The Defiant Luna
Chapter 48

Nathan POV

Nathan knew just how important this conversation had to go. He knew not only did he need it to go well, but he needed Sophia to believe him. Felt Havoc vanish from him to the far reaches of his mind, the moment that the phone rang. He had to leave Nathan to handle it on his own, his own beast didn’t trust himself not to snarl and roar at the woman, didn’t trust himself to threaten to rip her head from her body, not ruin the plan.

He saw her father look right at him and nod “You can do this.” he was told, but to be honest, not even Nathan knew if he could. He looked at Jackson and took a deep breath in, pulled on all his years of Alpha training and how to make deals with those that you didn’t want to, when it was necessary for pack safety.

Then he sat himself down across from his Beta and prayed to the Goddess herself with all he had that Jay-la, understood why he was saying what he had to, prayed that Stephen was right there in the room with her, able to hear him and understand all that was going on.

He kept his voice light, and even tried to put a smile in it, as he talked to Sophia. Tried to ascertain Jay-la’s current condition, if shed been harmed, in anyway. He had to play that one side of Sophia he knew best, her need to see those around her punished, she loved hitting and punishing anyone around her, for the smallest of infractions.

Telling her he wanted to reject Jay-la right in front of her and claim Sophia for himself with Jay-la watching on, in the very same room, he knew, had to interest her. She would probably really enjoy seeing the pain of another from that, actually heard her chuckle at the thought of it.

She was a sick, twisted woman now, he thought. She had never been nice to anyone, but this was a new low.

Hearing her ask him if he loved her, he knew she at some point was going to ask that of him. He knew that he couldn’t say it, there was no way in hell he would ever tell another that he loved them, in front of Jay-la. He didn’t love anyone else. Saw a piece of paper slide across the table in front of him, and found Bradley touching his shoulder and the paper at the same time.

Looked from the man to the paper and read out the words on it, it had been the only thing he’d told all of them he couldn’t do, would never do, tell that horrid woman he loved her. It was, however, everyone’s opinion that she was going to make him say it, they had not been wrong and here he was struggling to get anything out.

Read that first line out and then just tried to tell Jay-la he meant it. He hadn’t even once yet heard her voice or known if she was actually there even listening to their conversation, but deep down he knew Sophia was that cruel, to make her listen.

He got a response from Stephen nearly instantly, all anger and aggression had come from him, the mans words’ mother of your children’ meant to him that Jay-la was right there with him, ‘in a filthy dark rank basement: He understood that his Gamma was trying to tell him where they were. Doing his job as was expected of him. He was thankful for Stephen being there.

Heard Sophia talk about an heir and how he would be there soon. The woman was bloody delusional and bat s**1 crazy it seemed. He didn’t really know how to respond to that particular statement. Looked at several in the room for assistance, no one, it seemed was prepared for that little bomb shell. The woman was pregnant and due in a few weeks was all he could discern from that one statement.

Goddess only knew what story she had spun for Jay-la and Stephen, obviously that it was his. During his moment of stunned silence, his hearing picked up Stephen trying to get Jay-la to talk to him. He got to hear her voice finally, it was softly spoken and he saw nearly everyone in the room lean forward to hear her words. “No, it won’t Stephen, I’m scared.” A slight pause “It’s not going to be a good outcome.”

Nathan knew right away that she was trying to convey that her flight response was likely activated right that minute, that any threat was going to set her and Kora off, into a full bloodlust rage. He closed his eyes and said what he needed to, told Sophia that he couldn’t wait to meet their heir, then asked where she was. Needed to get there and quickly, he had no idea if Stephen was in the same room as Jay-la.

He had to know just how quickly trouble was coming for her, so asked about the man she was going to be traded to, he knew he had to get there first before that man. He knew the man was also an Alpha himself, which was not good Was glad that he was not there yet, but didn’t like knowing that man was on his way and would get there ahead of him.

He had to try and get there first, warned Sophia not to let that SOB touch Jay-la. It was all he could do at this point, and reminded her just how unpredictable Havoc could be.

She didn’t sound at all happy about it, wouldn’t give up the address, only a basic location, though for him that was good enough.

If Stephen was right and that place did smell rank, then he and his wolves should be able to pick it up and likely from miles away, and therefore get there without the address, hopefully ahead of her timeline, and unexpected as well.

Got up the moment the call ended, and vomited in the nearest bathroom. That was the vilest thing he’d ever had to play along with, he hated knowing that Jay-la was right there, listening to his every word, his tone of voice.

Physically, made him sick to his stomach.

He could hear Jackson already dishing out orders as he rinsed and spit, before returning to the living area of the hotel room. Saw Jodi nod to him “You did well Nathan. My girl is not dumb, she will know you are coming for her. Even told us to be prepared for her to be in full flight or fight mode.”

