Payment To the Alpha

James' POV

I allowed Blade to the surface to keep the others in control. He gave away a growl making all wolves crawl back into their humans except for Stella, my sister's wolf, Amber was an alpha's daughter, and her wolf was stronger than the others. Blade let out a warning growl making even Stella stand down, not to Amber's liking, however.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" Amber growled at Natasha whilst positioning herself in a fight stance.

"Amber, I understand that times are tough right now and that you all feel helpless towards the girl you all love and want to protect, but first of all, Avery doesn't need protection, she needs you to believe in her and to be there for her, second of all if you only focus on every negative thing happening right now, on all the bad, all the uncontrollable things, you will never be able to solve this. Make it a habit to smile more and do fun things; only then will you have the energy and the knowledge needed to win this." Amber took a step back and sat down on her chair. " Don't ever do that again." Lisa said in a low growl.

"Deal. Now can we continue?" I sat back down and stared at Natasha as I explained what had happened. She swallowed hard and looked into my eyes.

"I'm so sorry." I felt it. I actually felt how sorry she was. She had been through something similar, her mate trying to kill her, but she had to see her mate getting killed in front of her. I can still save Avery.

"Why is this wizard so infatuated with Avery? Do you have any clue as to what this is all about?" Trish asked. We were all equally helpless and looking for anything that could help us. Well, maybe not that helpless, I knew something that the others didn't, and so did Natasha. She gave me a knowing look, and I decided to share the facts I knew with the others.

"It can't be just a relative who controls someone's mind. There has to be a direct connection, a connection that is given from the making of the person. The wizard controlling Avery is her father." Gasps were heard from everyone as they stared in shock. I swallowed hard, and my jaw tensed as I continued.

"When we were talking in the conference room the other day, I asked Natasha to stay behind because I saw that she had information, she had information regarding Avery's mother's kidnapping. A witch kidnaped Avery's mother because of a conflict her parents had with him when Madeline was a child, he demanded revenge, and thus he kidnaped her and impregnated her with Avery.

They tried riding themselves of her before she was born, but he had put a protection spell on her rendering their countless tries useless. When she was born, he was already making contact, but he needed to wait for the right moment, and apparently, that moment came when Avery arrived here. He wouldn't be doing this for fun, he has a plan, and Avery is the key to succeeding, which is why we must make sure that he doesn't."

I paused to let it all sink in before continuing. "Avery being in the dungeons is the last thing I want, but it is for the best. That way, she can't harm anyone, whether it be someone else or herself, and also, he has no use for her when she's behind bars, so he will probably be leaving her alone for a while." Alex dragged his hands over his face, Amber's wolf was restless, I could feel Stella's urge to kill, Lisa and Trish were holding each other's hands, Jackson was sitting with his arms crossed over his chest, his jaw clenching, he was trying to control his wolf, and Alvin was tapping his foot making me want to cut it off.

"What does this mean?" Jackson asked, lifting his eyes to meet mine.

"It means we have a wizard to find and kill." Everyone turned back to me, their eyes filled with determination.

"So, what's the order, Alpha?" Trish asked me. I looked over at Natasha because, honestly, I don't have a fucking clue.

"First, you need to make sure that Avery is NEVER alone. That is the single most important thing, and if you leave her alone, her mind could drift and cause more damage. Second, she needs to know that you are all there for her, especially you, James." I nodded my head. Of course, I'm gonna be there for her. I'm her mate. "I'm going to try and find a way to stop or at least block the wizard."

"Isn't that what the barrier was supposed to do?" Alex asked. He was annoyed. We were all on edge, but we needed to control it, or everything would blow up even more.

"It was, but I underestimated his powers, I thought he would be an ordinary wizard, but he's stronger, powerful."

"Well, don't fuck up again." Alex snapped. "Alex!" Amber warned him, getting on her feet. "What!? This fucking mess would have never happened if we had done it right from the start, now Avery's in the dungeon, there's a fucking witch out to get her, and he's probably already planning a war while we're sitting here like a bunch of fucking idiots trying to come up with a plan!"

"What do you suggest we do? We need a plan, Alex!? We can't just go in blind. That's not how we do things." Alvin was also standing now, and so was Jackson.

"WE SHOULD BE OUT LOOKING FOR HIM!" Alex roared, his authority clear in his voice, making Alvin step back, but not Jackson.

"WE WILL, BUT WE NEED A FUCKING PLAN! IT'S NOT A GOOSE CHASE. IT'S A DARK WITCH WE'RE DEALING WITH! WE ALL CARE ABOUT AVERY HERE!"

They were all talking over each other by now, one saying this and one saying that. So I was sitting there, observing them.

"What the fuck are you smiling for?!" Alex snapped my way. I hadn't even realized that I was, but I was smiling; a warm feeling was spreading throughout my body, Love.

"Last time you all stood around bitching like this was three years ago when we were going on that trip to L.A. It was about where we should visit first. Neither of you wanted to forfeit, so for 1 fucking hour, you stood, just like this, bickering with each other, and in the end, we went to all of the places that everyone wanted to go. And how long has Avery been here? A month more or less? She brought back Christmas, she brought back our family, and she brought back your annoying ass screaming. Only now, it's because you all want to help her, save her, and we will, but first, you need to sit the fuck down and shut up because the first person to give me a headache will have double practices every day for a year." Finally, they all relaxed and went completely quiet. They looked at each other and then back at me, and I saw Amber tearing up, her bottom lip pouting like when she was a child.

