Sold To The Billionaire Alpha
Chapter 53

Orchid

I waited impatiently for Ellie to return to relieve Jaack and me. Truth be told, I was more comfortable with a stranger than my ex. It was getting late. How long had I been here? How long would I be here? I kept almost dozing off. Every time my head would nod as I slowly drooped forwards, I caught myself, jerking myself back awake, forcing myself to keep alert. Jaack would chuckle at me each time this happened because my distress was oh so amusing to him. He had not changed. He had gotten worse or perhaps this was how he really was. If Ellie was telling the truth then his entire relationship with me had been an act, an end to a means.

“Are you really never going to speak?” He questioned.

I just stared at him. He rolled his eyes and grabbed his cell. He called someone. Well, he tried to call them. He got frustrated when they didn’t answer and decided to smash his phone to bits. It was my turn to roll my eyes as he watched the shattered screen flicker and then go dark.

“f**k!” He screamed. “Where is that stupid b***h?!” He hissed.

Ellie? My heart sped up a little. Ellie was late. That was the problem. Was she late because she was taking my offer? Was she trying to contact Orion? I already felt my spirit swelling with hope.

“Don’t look so excited!” He barked at me.

I frowned.

“Even if your people show up here, you’re still going to meet the same end! I want them to show up! Don’t you get it? I’m going to kill them and collect all the bounties on those Alpha’s heads from the Wolf Hunters’ League,” he muttered.

They had a League? Did they think they were playing baseball or something? It was clear that Jaack was tired and he had just destroyed his only source of entertainment.

“I’m not leaving! I’m just going upstairs so don’t you dare try anything!” He hissed.

I could not help myself I had to know just one thing.

“How would you be able to kill Alphas?” I said, my voice dripping with derision even though I had meant to keep my tone neutral.

He laughed humourlessly.

“You’re in Venwood!” He said pointedly as if that was supposed to mean something to me.

I gave him a blank stare. He sighed deeply, clearly frustrated by my ignorance.

“Enlighten me,” I said.

“Venwood is one of the last Strongholds for Werewolf Hunters,” he said.

I stiffened, wondering how many of them were here.

“If there’s so many of you, why do you need Ellie to come watch me?” I wondered aloud. “Surely there are tons of other gullible girls here to do your bidding!” I said sarcastically.

Jaack rolled his eyes again and headed towards the stairs. Outwardly, I kept it cool, calm and collected but inwardly, I was panicking at the thought of Orion and his wolves being outnumbered. My heart was racing and I felt like a band was constricting around it when I pictured Orion being in any danger.

“Wait!” I said sharply.

Jaack ignored me.

“I just want to know how many werewolf hunters are in Venwood!” I called after him.

He stopped on the stairs. He turned back to look at me.

“More than enough to handle your wolf boy and his lapdogs!” He snapped before he ascended out of sight, leaving me a solitary figure immersed in darkness.

Perfect. Now, I could orchestrate my escape.

Orion

Fang’s eyes went to me, posing a silent question.

“Anything,” I said, nodding.

I would pay anything to get my Orchid back. I would do anything, give anything and be anything to have her back safe and sound.

“We’re listening,” said Fang cooly. “Name your price!”

“Offer me something,” said the warped voice.

There was something about the hesitancy in the voice that made me think we were dealing with a novice not a hardened criminal. This was no seasoned mastermind. This was someone bumbling through this. He or she was more than likely involved in the kidnapping. Come to think of it, there was likely more than one person behind this. They had probably succeeded in kidnapping Orchid only because of circumstantial factors and sheer dumb luck. Someone who had carefully planned this out would not have caved this easily. I mind-linked Fang, connecting everyone present through mind-link with the exception of the wizard Fox of course.

If these people were professional criminals, used to charging ransoms, they would have had a figure in mind already, I told the group.

Should we low-ball them then? Asked Fang.

No! I said without a second thought. Make them name their price!

“Name your price! We don’t have all night!” Barked Fang.

The person on the other end seemed to be deliberating.

“Seven million dollars?” Said the person, making it sound like a question.

“You asking us or you telling us?” Snapped Fang.

“Fang,” hissed Maze, chastising his Beta.

“I’m making my demands!” Said the voice, sounding indignant.

Fang rolled his eyes.

Ask them if they are directly involved in the kidnapping, I said to Fang.

“Are you the kidnapper?!” Asked Fang, his tone harsh and accusatory.

“No!” Said the person without hesitation. “But I know her whereabouts because I know the kidnapper.”

