Revenge to the Alpha Mate - Chapter 225

Chapter 225: Chapter 225
Jacob’s Perspective

The red Mustang was a sweet ride, but it was a beacon. We got off the main highway as fast as possible, twisting and turning into the grimy streets of a neighborhood that practically screamed “unfriendly.” Graffiti, a broken basketball hoop, and a few kids in baggy clothes leaning against walls, their eyes tracking us with wary suspicion. Classic local gang turf.

“Wait here,” I told Celena, pushing the car door open. For situations like this, a werewolf’s direct approach worked better than anything. I didn’t waste time. I walked straight up to the one who looked like the leader. A combination of cash and some “gentle” physical persuasion—like casually bending a discarded fire hydrant out of shape—quickly secured us an older, unremarkable-looking Chevy sedan. Its engine sounded solid. Gray, utterly forgettable. Perfect.

Back on the road, we headed for the neighboring state. As the miles stretched out, the tension in my shoulders eased a fraction, but that damn license plate number was a thorn in my mind. We couldn’t just keep running blind.

I finally called Lily, putting the phone on speaker in its holder.

“Hey there, lovebirds on the lam,” Lily’s voice was amused, but I knew she was monitoring our situation closely.

“Lily, need a favor. Run a plate.” I recited the number. “We think it’s connected to Brett’s disappearance. Probably what moved him from our territory to the next state over.”

“Easy. On it.” The rapid clatter of a keyboard came through the line immediately. “Give me a minute… Hmm, got it. Registered to a ‘Midwest Prime Meat Packing Company.’ Main business, transporting cattle and sheep. Address is…” She clearly recited a detailed location in a remote area on the edge of the neighboring state.

A slaughterhouse? Transporting livestock? It sounded… so normal. Suspiciously normal. But the timing and location of that truck were all wrong.

“Thanks, Lily.”

“Be careful, Jacob. This feels bigger than it looks.”

“I know.”

A day later, following Lily’s directions, Celena and I parked the Chevy behind a small ridge a few hundred meters from the target. We lay prone in the tall grass, binoculars trained on the so-called “slaughterhouse.”

Hell. If this was just a regular slaughterhouse, I’d eat my own tail.

The complex in the distance was surrounded by a high fence topped with vicious-looking razor wire. The walls looked newly reinforced, the concrete a dull, grim grey. The entrance wasn’t some rickety gate with a bloody sign; it was a guarded checkpoint with a booth. Two bulky guards in matching black uniforms stood post, batons and radios on their belts, their eyes scanning the surroundings with sharp intensity. And that wasn’t all—a few heavily muscled, mean-looking Rottweilers patrolled the perimeter, tongues lolling, occasionally letting out low, rumbling barks.

The place was fortified like a military base, or… a prison. The air didn’t carry the thick stench of blood and manure you’d expect. Instead, there was a weird, metallic tang mixed with antiseptic.

“Damn it,” I cursed under my breath, lowering the binoculars and rubbing the bridge of my nose. “A fly couldn’t get in there without an ID.”

A direct assault? There were only two of us, against an unknown number, with unknown gear and guard dogs. Stealth? The wire, the cameras, and the hounds weren’t for show. I was truly stumped. It felt like punching a solid steel wall.

“Damn it,” I swore again, frustration mounting as I pulled out my phone and called Lily. Hearing the familiar background noise on her end, I felt an unexpected flicker of relief.

“Lily,” I said, my voice thick with frustration. “We found the place. It’s worse than we thought. This isn’t a slaughterhouse; it’s a goddamn fortress…” I described the high walls, the razor wire, the guards, and the dogs in detail.

Silence for a few seconds on the other end. Then Lily’s voice came back, cool and firm. “Understood. Stay put. Keep your heads down. Send me your exact coordinates. The crew and I are on our way.”

Not a moment of hesitation. No questions, no complaints. “We’re family, Jacob. A pack. Nobody targets one of ours and gets away with it. Sit tight.”

Hanging up, the heavy stone of dread in my chest seemed to loosen slightly. Family. Pack. Yes. That’s what we were.

Celena’s Perspective

I studied the grim complex through my binoculars. Jacob was right; this was all wrong. The layers of steel defenses, the cold concrete, the patrols, the dogs… the whole place radiated a hostile, unsettling energy that screamed ‘keep out.’ Slipping inside wasn’t an option; even getting close felt dangerous. Unless we sprouted wings and flew over, a silent infiltration was impossible.

I watched Jacob’s furrowed brow, the fading bruises on his face, and knew he was out of ideas. He wasn’t one to admit defeat easily, but against a fortress like this, raw courage alone was useless.

Then I heard him, without a trace of hesitation, call Lily again. The way he described our predicament held a note I rarely heard from him… reliance, and trust. And Lily’s response was immediate and absolute, as if rushing to our aid was the most natural thing in the world.

“We’re family, Jacob. A pack.”

The words hit me like a sudden, warm wave, followed immediately by a sharp, stabbing pain in my chest.

I envied them. I envied Jacob for having a rock like Lily at his back, for having a crew he could call on to fight beside him without question. The unspoken trust and bond between them was so thick and strong, like the toughest vines, tying them all together. Family… A pack…

Once, I’d had that. I’d had Brett.

My brother. Where was his body now? Was it… could it be lying in some dark, cold corner of this grim, heavily guarded place?

My heart constricted, a tight knot of hope and dread. We’d chased the trail through hell to get here. The truth felt so close, yet we were held at bay by this damned fence.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. Whatever secrets this place held, whatever we had to face, I needed to know. For Brett. And to understand why someone was always, always trying to hunt us down.

I just hoped Lily and the others would get here soon.