Nathan sighed “If she runs, not even I will be able to catch her. Havoc can barely keep up with Kora nowadays. With all that extra adrenaline, he’s not likely to catch her at alí.”

“I know, but she’ll calm down eventually and find her way back.”

“It could take days.” Nathan worried. “There’s got to be a better way to this, than to just let her flee into the unknown, and hope she can find her way back to us, once she calms down.”

He knew that they already had a basic plan, which was to scent mask and sneak his men in. They now knew where they were going, so the real details could be worked out. He sat down and looked at the map on Ethan’s laptop. He’d already brought up the area map, had started working on that the moment Sophia had stated where she was, they were all looking at the terrain.

“You can expect the road in to be watched from here.”

Nathan stated, after he looked at it himself for a few minutes and assessed the area, thought about where he himself would put people as lookouts, touched his finger to a place called ‘Hospital Rock.’ “Not much cover either, lots of mountainous terrain, and all that snow that is going to be there.” Looked at Jodi and Bradley, both of them were silver timber wolves “you might go unnoticed, but most of the rest of us will not blend into the back ground so easily!” Looked at his men, “you’ll all have to be fast and stealthy, keep your steps lite, though that crunch of crisp snow under foot will likely still be a give away so, anything that moves, just kill it. Before it can alert Sophia and who she has with her to our presence. It’s also a large area to cover and we, as of yet, don’t exactly know where she is. When I get the exact location, I’ let you all know. Keep your eyes open, smell for that rank scent Stephen mentioned, for buildings or shelter doors, that would lead to underground areas, movement around caverns or cracks in the ravine walls, anywhere that could be a place wolves would use as an underground prison or cell for detainment.”

“Anywhere rogues are likely to use, as well.” Jackson stated, “snow disturbance, thât indicates patrolling wolves are about.”

“When I get the exact location, I’ll let you all know.”

“Stick to the valley, I’m hoping it’s more to the north. There is better coverage if not boys, we’ll be taking the long way around.” Jackson told them, “Through the coverage and then out into the open as late as possible.”

“Rest and sleep in the cars as best you can, it’s going to be a hard run to get in and likely a battle with an Alpha and his unit, as well as an unknown number of wolves at this point.” Nathan told them, “If you at any point see the Luna running away, do not under any circumstances track her or try to get her back. She’ll be extremely fast and deadly. Her state will rival that of a wolf under the full influence of bloodlust. She will not recognise any of you. Just let her go, note her direction and report it after the battle. Just leave her.”

“Alpha?” it was one of his Elite warriors, Warren.

“I understand your concern, Warren. I truly do. I don’t want my Jay-la out there all alone lost in the mountain ranges either. But once her affliction takes control of her, she will not recognise anyone, not even me or her family here. As much as I don’t want to, or like it at all. We have to let her flee, she will calm down on her own, once all threats have been eliminated, and she feels safe. She will return to normal, and come back to us. We have to trust in her. Trust that when she comes back to normal she will return to us.”

“She will come home.” Jodi stated, looking at the men himself

“Let’s get moving and bring our Luna and Gamma back to us alive and well.” Nathan stood up and they all headed out.

He left the four warriors to watch over Suzy and her family, and the rest of them got in cars to head out. The GPS stated three and a half hours till their destination. He kept that phone with him, waiting for the next call.

It was quiet in the car, Brad was actually driving and Ethan was in the front seat, he’d seen Jodi rap out three elite warrior names and they were all in a car with him. They didn’t even argue, just walked where he went. It was likely they had already discussed how they would divide themselves up into groups on the flight over, “You should sleep,” Ethan told him.

“How?” was all he could say, as he stared out the window.

There was not going to be any sleep for him until he had her back, in his arms, safe and sound, where she belonged.

“You’ll need it, Nathan, when we get there.”

“Havoc will be ripped out of me and be in full control. I’m not going to fight him on it, just let him kill everything that gets in our way to get to her.”

“How is he?” Jackson asked from the seat next to him.

“Gone.” He murmured as he stared aimlessly at the passing buildings.

“Gone?” all three of them asked worriedly at the same time.

“Yes, I can feel him buried deep down, likely he is resting himself. He couldn’t be part of the conversation I had to have. Even Havoc knew he’d ruin our chances of getting Jay-la back, he left it to me… He’ll come when he’s needed, don’t you worry about that.”

Nathan did not doubt his wolf at all, he was damn certain his beast was resting up in preparation for emerging in his half-shifted form, to go on a full rampage. He was certain that nothing out there that got in his way was going to survive, likely not even Sophia. Havoc had wanted to kill her on more than one occasion before. He likely would this time, nothing was going to stop him, likely not even that pup she was carrying. Not if she was a direct threat to Jay-la, that was.

That pup might save her life, if Jay-la had gotten away already, but not even he knew what his beast would do, when he came face to face with the woman that took his Mate from him.