Isaiah groaned as his muscles began to protest from lying on something rough and hard. He felt like he was sleeping on the floor. The floor? He could hear someone calling out to him and it took a minute for his eyes to open. He still felt a bit sluggish from last night. He looked up and saw his mother stroking his hair. She gave him a comforting smile to which he returned until he saw they weren’t alone. Over a dozen pairs of eyes were staring at them. He quickly sat up and saw their predicament. They were in a dungeon.
“What…happened,” Isaiah asked.
“It seems we were all drugged,” Bella said.
“Never trust a pretty girl,” Alistar grumbled. “Especially if she gives you unnecessary compliments.”
“What about Zira and Arias,” Isaiah asked, trying to get up. He looked around the crowd and didn't see them. “Are they OK?”
He looked at his mother, then Alistar. Both avoided his gaze with their heads lowered.
“I’m sorry, Alpha,” Alistar started. “It was my fault.” Alistar fell to his knees, which only made more eyes to focus on them. “I will accept whatever punishment I get for my action.”
“Let me deal with his punishment,” Devon growled. His anger was palpable. His mate and pup were gone, and he wanted someone to blame. Someone will be hurt for it.
“At any other moment I would, but we don’t have time for this, Devon. We have to get out and find them.” Isaiah sighed. “Alistar, get up. There’s no need for dramatics. Let’s just figure out a way out of here and we'll discuss your punishment later. Right, I need to get to Zira and Arias as soon as possible. Where’s Zed?”
“I tried to contact him, Alpha, but got nothing back. I concluded that he must be with them,” Alistar said.
Isaiah took a breath of relief. She wasn’t alone. He walked to the locked cell door and stopped short. He turned his head and noticed the one person he didn’t expect to be here with them.
“Percy!”
Isaiah stalked over to Percy as he tried to hide behind the other members. Isaiah grabbed him by the collar and threw him up against the bars. “You did this!”
“No, please,” Percy struggled to get out. “I had nothing to do with this.”
“Liar!”
“I swear,” Percy shrilled. “Why…why would I be in here if I had anything to do with this?”
“To throw us off, maybe. You’re the only person I know that can change a person’s emotions. You forced me to sleep!”
“I’m telling you it wasn’t me,” Percy growled back. “Don't you remember the last time I tried to use my powers on you and failed. I’m not that strong and besides, our powers aren’t as exclusive as you think.”
“He’s right,” one of the girl pack members said, meekly. “I…I can do it even though I’m not as strong.” Isaiah glared at her. “But I didn’t have anything to do with this, either.”
“I don’t believe him,” Devon said. “Maybe removing one of his hands will get him to confess.”
“No,” Isaiah said. “If he was guilty, he would be trying to use his powers now, but he isn’t.”
Isaiah felt his mother’s hand on his shoulder, and he almost jerked from the memory of last night. Reluctantly, he let Percy go and took a deep breath to calm Devon down.
“Fine, then explain why you suddenly showed up here? Why haven’t we seen you since we’ve been here?”
“Gosh, Isaiah,” a voice from the cell across from them said. The crowd parted and Lana walked up to the bars. “Nobody has to answer to you all the time.”
“You,” Isaiah growled, pointing a finger at her. “How could you let this happen? This is your pack. You…”
“I know this is my pack,” Lana interrupted him. “Everything was fine until you brought that girl here. I knew she was going to be trouble.”
“Are you actually trying to pass the blame?”
“Stop it, both of you,” Bella said through her teeth. “We do not have time for these petty squabbles. My grandson is goddess knows where, probably frightened and waiting for his father to save him. So, Alpha,” she stressed, “what’s the plan?”
“About time,” a voice said, coming from down the hall. “I thought I was going to have to sit through another unnecessary argument.”
Councilman Faulkner appeared on the outside of the cages. Everyone could sense a bit of relief from the tension in the room. Someone was here to set them free. Lana was the first to speak.
“Good, you’re still here. You need to let us out,” she said defiantly.
“Let you out,” Councilman Faulkner asked with an arched eyebrow. “Why would I let out someone keeping secret…experiments here without the Alpha King’s permission? You belong where you are for that alone.”
Lana’s mouth dropped to the floor before she gathered herself together. “I didn’t keep any secrets from the Alpha King.”
“Then explain yourself.”
Lana glared at Councilman Faulkner, crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t have to explain anything to you.”
“Then I guess I have no reason to let you out, traitor.” Councilman Faulkner turned to leave.
Woah, wait,” Isaiah said. “Look, I don’t know what Lana’s been doing but you can at least let us out. I have to find my son.”
“Ah yes, Zacharias,” Councilman Faulkner said. “I saw him leaving last-”
“What! With who? Never mind that. Let us out of here,” Isaiah said in quick succession.
