Makara Ch. 11

Cade emerged from the driver's side, not bothering to close his door, and I ran to him. He eyed the truck, acknowledging me with a quick moment of eye contact before he continued passed me.

"Cade, what's wrong?" I asked him. I knew he wasn't angry with me, none of his fear or rage flaring when he looked at me, but I needed to know what could cause such distress in my mate.

He didn't answer, his jaw set in a tight clench.

I followed him to the stairs, fighting the urge to wince as he slammed the door against the wall behind it. I bit my tongue instead of repeating my question. It was obvious he was either too upset, or in too much of a rush to explain the situation, so I simply continued to follow him into the basement.

We passed the training room doors, moving to an area of the basement I had never seen before. He pulled open a heavy-looking, steel door, pausing long enough to ensure I made it through as well. Axis waited at the end of a long hallway, sitting in a chair beside a door much like the one we had just gone through, but with more locks. He stood as we approached him.

"Open it," Cade growled, leaving what I thought was no room for negotiation.

"You know I can't do that."

"You can, and you will," Cade snarled.

"This is my call, Cade. I'm the enforc-".

"And I am the Alpha's son," Cade interrupted, and I cringed at the reminder of Silas. "Which means I outrank you. And if that isn't enough, I am also the next Alpha, which means I outrank you, twice. Now open the door before I open your head."

Cade had always been blunt, but for him to blatantly threaten Axis was out of character, and another glimpse into the gravity of the situation.

Axis was quiet for a moment, but after a another growl ripped from Cade's throat, the enforcer unlocked the door. Cade didn't bother to thank him as we stepped inside, and neither did I.

There was a line of cells inside the room, like a small prison I hadn't known existed. Cade stalked down the row, moving quickly to the last cell, where locked behind the bars, sat Bash.

"Cade!" Bash cried as we approached the bars of his cell, standing to wrap his hands around the cold iron. "Cade! They're not even looking-, they-, Axis won't send anyone," he choked out, stumbling over his words. "They think it was me!"

"I know," Cade replied, his voice soothing. "We'll fix it, don't worry."

"How can I not worry?" Bash nearly shouted, desperation and frustration inflating his words. "For everyone else they sent a team, but this time they won't, not until-, they want me to confess!"

I swallowed hard, starting to piece together why Bash was locked away, what had happened to lead him here. I hoped I was wrong.

"But I didn't do it! And if I confess, they'll never-" he stopped, the rest of the sentence too difficult to voice.

"What happened, Bash?" I asked.

"Tal is gone," he said flatly, sad eyes looking to mine, and my stomach dropped as my suspicions were confirmed. "She's missing. I haven't seen her since yesterday, but I thought she was at her parents', she left in the morning to visit them. They think since I was the last one to see her, that I know where she is. But I don't!" He finished, the fear creeping back into his voice.

"Doesn't Henry usually drive her? Wouldn't he be the last one to have seen her?"

"They can't find Henry either," Cade explained, although how he knew was a mystery to me. "And since they already suspected him with Dodge..." he trailed off.

Dodge? Hadn't the man's name been Dodrick? Was it a nickname? Although Dodge sounded familiar enough that perhaps I had been mistaken.

"But it still doesn't make sense," Bash defended himself. "He always had the night shift, and I've handed off rounds to him hundreds of times, it's not unusual that I saw him at shift change, it shouldn't make me suspicious. At least not enough to refuse to even look for Tal."

"Can't you break him out of here? Or force Axis to let him out, like you forced him to let us in?" I asked Cade.

He shook his head.

"I could, but it will make us both look bad if I do, and if Axis can convince enough people that I'm involved, he could throw me in jail right beside Bash. I can help more from out here. But we're going to get you out of there, Bash, you can be sure of that."

"I don't care about getting out. Just find Talismay, she's the only thing that matters."

Cade nodded, and I heard him respond to Bash's plea, although I didn't retain what he said, too distracted by a memory to focus on Cade. The name Talismay rang in my ears. I had never heard her full name before, but it felt like I knew it, like I had seen it somewhere, and with the memory of it came a need to be...not here. Upstairs, maybe? Somewhere specific, but I didn't know where.

I gave Bash a tight lipped smile before we turned and walked away, knowing that, although I was trying to be supportive, nothing could help him except finding Tal. It was hard not to be pessimistic about our chances, afterall, we hadn't found anyone else yet.

