Chapter Thirty-Six

I don't know how long we have been running but I had to stop to catch my breath. My heart feels like it is doing cart wheels in my chest. My breathing is fast and ragged. My legs are on fire and ache due to the lack of exercise. Not to mention the added weight of carrying a five year old.

"We have to find some where to hide." Keegan said glancing around the forest.

"I'm not leaving them there." I say in-between heavy breaths.

"Did you not hear what they said? Run like hell? Go with them protect them?" Keegan angerly whispers.

"I refuse to sit back and let Daniel Verner make everyone here a victim. Enough is enough." I say matching his aggression. I watch his anger evaporate leaving nothing but defeat. He is torn between what he was told to do and what he wants to do.

"We are severely outnumbered. We have no high ranking wolves with us to handle the physical fighting. We have no weapons. On top of all of that we have two handicaps. We have a child that we have to ensure the safety of and your pregnant." Keegan says quickly going over our situation.

"Keegan you were a gamma use your brain! What is our first move?" I demand.

"Uh, they were forcing everyone to go stand with their alphas." He says tripping over his words.

"Why?" I ask.

"They were trying to figure out which pack you have joined. Which means they are going to hold everyone hostage until they figure out which one." He says sounding satisfied with his decison.

"Alright, what do we do?" I ask.

"Well, since we are out numbered we can't physically fight. So, we are going to need a large amount of fire power and the element of suprise." He concluded.

My mind instantly drifts to the wolvesbane weapons we had created but using biological warfare with a bunch of innocent pack members near by doesn't seem ideal. Much to my distain the other option would be to use the high powered rifles that Mitilda had seized. No one would see it coming but is it worth the risk.

"What are you thinking?" Keegan asks looking at me with eyes full of curiosity.

"Guns. Going back to Mitildas house to get the guns and then getting as close as we can to the training field." I start.

"Then, lighting our enemy up?" He ask. I just nod confirming his thoughts.

"I'm not for it and I know that your not either but do we have another option?" Keegan ask sighing.

"I really don't want to expose all of the innocent people to biological warfare but we could use one of the flash bombs." I offer.

"Alright, then we have the start of a plan but our top priority is your safety. If I were on the other end of this my first orders would be to track your scent." He says as he pulls his t-shirt over his head.

"This should help mask your scent." He says handing me the shirt. I awkwardly take the shirt and slip it over my head. It swallows' me whole, even to the point that it covers the jean shorts I am wearing.

"Alright lets move." Keegan orders.

We start stealthy moving through the thick forest pausing at even the smallest sound. Eventually we could see Mitilda's cabin.

"Where did they go?" One of the goonies yelled.

"Find them." The other growled.

"I can't pick up her scent." One said frustrated.

Keegan holds up a single finger to his lips telling us to be quite. I couldn't help but shoot him a "Do I look stupid?" glare. The men quickly move through the area but don't seem to notice us.

"Do you remember where she put them?" He whispers.

"Last time, I seen them they were in her room." I say.

"Okay, just stay here. I'll go grab them and be back here in less than a minute. If you see any of them don't worry about me and run." Keegan orders. I give a single head nod and he disappears.

While he is gone I take a second to get a good look at my surroundings. The area surrounding the immediate pack house is clear and well kept. The outskirts on the other hand are very dense. A lot of tall, trees, beech and pine.

Something that had said Tanya Degurechaffs comes to mind "Few soldiers understand the threat that air power represents." We may not have air planes or special powers but If we could get up off of the ground the less likely it would be that we would get caught. Plus wolves can't climb trees.

I hear heavy foot steps coming from behind. I hold my breath hoping that it isn't one of Greene's minions.

"She only had two of them in her closet but I don't know if they are loaded." Keegan said making me jump. I felt my eyes widen when I seen how he is holding the guns. The butt of the gun is sitting at his shoulder. The barrel is facing the ground. One wrong move and I'll receive a bullet to the foot.

"Give me those." I hiss. He shrugs and hands me the guns. Seoul looks at the weaponry from his place on my back.

"Mommy those look scary." He whispers. The two guns are AR 15s. Both have scopes attached and can have up to twenty rounds a piece with the extended clips. Once I find the release I drop the clip out. I count the bullets.

"One, two, eight, ten, twelve, and fifteen." I count under my breath before popping the magazine back in. Then repeating it with the second fire arm.

"Will these work?" Keegan whispers.

"Yeah, these are high powered military grade firearms. Did you see any of the flash bangs or spray they made?" I ask. Keegan shakes his head in defeat.

"We need to get moving." Keegan says. I nod and start following him through the maze of trees. Keegan is taking extream precautions to make sure that he doesn't lean up against any trees or bushes. He doesn't want to leave any sort of trail.

"Were close." He whispers looking around.

I look up and see that we are standing under a redwood tree. Its very tall but not dense in leaves. We wouldn't have a lot of forest cover. The first branch is pretty high up. I would have to stand on Keegan's shoulders just to reach it. Then I would have to be able to balance myself well enough to carry Seoul and the two guns until I can reach the top. Its the only option that I have. Keegan can't climb the tree though. His wolf wont let him. How would he manage to stay safe and undetected?

