Caged

Chapter 38

**| Sang's POV |**

Silence was the only thing that existed. We hid in the woods, the buildings in sight. There were three of them. While this location wasn't one I was familiar with, I knew enough about Deras to know how his operation worked. In the basement of one building would be full of the shifters to be forced to fight. Another location would be where Deras and all the guests taking part in the matches stayed. They'd be spoiled by women, food, and drinks. The third building would be for training.

And somewhere nearby would be the massive field they used. Deep holes would be dug for the shifters to be dumped into to fight. At the end of the night, the dead stayed in the holes to be buried as everyone else moved on. According to Alpha Blackbourne, the matches were still a couple of days away, so not many people were around. Only the guards, Deras, and his closest people.

We were going to take them out. My wolf practically licked her lips in anticipation. I felt exactly the same way. My claws dug into the dirt while we waited for the perfect moment. The heat of Silas and North's presence pressed against me from both sides. Silas made himself my bodyguard, and North would never leave Silas.

The plans had left North in an interesting position because he always wanted Luke with him. Only the promise that Luke would be with Victor on the perimeter team to round up those who escaped calmed him enough.

Guards walked their routes, or sniffed them if they were in wolf form. I sent a mental thank you to Kota, knowing he wouldn't be able to get it yet. He had created a spray that we all used that helped hide our scents from the shifters. They weren't going to smell us coming at least.

Another set of guards passed. They were on a pattern that meant they walked by our spot every five minutes. Victor had it down to a science with the help of one of Alpha Toma's people.

Go. The signal was a soft whisper through my mind. Sean's permission.

I stayed low on my stomach, slowly working my way out of the bushes, doing my best to avoid detection. We needed to be silent for as long as possible. We needed to be already taking them out by the time they realize what's going on.

We couldn't give them any time at all to fight back.

Once we were clear and all that was between us was a huge field, I charged forward, staying light on my feet. Silas and North flanked me as we ran across the field. Off in the distance was a yelp, a wolf meeting his demise hopefully.

The enemy raised the alarms with howls, the air spiking with their energy. We remained silent, refusing to respond to their challenge. We couldn't let them know how many were on our side or where we were exactly.

Anticipation and anger swirled around inside of me, becoming a heady combination that pushed me to run faster and harder. I wanted to feel their blood in my mouth, to feel my claws tear into the flesh.

I wanted to tear every single one of them apart.

Be calm, Aggele. Silas's wolf brushed against me. You're going to have your chance. I'll make sure of it.

I didn't respond to him, spotting the first wolf. I changed course and before the wolf could respond, I smashed into him. I tore into him with teeth and claw, blood hot as it soaked into my light fur. It yowled in pain, but I didn't stop until it no longer moved underneath me.

Keep moving. Silas nudged me. They had stayed back, giving me this kill.

Bloodlust tried to dim my thoughts, my wolf wanted to take complete control. I could feel it. I was standing at a ledge, and if I fell, I was going to go wild. All this adrenaline, rage, and excitement was going to twist me until I no longer knew right and wrong.

No.

I couldn't let that happen.

You're okay. I'm here. Silas buried his face into my neck. Another body pressed against my other side. North. Showing his support.

We weren't mindlinked yet, but I didn't need North's words. The fact that he stood by my side, was willing to show that he was there to support me too, was enough to settle my wolf and my mind.

I was too close to my revenge to go wild.

Not today. Maybe another day. But not today.

We moved on, North taking lead, Silas making sure I stayed with them.

Fighting from the others broke out. We were at war now, every wolf fighting for survival.

Two wolves came at us, but it was over before they had a chance to reach us. Another wolf with a reddish brown coat took out one wolf, while North destroyed the other in a breath. Nathan was there too.

He paused, giving me a once-over, as if to check that I was okay. Silas growled at him in warning. Nathan bounded off in powerful strides, joining his teammate once again to take down another wolf.

Updated count is as twenty-five wolves, Alpha Blackbourne sent out, his voice powerful. Sang, find the leaders. They are our priority.

Dead or alive, right?

Yes, dead or alive.

Dead it was then. They weren't escaping me. As a free wolf, I finally had the opportunity to destroy them, and I was going to do that.

I drew in a breath, scenting everything, working through them, narrowing it down. My wolf brain worked through it, pushing past the hundreds of scents I didn't care about, until I found the one I needed. It was peppery and dark.

If a wolf could smile, I'd be doing it right them.

Found him. Follow me.

I didn't give the other two a chance to respond and took off, adrenaline prickling underneath my skin as it sped through my veins, pumping faster and faster.

Close. So closer.

I whirled around the back of the building we were at and spotted a group of wolves trying to fight their way out.

All three were there. Deras. Sandra. Garland.

Kota was fighting, the team he was leading at his side. They were vicious, tearing into the wolves, never backing down. The Alpha that joined us was there too, his people pushing against the group hard. There had to be seven wolves around the three that I wanted.

These guys. I sent the simple message to Silas, knowing he was going to make sure everyone else got it.

I sighted the dark brown fur belonging to Deras and kept my sight on the color as I dove into the fight.

My vision hazed over, fury spurring my forward. A wolf went for me. I dodged, turning in time to sink my teeth into his neck and snapping it a moment later. Pain flared in my side. I bit back a whimper, refusing to show weakness and settled on the wolf who dared to injure. While I went for the legs, Silas stepped in, taking the enemy's focus off of me. I pushed forward.

Deras's gaze met mine and widened enough to show that he didn't expect to see me. The anger was too much, and I released a snarled, charging forward, not caring about the others.

Only Deras. He was the only one to matter.

If there was anything Deras knew about me, anything at all, it was the look I held when I was ready to murder someone. He had forced me to fight against enough rogue and wild shifters to know. So when he saw my expression, he knew he didn't have a chance. None at all.

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

He turned and ran, a smaller, light brown wolf at his side. Sandra. They fled, letting the other wolves cover their tracks. I refused to let them get away.

The hunt was one. I lifted my head and howled.

Deras was my prey.