Fang had the phone on loudspeaker. This person was making me boil with rage. What a spineless individual!

“So why haven’t you gone to the police about a kidnapped young woman? You’re not involved so you say but you have information and yet you do nothing?” I said, raising my voice.

“I’m dealing with dangerous people. The police won’t be able to protect me if I snitch and I don’t have to justify myself to you!” Said the voice snidely.

I growled. Thaddeus put a hand on my shoulder.

“Where and when do we do the exchange? We bring the money. You bring Orchid safe and sound. You leave with the money. We leave with Orchid. Simple,” said Talus.

“How will he even be able to get Orchid to us if he isn’t the kidnapper and is too a afraid of the kidnapper to go to the police?” I reasoned.

I was becoming impatient. Was this person taking us for a ride? If this was a bluff, I was going back to my old way of snapping necks without too many questions asked and answered.

“I can get her to you, trust me,” said the person.

“Where and when?” Reiterated Talus.

“Tomorrow, 7am, No Man’s Land Bridge,” was the reply.

There was silence. No Man’s Land Bridge was a mile long bridge that connected an area rumoured to be teaming with wolf hunters to werewolf territory in the human realm. It was also an abandoned highway due to structural issues. It was thus barricaded off to prevent any vehicle or people from setting foot on the bridge. Of course, Gregoire, a community for lupine elites, was far away from this bridge, deep in wolf territory in the human realm. Venwood, a fortress for wealthy wolf hunters, was rumoured to be located on the other side of the No Man’s Land Bridge. My heart raced as I pictured my Orchid being held for ransom in Venwood of all places.

“Sooner,” I demanded.

Fang raised his eyebrows. Everyone was looking at me.

“It has to be sooner!” I insisted.

It was past midnight already and there was no way I would sleep tonight without my Orchid anyway. The sooner she was safe in my arms, the sooner I could return to normalcy. There was silence on the other end.

“What time do you have in mind?” Said the voice finally.

“One in the morning,” I said, picking the closest hour possible.

“That’s forty-five minutes from now!” Grumbled the voice. “I can do 5am,” the voice countered.

“2am,” I said.

“3am,” said the voice. “And not a minute earlier.”

I wanted to tear this person to shreds but I had to comply for now.

“Fine, three in the morning,” I agreed.

“Come alone!” Instructed the voice.

I glanced at the group.

We’ll be hiding nearby, said Talus.

“Fine,” I said. “But first, let me speak to Orchid!” I demanded.

“You’ll see her in less than three hours,” said the voice dismissively.

“How do we know you haven’t killed her unless we get to talk to her?!” Asked Raelynn, speaking up for the first time since we had called this person.

“How many people are with you?” Asked the voice, sounding panicked at hearing a third voice.

“That’s none of your concern,” snarled Talus. “Put Orchid on the phone!”

Silence.

“If you don’t put her on the phone right now, I will ensure this doesn’t end well for you! You may have our girl but you can’t lurk in the shadows forever! We will find you eventually and then you will wish for death!” Fumed Timbre, shocking me and Talus.

“Hold on,” conceded the voice. “Give me thirty minutes and then call back to speak with her.”

“You have fifteen minutes and that’s being generous,” countered Maze.

“And you’re to stay on the line until you put Orchid on the phone,” said Thaddeus.

The next quarter of an hour was the most trying period of my entire life. It moved impossibly slow and I could not take my eyes off of the phone as it counted the seconds and minutes of the call.

Orchid

I had been trying and failing to bend the bars of my cage for a while now. If I used my human hands, the silver in the metal did not bother me. The cage seemed to be made of a silver alloy. If I were to touch it with my wolf paws, I knew it would burn and I was only able to shift one paw due to the silver bangle on the other hand.

Time was ticking away. I could not risk Jaack or Ellie coming back. I sighed, feeling defeated, after exerting myself. I slumped against the wall. There had to be some other way. I glanced at the flowers Jaack had supposedly gotten for me. I knew he was merely taunting me. I found myself talking to the orchids for comfort. My mother had once told me talking to plants made them grow faster.

“I’m scared,” I admitted to the orchids.

Was I losing it? The flowers seemed to almost pulsate, like they were responding but on a different level. They did not have voices but that did not mean they could not communicate. Had Jaack spiked my water? I sighed, bringing my knees up to my chest and hugging them. I buried my face between my knee, curling up like a ball. I sniffled. I tried to hold back the tears with all my might but I just couldn’t. They came. Silent tears gave way to sobbing.