I took one last look at my friend as we exited through the steel door, he slumped to the ground, a look of pure despair on his face before he buried it in his hands.

Cade's growl brought my attention to the men in front of me. Axis was standing again, looking obstinate as Cade barked out an order.

"I want a team out there, now."

"It's a waste of time. We haven't found anyone. He could just tell us where she-"

"He doesn't know!"

I watched the encounter with a sinking pit in my stomach, still feeling a pull to go upstairs.

"So he says."

A frustrated rumble tore through Cade, and I could swear that, if he had fangs, they would have been bared.

"And what if you're wrong about him? What if you're wrong, and something happens to my friend, the Alpha's niece? How do you think Silas will react knowing you did nothing to help her?"

I stifled a cringe as Silas was mentioned again, the thought of him lodging in my brain like a tick. I ignored it, searching for something that might convince Axis to do what Cade said.

"The second Cade becomes Alpha," I started, following the same line of thought as Cade. "Bash is Beta, and he'll be out of that cage whether you agree with it or not. Do you think he'll forget that you refused to look for his mate?"

Axis blanched, his eyes flashed to me, but he quickly pulled them back to Cade, assessing who was more of a threat.

"I won't leave him unguarded," he stated timidly.

"Then don't," Cade answered, annoyed. "But send a team out to look for Tal. At least try to be diligent."

After a long, tense pause, Axis nodded, the action so subtle it was barely noticeable. He pulled out his phone, but Cade didn't bother waiting for him to make the call before we stalked away, walking briskly down the hallway. As soon as we crossed the second steel door, Cade brought out his own phone, grumbling at the lack of notifications.

"What's wrong?"

He sighed.

"Tracey called me as soon as I dropped off Atlar," he told me, pushing a couple of buttons and bringing the phone to his ear, continuing to talk as the line rang. "I tried calling my dad a dozen times on the way back, but I can't get through."

As if on cue, the message for Silas' voicemail echoed through the room. Cade hung up and dialed again.

"Don't," I said, stopping Cade from lifting the phone back to his ear. "Don't call Silas."

Silas was the last person I wanted to hear from.

"He's the Alpha, and Tal is his niece through the mate bond. He should be here."

"I know, it's just, I don't think that-", I stuttered, not knowing exactly how to put my feeling into words. "I think Silas might be involved in the disappearances."

The words surprised me, I hadn't realized that's what I had been about to say. Did I actually think that? Yes. Yes, it felt right to say that I suspected him, but I didn't know why.

Cade ended the call as the automated voice picked up again, eyeing me, waiting for me to elaborate.

I stayed quiet, not having an explanation that made any kind of sense. Sure, after what happened, I knew Silas wasn't a good man, but was he evil? Should I base my suspicions on that alone? No, it didn't feel like I was. There was something else, something more.

Not having the words to tell him, I pushed the feeling I had directly into his mind, careful to block out what Silas had done to me. Now wasn't the time for that conversation. Tal was in immediate danger, and I wasn't.

Cade blinked in surprise, and his face contorted in a confused scowl, clearly understanding the feeling about as much as I did. It was like a memory I couldn't quite grasp. He eventually nodded.

The ride up the elevator and the walk down the hallway were quiet, neither of us knowing what to say. I could tell Cade wanted to ask questions, why I suspected Silas, what we were doing, but he knew I didn't have the answers.

The second we were in the suite, I walked to Silas' bedroom, knowing he'd be out for the rest of the night. Crossing the threshold, I was hit by an eerie sense of deja vu, although I knew I had only been in this room once before. Cade followed me, his face frozen with uncertainty.

I looked to the nightstand, half expecting to find something there, and scowling when the surface was empty. I pulled open the drawer in the small table, rummaging around the items before slamming it shut.

"What are you looking for?" Cade asked as I approached the dresser, performing the same inspection on the drawers of the tall piece of furniture.

"I'm not sure. Something suspicious, I guess."

Cade joined in the search, digging through various drawers and shelves. Eventually I wandered to the closet, vaguely remembering that Silas had once referred to the small room in the same sentence as his secrets.

The instant I set eyes on it, I remembered exactly why I had been drawn there. It didn't take long to find it, the familiar text laying plainly on a small bench. Either Silas was very stupid, or very confident that no one would contradict him.