I tap Keegan's shoulder and when our eyes meet I point up. He looks up and his eyes widen when he realizes what I'm proposing.

"Can you do it?" He whispers.

"Trust your gut." The voice said.

"Yes. I'll just need your help getting onto the first branch." I say with as much confidence as possible.

"Okay. Once, I can see that you are up high enough to be unnoticed. I'll get as close as I can and see if I can see every one." He says as he picks me up and helps me stand on his shoulders. Its awkward and I feel top heavy but I manage to pull myself up onto the lowest branch. Before I pull myself up onto the second branch I look down at Keegan. He is watching closely prepared to intervein the second I may loose my footing.

"Don't sacrifice yourself for me." I whisper. A simple nod told me that he acknowledged what I had said. I also know that he can't make that promise. He will follow his mates wishes even if it meant death. I refuse to let any more people die. I refuse.

I refuse

I refuse

I refuse

I climbed and climbed not allowing myself to feel the pain radiating through out my back or the intense burn in my calves. I refused to look down because if I do my resolve will waiver. I have to make it to the top. Eventually, I found myself with no more branches to climb.

Once I had my balance, I put the guns as close to my body as I could get them before carefully lifting Seoul off my back and sit him in between my legs. Then I scoot backwards so my back is leaning against the base of the tree.

I finally force myself to look down. Seeing how high up we are makes my stomach lurch but I notice that Keegan is gone. Where did he go? I looked around and see that we are perched high above the clearing where everyone is. I see many of my comrades laying bloodied on the ground. Yet its too far for my human eyes to see if they are dead or just injured. Many of Greene's men are holding pack members in what looks like a full nelson.

I pull out one of the AR'S that I had carefully wedged between Seoul and myself. I put the butt of the weapon on my shoulder and look through the scope. Greene is still holding Mitilda by the hair with a blade to her throat. Alpha Foster has been beaten to a pulp but refuses lay down and accept defeat. Dean is laying face down in the dirt but I can see shallow breaths. Grant lays dead beside Finn clearly meeting the same end that he did. Elixer's face is bruised but other than that he seems to be okay. I don't see Jackson but I do see the nurse from the infirmary.

Where is he?

Where is Keegan?

I look around but see neither. My eyes do eventually land on the man that started all of this. Daniel Verner. A older women standing by his side. She looks like she hasn't slept in ages. She has to be the witch. A young women and a child stand to her right. That must be Willow and Grants illegitimates child. The one person that I didn't expect to see kneeling beside her is none other than the women that raised me. Dana Scott.

"What do you mean that you can't find them? Rin has to be here some where!" Verner roared.

"Sir we have looked every where. We can't find her, the child or the man that she ran off with." One of the goonies timidly said.

"Well three people just don't disappear into thin air now do they? So, go look again." He ordered wearing a twisted grin. The men dressed in black disappeared into the woods. I held my breath when I heard their heavy foot steps crunch as they moved through the leaves.

"Alright since none of you are willing to tell me what I want to know with pain compliance. I'll take it up a notch. Lucia break there mate bonds." He orders turning to the witch. I have to hold back a gasp that threatens to escape.

Dear, Mood Goddess please no. No more pain. No more hurt.

"Your wish is my command." She flatly says and starts chanting. I watch the gold string on my pinky but at the end of her chant the string remains unchanged.

"Why didn't it work?" He demanded grabbing the witch by her shirt.

"The keeper of the strings must be near by." She said shrugging.

"Over ride it!" He demands.

"How do you expect me to over ride the Moon Goddess?" She hissed.

"I don't know just do it!" He roared. She sighed looking defeated but started chanting yet again.

"Sir, we have searched the woods and tore up the pack house looking for them. They aren't here. Didn't she leave the country one time before? Is it possible that they have made it out to the main road and caught a ride to the air port?" One of the guys asked just to receive a blow to the side of the head.

"Don't be stupid." Verner said.

"Why do you want my daughter so bad?" Dana asked.

"Ha, simple answer. You rejected me so, I took your child. It was all too easy. She walked right off of your territory and my men brought her onto mine. She gave birth to my child. I just want us to all be a family." He explains shrugging.

"Too bad she isn't Danas child." Mitilda said.

"What are you talking about bitch?" Alpha Greene said tightening his grip around her throat.

"Our doctor done the rape kit on Rin. We ran her DNA and it came back a positive match for Dean and his wife Sandra. She has no Scott blood in her. You have done all of this for nothing." She explained laughing.

"Your lying." Verner said.

"I'm not!" She said as Greene jerked on her exposing more of her neck.

Greene is going to kill her.

I point the semi automictic at him. I look through the scope. Its going to be close but I have a shot. I release the safety.

"I'm done with her." Verner ordered.

"Cover your ears." I whisper to my son.

I pull the trigger and a loud boom sounds through out the air. I feel a throbbing pain in my shoulder from the recoil but I look through the scope again to see him dead on the ground.

One dead and eight more to go.