Chapter 29 - Prisoners

Author POV - 

Maddie ran to her tent as soon as she saw the rogues approaching, she was sure they would be able to hold off what looked to be a group of what, 5 measly warriors? It didn't even cross her mind that they would be able to free those trapped in the cages, just as it did not cross her mind to question how they had found the place to begin with. Sure, that guy she had taken to her tent had escaped, but it had never occurred to her that they would work out that a witch was helping them in any way. 

It never occurred to Maddie to wonder how they had gotten around the witch's spells in the first place. She knew a witch had spelled the area, she knew that those spells were meant to keep everyone out but as she had not left herself she did not know how it worked beyond that it had until she let someone escape. Now her priority was to escape, to get as far away from here as she could and to find Ace again.

Rushing inside her tent she found her dad already there, sitting, facing the entrance as though waiting for her. 

"Foolish girl," he sneered as she entered, "This is your doing, why couldn't you just leave them to Ace, you know he was due to return shortly, he could have handled this, there was no need for you to try to question one of the prisoners."

"I was trying to show Ace that I could, that I could be trusted with this sort of thing, how was I to know the prisoner would get away from me?| she retorted, fighting the whine that threatened to resound in her voice.

"Of course you were, idiot child," there was no anger in her father's voice, no real disappointment, but there was a glint of something, something Maddie wasn't able to easily interpret, as he paced before her. "Did you at least learn anything before he escaped and brought them back here?"

"No," she pouts, still sulking at her own failure, she had no intention of revealing what really transpired between them, not even to her father "He got the better of me before I could really begin the questioning." 

"Well that is besides the point, what is done is done," He replied, rubbing his chin and looking thoughtful he continued, "But how did they find us, that witch was supposed to have protected us from detection even from those who have been here unless they have been given a token which permits admittance," he stopped short, then turned to face Maddie who was still close to the entrance, "We need to go, we need to get into the trees and hide until Ace returns, then we can work out what to do from there."

Maddie, who had been watching her father, turned towards her cot and pulled a bag out from beneath it. 

"What are you doing, child? There is no time for that." he grasped her arm gently and tugged, encouraging her to stand.

"I'm not leaving my things behind," she stated simply.

"They are not here for your trinkets dearest, they are here for us, we need to leave quickly, while the others are distracting them," Maddie's father was not blind to his daughter's flaws, he saw them and he cherished them, he saw them as confirmation of the station they both wanted for her, he believed only a girl with the potential to rule could ever be as conceited as his daughter which in his mind confirmed what the seer had told him all those years ago.

Maddie thought over what her father had said, briefly, and although she believed him in large part, she was not willing to risk losing some of her prized possessions, she had insisted on bringing them with her when she fled Twin Lakes and she was sure as hell going to take them with her now. Thankfully, her most prized possessions were kept together in one place so they were easy to grab, the rest of her things could be replaced. Reaching under the camp bed she had been using she pulled out the small wooden trunk and opened the lid. Grabbing the contents she put them all into a pouch that she could tie around her waist like a belt. There was no hiding the pouch as her clothes would easily reveal the lump it made, but she was more concerned with not leaving them to be scavenged by any of the filthy rogues hiding from the fight.

Once she had secured the pouch around her waist she nodded to her father who was waiting impatiently by the tent entrance and they slipped out quietly hoping to avoid detection long enough for them to get to the caves and escape.

What they weren't aware of was that while they had been talking, Brian and Mark had approached the tent and listened in, waiting. As soon as the tent flap moved they sprang into action, Mark grabbed Maddie and Brian had her father in a headlock before either of them realised what had happened. Mark dragged Maddie kicking and screaming back to the group and Brian pulled her father along with little trouble, he knew they would not escape and he was spending his time trying to come up with a plan to get them both out of this when they were questioned. He did not fear these wolves, he knew that they would not cause him harm so long as he did not resist, so he was pliant like the rogues. Maddie was furious at being humiliated once more by Mark and when she came upon the group of rogues who by now had been subdued, tied up and were waiting patiently for their opportunity to explain why they had behaved as they had, she lost it, she screamed at them to fight, she insulted each and every one of them, individually and as a whole group, she tried to lash out at those nearest to her. She was beyond consolation, her feelings of betrayal and humiliation at their peak.

After a Brian tied her to the group of rogues while Mark continued to hold her in place, the two stepped away from the group of prisoners and joined the others who were watching the group closely but standing to one side discussing where they should take them.

Brian, as Delta of Rival River and as the highest ranked wolf present, decided that they would take everyone back to Rival River as there was plenty of space in the cells for everyone. He did not expect them to be there long, based on what the others were saying the rogues were not willing participants in any of this. Once Brian had spoken, the group spread out along the line of prisoners and everyone began to walk. With the exception of Maddie, everyone walked calmly, the children, who were being led by Aria and Georgina were trying to stay close to their parents but were not making a fuss or trying to run, so the girls let the pups walk alongside their mother or father and just made sure to keep an eye on them so they were not separated and lost.

None of the wolves that had gone to the camp for either mission felt that these rogues or their children were a threat, they talked quietly amongst themselves and were confident that Alpha Jack would truly listen and not judge based on what has been seen, Harry, Aria and Tasha were not as confident as they did not yet know their Alpha as well as the Rival River wolves since he had only been Alpha for a matter of weeks, but they were sure that if his Alpha would spare the rogues, then he would follow in his footsteps and even possibly open his gates to them. They needed to find a way to up their pack numbers if they were going to have to defend themselves. The only person that did not have a peaceful journey back to Rival River pack was Mark, he had taken it upon himself to guard Maddie, and she was not going quietly, she continued to kick out and attempt to run every step of the way and Mark ended up walking with one hand on her shoulder as a way of letting her know that escape was not going to happen.

She was a prisoner now, whether she liked it or not, and she would be treated as such.