he tried to help him ease his pain. Edward's fury coursed through his body and before he could think he was literally biting the idiot's head off.

Seth moved swiftly and reached his master in the length of two heartbeats. It took him no more than a few seconds to unlock Jacob's collar. There was no time for lengthy conversations; the reunion would have to wait. Seth brushed his lips against Jake's. The gesture soft and delicate. The alpha's minute smile could melt the hardest and coldest heart. He inhaled deeply letting the sweet scent of his submissive replace all the air in his lungs. No words were needed; they had their whole life ahead of them to speak words of love in each other's ears. Even though Jacob was in serious pain and very weak, he phased. If he had any hope of breaking the chains he was bound with he needed to be in wolf form.

Victor panicked when he saw that the whole area was crawling with enemy wolves. He ran down the stairs to finish the job before anybody could reach him. As he reached the bottom of the stairs he spun around listening for any indication that they were so close that he wouldn't have enough time to kill Jacob before escaping. Since he was a coward and a pussy, he made sure to find a place that could provide him with several ways to escape in case the need arose.

Still looking up the stairs Victor muttered "You're so fucked now, mutt. I'm going to enjoy slitting your throat."

When he finally turned around Jacob was free and standing right behind him. The massive wolf watched him intently while deciding what to do with him. He knew he was going to kill him, what he hadn't decided was how he would dispose of that vermin. Victor promptly pissed himself, literally. He took a few steps back and puts his hands up in surrender but it was too little too late. "I'm sure we can work something out." He stammered.

Jacob shook his head no, he was eerily calm. Victor whipped around and ran back up the stairs where the master couldn't follow him since his huge frame didn't fit through the too small space. He was still very weak and the shift would take him too long, making it very easy for Victor to escape. Seth wouldn't dare leave his master alone, as it was he looked ready to topple over.

"We're here!" The slave tried to get the attention of anyone within hearing range.

They heard the heavy steps of the overgrown wolves. Billy phased and ran to his son who by now had collapsed to the floor. Jacob was conscious but in obvious pain. The lack of nourishment in addition to the abuse had taken a toll on his body. Seth ran his hand through his master's soft fur and could've sworn he heard something too dangerously close to a purr coming from his lover. Billy's steps faltered when his eyes betrayed him and he couldn't see his son breathing. "Seth, is he…" The fear had even prevented him from hearing his son's weak heartbeat.

"No sir, he's still with us. He is in pretty bad shape, that son of a bitch was torturing him. Billy he…" It was Seth's turn to lose his composure, but he knew this was not the time to do so. A single tear went down the right side of his face yet somehow it was able to convey a combination of pain, sadness and relief. His master was hurt but he would recover.

Eric approached the Aleph and after glancing toward the alpha with compassion in his expression bent forward to whisper something in Billy's ear. "You're needed outside; Emmet caught Victor when he and two of his minions were trying to make a run for it. One of them attacked from behind and messed up Emmet pretty bad. His pack's doctor is checking him." Seth heard everything and became worried for his friend. These men had no honor, attacking from the back was shameful.

"Seth please stay with him, I'll send Carlisle." The Aleph tucked a kiss on the top of his son's head before scampering away.

"Sir please can you also send Embry?" Billy nodded and disappeared from Seth's sight. It didn't escape either one of them how Jacob hackles rose at the mere mention of Embry's name. After all it was Sam, Embry's dominant, who had been the determining piece of this puzzle. At least he had what was coming to him.

Embry walked down the stairs with Edward in tow. It would be almost impossible to separate those two now that Sam was out of the picture. The sub knelt beside Jacob who by that moment was resting beside Seth with one of his big paws on the sub's lap. He needed to feel the warmth of his submissive, to take comfort on his loving touch and company.

"Em can you do your thing? He is really hurt and in a lot of pain. Please help him."

Embry used the pad of his thumb to clean a few tears that were spilling from Seth's eyes. He tried to touch Jacob only to have him recoil away from the touch. "Love, Embry had nothing to do with what Sam did. He was just his slave and had to do what he ordered him. Please baby let him help you, I can't bear to see you suffering." Seth's pleading voice warmed the heart of all who heard him. Jacob was very stubborn and it would be a long time before he could trust Embry. Not only was he insanely jealous of the sub, he now had a good reason to dislike him. Still, he needed relief from the pain but more importantly, he needed to put Seth's mind at ease, he could never deny him anything. Embry's hands glided over Jacob's blood soaked fur, as he did this the master began to feel a comforting warmth all over his body. The pain was still there but Embry had managed to take the edge off and this was enough to make the shift back to his human form easier. He would heal faster as a wolf but was anxious to leave the torture chamber where he had spent the last two days and walking out as a huge wolf was out of the question.

A muted scream preceded the shift. Edward and Embry couldn't suppress their reaction to the alpha's body. Their breath hitched as they shook their heads in disbelief. The alpha's body was a testament to the existence of evil. He had cuts all over, except his back which they couldn't reach. His arms and chest painted a grim map of burns, cuts and bruises. The most shocking part was the complete absence of fingernails and toenails. They had been ripped off his fingers in the most sadistic way.

