Choosing Mr. Destiny - Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Ashley's POV
The last thing I remembered was the moment I got dragged back inside the horrid mansion Winter and I fought hard to escape from. Before I lost consciousness, Jacob didn't hold back from all the blows and punches he threw at me until he finally knocked me out.
I guess I'm just not that lucky because we got caught. And despite the fact that Winter still managed to escape, I'm still scared of what might have happened to him. What if he didn't make it? What if he got himself hurt? What if he was also caught?
A lot of unsettling thoughts ravaged my mind as I was once again locked up inside a room. But this time, it was in the basement where rogues and hunters heavily guard the only entrance, giving me no chance to plan another escape. And I guess our escape act got Azrael really mad since he's no longer holding anyone back from hurting me. By the looks of it, I won't be surprised if he's now ordering them to beat me up close to death, making it hard for me to keep my unborn child safe. As much as possible, I try to keep my still flat stomach away from any of their hurtful blows. I didn't care if they hit anywhere else on my body as long as my child inside my tummy is okay. I'll keep enduring all of the beatings they throw at me as long as I know my baby is safe.
However, as long as we're under Azrael's hand, I know both my baby and I aren't safe. Far from it.
Every second will always be dangerous and life-threatening for me and my baby as long as we're here held captive. The only thing I'm glad right now is the fact that Azrael still hasn't noticed I'm pregnant and that my baby is safe. I just hope it stays that way until we're rescued.
And I just hope Arthur's on his way because I don't think I can keep my tummy safe from all their beatings for much longer. I'm tired, dirty, deprived of food and water, as well as heavily bruised all over my body except my tummy. If Jacob and his goons kept coming back just to give me another round of painful beatings, I'm scared I'd pass out and leave my stomach vulnerable for them to attack and I can't have that. I can't let them hurt my baby. Not ever.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard someone unlocked the metal door. Even with my body screaming at me from all the bruises I recently acquired, I still managed to sit up, covering my tummy from their view, just in case they came to beat me up again.
Opening the door, a tall man stepped in with a tray in his hand as well as what looked like a first-aid kit box on the other. He placed the tray on the table located at the far right side corner. The only source of light was coming from the single bulb hanging at the center of the room. I stared at him with a blank expression on my face.
"Eat up." He said as he nodded towards the tray of food on the table.
I didn't utter a word. I just remained on the same spot with my eyes trained on the tall muscular man standing not too far from me, but still too close for comfort.
He stepped closer towards me, making me shrink in my spot next to the wall.
"You better not give me a hard time, kid. The master ordered me to bring you food as well as to patch you up. So you better cooperate." He warned as he knelt in front of me.
I didn't budge. I couldn't risk them knowing I was pregnant. I knew they won't be able to smell my scent because I was covered in dirt and I was just overall dirty. But if I let this guy patch me up and he gets a whiff of my changing scent, he'll surely report it to his master. I just can't risk it.
"Don't touch me." I croaked out tiredly as I tried to send a glare towards the bulky guy.
"What did I just tell you?" He warned again, but this time, with a growl.
I tried not to budge as he forced my arm to straighten up for him so he can clean me up.
"I said don't touch me," I said angrily as I yanked my arm away from him. "Leave me alone. I don't need you to patch me up." I said through gritted teeth just to get my point out.
If I have to stay in this dirty state just to mask my scent to protect my baby, then so be it. I'd rather be covered in sh*t than have my child inside me hurt.
The guy pulled away momentarily as he stayed there staring at me. I didn't even dare meet his gaze. Who knows he can read minds. If werewolves are real then there's no telling if others like vampires and sh*t aren't real too. Like I said, I just can't risk it.
"I'm only gonna warn you once, kid. If you still don't cooperate, I'm gonna lose it." He said with a calm expression on his face.
Like hell I'd ever listen to this puke face.
"And I'm only gonna tell you once, assh*le. Don't you ever touch me." I retorted back with as much malice.
He growled, glaring daggers towards me but I still didn't budge. He backhanded me which had my face turned to the side from the sheer force of it. It hurts but I'm not gonna give him the satisfaction of seeing me in agony. One of the things I learned since they held me captive was to never show them that you're in pain because it gives them this sense of satisfaction of seeing you miserable. I learned to mask my pain when Jacob raped me again. Since that day on, I told myself to keep a hard face and to never show them what I really feel.
I turned to face the guy with a smirk on my face. My lips were already busted and was slowly healing, but after that little slap he gave me, the wounds opened up and blood started oozing out of it again.
I chuckled at his annoyed expression. Blood spilling into my mouth tinting my teeth with red. "Isn't it funny that you're trying to patch me up but if I don't cooperate, you'll hurt me more." I sighed with fake enthusiasm. "You all are a bunch of idiots."
He forcefully took my face into his calloused hands as he sneered at me.
"You ungrateful brat." He spat at me irritatedly. "I could care less if you're dying or dead. But I'm under master's orders to clean you up, and if I didn't accomplish that, he'll have my head on a platter."
