Angel’s chest was heaving by the time he got to the dense woods framing the pit. He saw about twenty heavily armed guards surrounding the pit entrances. Mathew was there and for some reason, Angel was glad Daniel wasn’t. The addition of the pervert always made things a tad dangerous.
He clenched his jaw, knowing he was too late. He pressed his back to a big tree and looked up the branches. Deciding to climb up, he did as quietly as he could to keep out of sight. Their evil act didn’t take long and soon enough they all filed away. He heard Mathew, instructing the head of the guards not to mention the action to his father or he would kill him on the spot. Angel sighed, knowing exposing Mathew would not do them any good, it would only make Mathew think of something more disturbing to do in retaliation. And he seriously doubted that Antonio Rufus could stop him.
He waited for about an hour until he could not perceive any human in the vicinity. He then dropped to the ground. Landing gracefully, he strode to the main entrance to the cell and took off his clothes. He folded them and placed them on the concrete pavement.
Naked as the day he was born, he shifted and placed his open paw to the still warm iron gate—now a barricade—he shut his eyes and tried something he had never thought of in all his years in the hell hole, hoping it would work.
“You are our alpha.” Odwolf’s voice resounded in his head and he figured if indeed he was, he should be able to mind link with them all.
'If anyone of you can hear me, I didn't abandon you in there, I couldn't sleep and thought to go for a walk. Nadia warned me Mathew was coming to seal up the pit, but when I got here they were already doing it.'
'Okay, this is cool or what?!' he heard Blaze and his eyes welled with tears.
'Thank the goddess you can hear me. I feared the worst,' Angel said in relief.
'I told you we would need our powers back!' Odwolf said.
'Way to go, Alpha!' Hdolf said.
'Relax, Angel, I saw you leave, you were keeping me awake with your restless energy. I was glad you left," Kurt said. Angel chuckled.
'Aha, there I was thinking I am your favourite, old man,' Angel replied. Kurt laughed.
'When do we get out, Alpha,' Blaze asked.
'Please, don't call me that…' Angel grumbled.
'I have never known anyone who fights his destiny as much as you do yours, Angel,' Kurt said.
'Fuck destiny,' Angel grumbled and, to Blaze, he said, 'We have a few hours to go, don't worry I'm going to stand guard and make sure we don't get ambushed again.'
Angel shifted back and wore his clothes, peering out, he carefully searched the grounds before leaving the secluded spot. Remembering the female cell bordered theirs. He headed in that direction. When he reached the entrance, he saw that it was locked from the outside with a padlock. He wrapped his fingers around the contraption and jerked it. The thing pulled out as if it was nothing. He pushed the door open and the odour that assailed him made him gag. He walked in gingerly seeing it was partitioned like theirs. He followed the pathway to the left, hoping the side wall was the same as theirs and entered the last cell on the left. Standing with his legs slightly parted, he punched the wall repeatedly not stopping even when he started to bleed, half shifting he continued until he was able to form a hole in the wall. Kurt gaped at him from the other side.
"Now I can get you food and water from here," he said with chest heaving and lowered to sit on the bare floor. Kurt's laughter resounded through the walls. Angel sighed.
* * *
Nadia felt her phone vibrate against her skin and she brought it out from the pocket of her dress as she was seeing her Nana off. The older woman packed just one bag and Ava was struggling with it behind them. She hated they had to make her carry it instead of getting one of the guards to do it, but Nadia needed to make sure everyone seeing them believe Ava's role in order not to get Daniel or Mathew suspicious. When the girl almost tripped on the porch stairs, Nadia rolled her eyes and kept walking, swinging her hips and feigning nonchalance. She caught her Nana glancing at her with concern. She almost giggled, thinking the older woman must think she had gone off to the dark side again. She wanted to do something as outrageous as wink at her, but she knew eyes were on them. And even with her Nana, she can not dare show compassion.
When they got to the side of the car, Nadia glowered at one of the guards who was just standing there instead of opening the back door to the car.
The man swallowed hard and quickly pull the door open.
