The Defiant Luna
Chapter 47

Stephen POV

He stood and watched as Sophia pulled out a phone and knew that it wasn’t going to be good, mind-linked right to Jay-la Whatever you hear Jay-la, is just what Nathan needs to tell her, to get our location, don’t believe a single word of it.’

She turned and looked right at him Not one word: He reiterated, he knew that this call was not going to be nice for Jay-la to hear, not with what Sophia had already stated previously. He had seen all sorts of tactics be used to retrieve stolen she wolves over the years, even before Nathan was in charge.

Though today, he knew Nathan’s acting skills were going to be tested, and had better be worth a bloody oscar. Stephen knew just how hard it was going to be for Nathan to pull off, as much as was going to be for Jay-la to hear. It was likely going to be scripted responses which Jackson would be in charge of, to try and keep both Nathan and Havoc’s temper in check. He had to stay in control no matter what Sophia demanded of him.

Knew that he himself was going to have to listen for those coded phrases that Jackson and Nathan would be trying to relay to him somehow, throughout the course of the conversation. It would be in what he said not how he said it, or left for him to read between the lines. Possibly what he didn’t say. Not even he knew which it would be, until that conversation started.

“Baby.” Sophia purred down the line when it picked up, “it’s good to hear your voice again. I missed you so much. Did you miss me?”

He watched as Jay-la closed her eyes when she heard

Nathan’s reply, “I have missed you Soph.” his voice came down the line, it was soft and gentle as he spoke to her, sounded as though he cared and did miss her. Not something that she would want to hear.

‘Breathe Jay-la, he has to play along, be nice to get his answers.’ Stephen told her via the mind-link.

“How’s the prisoner doing? You haven’t harmed her, I hope?

“Why do you care?” Sophia snapped, anger edged her words as she glared at Jay-la through the bars.

“I don’t baby, but that man she is going to, he might.”

“Oh, he won’t care.” Sophia waved a hand dismissively “is likely to beat her himself anyway. Pass her around and treat her like the w***e she is.”

“Please keep her in good condition, the trade will go better if she is still all pretty for him, don’t you think?” Nathan asked her.

Stephen watched Sophia look right at Jay-la. “I don’t think she’s that pretty. I’m much prettier, don’t you think?” she asked him.

“Of course I do…Her condition, baby?”

“Oh, she’s fine, for now anyway.”

“Good, I have a tiny favour to ask you baby?”

“What?”

“Let me come to you, I want her to see me claim you once more. Let you see her pain, when I reject her too.”

‘Jay-la, it’s just a lie.’ Stephen Mind-linked to her ‘read between the lines, he’s checked on your condition, is trying to find out if you are hurt, asked her to keep you in good health. Nathan is trying to prevent you from being harmed!

He told her.

He knew she was a lawyer, and he knew she could read between the lines. Now she had to trust Nathan, trust in him in that he knew what he was doing, that he was going. to come for her. But he also knew that she would not like hearing him say these things at all or that tone in his voice as he talked to Sophia.

“Oh, I would really like that” He heard Sophia chuckle now, so very cruel still, he could see.

“I thought you might, a little pay back for that hit to your face,” Nathan stated, even sounded a little amused himself. Even Stephen had to shake that one off.

“I love you Nathan, do you love me?” Sophia asked in a sickly-sweet tone.

“I love my Goddess Gifted Mate. How could I not?” Nathan stated softly “With all my heart, I will never love another.”

‘That is, you Jay-la, Stephen mind-linked to her ‘he’s telling you he loves you. He will never love another.’ He told her as he watch her turn away from Sophia altogether, away from him even. He could feel pain touching her, and couldn’t discern if it was just her pain at their current situation or if she still had doubts about Nathan himself. Sophia had touched on all the things Jay-la had doubts about.

‘Try to breathe, Jay-la.’ He told her but she just ignored him, walked to the very back of her cell, he had to intervene, ” How could you Nathan?” he yelled, it was his only way of letting them know he was here and listening “Allow the mother of your children to be put in such a filthy, dark and rank basement of a place.” Allowed anger to fill every word.

“Shut it, Gamma.” Sophia yelled right at him for interrupting her conversation, was now glaring at him.

He had to try and let them know where they were, dark and rank, a basement, which should convey that they were underground and in a place that reeked, so they would be looking for something below ground and they should smell it before they got here, it wreaked like death and the docomposing of dead bodies. Hell, this place reeked worse than rogues, smelled pungently of dried and rotting flesh.

No wolf would miss this place, smell it miles away if the breeze was blowing in the right direction.

Sophia turned away from him and back to her conversation. “You’re so sweet to me baby. We’ll have a good strong heir, I promise. He’s nearly here now, only a few weeks away.”

There was complete silence after that statement, likely that bit of news was a shock to them all. They wouldn’t know how to respond to that, not even he would have if he’d been on the other end of the line. His eyes moved to Jay-la as he felt her shut herself off from him, was trying not to feel anything at all, he thought.