He pushed my face into the wall before freeing me.
I chuckled again, which made his irritation grow to extreme heights. "The more I shouldn't cooperate then." I paused as I leaned close to him and spat the blood in my mouth onto his face. "I could care less if your dying or dead," I said as I used his own words on him. "And besides, it'd be nice to see your head with that pathetic excuse of a face of yours on a platter."
Growling in rage, he pushed my neck into the wall with the intent of choking me to death.
"If I were you, I'd be careful when to use my mouth." He said on gritted teeth.
I tried to pry his hands off but obviously, he's way stronger than I am. I mean, aren't everyone in here much stronger than me?
They're all big and intimidating yet they lack something vital, their brains. Or maybe they do have brains. The only problem is that it's as small as a peanut.
"If this mouth's the reason you get killed, I'd even say 'thank you' to it." I croaked out as his hold on my neck tightened.
"You really are annoying." He commented.
"I could say the same to you." I retorted back.
He growled menacingly as his grip got even tighter, stopping the air from entering my lungs. I tried not to show my fear, but I was failing.
"Didn't I tell you to patch him up, James?" A voice suddenly spoke behind the guy that was suffocating me to death.
He immediately freed my neck from his fatal grip before he turned around and face the person who just spoke.
It was Azrael.
"Master." The guy who's name was James said, now with fear in his eyes.
"I ordered you to clean him up and fix his bruises, not to kill him," Azrael said as he stepped closer to the both of us.
"I-I'm sorry Master. I was just a bit taken away. I promise it won't happen again." He said with his head bowed in obvious submission.
Azrael walked towards James' kneeling form and in one swift move, he snapped the guy's head, ending his life. The cracking of bones echoed inside the room, making a cold shiver to run down my spine.
"Yes, it won't happen again," Azrael spoke lowly as the lifeless body dropped to the floor.
His eyes then met mine, causing a menacing smirk to appear on his face. And even when I know he's only using Jordan's body as a puppet, I couldn't help but still feel terrified. Azrael is a very powerful being. He can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants to. And when he wants something accomplished, he'll have it done one way or another.
"The full moon is almost upon us, my love." He started as he walked towards me. "Which means tonight I will once again be immortal."
He knelt in front of me as he caressed my cheek. His eyes visibly gleaming with evil wonder as he kept his ministration on my flushed cheek.
"It's a pity you never get to discover your full potential as a demigod. But no worries, I'll make sure to put you to good use." He said ever-so-lovingly, making me want to gag in disgust in front of him.
I glared at him as hard as I can, knowing fully well that he's about to put his evil plans into action in just a few hours.
"Whatever sick twisted plan you have in mind for me, it won't work," I told him.
He smiled as he stood to his full height, effectively towering over my short stature. "And why is that?"
"Because I won't let you."
"And how are you going to do that?" He asked as he kept caressing my cheek.
"You'll see."
Arthur's POV
"What did you say?" I asked as I stood frozen on the spot. My eyes once again glued to the person laying on the bed.
He blinked as he licked his lips, wetting them in the process.
"Your mate is pregnant." He stated.
And I was once again left dumbfounded. I couldn't process the information quite clearly inside my head.
"H... How are you so sure he is pregnant?" Linux asked as he stepped next to me, frowning at Winter.
"His scent was changing. On the day he was taken captive and the first day I met him, his scent was a mixture of Alpha Arthur's and his. But after a couple of days, I sensed his smell has changed. Now it's a mixture of both his and Arthur's, but also something unique, like fresh honey. Something I've never caught before." He explained as I sat down on the chair, my mind racing a million miles a second. Mainly, my thoughts consisted of my pup and my mate's safety.
"And just before we put our escape plan to action, I could faintly hear small heartbeat inside his tummy, confirming that he is in fact pregnant." He added, sealing the thought of my mate carrying our child.
Linux placed a hand on my shoulder, effectively shutting me out of my turmoil-induced thoughts.
"This just makes it even worse now that your mate is pregnant, Arthur." He said, giving my shoulder a comforting squeeze.
"Azrael's planning something during the full moon, and Ash is involved." Winter once again supplied with worried expression appearing on his tired features.
That information instantly caught me fully.
"What plan?" I asked, or more like demanded.
"I've heard from everyone during the time when I was still being held as a prisoner that Azrael's using your mate to gain back his immortality." He said, causing my nervousness to spike up tenfold.
This is not good. Not good at all.
"What are you talking about?" Linux questioned in obvious confusion.
Winter turned his attention to the bewildered Alpha with the same troubled expression on his face.
"I've heard from countless stories that Azrael lost his immortality after his dispute with the Gods and Goddess. He was left to slowly rot, but he found a way to stay alive. He consumes the soul of those who passed away, instead of guiding them to their respective destination, either hell or heaven. That's how he managed to survive this long." He explained to Linux.
"Our pack elder, Delsiah, had a vision once about my mate being taken captive by a powerful being named Azrael," I interjected after remembering what the elder has stated.
Linux turned to me, looking even more dumbfounded that he does earlier. "What?"
