My Brothers Best Friend

Chapter 22 - Plan (b)

I come to in Aidan's dungeon, inside a cell.
"Aidan, get me out of here!" I yell trying to break free. He stands tall, his arms folded.
"I'm sorry Caleb but I can't" he replies. "Why not!" I continue to attempt to break the bars of the cell holding me. "Your wolf took control, you were a threat to my pregnant mate, I couldn't hav-"
"Kelsey's pregnant?!"
"Yeah" he rubs the back of his neck. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was going to but you got called to your pack" I don't listen to his response all I can think about is my mate and how she is pregnant and held hostage. "Cora's pregnant?" I murmur to myself more as a question than a statement. "Cora's pregnant" I say louder. Aidan doesn't look surprised or angry.
"Why aren't you as suprised as me?" I ask. No response.
"You knew! She told you but not me. I'm her mate. The father, unless I'm not the father"
"You're the father" Aidan says quickly and angry that I would even think his sister would have an affair.
"Why didn't she tell me?" I ask.
"She was going to, but she was also scared" Aidan replies.
"She was just about to tell me when I got called away. Scared why would she be scared?" My heart cracked at the thought of my mate being scared of me. "She was scared that you would say she was too young"
"25 that's a good age to be a parent"
"But she's only 19"
"Almost 20"
"Yes, but still, she can't even legally drink yet and she's having a child. She's scared Caleb, why else do you think Kelsey and I are conveniently having another child the same time you guys are, Kelsey's going through it with her"
"You did that for her?"
"Kelsey did, something about wanting a little Aidan and Caleb" we laugh.
"What if you have a girl?"
"Then they'll be a little Alexia and Caleb" I smile at the thought of a little me running around.
"Will you let me out of this cell so I can go find my mate now?"
"No"
"Why not?"
"Because your wolf could still show up, your unpredictable"
"How am I going to get my mate back then!" My wolf threatens to burst through. Maybe Aidan is right, I should stay in this cell.
"We have leverage"
"And that is?"
"Vaughn's daughter"
"You have his daughter! What about his mate?"
"She died giving birth to a second child that Vaughn killed"
"Vaughn killed his child"
"He wanted a boy and his mate had died, he was very unstable"
"How do you know his daughter is not a mole?"
"We keep her on house arrest"
"But we don't know where Cora is"
"Oh but we do"
"How?"
"In the video she gave us a clue. She said the old bridge, so we went there and my trackers found blood traces that matched Cora and we found the base camp. At sunrise today, you, me and the daughter are going to issue a trade. The daughter for Cora"
"How do you know he'll even want his daughter if he left her behind?"
"Why else do you think he attacked our pack? Getting his daughter back was his plan (b) killing me and my family obviously plan (a) He didn't leave her behind per say, more like unwillingly left, I had already taken her prisoner before he even knew I knew he was against me and was plotting my death. He will want his daughter back, she's his only family"
"How long until sunrise?"
"4 hours"
"Wow. How long was I out for?"
"12 hours. We gave you a lot of wolfsbane"
"No shit. You could of killed me"
"But I didn't" he smiles boyishly at me, "okay you sit tight for the next few hours and I'll be back to get you when its time"
"What no! Aidan!" Aidan walks away. Great.

Those next few hours felt like centuries. I am so close, yet so far away from getting my mate back. I try to sleep to pass the time but sleep never comes. All I think about is my beautiful mate and our child. I can't wait to have my lips against hers, to feel her warm body against mine. I miss her so much. A sudden pain hits me, it's Cora's emotion I feel through our mate bond. She's been punched, she wants to cry but she doesn't. I call out to a guard to get Aidan. He rushes into the dungeon. "What is it?" He asks. "Cora, Vaughn hit her well someone did, I felt it" I say. "That's not normal to feel physical pain"
"Fatherly instinct?"
"Possibly" She's punched again. "Aidan!" I say freaking out. "I suppose we can go an hour early" he says unlocking the cell door. I exit and follow Aidan as he leads me to a room. Two guards stand watch out the front. They bow in submission and stand aside. Aidan knocks on the door. "Come in" a female voice says. Aidan and I enter, the girl is in bed, most of her belongings packed.
"Freya, we're going now"
"Okay Alpha, can I have five minutes to get ready please?" I growl under my breath, we need to go now. Aidan gives me a sympathetic look,
"please hurry" Aidan says. The girl nods.

+++

Freya wheels her suitcase behind her. Aidan commands us to stop. A small group of pack fighters quietly enter the building as our plan (b). Vaughn shows himself.
"Where's Cora?" I ask.
"She's safe" Vaughn teases,
"what are you two imbeciles going to give me in return for Cora? The young child I originally wanted?" Aidan growls. I hold him back, as much as I want to see him rip Vaughn apart I can't let him, not yet, if Vaughn dies I might never get Cora back. Aidan calls his guards and they bring forward Freya. Vaughn's deadpan facial expression drops to one of shock, "Freya" Vaughn murmurs. Aidan looks at me and nods, his fighters have Cora. "You want Freya give us Cora" I bargain.
"Freya first" we hand Freya over, she runs crying into her fathers arms. Our pack fighters emerge from the hide out, they run into the forest unnoticed. "Thanks for my daughter, good luck getting Cora back" Vaughn chuckles. "Already have" I say. Aidan and I retreat back to his pack leaving Vaughn angry and red faced.