“I am not letting this traitor,” Councilman Faulkner said while pointing at Lana, who reached out her hand as if to use her power, “out of that cell until she explains herself to the Alpha King.”
“That’s fine,” Isaiah grimaced. “I’m only asking you to let me out so I can go find my son.”
Councilman Faulkner stared at Isaiah, contemplating his request before turning to Lana. “Where are the keys?”
Lana rolled her eyes. “They're with the guards, of course.”
“And they are,” Councilman Faulkner asked, clearly losing his patience.
“The ones on duty last night were Drizt and Brendan.”
“Yes, Luna.”
Lana heard both of them say. Brendan was in the cell with Isaiah and Drizt came walking from behind her. Lana facepalmed herself.
“Well, now we’re screwed.”
“You’re telling me we’re stuck in a cell with twenty or so white wolves and nobody has powers that could help in this situation,” Isaiah asked, looking around at all of them.
“We’ve been trying since last night,” Lana said. “You’ve been out for quite some time.”
Isaiah felt a bit hopeless as he looked around the cell for anything he could use. He picked up every piece of furniture he could and threw it against the door until his mother stopped him. His other cellmates were pushed up against the corner, away from his wrath. Bella guided him to sit along the bars.
“How? How could this have happened,” Isaiah asked.
“Ask the traitor,” Councilman Faulkner said.
“I am not a traitor, you old sack of bones,” Lana yelled at him.
Completely ignoring her, Councilman Faulkner continued. “It was her sister and a few other pack members riding into the night with your people.”
Everyone turned their heads towards Lana, who looked just about as shocked as the rest of them. “What,” she asked, looking around at everyone. “I didn’t know that.”
“Come on, Lana,” Isaiah said. “How could you not? She’s your sister!”
“Yeah? Where’s Isabella right now, huh,” Lana asked with her hands on her hips. “Do you know what she’s doing or who she’s with?” She was met with silence. “Exactly.”
“Just tell them, Lana” Percy yelled, surprised by his own words, before saying meekly, “We’re in this predicament because you wanted to keep everything a secret. All of this is your fault. You should just…own up to it.”
“He’s right,” Isaiah agreed. “Zira said that a white wolf claimed you stole her power.” Lana watched as all her pack members looked at her in disbelief. Some even moved away from her in fear.
“I did no such thing,” Lana snapped at Isaiah.
“Then help us understand, Lana,” Isaiah asked, losing his patience. “What is going on here?”
“I am curious about it myself. Besides, time is of the essence,” Councilman Faulkner added, and all eyes fell on Lana. She knew this day would come eventually, but she wanted to have results by then.
“Fine,” she said, throwing her hands in the air. “A little over a year ago, the Alpha King called me to a meeting. Two white wolves were found just outside their pack, catatonic. They were found some weeks in between with the same symptoms. Over the past few months, we have gotten three more. They all bear the same mark that resembles the crystal Arias was wearing.”
“This is why you didn’t want us here,” Isaiah asked, and Lana nodded.
“I offered my help and was sworn to secrecy by the Alpha King himself. He didn’t want to cause panic and neither did I. My people have already gone through enough as is. Lily is the only one who has completely woken up from this. So, this no power business was news to me until…”
Lana reached her hand out toward a small bucket and tried to fling it with her telepathy. Nothing happened. Members around her gasped at the revelation. “I don’t know how this happened, but now, as you can see, even I’m on the powerless list. Even…” Lana swallowed as if the next part was hard for her to say. “...even my wolf is silent.”
Councilman Faulkner scoffed at her. “I don’t believe this. The Alpha King would have informed me about this so-called meeting.”
Lana smirked. “Maybe he doesn’t trust you as much as you think. Besides, I didn’t need some pompous assholes in my business, watching my every move while I was trying to figure out what was going on. This is my pack, Faulkner, and these are my people. No one else’s. I will protect them.”
Councilman Faulkner laughed bitterly. “Well, Luna Lana, you’re doing such a great job.”
Lana growled at him. “I hate you.”
“Feeling’s mutual,” Councilman Faulkner yelled back.
“Hush, both of you. I think I hear someone upstairs,” Isaiah said.
Everyone was silent as Isaiah used his wolf’s hearing. Indeed, there were footsteps getting closer to them. Isaiah wasn’t sure if it was more trouble or their saviors. He was hoping for the latter. The door to the dungeon swung open as three figures ran in ready to fight.
“Well, well, well. I’m off playing interim Alpha while you’re off having a dungeon party. You know, this has been on my bucket list for quite some time now. I’m hurt I wasn’t invited,” Hunter smiled and Isaiah let go a breath of relief.
“Hunter, I could just kiss you right now.”
“Wow, Zira’s still holding out on you, Alpha,” Hunter joked.
“Just get these cells opened.” Hold on you two, Isaiah thought. I’ll find you both soon enough.