"Good… um afternoon, Miss," he stuttered. The driver went to open the boot and waited for Ava to lift the bag into it.
"Why don't you order for lunch while we wait? I have absolutely nothing to do with my time apparently," Nadia said, giving the middle-aged man a saccharine smile. The man quickly reached for the bag and lifted it into the boot.
Nadia hissed loudly and turned to hold Nana Viktoriya's gaze. The phone vibrated again and she quickly checked the message. Then she raised her eyes to her Nana and said, "It's been a while since I went out maybe I should see you off to the airport,” and without waiting for a reply, hurried her puzzled Nana inside the car and snapped her fingers at Ava to enter as well. One of the house guards made as if he wanted to object, his eyes widened in dismay but swallowed his words when he met Nadia's eyes. He slowly back away from the car, and Nadia snapped at the driver to move. When she glanced back through the rear windshield, she saw that Mathew had assigned securities for them and two trucks packed with guards were tailing them.
The vehicle they took was a huge Jeep with two seat compartments at the back and then the front seats. Ava and Nana Viktoriya sat at the back, and Nadia was the only one in the middle seat. She brought out a book and pretended to be reading it, while she scribbled a note addressing it to her Nana. Speaking to her about their personal business at the house was a tad difficult and she didn’t want to be too trusting with Ava. The girl could be tortured into giving out information. She figured the less she knew the better. Nadia apologized in the note for making Nana Viktoriya leave in such a hurry. She wrote about an impending attack and lied she had overheard it from her cousins, wanting the older woman to understand she was only trying to protect her which was true only she couldn’t tell from what.
When she wrote about not wanting to lose another mother, it made tears well in her eyes, and she blinked severally to keep it at bay.
When she was done, she folded the note, and discretely, slipped it through the seat to the back. When she felt Nana gently stroking her back, she knew she had gotten the note. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing the only other person left to save was Angel. She brought out her phone and deleted his messages. He had texted her to let her know his situation and that he needed water and food for himself and his friends, promising to pay her back whenever he could. Nadia was just glad he and his friends were safe. Getting him food and water was nothing. She figured it was the least she could do. After all, if not for her family's cruelty, they would not be in that situation at all. After dropping her Nana at the airport, Nadia asked the driver to take her to a particular boutique on Kutuzovsky Ave, she had befriended the manager and thought buying a few dresses would surely get her to do what she wanted. Once they got in front of the cream-coloured establishment, the driver packed alongside their security orderlies, Nadia got down and asked Ava to wait, knowing insisting Ava follow her inside would prompt one of the guards to follow her as well. As soon as she walked in, the sales girls swamped her. Nadia’s lips stretched in a satisfied smirk. After spending a significant amount in the store, she asked the manager to get the closest restaurant to deliver a meal large enough to feed nine friends, lying that she wanted to spring a surprise party on her cousin and didn't want her driver and securities to know so as not to spoil the fun.
“That is not a problem, Miss Rufus, just tell me what you want delivering and I will make it happen,” the middle-aged woman said. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement and Nadia knew it was all because of the world-elite Mastercard she held.
“You are the best!” she said. The woman beamed.
“Would you like to see matching bags and shoes to go with your purchases, Miss?” one of the sales girls asked. Nadia directed her attention to her and said, “Of course.” to the Manager she added, “first, could you have pizzas delivered to my bodyguards?”
“Of course, Miss, which would you like?” she asked, beckoning to a man in uniform, standing at a corner of the store.
“Mockba, and any other toppings with lots of steaks. Thanks!”
About three hours later, Nadia was on her way back to the estate. The car was already smelling of food which served as a great cover for the takeout packs of food hidden in her packages. She sat back, feeling quite smug.
About five packs of pizzas were still stacked in the car for her and when she noticed that Ava hadn’t touched any, She picked one and passed it to her with a bottle of water. The other girl took a quick fearful glance at the driver who was watching from the rearview mirror.
“I swear to God, if you faint carrying my shit, I will have you whipped!” Nadia snapped. The driver quickly reverted his eyes forward and Ava gave Nadia a grateful nod.