Whitetail Mountains: Veteran's Center

John pursed his lips rocking back on his heels. "That would explain her refusing to eat."

Jacob grabbed his radio, switching it on, to a channel he taught her to use, a line specific to her. "You've forgotten your purpose." He spoke calmly trying to hide his worry. "You were on the path of the chosen but now you've strayed. Fear did this to you. Don't worry I can help with that, I can remove your fear and give you strength." He cleared his throat, speaking a little softer this time. "Come back to me. Remember your purpose..."

Not a single response came over the line leaving the brothers in silence praying she would simply return.

Angel overheard every word Jacob said to her balancing in a crouch pose under an overgrown pine on a boulder hiding in the darkness of night. Her eyes watching the doors of the bunker the Whitetails called home. Angel felt his words leave a lingering need to return to his side but she had a mission, to show those of the Valley the people under her protection would not be harmed without consequence. Members of the Whitetails left the Wolf's Den in a cheery mood completely unaware of the hunter's presence. She slipped inside the bunker clinging to the shadows of the metal shelves maneuvering through the concrete maze as the militia slept peacefully. The bunker was small compared to the ones of Eden's Gate.

Angel lingered in an abandoned room near the living room where two guards sat talking with one another. The discussion piqued her interest and she pressed record on the hidden tape recorder under her uniform.

"So is Eli on edge still about Randy's death?" One asked.

"Yeah," The other groaned. "He needs to get off my case. So what if the Chosen are out all over, it's not like they weren't before." He grumbled.

"Dude you straight up mutilated the old man."

Angel's breath hitched in her throat as she listened quietly.

"Well his niece shouldn't have hit me." He tossed an empty can and it clattered around the room. This was the same man from the gas station that day she took a ride in the Whitetails. "Who cares anyway, Eli isn't calling a ceasefire so everything is fair game in this war." He tried defending himself. "He was just another damn Peggie."

Angel's blood boiled. How dare he single out Randy and murder him for their personal fight? This man would answer to the Judges. Angel wasted no time in maneuvering for a better shot completely unseen. Taking a Bliss arrow and knocking it to her bow string, Angel shot both men with a Bliss arrow each as they clattered to the ground falling into a deep slumber. She had no use for the other man and left him on the floor for the others to find a ghost had infiltrated them. She circled the man who recalled from the gas station, a scowl on his slumbering face, a beard beginning to shadow over his jaw. Lifting him onto her shoulders Angel made quick work of vanishing from the Den undetected. She no longer bothered with stealth and stole one of the ATV's waiting near the entrance heading back to the center with the man strapped to the hood like a deer.

Jacob and John had been awoken by a commotion from outside realizing they had fallen asleep on the desk. Just a few hours before dawn the sun trickled over the valley in low light Jacob and John made their way down to the gate where the guards stood around in awe. Angel made her way to the Heralds dragging a Whitetail militia by the back of his neck as he kicked and screamed for his life, unable to get his feet under him. Jacob buried his emotions for Angel deep, putting up his façade of 'the soldier' as they drew closer.

Angel tossed the man to Jacob's feet. "I've found the man responsible for my uncle's death." She withdrew the tape recorder from her uniform. "And gathered his confession. One other person was with him which I left under Bliss for Eli to find."

John took the recorder and played it for everyone to hear on speaker. The man babbled in tears down his face trying to save his life. Jacob stood over the man, his eyes studying the Whitetail debating how to go about this. A Chosen jogged up with a radio reaching out to Jacob.

"Sir," He handed the radio to Jacob. "It's Eli."

"Go ahead." Jacob snarled into the radio.

"Jacob, it's Eli," His voice sounded strained and panicked. "I believe you have one of my men."

"I do." Jacob kept things short.

"I'll trade him out for anything you want just please let him go. Let's discuss this before things escalate. I'll forgive you for sending your men into the Wolf's Den if you'll release him unharmed and untrained."

Jacob's cold eyes snapped to Angel. She pulled this man from the Wolf's Den? Undetected? "I didn't send anyone. Angel went on her own accord." He said to instill fear, respect, and boast her skills. She surpassed anything Jacob could have imagined.

"Angel?" Eli was dumbfounded. "Would she be willing to bargain?"

Jacob handed her the radio, curious to see what she would do next.

Angel took the radio. "What do you want Eli?" She spoke coldly.

"Please send Adam back to us so we can work this out."

"Did you send him to kill my uncle?" She asked.

"No," Eli's voice was even and true. "I swear on the Whitetails' lives, I did not."

"Okay," Angel answered back. She switched hands holding down the button so Eli could hear everything that was happening. She pulled her pistol and shot Adam in the back of the head so quickly making everyone, even Jacob and John jump. "A life for a life. You're lucky I acted with mercy unlike him." She said to Eli. "Shall your Whitetails harm Eden's Gate again, I'll run my knife through your neck while you're snoring. And you might want to straighten that picture frame on your nightstand." Then she handed the radio to Jacob walking back inside the center.