"He said the exact same thing. That he wants my mate to gain back his gift of immortality." I supplied.
"But why your mate?" He questioned.
I met his awaiting gaze before I turned to meet Winter's.
"We'll discuss this somewhere private," I said, which made Winter to nod his head at me, agreeing on my decision.
"Like I said, It's a sensitive information. We can't afford to have it heard by anyone else who might gain a huge interest in it." I reasoned to him, making him nod as well.
"Alright, let's discuss this in the office." He said, turning towards the door once more.
"I can go with you guys," Winter interjected. "I'm not hurting, I'm just really sore. And besides, I want to help. It's now or never." He added, causing me to send him a grateful smile.
"I'll have someone get a wheelchair for you," Linux said before finally stepping out of the room.
Winter turned to me with what looked like realization dawning on his face. "Alpha, I just remembered. If I've been asleep for two days, that just means the full moon is... is tonight."
And that right there scared the shit out of me.
>We have to move fast, Arthur.< Zion intervened as he paced anxiously inside my head. >Every second that passes puts our mate and pup in grave danger.<
>I know, Zion. We just have to carefully plan how to get them back safe.< I responded.
Internally groaning, I rubbed my rough hands on my face. Can anything get any worse than this?
"So what do you have in mind?" Linux began after we gathered around the table covered in maps and bits of information we might need to form a solid plan of attack.
I turned to Winter if he has anything to say.
He nodded before he fetched his backpack from the ground.
"Okay." He sighed. "To start, I have this phone which allows me access to the mansion's security camera system. Its battery is currently dead, but after it's charged up, it's good for use." He said as he placed the said phone on the table. "And here, I have a set of keys which might help when we find out where they locked Ash up."
"Those will be a big help during this rescue mission. Thank you, Winter." I gratefully told him, making him nod with a smile.
"Does this mean I can go with you guys?" He asked, sounding hopeful.
"You just recovered from your injuries, Winter. I don't think it's a good idea to bring you with us." I spoke, causing him to slump in disappointment.
"But I can help. No offense, but I know the place a lot better than anyone in here. I've studied every hallway there is in that mansion for a while just so Ash and I can come up with a solid plan. So if you need someone that can take you anywhere in that house, it's me." He reasoned out.
"He does have a point, Arthur." Linux countered, making me sigh.
"Alright, fine," I said, which made Winter beam like a child after being handed his beloved toy.
"Now we just have to plan our approach," Linux stated as he stared at the map intently.
"Alphas," Winter called, gaining both our attentions. "If I may?" He asked, pointing at the map, obviously have an opinion in mind.
"Go ahead," I told him.
He smiled before turning his gaze onto the table. "So, I've mentioned before that Ash and I used the sewers to escape. Maybe, this time, we can use it to enter the mansion without being seen. Also, In that way, the smell from the sewer will conceal our scents. Making it easier to retrieve Ash. It's not the best idea, but it'll do and it's also the safest to go. The whole mansion's perimeter is heavily guarded by both rogues and hunters, so if we go to a different approach, it'll be much harder and risky."
I nodded along as I thought about his suggestion.
"So where is this sewer entrance located?" Linux chirped in as he stared at the map.
Winter pointed at the west side of the mansion. "The entrance is a little further towards the woods, close to the river." He said.
Linux nodded his head. "Is there any security cameras around that area?"
"Yes, I counted four," Winter answered.
"Alright. And you can disable those using that phone, right?" He asked again, causing Winter to nod his head in confirmation.
"As long as the phone has internet connection, I can disable them," Winter said. "But I don't think the phone can connect to the mansion's internet connectivity if we're too far from it."
"That's not a problem." I intervened. "You can use my phone as an internet hotspot," I stated, making him nod his head again.
"Now that we have that settled, we can move on to how we're going to create a diversion," Linux said.
"I was thinking, what about I send Winter along with my trusted warriors to fetch Ash while I use myself as a diversion," I suggested. "If we attacked and Azrael didn't see me on the battlefield, he'll think we have something else planned out. So, if I send Winter, Connor, Chandler and a couple more warriors to retrieve Ash from the mansion, Azrael won't suspect a thing."
"That could work," Linux said.
"A couple more packs are joining us in this mission, giving us more advantage against Azrael," I stated. "And in two hours or less, my uncle will arrive with guns and other armories we might need," I added.
"That would be a big help since we're also fighting against armed hunters," Linux stated.
"Indeed," I said before turning to Winter.
"Get yourself ready. We'll move out tonight at seven." I told him.
"Sure thing. Please excuse me Alphas." He said as he maneuvered his wheelchair out of Linux's office room.
Once Winter was out, I turned to Linux with a hard expression on my face. "Tonight, blood will be spilled. I hope you're ready for that, Linux."
"If it's the only way to finish this madness, then I'm up for it." He replied.
"Just make sure not to kill Azrael yet if you got to him first," I told him with a mischievous look in my eyes.
"And why is that?"
"Cause I wanna kill him myself."