How could I have been so stupid to not trust my mate more. To believe in her more. I should have trusted she would still want me. And now she was at the mercy of that crazed sadistic bastard. Her screams of pain will haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life. Especially knowing that it was my fault she was being hurt.
'He will die. We will save our mate.'
'You're damn right we will. We'll get her back and then I'll show her how sorry I am for letting my fear rule me. Goddess, I hope we're in time before he does more than break bones. I trust Zoey's mind to be able to handle that, but I don't know how she'll react if he rapes her.'
'Not well. She is strong but only so strong. That is a horror she hasn't been visited by before. I fear it will break her mind and there will be no getting her back. She and her wolf will be lost to us. Our mate will be lost to us.'
'Fuck. I was afraid of that. I need your help. Please. I try not to ask you for anything but please, help us save her.'
'Of course, human. We are a team, and she is our mate too. Her wolf matches our wolves, and we would die for her just as much as you would.'
'Together I know we can save her. We just need to get to her fast enough.'
'Sift as soon as we get close and I will take care of the rest.'
'Deal, my furry friend.'
I put my hand on Ash's shoulder.
"Stop here. We don't want him to hear the truck. We go on foot from here. You two follow me and do exactly as I say. We will get our mate back. When we get in there, get her, and get her out. And stay out of my way. There is no allowing him to live to do this again."
"Shit… alright Deke. We'll get her out and keep her from going back in after you. You know she'll want to."
"No matter what you do, Jer, do not let her in there. I won't be in control of myself in there and I can't promise I won't hurt her by accident."
"I know you wouldn't hurt her, but I understand what you're saying. We'll keep her back."
"Thanks. Now let's go get our mate back."
We exited the truck and ran the four blocks to the abandoned factory. I strained my hearing, listening for any lookouts. I spotted Taylor's guys in the shadows, and I had to admit they were good. I wouldn't have seen them if it wasn't for my shifter senses and knowing ahead of time that they'd be there.
I growled low in my chest as Zoey's screams shattered the silence around us. This fucker was going to die so slowly. He was going to beg me for death for hours before I kill him.
Silently we entered the building, and it was all I could do to not rush to my mate, but I wasn't sure if he had any help. The smell of her terror, pain, and blood filled the air and it was driving me insane with the need to kill the ones that hurt her. Ash and Jer growled right behind me as we crept closer. I could see her now. She was hanging by her arms from a chain looped over a meat hook hanging from the ceiling. Her toes barely touched the floor, and I could see her shoulders were dislocated. I knew the arm he'd damaged just days ago had to be adding to her pain. Her face was swollen, and I could see the blood dripping from her split lip. Her eyes were black, and one was swollen shut. Four of her fingers were bent at odd angles, clearly having been twisted until they broke.
"P… Please. You don't have to do this. Please just let me go."
"Oh no no no my dear. You haven't even begun to hurt yet. We're just warming up."
I heard her whimper as he took a knife and cut her shirt and bra right down the middle, exposing her breasts. He trailed the knife down her chest, leaving a thin trail of blood in its wake.
"No, the real fun is still to come. You owe me that slutty cunt of yours, now don't you."
He jerked at her jeans and snarled when they held up to his pulling.
"I'm gonna fuck your cunt and then I'm gonna take that pretty ass until you bleed for me. I'm gonna rip you up so good. I can almost feel your blood on my cock now."
Zoey screamed in pain and anger as he grabbed her nipple and savagely twisted it. She spit in his face.
"Fuck you, you tiny dicked pathetic coward! You can't even take a woman in a fair fight! You had to fucking drug me to get me here and you had me tied up before I woke up. What? You afraid a frail little woman like me would be able to kick your ass? Let me go and let's prove how much of man you really aren't, you dickless asshat."
We were almost close enough. Zoey didn't know we were there yet. She didn't realize it, but she was providing the perfect distraction for us to get into place. A part of me was proud of her for fighting, for not giving up. The other part raged at all the pain she was feeling.
"Get ready guys."
"You fucking bitch! I'll show you who has a tiny dick when I'm ramming it into your fucking ass!"
Wilmington gave a scream of anger, followed by Zoey's shriek of pain as he stabbed the knife into her thigh and twisted.
"How do you like that? Let's see how many holes I can make until you bleed out."
He shoved his fingers into the hole in her leg and she wailed. I couldn't take it anymore. With a roar I charged into the room. Wilmington whirled around, his eyes wild and insane.
"Let my mate go!!"
"Ah the avenging hero. Not this time I'm afraid. You can't have her back. She's mine!"
"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that."
I growled and gestured behind him where Ash and Jer got our mate down from the hook and took off running with her out the door. I could see Ash had taken his shirt off and pulled it over her head covering her breasts from view and I was glad as I knew she wouldn't want anyone to see her like that. Wilmington gave a scream of frustration and rushed at me.
"I'll kill you and then I will break that woman! She took everything from me, and she's gonna pay for it!"
He swung the knife and I dodged to the side. As he kept coming at me with the knife, a detached part of me observed that he'd had some training from somewhere. He would have been a formidable opponent had he been sane and more focused on his target and not just swinging wildly.
"We're clear of the building, Deke. Whatever you are gonna do, you better do it soon. She's fighting us like hell to get back in there to help you. She's terrified you're gonna get hurt and we don't want to hurt her any more than she already is to keep her out. I know you wanted to draw out killing him but she's bleeding badly, and she won't let us take care of her while you're in there."
"Got it, Ash. It's time to put this fucker down once and for all."
'You ready my friend?'
'Gladly my human. Let's avenge our mate then get to her and comfort her.'