Saving Tragedy Chapter 104

**Ashton's POV**

The office was silent except for the faint hum of the computer monitor. 

I leaned forward in my chair, elbows braced on the desk, as the security footage loaded up on the screen in front of me. My jaw tightened as the video began to play, grainy at first but sharpening into a clear view of the cell block hallway.

I watched the timestamp tick closer, bracing myself for the moment that Jacob had escaped, the anticipation feeling like a venomous itch that I couldn't quite scratch... 

The hallway was dimly lit, the flickering overhead lights casting uneven shadows against the concrete walls. The camera's angle wasn't ideal, partially obscured by one of the structural pillars, but it captured enough of the action to make my blood boil as the first figure came in to view...

One of the guards approached his cell and began to slow, rubbing the back of his neck feverishly as he eyed the camera before fighting against the keys strapped to his belt. 

He fumbled with them agitatedly, even dropping them down on to the ground, before scrambling to collect them - flicking around to find the right one in order to unlock his target. 

Going inside, it was only moments later before he appeared again… 

And there he was… 

Jacob. 

His frame was slumped against the guard as he stumbled to walk free from the cell, being led by the man that I still couldn’t quite put a name to… 

I squinted, leaning even closer to the screen. "Who the fuck is that?!" I growled out from under my breath, my fists clenching as I tried to get a better look at him in an attempt to jog my memory.

He was familiar, yes, but not a man I knew entirely well. After all, I was the leader of the largest pack in the country and it was proving impossible to know every single one of my pack members by name… 

Moments before they walked out of the frame, another prisoner is spotted approaching the bars of his own cell from across the way, catching a glimpse at what was happening, before seeming to reach an arm out for help - being ignored. 

Taking note of this, knowing that we could possibly question the prisoner for more information on what he heard, I slammed my pen back down on to the desk as the pair vanished from the screen shortly after. 

My mind-link was instantaneous. "Sawyer, Hunt, Caleb. My office. Now!"

I continued on over to the next file while I waited for them to arrive at my office, viewing some of the other cameras that had picked up on their escape, amazed that no other guard on duty had seen a thing… or so they say! 

“Where the hell was everyone when this was happening?!” I mutter out my distaste, feeling that my guards had let this one slip right through the cracks. 

Sawyer and Hunt were the first to arrive, both of them looking tense as they entered and gained my attention from the screen. 

I motioned for them to join me quickly without a word, my eyes darting back to retrieve the very first clip I had watched to present to them. 

"Watch this, they both literally just walked right out of there! I look like a fucking fool!" I fumed bitterly, pressing play before leaning back in the chair.

They stood on either side of me, their arms crossed as they studied the footage for themselves. That same guard came fumbling into view once again, turning his head enough for his face to be seen clearly.

"Recognise him?" I asked, my voice sharp.

Sawyer squinted, then shook his head. "No? I don't think I've ever seen him before - must’ve joined the pack after I left." He shrugged, as I nodded stiffly. 

He’s probably right, if he had been around since the beginning then I would’ve at least known the guy by name… 

Hunt tilted his head to the side next, his brows furrowing as he tried to place the man for himself. "Yeah, I've seen him around before — at pack training, maybe? But I've never spoken to him. He always just kept to himself." 

"At training?" I repeated, my tone icy. "So you're telling me that one of my warriors trained on these very grounds and under my command helped Jacob to escape, and you don't even know his fucking name?" I repeat, as Hunt grumbles in agitation.

"He was never in my group. He must've trained under someone else, but I remember seeing him around." He defends in a mumble, as I sigh heavily. 

"Useless," I muttered, frustration bubbling beneath my skin. "Caleb should know. He's dealt with the cells more than anyone." 

As if summoned in by my words, Caleb appeared in the doorway, his face drawn tight with tension. "Alpha," he greeted, stepping inside and bowing his head briefly.

"Come here," I ordered, gesturing toward the monitor. "Tell me who this guy is." 

Caleb moved quickly, his eyes narrowing as he studied the footage for himself. He froze, his lips pressing into a grim line as recognition dawned on his face.

"Well?" I demanded more, the weight of his silence clawing at my patience.

"It's Ethan," Caleb said finally, his voice heavy.

"Ethan?" I repeated, searching my memory for the name. 

It didn't ring a single bell.

Caleb nodded, his expression dark. "He's one of the warriors who surrendered to us from the Moon Lust Pack five years ago. He came to us as part of the large group after we overrun their pack. They swore loyalty to you to save their own necks, and we integrated them into our ranks over time." Caleb breathes out the dreaded statement. 

Fuck! 

This was bad… 

My fists clenched so tightly that my nails bit into my palms. "You're telling me that this piece of shit came here from Moon Lust, lived under my protection, and turned out to be a fucking snake?!"

