Chapter 155

Art POV

Every breath felt harder and harder to draw in. I couldn't get my head on straight. For some unknown reason, I was more involved with this case of this missing female than any other case I had ever investigated in my career as an Alpha Inspector.

I'd rescued children -babies even- and plenty of women before. What made this woman special? What made Rachel's baby so important to me?

I couldn't think of anything hurting her child or her without the Alpha instinct rising up in me. I could feel my wolf, Merlyn, bristling all over and I couldn't afford a moment's lapse with the vampire demon sharing my body with my wolf.

Merlyn had to keep the vampire in check. We would go on a rampage, drink dry anything with a pulse. I'd lost control once before and it'd been worse than any nightmare I had ever had.

Coming back to myself with my belly full of the blood of others, I remembered wanting to erase every memory I had to take away the taste.

Not because it was bad, but because it was good. So, so good.

I craved blood for a solid month afterwards. I'd run the full moon alone for the first time in my life because I was terrified Merlyn would lose control under the influence of the moon craze. I could imagine myself tearing through any prey around me until I was out of prey then turning on my pack---

The idea of glutting myself on the blood of my own kind made me want to turn Merlyn loose to run and run and run as far as we could get until everyone was safe from us.

"I've got a bad feeling about this one, Justice," I said, not bothering to look at my former lover.

Justice gave a rusty chuckle, "Showing off already? You know, you're a lot more impressive to people who haven't cursed you."

My bloodlust came from the vampire demon Justice had cursed me with yet I didn't blame her for it or for the demon. The curse had been her way of taking back control when I'd stolen it from her.

I'd deserved it.

We both knew I had only gotten what I had deserved.

"Sorry," I said, "Do you have the missive from the Alpha Council? We have to have a direct warrant to ensure they release Elena Campbell into our custody."

Justice held up a sealed envelope. The paper was obviously thick, expensive, and the seal was old-fashioned. Wax. I could see the impression from a signet ring and made out the lines of my father's sigil there.

"They got the Alpha King to certify it?" I asked.

My father rarely got involved with the Alpha Council. His reign was not officially over, but the Council operated without asking him for his involvement. I knew it chafed him yet he wouldn't stoop low enough to insert himself without being asked directly.

The old Alpha King would never put himself in the situation where he was anything more than the Alpha of Alphas.

That was why he hated it when I came around: he couldn't stand competition even if it came in the form of his own son.

"They did," Justice confirmed, "It's got his sigil and he was the one who stated Elena Campbell would have a seat on the Alpha Council to replace Richard Campbell as long as she was deemed fit."

"Deemed fit by who?" I asked.

We had our own doctors, our own tests which determined fitness for a wolf. Would they require her to be checked at Our Blessed Goddess Medical Center? Another wolfen hospital? By a wolfen psychiatrist? Would she even be able to pass exams at this stage after so many years in drugged captivity?

"The request was for the royal physician to attend her. We have seized her medical records from the asylum. Hollow Oak has been keeping her sedated with medication which suppresses the Alpha gene. It's not poison the way Flores was hitting Ethan with wolfsbane, but it's not good either," Justice explained.

Merlyn growled in my mind. He hated the idea of being suppressed as much as I did.

We worked together to hold back the vampire in us, but that was out of necessity.

Vampire demons weren't meant to occupy wolfen bodies. Their presence inside one of us drove them mad and an insane vampire demon lived only for their thirst. They were unstoppable killing machines. Suppressing the vampire in me was a matter of protecting the public, not holding myself back.

"You don't like the idea of her being tamed, I take it? You're really involved with this Rachel, aren't you?" Justice asked, sounding amused rather than upset, "You realize Wright is her fated mate? She's chosen him. You're setting yourself up for a real heartbreak if you've got your sights set on her."

I shook my head, "No, I'm not involved with Rachel. It's just---something in her calls to me. I feel protective of her. She's not had a very easy life, Justice. Nothing has come easily to her when she surely should have gotten a break sometime, right?"

Justice frowned, "Why? Life isn't fair. You know that better than most. Why should life be kinder to your Rachel than it has been to anyone else?"

"That's just it. I think life has been harsher to Rachel. I just don't know why," I said.

I took the envelope from Justice and scanned my father's seal before placing it in my pocket for safe-keeping. I didn't have the ability to just slide myself to a place I'd never been. Justice would have to guide me to the asylum.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, I confirmed, "I am more involved with Rachel than I should be, but she's not my Rachel anymore than you were my Justice. Now take us to Hollow Oak. We have a damsel in distress to rescue."

Justice smiled at me. She touched my cheek with her cool palm and I leaned into her touch, closing my eyes to savor the tenderness for just a moment.

We moved to outside the iron gates of the Hollow Oak Asylum together. I opened my eyes when Justice tugged herself away from me. She used old-fashioned lock-picking skills to break through the front gate, then we split up.

Justice went to get Elena Campbell while I went to insist on her release from the authorities of the facility.

Taking the main hallway as I entered the facility, I went to the desk where a startled pixie asked, "May I help you?"

"I need the doctor in charge of Elena Campbell-Flores. Right now," I said, smiling wide so she could get a good look at the sharpness of my teeth.

"Who is it you said you're here to see?" asked a man behind me.

Turning, I saw the man who must have been the chief from the stance he was offering in the face of my obvious size advantage. He was using bravado to try to bluster his way past me. He was going to find out I couldn't be bluffed.

I was a father to four children by three mothers and all of them were masters of manipulation who would have spun me right and round like a record if I let them.

"Elena Campbell-Flores. You're illegally detaining her in this facility which will stop right now," I said, offering the sealed letter, "Here's a direct order from the Alpha Council, sealed by the Alpha King, stating exactly what I just said."

"Every patient here deserves to be here. If this woman is here, she's here due to a malady which requires hospitalization to treat. I don't accept any pieces of paper over my own medical opinion," he snapped.

"Really?" I said, feeling giddy for a moment as both my wolf and my vampire raised up with the urge to taste the blood of this small man in his white coat.

"Really," he bit out, "I am Doctor Everitt Schuller and I am the best paranormal psychiatrist in the world. You have no authority here. Neither does your Alpha Council or Alpha King or whoever else you might want to call into play."

"Doctor Schuller, it's a pleasure to meet you. It's especially pleasant to know you're human. See, I'm not," I gestured to my chest with a waive of my hand, "I'm both gifted and cursed. Depending on how you view it? I have either the gift or the curse of telepathy and your thoughts just gave you away: you've been taking money from Patrick Flores to keep his wife here, sedated, out of his way."

The human doctor swallowed, his face going white as I flashed him a hint of fang, too.

"I'm here to retrieve Alpha heir Elena Campbell to return her to her rightful place as Luna of Moonglow Pack," I said.

"You can't! She stays!" he yelled, "Guards!"

Some paranormal guards moved in on me and I held my hands up to shot my palms in peace.

"No need for all that, gentlemen. I'm no Lone Ranger here. I brought back-up and she's already got what I came for so here's your orders, thanks for your hospitality, and pray I don't have a reason to visit again," I said before vanishing from their sight.

Justice had Elena now.

We were all going home.