The Alpha's Lifeline

~Chapter eight~

"I apologize," Brody says quietly. "It's an emergency, Rylan. I wouldn't call if it weren't."

Adeline overhears Brody and looks up at Rylan, worried.

"What's wrong...?" He looks down at Adeline, his expression turning serious.

"Your father asked you to come back... Sixteen rogues were found yesterday, he didn't tell you so that you didn't worry but...."

"Brody. Get to the point." Rylan raised his voice slightly, Adeline sits up, she tightens her grip on his hand.

"He just got some information and he thinks they're connected to your kidnappings. He wants to know if you recognize them." Brody says reluctantly. "He didn't realise you were going out so far, when I told him he started to worry and asked for you to come back."

"We'll be back." Rylan shuts off the phone.

"I heard all of that. I'm sorry." Adeline mumbled, getting up from the ground.

"Let's go." He said frustrated, gathering the blanket and the picnic basket in his arms, walking towards the car in a slight rage.

He unlocked the car and put the things into the boot while Adeline climbed into the car and they sat in silence as Rylan started the car and began to drive.

"Rylan slows down," Adeline said as he sped up along the roads.

His eyes were flickering, and she knew he was struggling to keep calm.

"Rylan, please." She said debating what to do.

"I'm fine." He mumbled with a deep voice, clearly struggling against Odion and Lucius.

"Can I touch you?" She asked quietly and he didn't respond. She moved her hand over cautiously under his arm and placed her hand lightly on the top of his thigh, she put her other hand into his and he took a few deep breaths.

He eventually began to slow the car down and he moved his left hand, so their fingers were intertwined, resting on her thigh.

"I'm sorry." He said a few seconds later, slowing the car down to a normal speed. "Thank you... That worked."

"It was a shot in the dark, I wasn't sure whether you were going to accept that or not." She moved her hand from his thigh.

"You didn't have to move... " He told her, and she just shrugged looking out of the window.

They stayed in silence for the rest of the ride home and all the way indoors where his mother were waiting anxiously.

"I'm fine." He said instantly, knowing his mother would ask. "Where do I need to meet them?"

"Level 7 of the basement cells... I know you don't like it down there... They apologized." Susan replied and he sighed, nodding.

"Will you be okay here?" He turned to Adeline who nodded.

"You can sleep in my room if you want to, help yourself to anything of stuff. Call me if you need me? Okay?" He checked and she nodded smiling. He leaned down and kissed his mother's cheek and reached for Adeline's hand, giving it a squeeze through gritted teeth. He held it until he was calm, leaving his newfound mate with his mother.

He walked towards the packhouse and down the downstairs into the basement below. All of the prison cells were underneath the pack house,

"Cells," Rylan said to one of the guards who nodded and held out his hand, waiting for identification.

"I need proof of who you are."

"You know who I am." He passed over his ID card and placed his thumb on the finger scanner.