Page 101 of Alpha's Redemption

“Hey, you wouldn't let us get anyone involved but Derrick and Dion, so we need backup plans. That is the backup plan,” Kalen tells me.

I roll my eyes before snatching the water from him and downing some. The damn thing feels like it’s lodged in my throat.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I glance at it, knowing it’s getting close to the time. We quickly go over the plans once more. Carter said Ava would be dropped off at the old mine tunnels where he dropped Micah. Once I’m out of the city with him, that’s where John will head first.

Kalen will follow behind me to the borders in one of the delivery trucks that came in this morning. Goddess knows how much he had to pay the driver to hand the truck over and wait around, but a random car would look suspicious.

“Okay, where are you meeting Carter again?” John asks.

“The train bridge. Then, once we’ve left the city limits, he said he’ll make a call to whoever has Ava.”

I wait for the message to come in. It’s the only thing going that we can't plan for because we don't know when he’ll call.

Once the message comes in, I drive to the station and we all split up. Kalen goes to pick up the truck; John, to get Ava. As I drive toward the train station, I pass Dion and Derrick. However, when I get there, my phone rings again, but I see no sign of Carter.

“Where are you?” I ask him.

“Get on the train that’s waiting,” he says, and I look at the train.

“No. We had a deal.”

“And the deal stands. If you think I am stupid, Macey, and that I wouldn't know you have a plan, then you are mistaken. Get on the train and catch it to the first stop out of the city,” he says, hanging up, and I curse.

Shaking my head, I race to catch the train before it leaves. I have to jump the turnstiles, and I slip through the narrow door gap just in time. Once inside, I start to text Kalen when I notice a teenage girl sitting on one of the seats. She has her earbuds in and I quickly tap her shoulder. She looks up at me, startled. I can tell she’s a rogue, and after a sniff of the air, she seems to realize I am, too, and pulls her headphones from her ears.

“Can I borrow your phone to send a message?” I ask her. She looks at my phone in my hand.

“Out of credit,” I tell her before she says anything. She hands her phone over, and I quickly message Kalen from it, not trusting my own phone. After handing it back to her with a ‘thank you’, I wait by the doors as the train passes over the city, watching the buildings slip by.

The train passes Dion and Derrick, parked on the overpass.

I glance down, seeing police cars and black SUVs racing toward the borders before I recognize John's car screeching to a stop as his vehicle is encircled. I try to see what’s going on, pressing my face to the glass as I curse, but the train is going too quickly, and I suck in a shaky breath.

The train keeps going.

The girl whose phone I borrowed waves me over. “I, um, think this is for you,” she says, showing me the phone screen. Kalen has replied.

‘Borders blocked, hang tight. Something is going on’

That’s all it says.

“Fuck!” I hiss under my breath. I swallow and quickly thank her. There’s no doubt this is Carter's doing.

My phone rings, and I whip it from my pocket.

“I noticed Taylor isn't with you. And you have no suitcase,” Carter purrs, and I grit my teeth. He laughs. “Little mate, you won't get one past me, so I don't know why you tried. Never mind, it's alright. I will forgive your dishonesty. Make sure to get off at the next stop. I will be waiting,” he says before hanging up.

Even with looking at the train map on the wall, I have no idea what train I’m on, but we passed two stations without stopping. I sit down until I feel the train begin to slow.

Finally getting off the train, I move to the parking lot and spot a black Mercedes waiting. Carter stands leaning against the hood. He looks impeccable in his suit and the bond burns to touch him, but I stamp the urge down.

“What, no hug?” Carter purrs, stalking toward me. I try to sidestep him but am swept up in his arms before being pinned against the car.

“Where is Ava?” I growl.

“And where is your phone, love? Hand it over,” he growls, feeling my pockets. He finds my phone before dropping it and stomping on it.

“Ava?” I demand. Nothing is going to plan. I’m barely holding myself together.

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