“Lovely Soph, I can’t wait to meet him…Now baby, where are you? so we can finally be together, like we were meant to be.”

Stephen watched as Sophia smiled right at Jay-la, not that Jay-la was looking at her, had taken herself to the very far end of her cell and was leaning on the wall. She looked quite dejected to him. He tried to reach out to her, only to find that he couldn’t “Jay-la” he murmured “I’ll be all right,” he told her “Talk to me.” It was all he could do to let Nathan and Havoc, anyone on the other end of that line hear her voice.

“No, it won’t Stephen.” She said softly “I’m scared.” She looked right at him “It’s not going to be a good outcome.”

He knew in that one sentence, she was trying to tell not just him but Nathan and all that were listening, she was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the situation, or was going to be at some point.

“In the Sequoia National Park near Moro Rock, do you remember the rules I put in place?”

“I only want to bé with you, Sophia, I’ll come alone, it will be just you and me.”

“I don’t want my people seeing or hearing anyone with you,

I’ll simply kill her if I do.”

“There will be no need for that now. Is the man your trading her to there?”

“He’s on his way, had his doubts I could get her. hell get here soon, have some fun with her likely before you arrive.”

“Now, Soph I don’t want that.”

“Why not? She’s just your w***e anyway.” Sophia grated out angrily.

“I am mated to her at the moment, remember. I’ll feel it as will Havoc. Do you recall the last time that happened?”

“Yes, but it’ll be her he’s mad at not me.” She stated matter of factly.

“I can’t guarantee that, seeing as your holding her, he might see it as you’re trying to hurt him. You know how unpredictable he can be. The rage that he has.”

“Fine.” She snapped “But I can’t stop him if he wants to rough her up a bit, or let his men. They all have different needs to be sated by her, and some just like hitting and biting. And the Alpha, well, he has Alpha-blooded needs to be sated himself.”

“I’m on my way, got an exact address for me.”

“I’m not that stupid, I’ll call you back when you’re close by, it’s a nice three and half hour drive. Chat soon.” He watched her end the call.

Watched her look right at Jay-la, a smile on her face. “See, I told you he loves me. I’m his Goddess-Gifted Mate, he can’t wait for our son to be born. Your new Mate, is cruel and nasty and when he gets here, he’s going to take you away and you can suffer like I had to at his hands.”

“I won’t go willingly.” Jay-la stated from the back of her cell.

“Oh, I know that. He’ll really like that, likes the fight one puts up, turns him on even more.”

“I’m likely going to kill you, Sophia, when I get out of this cell.”

It was not a threat, Stephen realised, if anyone walked into that cell and presented themselves as a real threat to Jay-la. Her fight response would be activated and she was going to be pumped full of adrenaline and fight like she was a demon. A full bloodlust filled wolf, with no consciousness thought as to those around her. Sophia was going to die, if she presented herself as a threat to Jay-la in that state, pregnant or not. It wouldn’t register with Jay-la or Kora.

He saw Sophia laugh at her. “Good luck with that, you’re in a cell, and I’m out here. What can you do? Nothing is what.

When Brent comes he’ll bring his men and they’ll all likely have a piece of you right here in this cell after he does of course. You won’t even know who’s brat you’ll be having and you will have them, many of them.” she muttered, and then just turned and walked away across the room, up the stairs and outside.

He looked at Jay-la and found her eyes right on him. “I dare say, that is her life in a nut shell. She wants out, and you’re the way to do that.”

“I’d rather die Stephen.” Jay-la sighed as she shook her head.

You won’t. Nathan is coming.’ He mind-linked to her he also won’t be coming alone. Just scent mask those coming with him, he’ll come by car. The rest will come on foot, through the woods. You’re going to be just fine.’

“And what about you?’ she asked.

“You’re my only job Jay-la. I’m also your friend. I’m going to do what is necessary to make sure that you survive this, everything I can.’

Saw her stare right at him, she didn’t actually look dejected. Perhaps shed just played along for Sophia’s benefit, wanted her to think she was upset and demoralised.

‘You’re over there!

‘I am.’ He nodded ‘but I will do what I can from over here.’

Saw her just nod her head don’t shut me out Jay-la, you and Kora. I need to know how you are really feeling at all times from here on in.’

Saw her eyes move about the room. ‘You might not like it’ she muttered.

‘When they come Jay-la, and they will, I need to know how you’re feeling, trust me on this. I’m going to help you.’

She was just staring at him again, but said nothing at all, but then he felt both her and Kora suddenly and sighed.

They were worried about the current situation, not scared at this point, but he didn’t think it would take much to push her from worry to fear. Kick in that affliction she had.

The more he was allowing himself to feel what she was feeling, the nervous anxiety that was in her, the more he could prepare himself for what was to come. He needed to be ready to feel it all, to be able to cope with it himself.

As her Gamma, he should be able to handle it when it happened, talk to her through it, calm her when it was all over. He had to make sure he was ready to be hit with everything that Darla had felt, everything that book had told them would happen. Couldn’t allow himself to be brought low and undone by it. Not when she needed him.