Chapter 28 - Capture

Author POV - 

Dave, having followed Ace and the witch, crept slowly towards the edge of the clearing they had stopped in, making sure that Ace and the witch were in his sight. Ace was pacing back and forth, almost frothing at the mouth in rage. He turns to the witch and grabs her by her throat.

"How did they get past your spells, witch? You told me the camp would remain safe and hidden, but clearly you have failed, your spells must be as weak and pathetic as you are."He throws her body away from himself and she lands heavily on the ground. Her sputtering is clearly audible as she struggles to get to her feet again. Dave waits to see what her answer will be, hidden behind a tree downwind of his prey.

"The… spells… are…. good…. Alpha," She gasps once she has found her balance against the tree her back hit moments before. "They should not have been able to find the camp," she wheezes rubbing her throat, "The only way they can have found it is if they have a witch of their own, she would know what to look for."

Ace punches the tree that the witch is leaning against causing her to drop to the floor in panic. Ace's foot lifts from the ground and Dave knows that Ace is going to harm the witch. Before he can rush forward to stop Ace though, a hand clamps over his mouth and turning quickly he sees Jack standing watching Ace and the witch. She is begging Ace to have mercy, begging him to allow her to correct her mistake, but Ace is merciless, he kicks her hard one more time, then raises his partially shifted hand and swipes out, slitting the young girl's throat. Ace then turns from the witch as she lay bleeding across the forest floor and storms away, away from the witch and away from the mountain.

Dave and Jack silently watch the witch as she falls to the ground still clutching her throat and gasping for breath. 

After a moment they determine that Ace is not coming back and they both try valiantly to crush the urge to chase after him.

"I'm going after him, you get her," Jack says to Dave via the mind link.

"No! You take her," Dave starts throwing his arm out to block Jack's path, but Jack's rage blinds him to reason and he tries to force his way past Dave. Dave raises his hand gently laying it on Jack's chest, holding him at bay and continues, "you are too emotionally involved Jack, I don't blame you at all, after all he hurt your mate. But you won't give him a chance, you will kill him as soon as you get the chance to, we need him, we need to capture him, bring him in, we need to know more. When the time comes, I swear to you, you will be the one to deliver the final blow, but I need him to come back with us, my pack needs the chance to witness this, they need closure as much as Cassie does. AFter all he has done, he needs to be brought to death, but it needs to be the right way."

"I know you're right, it kills me that you are right, I just want him dead. Cassie needs him dead, out of her life and his threat removed. She needs to know our pups are safe, but I also understand that the packs need it too. You go, I will get the witch and see what I can find out, let me know when you get back to Twin Lakes and I will be more than happy to assist you with any questions you have for that mutt." Jack may not like it, but he knows that Dave is right, as good as his intentions would be, once he had Ace within his grasp, he couldn't be sure he wouldn't just end it then and there. But, like Dave said, that wouldn't be fair to anyone, least of all his mate.

After their conversation over the mind link they agree that the best course of action is for Jack, who is more inclined to rip Ace's throat out without a word, should stay with the witch, he can capture her and take her back for questioning while Dave, who is much more level headed and much less emotionally involved, will follow Ace and apprehend him. Now they just had to hope that those that were at Ace's camp were able to handle the situation without their Alphas.

Back at the camp - 

Maddie's battle cry had called the entire camp to the clearing and they were moving quickly, knowing if they did not then their loved ones would be the ones to suffer. Ace and Maddie had been using witchcraft to lure the rogues, but to keep them, they had used fear and violence. Threatening the children or the mates of those that dared to even consider denying them. Not that many had, even without the magic, the pull of pack life called to all wolves and the rogues were no different. In most cases the rogues were banished from their packs as punishment, these wolves had committed crimes, with only a few having fled for self preservation. But being banished did not destroy the impulse wolves felt to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Ace and Maddie offered them, what seemed to be, a chance at redemption, a chance to be a part of something again, and if they didn't want that for themselves, they most certainly would want it for their young. So they stayed, they endured, and they followed Ace, because Ace and Maddie had told them that by staying they were building something that would last, that they would be welcomed into the pack that Ace was destined to take over. 

Finally the ropes holding the cages closed snapped just as the last ember in the fire died away, and with a growl of fury and triumph they all threw themselves at the oncoming guards. The fight that ensued was short and fierce but not deadly, thankfully the rogues that Ace had recruited were not well trained and having spent considerable time away from pack life their health and stamina were not optimal. Brian and Mark fought side by side, shouting out instructions and warnings to the others as they made their way through the crowd. As the fight wore on, it became clear to the rogues that they were out muscled even though they outnumbered their opponents 15 to 1. But the skill and regular training the captives had had gave them the upper hand. Realising that they had no hope of winning the rogues knew their best hope was being captured in return and taken in. There they might have a chance to redeem themselves. They knew Ace and Maddie were wrong, they knew they had been trapped into their circumstances, now they just needed a chance to explain themselves, to explain why. One by one, the rogues surrendered, kneeling on the ground in an obvious position of surrender.

Aria and Harry, along with Tasha and Eric set about tying the wolves together for transportation to Twin Lakes, Penny, Keith and Georgina moved away from the crowd and began searching the tents for any hideaways, they found a huddle of pups cowering in one tent and coaxed them out. The pups were not tied together, Georgina squatted down to their level and explained that the grownups were only tied to keep them safe, explaining that if Ace saw them and they were not tied up, he would know they had surrendered and that that could be bad for them if Ace ever got to them again but that Keith and Penny would help her protect them while they all went back to the pack house where they would be given warm baths and warm food and comfy clothes. She then asked the pups if they could help her while they walked as some were much younger and would need carrying through the tunnels.

Brian and Mark however had seen Maddie slink away between the trees in the mass confusion of the initial attack. They glanced around and saw everything was under control, both of them impressed with how effective Georgina was with the pups as well as Aria's and Tasha's capabilities. They had every intention of including everything in their report to Jack later. Once they confirmed everything was under control they raced off into the trees to apprehend Maddie grateful that everything that had transpired had happened in the space of about 5 minutes so she didn't have much of a head start. Mark pointed to a tent and whispered, "bet she's in there, probably gathering her valuables, or what she deems valuable anyway."

Brian nods his head in agreement and they slowly approach the entrance. When they are within a metre of the tent they hear her jabbering, then they share a glance when they hear a man reply.