The silence that had fallen on the valley was deafening. Eli knew if he retaliated, Angel would bring the Chosen into the Den. The fact that she got in unseen and took someone shook him to his core. He had no fucking clue what she was capable of and only saw her as a bed warmer. He confirmed it was her through the cams he had in the mountains.

Jacob kept his word feeding the corpse to the Judges. John shakingly went back to Holland Valley to update the others of the ordeal leaving Jacob to handle the archangel in their ranks.

Angel laid on her back in Jacob's bed, her arm covering her eyes as silent tears fell from her eyes trying to forget everything. Jacob quietly came in and laid down with her wrapping her in his arms. Through the silence they both agreed this subject would never be discussed.

Angel threw herself into repairing Hope County. Jacob saw little of his fiancé which placed doubt in his mind, but she tried to chuck it up to her healing. Angel was working at the veterans center tending to the Judges when she saw Jacob speaking with Jeremiah, his right hand man about the supply runs. She watched the way his muscular arms crossed over his broad chest, listening intently. His weight shifted from boot to boot, her eyes trailing over his body making her stomach flutter to life. Guilt riddled her for going behind his back getting her uncle's killer. She saw a wedge being made between her and Jacob but she only wanted to prove her hard work to the project and to Jacob. The most she had seen him was a few hours in the week and pain gnawed in her chest, but as her fingers trailed over her breast she felt his dog tags around her neck. Jacob loved her and wanted to marry her. She had to make this right.

Angel approached Jacob, his eyes quickly darting to her before telling Jerimiah to hang on.

"Jacob, can we talk?" She asked.

His eyes darted between the two. "Can it wait till tonight?" Her stomach dropped at his words. He never put her on the back burner. He saw her face and leaned down whispering into her ear. "Don't make that face pup. I only want to talk later so you'll have my full attention, okay?" He kissed her cheek.

His words reassured her...slightly. "Thank you." She smiled softly before heading back to Solo who waited patiently for his grooming session. Angel passed Jessica who was now in charge of the shipments and spent more time with the Herald than she did. Angel got back to grooming Solo watching the three interact. "I can trust him." She muttered to herself. Solo tilted his head to her words. "Just worried about me and Jake." She said to the wolf holding on to the thick white fur on his neck. Solo followed Angel's gaze and found Jessica trying to drape herself on Jacob and even made him chuckle.

Solo grabbed the brush from her hands and ran away with it.

"Solo!" Angel called after the wolf who was now playing keep away like he was a house pet. Angel called after him giggling and matching his moves making Jacob and Jerimiah laugh as Jessica glared at her. Angel pretended to cry, luring the wolf in close as she sat on the ground. Once close enough she snatched the brush making Solo jump and yelp surprised before circling and poking Angel with his nose making her laugh. Angel put him in a headlock bringing the wolf down laying with him patting his hollow belly. Jacob smiled at the sight of his wolf and future wife. Seeing her laugh and smile again made him feel better about their upcoming conversation.

That night Jacob found her sleeping in his office chair curled up as she had tried to stay awake for him. He kneeled down in front of her admiring the peace she had in her sleep. His hand traced over her cheek her soft skin making his heart flutter. Her hand curled around his dog tags clinging to it with a death grip.

"Wake up, pup," Jacob's deep voice rumbled softly.

Her soft blue eyes fluttered open. "Jake?" She looked around the room. "What time is it?"

"Just past ten. I'm sorry I took longer than expected. Did you still want to talk?"

She could see the sincerest love in his eyes. "Do you still want to marry me?"

"What?" Her question confused him. "What on earth makes you think I don't?"

"Since I've been busy with the project." Her eyes dropped low. "And I pushed you away, going behind your back, breaking into the Wolf's Den and killing that Whitetail." Tears fell from her eyes onto her hands.

He brushed them away. "Oh pup," He kissed her forehead. "None of those things changed my mind about you. We're both Heralds and taking care of our followers is going to make us very busy. As for the Wolf's Den attack I can't tell you how proud and amazed I am. We've tracked them for months trying to find the Den and no way in either. You just walked in like a ghost and out with your target. You've made your sacrifice. My only thing was how worried you've made me that you wouldn't want me anymore."

Angel pulled him in for a kiss taking the Herald's breath away. She nipped his lip earning a growl from him. He lifted her, setting her on his desk, hands roaming all over squeezing in just the right areas to make her delicious mewls slip out between their lips.

Breathless and on fire she pulled away meeting his hungry eyes. "I love you Jake, I really do. I'd never want to lose you."

He slipped his arms down her back and around her waist. "I'm not going anywhere. You're mine and I'm yours. And if you'll let me, I'll show you how much I love you."

Her cheeks heated up bright red making pride swarm in his chest once more. "Only if you'll let me show you as well."

Jacob carried her to his bed and laid her out worshiping her like a queen.