I grabbed the book, racing out of the closet and through Silas' private bathroom to find Cade digging through a box from under Silas' bed. I opened the book, relieved to see the loose pieces of paper shoved inside the front cover were still there, I hadn't thought to check before coming to show Cade.

"Look!" I told him, thrusting a piece of paper towards him. "This is what I was looking for."

"This is a list of the missing wolves," he answered, inspecting the paper.

"Yes, but look at the last two names."

"Dodge, and Talismay."

"Silas called him Dodrick, and I had never heard Tal's full name before, but when Bash said the names downstairs, they seemed familiar."

"So what? They were the last two to go missing, it makes sense they're on the list."

I rolled my eyes.

"But I saw this list BEFORE they were missing."

His eyes widened in realization.

"You're sure?"

"Yes. That day you gave me postium, I saw this book and came in to look at it. I saw the list, but didn't understand it, so I put it back."

"Does Silas know you saw this?"

I shrugged.

"I don't know. He saw me reading the book. He either didn't think I noticed the list, or he didn't care."

Cade was quiet, an intense frown on his face as he, no doubt, pondered what steps to take. If he was surprised that Silas was involved, he didn't show it.

"Is this enough to get Bash out of jail?"

He shook his head.

"It's not unusual for Silas to have a list of the missing."

"Even one that was completed beforehand?"

"There's no way to prove when it was completed. It'll be your word against his, and that won't get us anywhere, especially if Axis is involved in this."

"He isn't," Cade stepped in front of me as Bridger entered the room, a low warning growl rumbling through him. I knew it wouldn't take long for Bridger to find me, but I had been so distracted by the situation, I had all but forgotten about him.

"But you are," Cade accused the Beta.

He shrugged.

"What is Silas planning?" I shouted, stepping beside Cade, not willing to show any fear. I wanted to reveal his plotting with Rodan, but this discovery of Silas' involvement with the disappearing wolves took precedence.

Cade looked at me in a way that told me to get behind his protective bulk, but I ignored him, focusing my attention on Bridger.

"Come with me and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

Cade growled again.

"Why should I go with you?" I asked incredulously. "It's clearly dangerous."

"You want to know what's going on, don't you? And you want to stop it?"

"And if I go with you, you'll tell me?"

"I said I would," he said, as if that were some kind of guarantee.

"You'll help us stop him?

Bridger nodded.

"Why?" I asked him, genuinely surprised that he would give in so easily, and wary of his cooperation.

"We have similar goals."

"But, you hate me."

Bridger shrugged, sighing as he began to explain.

"The only thing I've ever wanted was my mate. Silas had his, and threw it away for his stupid plan, for power. So, yes, I hate you. I hate you and that face you got from your mother, but I hate Silas more."

"Why? What do you mean he threw it away?" Cade asked him, a sad desperation slipping through his tone.

Bridger flashed a look to Cade, but turned back to me, motioning for me to follow him with a slight jerk of his head.

"No," I refused him. "Tell me here. Explain everything right now, and maybe, if I'm satisfied, I'll go with you."

Bridger sighed. Cade took it as a victory and repeated his question.

"What do you mean he threw it away?"

"Body, mind, and soul."

"And blood used to bind," I finished automatically, voicing the words as they appeared in my mind.

Bridger nodded. I turned, snatching up the book and shaking it, pages down. A single piece of paper floated down, and I grabbed it, tossing the book aside. A quick glance told me it was what I was looking for, and I thrust it toward Cade for him to read before turning back to Bridger.

"What does it mean?"

"Body, mind, and soul," he repeated, and I rolled my eyes impatiently. "Sister, friend, and mate. It's the start of the ritual."

There was a moment of silence as his words sank in, a pained look crossing Cade's face before he spoke.

"Are you saying it was Silas who killed my mother? Who killed Bash's parents?"

Bridger nodded again.

"The ritual requires sacrifice, a lot of it."

"But Cade was injured during that attack. You're saying Silas butchered his own son too?"

"For affect. It had to look real."

The pain in Cade's expression turned to anger, and he clenched his jaw.

My thoughts raced. It made so much more sense. The humans Silas had killed in apparent retaliation were likely completely innocent. That's why the wolves had had no further issues with hunters, because they hadn't existed in the first place. That's why Silas said it was impossible to treat with the humans. Atlar and I had proven it could be done, but if the wolves had tried at the time, Silas' plot would have been revealed.

"What about the rest of the poem?"