There was a rustling noise that I ignored until I felt something sliding around my waist. I stiffened. Huh. The feeling continued until it seemed as though some band had wrapped itself around my body. I slowly raised my head. I could scarcely believe what I was seeing.

The orchid plant had grown exponentially. Vines and brambles had grown towards the cage, stretching out like arms offering a hug. Then, the plant had passed through the spaces in the bar and wrapped itself around my waist. I slowly extricated myself from the strange leafy embrace and scurried to the far side, pressing my back to the wall, my chest heaving.

The plant was trying to…hug me? To comfort me? I had really lost it, hadn’t I? I was hallucinating this, wasn’t I? The more I continued to look, the more I realised there was no sinister air to the interaction. I did not feel scared, I felt comforted. Something told me that was the plant’s intention. Was I really doing this? The plant had grown in an uncharacteristic almost unnatural way.

“Will you help me escape?!” I asked the orchid plant.

That inner psychic knowing between the plant and me pointed to yes. I imagined the leaves and brambles wrapping around the bars, covering them, almost forming a hedge. I felt enough space to slid my arms through. I grasped the bar with my shifted wolf hand, using the plant as a makeshift glove. I grimaced as I felt my muscles sting in protest against the effort of the job. I gritted my teeth and grunted as I managed to bend the bar sideways, widening the space between the bars. I did the same to the other bar. I was panting by the end of it. I stepped through the widened gap of the cage.

In the next few moments, I had smashed the tiny basement window and made a makeshift ladder. As I scrambled up and out of sight, I noticed the plant retracting its leafy brambles until there was no sigh that the plant had helped me. I did not have time to process this. I smashed the window and crawled out.

Orion

I was waiting anxiously to hear Orchid’s voice. I took a deep breath.

“What’s taking so long?!” I grumbled.

I could hear the sound of fast footsteps over loudspeaker and then the roar and rev of an engine.

“This person isn’t in the same…house as Orchid?” Wondered Bisa.

I glanced at her. She was standing very close to Fox who still looked quite pale and shaken. We waited impatiently until we heard a car door slam shut followed by the sound of someone running, their heels slapping against the concrete.

“It’s a woman,” said Friday. “Or at least someone wearing heels. Stilettos!”

I nodded, agreeing. Perhaps, Orchid’s ex had a female helper, a new girlfriend perhaps. She had mentioned something about him dating very soon after their split. It should not be too hard to find out who his new girlfriend was now that we knew his name. Hopefully, we could find her before the exchange. I had already mind-linked some of my comrades patrolling the area and instructed them to bring the necessary briefcases of cash.

“What are you doing here?!” Said a new voice.

The voice was still warped by whatever software was being used but this voice was unmistakably deeper and seemingly unaware that she was on the phone.

“I think her phone is in her pocket,” said Fox.

“It’s my turn,” said the original voice, the girl.

“YOU’RE LATE!” Yelled the male voice. “IT WAS YOUR TURN HOURS AGO!”

That had to be Orchid’s abusive ex. It just had to be. And the girl willing to turn Orchid over to us was his new girlfriend.

“I got held up…” she began.

There was a whoosh of air as though someone had moved quickly followed by a thud and then a smacking sound. He had hit her. It sounded like he had lunged at her, then jacked her up against the wall and smacked her.

“I’m sorry,” said the girl. “Can we talk about this later? Go get some rest! It’s my turn!”

“What were you doing?!” Asked the male voice.

“I fell asleep!” She said.

“LIAR!” He hissed. “You’re cheating on me, aren’t you?! You’re a w***e! A slut! I should have known!”

Maze and Thaddeus exchanged disgusted looks.

“He’s a real prize, isn’t he?” Muttered Timbre.

“I don’t think we’re dealing with the real kidnapper. The person helping us is obviously at the mercy of this aggressive one. He’s the kidnapper. It’s him we have to negotiate with,” said Talus.

“No,” I said. “He has no intention of giving Orchid back,” I realised. “He hasn’t contacted us to ask for money or taunt us or anything,” I whispered.

What did he want with my Orchid? My wolf growled. If he had touched her, I would peal the flesh from his bones. He was a dead man walking either way. I had mind-linked a comrade of mine and told him Maze’s Beta was on the phone with the kidnapper, hoping they could zero in on the area they were from. I had also given them the “Hydroponics number” and Jaack’s name.

“Can’t we trace this call?!” Whispered Maze.

“Our comrades are on it,” said Perseus, yawning.

He looked weary.

“Do you…” I began.