"We can't lose her," Amber spoke with a shaky voice and fear glowing in her eyes.

"We won't." I promised her, and they all took their seats. Alex came to stand beside my chair and put a hand on my shoulder. He has done that ever since we were kids. Sometimes it was to calm me, and other times it was to calm himself.

Now that this was all out of the way, we could come up with a real plan.

"Natasha, do you have any idea how to get rid of the wizard?" She looked at me with a sorrowful expression, and I had my answer right there.

"I'm sorry, Alpha, I don't know. But I promise you that I will find a way." That's all I could ask for.

"Natasha, are there any other ways for us to fight a wizard? Any tips that could be useful?"

"Now that you ask, there are a few things that can weaken any witch or wizard you would come to encounter." I looked over at Jackson.

"Gamma, take Natasha to the warriors and tell the lead trainers to teach them everything Natasha says. I want it to be engraved in their bones by the end of the month."

"Yes, Alpha." Jackson gave Trish a quick kiss, and then he and Natasha headed out.

"Trish and Lisa, I need you guys to make sure that nobody talks about Avery. It seems that the entire pack is already aware of the fact that she's in the dungeon, and I don't want any more details being leaked."

"Yes, Alpha." They said in unison before heading out as well.

"Alvin, tell Damon that I want him to stand guard down in the dungeon and that nobody except for the ranked members is allowed down there."

"Yes, Alpha."

Now it was just me, and my siblings left. When Alvin closed the door, I released a heavy breath and leaned back, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Amber, you had some friends that knew some witches didn't you?" "Yes, in uncle Carlos' pack." I had an idea, but it needed to be under the radar. "Contact them and get information about the witches and wizards that they know. I need you to pay them a visit. Ask around about a wizard that may or may not have had a conflict with a werewolf family around forty years ago."

"Yes, Alpha." Amber was about to head out of the door,

"and Amber, make sure that nobody knows. Be subtle." Alex scoffed behind me, and Amber threw him a death glare.

"Of course, Alpha, and fuck you, Alex."

"Hey, if he's Alpha, I'm Beta to you!"

Amber slammed the door shut as she walked out of my office. I turned to Alex,

"Why do you always have to be a dick?"

"Why does she always have to be a bitch? See, there are a lot of good questions but not nearly enough answers."

"You're damn right about that." I said, scratching the back of my neck.

Natasha's POV

I left Alpha James' office and headed to the training field to talk to the warriors and teach them how to weaken any witch or wizard. This is normally not something I or any other witch would teach, but considering the circumstances, I knew I had to. Things were about to get much worse than any of them could ever comprehend.

"Gamma." One of the trainers greeted Jackson with a head bow.

"Anna, this is Natasha. Please gather everyone. Natasha has some things to announce." The trainer, Anna, bowed her head again and went over to the warriors who were training combat out on the field. They all quickly followed their trainer and came to gather in front of Jackson and me.

"Everybody listen up and listen closely! From now on, every other practice will be about close contact combat with a witch or wizard." They looked around at each other but then quickly turned their attention back to the Gamma. "Natasha here is going to teach you how to weaken them in your human forms so that you afterward can finish the job in your wolf forms. Natasha," Jackson turned to me and gave me the word. I looked around at all their faces. They were truly disciplined. They didn't ask why or anything else for that matter. They were just ready to learn.

"Lobelia, does anyone know what that is?" I asked the warriors. One of them raised their hand, and I gestured for him to speak. "It's a flower." I was impressed, not many have heard of the flower before, and I expected none of the people in front of me to know about it. "Correct."

"The Lobelia flower is a flower that causes one to lose concentration, and for a witch, that's lethal. Our magic is only as strong as our concentration and our emotional stability. An emotionally unstable witch is either very weak or very dangerous. However, what we are going to be concentrating on today is the Lobelia flower." I opened my bag and took out a glass container of the Lobelia flower extract.

"You can use it in syringes and hope that you can get close enough to inject them with it, however, the chances of that happening are low. It is nearly is impossible. You can also dip a dagger into the extract, and the smallest cut will affect them gravely.

Only your own imagination sets the limits for how to inject them with the extract. But be wise in your decision because the slightest hesitation or misstep could lead to your own demise."

I put the container on the table and moved aside so that the warriors could come up and do what they're supposed to. Jackson looked at me and nodded his head with a smile; I returned the gesture and made my way back to the house, to my mate. Carlos came with me and left his Beta in charge.

For which I am very grateful, being away from him is definitely not good for my own emotional stability.

I felt a cloud of doubt in the pit of my stomach, a nauseating feeling was building up. I knew why. I had lied to James and the others, told them that there was no way to help Avery with the wizard yet, but there was. However, it wasn't one that they could know about, I will tell Avery, and it will be her decision what she chooses to do with the information.

James' POV

Everyone was away at my orders, and I was sitting on the concrete floor in the dungeon outside Avery's cell. She was still sound asleep. I couldn't help but feel guilty for some reason. I can't help her, I have never felt helpless before, but right now, I felt completely and utterly helpless.

'What are we gonna do?'

I honestly don't know Blade.

'We have to kill him.'

I know.

'I want to kill him.'

Me too.

'We need to protect her.'

We will.

'James, we need to protect her. Something is coming, and we can't leave her alone.'

She will never be alone.