Derek’s POV
I was sure that I couldn’t even see Erika if I really let Richard get his way. So I didn’t even meet him.
Yes, it was Francis who went to meet Richard, not me. He changed into my look and used my voice. That was very easy for him. He had been imitating me since he was a teenager because I was much stronger than he was. This time, his task was to stall for more time so that I could find Erika.
I stood on a tree outside the dump with a telescope in my hands. Angel was waiting for the order behind the wall of the dump. Kent was on the other side of the dump. He would stand up if it didn’t go as planned.
I could feel Erika’s presence around me, but I couldn’t feel where she exactly was. Now I regretted why I didn’t mark her more times and strengthen the mate bond between us.
Francis had walked in for a while and he didn’t give me any messages.
I tried to talk with Erika to know where she was and how she felt.
“Erika, can you feel me? I’m near you and I’ll save you soon.”
“Erika, how do you feel?”
I heard no response and it worried me a lot. Maybe she was not conscious now.
Suddenly, Francis mind-linked me.
Erika is in a room in the left corner. It’s low and small. I can’t see any windows from the front. It’s very near to Angel’s location. Ask her to get there and check if it’s a trap.
Got it. I replied to him through mind-link.
I mind-linked Angel and told her about the place.
After seconds, she mind-linked me. Yes, Erika is in the room.
Knowing Erika’s exact place, I was wildly excited at first. However, I was soon overwhelmed by worry. It would break my heart to know how much torture she had gone through.
Angel, I’ll come to you and we’ll get her out. I mind-linked Angel.
Kent, stay where you are in case something might happen. I mind-linked Kent.
I jumped out of the tree and landed without making any noise. Erika, I was coming.
I soon met Angel. She just knocked down three guards behind the room and found a window on the roof of the room. But it would be very obvious if we both came in.
Alpha Derek, let me come in. I’ll be very quick. Angel mind-linked me without hesitation and looked at me firmly.
I thought for a second and rejected her.
You’re quick. But you are not completely invisible. You come to the door and make some noises, then you run away to attract their attention. Give me a signal and I’ll get Erika. I told her my plan through mind-link.
OK. She mind-linked.
I told Francis and Kent my plan and asked them to play it by ear. Then I waited for the signal.
After a minute, a warrior shouted, “Someone is there!” Then other warriors rushed over.
It’s time. Angel mind-linked me.
I jumped up and lay on the roof on my back. I moved to the window, turned over, opened the window, and dived into the room while hanging myself upside down. I glanced around the room and found Erika in the corner of the room.
I landed on the ground and grasped her in my arms. Being startled, she began to flail. But she was too weak to do anything. She opened her eyes and looked at me with confusion.
You’re safe now. I mind-linked her and kissed her on her lips.
There was joy in her eyes. She recognized me. The next second, she closed her eyes and fell asleep again.
I jumped up to the roof. No one was noticing. The guards were in a mess. Even their Alpha was at loss for what to do. Yes, I was right. Angel might not be a good warrior, but she was really good at causing trouble.
I took Erika in my arms and mind-linked them that I had got her. It was time to get prepared for the retreat.
You two can retreat now. Drive to the left until you reach the border between Fly Rock Pack and Lumiere Pack. Cause some border trouble and shift the blame to Richard. You can do whatever you want because I have an alibi. I mind-linked them.
For an ambitious man like Richard, defeating him with violence was the least torturous way. I would leave it to Erika because I believed that she was the one who hated him the most. As for me, I would not only dash his hope of killing me, but also cause him huge trouble.
Kent ran over and killed all the guards on the way. He jumped into the driver’s seat while I carried Erika and sat in the back seat. I put down the partition of the car and held Erika tightly in my arms. We left for the hospital.
Finally, I held her in my arms again! Goddess knew what I had gone through these days. I lost sleep and got distracted easily. I missed her so hard that my heart was almost broken. Now that I held her in my arms, I swore that I would never lose her again!
It was cold in winter and all she wore were some strips. But her body was very hot. I touched her forehead to test her temperature. Unsurprisingly, she had a fever. But she was trembling with cold. I got rid of her strips, took out a warm blanket, and wrapped her body with it. Then she began to flail. The fever must have sent her into delirium. Or was it a nightmare? I could feel that she felt deeply insecure. I tried to mind-link her and communicate with her.
I called Steven and told him to prepare for emergency surgery. The pack members still didn’t know about it and there was a holiday after Blood Day. So I could only send her to Steven’s hospital to get treated. This time, I would send her to the hospital in person and rule out any possibility of an accident.