“I’m fine!” He insisted, already guessing correctly that I was going to ask him if he wanted to go home and rest.

Alpha! Mind-linked one of the squad leaders nearby.

Yes? I asked eagerly. Any news?

The call you asked us to trace and the number you gave us isn’t from a burner phone so it was easy to find out whose name was attached to the cell number with our links at the phone company. That phone belongs to a woman named Ellie Mingus. She’s twenty-two and her address is 23 Jann Avenue, Olden Valley, an area associated with wolf hunters as it’s on their side of that bridge, explained the squad leader. We’re sending a stealth squad into the area to check out her address.

Have they left already? I asked.

No, said the squad leader.

Good, don’t bother to send them. I just want the place the call is coming from, I specified.

I wanted to know where Orchid was. I doubted she was at Ellie Mingus’ house. I muted the phone so the quarrelling people on the other end could not hear us but we could still hear them.

“Ellie Mingus is the owner of this phone,” I whispered to everyone huddled around Fang’s phone. “She lives in Olden Valley.”

“Let’s go shake her down,” suggested Fang.

“No,” I said.

“No?” Said Fang.

“No,” agreed Maze. “We want Orchid’s location. Ellie may not even be at home.”

We can’t get an exact location, Alpha! We’re so sorry! Apologies! But we’ve been able to triangulate the area where the call is coming from via nearby cell towers. The call is coming from so-called quarry site, the one rumoured to be the site of Venwood.

The quarry was thought to be a cover for the last dregs of wolf hunters in our times. Perhaps, it was time to investigate that claim.

You’ve done amazingly well, I said decisively. Gather at least a dozen armed warrior squads and station them nearby on our side of No Man’s Land Bridge to await further instruction.

Yes Alpha! Right away! Said the squad leader with more exuberance in his voice at being complimented by his Alpha.

“The call is coming from the so-called quarry on the wolf hunter side of the bridge,” I said softly.

The toxic couple who was likely to be Jaack Howard and Ellie Mingus were still arguing.

“Let’s ambush ‘em,” said Thaddeus. “I have several of Berryndale’s best squads on standby. They came with us.”

“Same with Marigold. My squads are awaiting orders with the Berryndale boys,” said Maze.

I smiled, truly touched that even Maze had brought some of his warriors. He was not even related to Orchid directly.

“Thanks, both of you,” I said.

“Should we hang up on these clowns?” Asked Fang.

“I feel bad for Ellie Mingus if that really is her name. She’s no saint but it’s sad if he mistreats her. Maybe she feels like she doesn’t have a choice,” said Friday.

“She has a choice! Sis got in her car and drove to go to his place. She could have driven away months ago if there were problems,” grumbled Fang.

Finally, the two kidnappers stopped arguing. The female voice was heard wishing the male voice “Sweet Dreams” as the sounds of her footsteps became more echoey.

“I’m at the place,” she whispered to us.

I unmuted my end.

“Put Orchid on the phone,” I demanded.

“Ok,” she said, hurrying.

The sound of her footsteps stopped abruptly.

“Hello?” I said, just managing to stop myself from calling her Ellie.

“I have to go!” Said the voice.

“PUT ORCHID ON THE PHONE NOW!” I snarled, completely losing my temper.

She hung up on me. I roared, making everyone except the other Alphas and Friday jump.

“They had their chance,” said Timbre.

Send all the squads to storm the quarry! I instructed my comrade.

What about the Berry and Mari boys? Wondered the squad leader.

Send them too! Exercise extreme caution! Orchid is likely in this area, I said, my heart racing. I’m coming to meet you with Maze and Thaddeus.

And Perseus? Asked the squad leader.

Yes, why do you ask? I wondered.

Your mother is asking for him. I confined her to her room like you said, pretending it was for her safety during a state of emergency with the new Luna missing but she keeps asking for Perseus. I didn’t tell her which of you gave the order to confine her but she seems to think it was you, said the leader.

Ask her where she buried Bisa’s and Mavis’ bodies and see what she says, I instructed, giving her one last time to come clean. I would clue Perseus in afterwards.

Ok, said the squad leader slowly, clearly confused. Isn’t Orchid’s lady’s maid, Bisa, with you and the wizard?

She is, just trust me,I insisted.

Of course, Alpha! Of course! Said the squad leader eagerly.

I sighed deeply. This was turning into a much bigger battle than the simple negotiation I had imagined but Orchid was completely worth it. Thaddeus clapped me on the back.

“Let’s go werewolf hunter hunting,” he said.