"I guess karma found me, it was about time." Jacob chuckled at his own comment. "You know what baby? Victor and I are not that different; we're both abusive and…" Seth bent forward to place a tender kiss on his master's lips to silence him.

"None of that, I will not have my future husband speaking in such a way." Seth's words were like a whisper of angels, healing the broken soul of his master like no other could. Embry's face had a range of emotions that went from incredulity to sheer joy. Edward laughed at his boyfriend's expression before pulling him closer and kissing his cheek.

Carlisle approached the group and was in awe of Embry's talent. He felt stupid and inadequate when compared to the sub. He had knowledge that came from decades of study but the sub had a remarkable gift. Still Jacob was not healing adequately; it was much slower than usual. The doctor bandaged Jake's hands and feet, also as many cuts as he could. Jacob drifted in and out of consciousness, scaring all of them each time.

"So… trying to escape coward?" Spat Billy as he approached Victor and his two cronies. They were being restrained by more wolves that it was necessary. After seeing the way one of them attacked Emmet they knew not to underestimate them.

"Coward, me? pfft you should've seen the way your boy cried and begged us to stop." Victor mockingly answered Billy's question with one of his own.

"I don't judge him and couldn't care less of your opinion of him." The Aleph paced in front of the group, hands behind his back and a pensive look on his face. "Victor you never broke me. Unlike you I didn't have to resort to violence to avenge my wife's life. You're weak and pathetic. You allowed hate to consume you. I pity you."

"Me, weak?" Victor's dark laugh couldn't conceal the fact that he was very scared. Without saying one word Jacob made him pee his pants. He didn't want to see where the Aleph's monologue was headed. "Sam was right, you're naïve and stupid. You cannot even bring yourself to kill the man who spent the last two days torturing your son."

"I'll deal with Sam in due time. Hey be happy, today you'll see your son again. I hear that hell is lovely this time of year. I will not kill you as you're being restrained; only pussies do that. We'll fight and may the best man win, and by the way, I intend to be the best man." Billy told the wolves to release Victor and phased. Victor followed suit and finally both beasts stood across from each other.

Billy was the largest wolf, broad across the chest and taller than all others including his son. The muscles under his black and russet fur moved commandingly. Victor's brown wolf was shorter but bulkier; his movements were fluid and confident. Unlike the Aleph he didn't inspire authority, he inspired fear. His scent was not one of a leader, he smelled like hatred.

Their expression was threatening, fangs bared, wrinkled muzzle, frowning forehead and erect pointy ears. Victor's eyes were wild while Billy's were determined. They crouched before rushing forward and clashing headlong. Billy, being a much superior fighter had Victor pinned to the floor within seconds of the initial exchange. He immediately went for the neck biting hard and shaking vigorously. Victor's claws scraped the Aleph's underbelly making heavy blood droplets to fall on the moist ground. They both moved back before circling each other while snarling. Victor leapt but Billy's dropped to the floor. The Aleph then jumped and grabbed a hind leg. Victor twisted his body and fastened his jaws on Billy's flanks.

Billy's pack was very tempted to intervene but knew he would never approve of this. The two wolves tumbled as the sound of snapping jaws echoed around them. The Aleph walked back a few steps making Victor believe he was retreating. The red head lowered his guard and Billy darted forward, grabbing him by the nose made him do a summersault that broke his back. I loud howl of pain left Victor's throat before the Aleph stood above him triumphal. He considered leaving him there so he would die of thirst while birds feasted on his entrails but taking pity on his old enemy he buried his sharp canines on Victor's throat to silence him forever.

By this moment the packs were all witnessing the fight with only Carlisle, Seth and Jacob missing. Edward and Embry had just emerged from the dreary warehouse, having missed the end of Victor. A celebration erupted and they joined in, feeling lighter than they had felt in a long time. Forgetting about keeping appearances and holding lies they became playful. Their laughter was intoxicating and their joy contagious. Embry slapped Edward's butt hard making him hiss, the sub then took off running while laughing out loud. In the euphoria of the moment nobody noticed the dark shape hiding in the shadows.

All Edward could think when he saw the unknown wolf launch itself toward Embry was 'not again'. He would not stand over the dead body of the man he loved. He had done that once and it killed everything that made Benjamin fall in love with him in the first place. Phasing on the fly and pushing Embry out of the way Edward took the brunt of the impact. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the wolves tumbled around on the dirt. Paul and Alec descended on the suicidal wolf granting its wish to leave the earth. The sub ran to Ed's side calling him and begging the cook to stay with him. Edward could hear everything around him but what stood out the most was the sweet voice of his submissive. He would never regret his decision to protect the slave. What he would always regret was not having enough time with him. Just as he had found a reason to smile again life took happiness away from him.