Caleb swallowed hard but nodded. "He's proven himself loyal over the years, Alpha. At least, we thought he had. He was quiet, kept to himself, never caused any trouble."

"Until now," I hissed, my rage barely contained.

Sawyer shifted uncomfortably beside me. "If he's from the Moon Lust Pack, then wouldn't he try to break Derrick out of there instead? I mean, why Jacob? Derrick is—"

"—a bigger threat," I finished for him, my thoughts spiraling. "That's the question of the hour, isn't it? Why the fuck has an ex member of Moon Lust helped to get Jacob out when Derrick is locked up in there too…" I think out loud, my thoughts rushing to string the threads together. 

There must be an answer… 

Caleb cleared his throat, drawing my attention back to him. "Well, all I can think of is that Derrick's cell is on the total opposite side of the facility, Alpha. There's another guard posted there pretty much full-time too — Liam. He's been assigned to that area for months now. If Ethan would’ve tried to get to Derrick, then he would've had to deal with Liam, and that would've drawn attention. Jacob was the easier target."

"Convenient," I muttered. "Too fucking convenient."

I turned back to the screen, rewinding the footage once more. Ethan's face stared back at me, nervous and mousy.

"What the fuck does Jacob offer to him that Derrick doesn't?" I wondered aloud, my voice sharp with frustration.

"Maybe he’s working for someone else? Someone who wants Jacob out?" Hunt offered quietly. "Or maybe they're planning to use Jacob to get Derrick back later."

My blood ran cold at the mere thought. "Thats my fear, but it's not happening," I said firmly, my tone leaving no room for argument. "We're shutting this bullshit down before it spirals into something worse."

The room fell into silence, the weight of my words pressing down on everyone. I turned to Caleb, who was still standing stiffly, his hands clasped behind his back like he was bracing for a storm.

"Where is Liam now?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"He's still at his post," Caleb replied. "As far as I know, nothing unusual has happened on his end. Derrick is still very much secure."

"For now," I muttered, standing to pace the room. The thought of Ethan's betrayal and Jacob's escape gnawed at me. "But if Ethan had help, which I’m almost certain he did, then this could go deeper than we think. We need to interrogate Liam too — make sure he hasn't been compromised."

Sawyer stepped forward. "What about the rest of the Moon Lust warriors? If Ethan's betrayed you, then there could be others waiting for the right moment to do the same."

The idea hit like a thunderclap. I stopped pacing, turning to face Sawyer with a grim nod. "You're right. Caleb, I want a full sweep of the records. I want to know where every single one of those warriors has been stationed for the past five years, and I want their behavior monitored. If there's even a whisper of disloyalty, then I want them brought in."

"Yes Alpha, I’ll get on it right now!" Caleb said, bowing his head before rushing off to carry out the order.

As the door shut behind him, Hunt spoke up. "If Ethan was willing to risk his life to free Jacob, then Jacob's freedom must mean something to him.” 

Sawyer crossed his arms. "You don't think he'll try to rebuild the Moon Lust Pack, do you? Or worse, come back to my pack to reclaim his title? That would be suicide for them..."

I barked out a humorless laugh. "Well desperation makes people stupid, Sawyer. If Jacob thinks he can use their remaining members to mount some kind of comeback, then he'll most likely try it and if the remainder of the Moon Lust Pack is foolish enough to take him in, then I'll burn them to the ground all over again…"

Sawyer's lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn't argue and instead nodded - knowing I was right. 

“But I want Jacob back here, with me, to face his end once and for all and I can’t risk Derrick being brought in to this as a bargaining chip… his father will no doubt want him back, and if he’s smart, then he could try to use Jacob as leverage to do it…” I grit, thinking through each and every angle that they could potentially work with this… 

I turned back to the monitor, glaring at Ethan's face frozen on the screen. "Hunt, I want every tracker out there doubling their efforts to find Jacob - especially covering the tracks towards the old Moon Lust territory, I’ll have our allies in on this too. Every road, every trail, every goddamn shadow in this territory needs to be combed through too. If my men have to sniff through every blade of grass, then so be it!"

"Consider it done," Hunt said, already moving toward the door.

"One more thing," I called after him, stopping him mid-step. "When you find Ethan, I want him alive. He doesn't get to die so easy. Not until I know everything he was planning."

Hunt gave a sharp nod before disappearing out into the hallway.

The room was quiet again, and for a brief moment, I allowed myself to feel the full weight of what was happening. My pack had been betrayed, and Jacob was out there somewhere, plotting God only knew what. 

But the part that cut the deepest was the fact that nobody had seen it coming… especially on my son’s fucking birthday! 

I turned back to the footage, my mind already formulating our next steps. If Jacob or whoever he was working with thought they could outsmart me, then they were dead wrong! 

This wasn't over. 

Not by a long shot.