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Mark pointed to the trees where men and wolves were already disappearing. “We will need to head west when we hit pack grounds. Our goal is to get Lincoln and come back to the car and leave. Everyone else is working on getting the women out.”
Would the four of us be enough to rescue Lincoln? What if we ran into resistance?
I shook the thoughts away. Most of the men would be out there watching the women. They would never guess that we were coming for Lincoln. As far as I knew, Alpha Dane had no idea about my connection to either of his sons. He would never suspect that I’d come back for Lincoln. Neither would Mikey, for that matter.
Brandon ripped his hoodie over his head and tossed it into the back seat before closing the door. “We should set a steady pace and jog. I know the others plan to move as fast as possible. I don’t want to be the last ones here.”
We all mumbled our agreement. I knew Dad would come back for us, but I wasn’t so sure about the other alphas. They cared about their families and pack mates. I understood that, but we all had to be a team. No man left behind and all. That was how we defeated Alpha Dane.
Mark shifted on his feet. “Ready?”
He looked at all of us, and each of us gave a nod as we transitioned our eyes to those of our wolves.
Mark took off first, and the rest of us joined him. We set a blazing trail through the woods. I could vaguely hear the birds singing and the crickets still chirping over the frantic pounding of my heart. The ground was dewy and wet, making my feet slide as they dug into the mud.
I pumped my arms at my sides and forced myself to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth.
We darted in and out of the trees and hopped over logs. Our footfalls were quiet and calculated as we made our way through the woods. Our path was clear, and the other wolves were ahead of us.
We didn’t veer off until we almost reached the clearing where the main pack area was. Mark slowed to a steady jog. He turned his head back and forth, his eyes scanning as we moved through the trees.
I did the same. I listened for anything outside the normal wildlife. My eyes sharpened as I narrowed them. Nothing seemed amiss. It appeared that we were here completely undetected. The question was, how long would it stay that way?
Mark held up a hand as we reached the edge of the trees. He tiptoed the last few feet to the edge of the tree line and peered out into the distance.
I could only focus on one thing—the large red barn a few hundred yards from here. That’s where Lincoln was. I could practically feel him. He was awake, nervous, and full of anticipation.
I hustled so I was standing next to Mark and pointed at the large building. “Lincoln’s in there.”
Ian came up beside me, and Brandon stopped right behind me.
It was Ian who spoke up. “Are you sure that’s where he is? We will only get one chance at this.”
“Yes.” I’d bet my life that’s where he was.
Mark leaned forward and looked around again. He rubbed a hand over his face and muttered something under his breath. “The coast looks all clear. Stay light on your feet, and keep your eyes and ears open.”
Ian took a step forward, looking both ways like you would when you cross the street. “Let’s get in and out as fast as we can.”
None of us needed to be told that twice. We charged across the lawn. Our sneakers squeaked against the wet grass, making me cringe. It sounded loud to my ears, even though I knew it wasn’t. Sweat beaded on my brow, and it trickled down my back. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was hot or if I was just that nervous.
I wouldn’t fail Lincoln now.
The barn seemed so close yet so far at the same time. It seemed like every step I took I wasn’t getting any closer. I pumped my arms faster and harder until I took the lead. Behind me, my brother hissed, urging me to slow down, but I couldn’t.
Lincoln was in that barn, and I needed to get to him. My right foot skidded a little when I hit the gravel path. I gasped and almost went down to my knee but managed to catch myself at the last second.
The gravel crunched beneath my feet as I sprinted toward the barn. The door was closed, yet another barrier keeping me from my mate.
I grabbed the handle and ripped it open. The door shook and almost came off the track from how hard I’d pulled it.
My heart stopped when I saw my mate. Lincoln looked up at me. He was in worse shape than I even realized. Dried blood covered his body. He had cuts and bruises all over him. He was hanging from the rafter by his wrists, a thick black chain and ropes securing him to the ceiling.
I choked back a sob as I closed the distance. “Lincoln!”
Despite the pain he must’ve been in, a smile graced his face, and it made my heart flutter. “Sloane, I’m so glad to see you, but I hate that you’re here.”
I rolled my eyes. Yeah, I kept hearing that and was getting tired of it. “How do we get you down?”