"Patiently, it sits and waits. Seventeen years to be exact, one for every hundred since the Moon Goddess punished us."

"So he means to undo her punishment? To allow the wolves their shifted form?"

"Nope. Just him. Just his wolf."

I glanced down at the poem, trying to piece everything together. An image flashed through my mind, the fountain I saw when I was shifting. I watched as it spilled blood over my hand, the thickness still turning my stomach, and knew immediately what was happening.

"He's killing the kidnapped wolves, filling a fountain with their blood."

"Yes. Now it's full, and he's ready to complete the ritual."

"Being able to shift is not worth all those lives, " I shouted.

"It is to him."

"Why wait?" Cade asked. "The anniversary of the attack was months ago. Silas could have taken the rest of the wolves on his list any time since then. Why now?"

"Because of her," Bridger thrust his chin towards me.

"Me? Why me?"

"First or last, Omega dear," he rolled his eyes, like the answer should have been obvious.

My wolf reminded me of the blood I had wiped away when Silas was done with me. First or last blood. My innocence or my life.

"I'm part of the ritual?"

Bridger nodded.

It still didn't make sense. He could have taken me, or killed me whenever he wanted. Why wait?

"He loves you," Bridger started, as if he were reading my thoughts. "For reasons I'll never understand, he doesn't want you dead, he wants you by his side. He said it was preferable that you agree, but not entirely necessary should you prove to be difficult. He wanted you to be happy, just not as much as he wants to be happy."

"He said I forced his hand, didn't give him a choice,"

"Forced him to what, Makara?" Cade asked with suspicion.

"He thought he could take me willingly if he had enough time. But I got too close to my mate, and when he found out, it scared him. If he doesn't want me dead, he only had one option."

"When did he find out?" Cade demanded, his anger barely contained. He turned me to face him, and his words not only rang through my ears, but exploded in my mind, as if he were speaking directly through my subconscious. It surprised me. We had shared images before, emotions, much the way my wolf and I communicated, but for his words to sound so clearly in my mind was foreign, though not unwelcome. "What did he do?"

I saw the pain in his face, the effort to deny what he already knew. I didn't want to tell him like this. I wanted to dissuade him, to comfort him and let him know that I was safe, but I couldn't lie.

"He raped me."

As soon as I said the words, I saw his tether snap, the only thing stopping him from unloosing his rage. With a fierce growl, Cade launched himself at Bridger, tackling him to the ground. They fought on the floor, Bridger moving defensively to block his face as Cade punched him.

I knew Bridger wasn't Cade's real target, but he was the only one within striking distance, and it's not like the Beta was completely innocent. He clearly knew about the plan, and had either allowed Silas to enact it, or helped him. He had even tried to convince Silas to rape me sooner, I realized as I thought back to an overheard conversation. It was obvious now, he had told Silas that waiting to take me was an unnecessary risk.

I let Cade land a few more blows before I grabbed his arm, not hating the bruises that were quickly forming on the Beta's face.

"Cade, stop," I told him, finding it difficult to say the words with any conviction. "I heard Bridger and Rodan talking, there's more to this, something he hasn't told us."

I knew it was true, and I didn't need Bridger's triumphant smirk as Cade begrudgingly freed him to tell me. Bridger had been conniving, and traitorous, and self-serving, but he wasn't stupid. He wouldn't have risked bringing me back to the estate just for Rodan's whims, son of his true mate, or not. If I had any doubt of that fact, Rodan's assertion of the convenience of my Omega title swept them away. I was THE Omega. Not that I was the only one, but I was the one Silas had chosen. That somehow mattered to Rodan.

"Rodan? Whe-" Cade started to ask, setting his curiosity aside for a more pressing concern. "What did you hear?"

"She did a lot more than hear," Bridger taunted him, still laying on the ground.

I flushed, but ignored him, thankful that Cade hadn't reacted to Bridger's egging on.

I didn't know how to answer him. Of course, I had to tell him, I wanted to tell him, but what would I say? How did I explain that I had allowed my brother to seduce me by dangling the prospect of control in my face?

Cade tensed as I opened the link once again, letting everything that had happened flow through it. He needed the full picture, to understand that I had been in a situation I thought I was in control of, only to find out Rodan had orchestrated the whole thing, manipulating me into doing what he wanted. With hindsight, I should have known, and I admonished myself once again for letting him in, worried that Cade would be angry with me for being so oblivious.