by Bella Colt
‘What the hell?’ I think to myself.
‘OUR MATE! SOMETHING IS WRONG! GO!’ Wolf screams in my head.
I run out of the bathroom and towards the door as fast as I can. I knock the doctor to the ground when he tries to check on me. Taking a deep breath, I’m assaulted by myriad scents all at once. The intense smells of dirt from the woods, bark, and sap from the trees are distracting.
‘Focus!’ I mentally chide myself while scanning the area around the car.
The first thing I notice is a dart lying on the ground by Amara’s door. I immediately detect a chemical smell emanating off it.
“AMARA!” I growl out as loud as I can, making every animal within the vicinity scatter. Groups of birds are swarming up to the skies from the trees as their four-legged brethren run and scurry as fast as they can.
“What’s going on?” Dr. Adams asks completely confused.
“She’s gone, I can’t feel her. . .” I say aloud and then start repeating it over and over in my head, feeling my heartbreak.
It feels like an icy knife is being gouged deeper into my heart with every breath I take. It makes thinking almost impossible.
‘Concentrate, our mate needs us! You are Wolf, not some pitiful excuse for a man! ACT LIKE ONE!’ Wolf screams in my head, attempting to bring me to my senses.
“Both of our back tires are slashed.” Dr. Adams says, oblivious to my internal struggles.
“This was intentional. This dart has a heavy sedative. I can smell some of the chemicals that were used. It doesn’t look like any dart I’ve seen in game hunting or vet use. I think it’s homemade.” The doctor says as I start to regain my composure and take a deep breath.
I release a low savage growl as it all clicks in place.
“Someone must have been watching us. Waiting for an opportunity to take her…but why? Doc, I need you to call my father and fill him in on what happened and let him know that I will be home as soon as possible. Also, you need to run that test NOW!” I tell him as I run in the same direction of the powdery scent that I detected.
The owner of that scent must have taken Amara, so I phase into my wolf and let him take completely over, before following the trail.
Chapter 28: Amara
I smell mold and dirt as I attempt to open my eyes. They feel so heavy like weights are holding them down. My eyelids twitch as I try peeling them open to help bring me into full consciousness.
“Ugh.” I groan as I try to roll myself to my side, still fighting my muscles to move.
“You’re awake!” I hear a female gasp.
“You need to rest. The sedative won’t wear off for quite a while still. Don’t worry child, I’ll be here when you wake!” The voice tells me while rubbing a hand up and down my back. The motion comforts me as I let my mind go blank, and I sink further into the blackness.
When I wake up for the second time, I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. I have a pounding headache, and every muscle in my body is sore. It’s like I ran an army-grade obstacle course overnight. Before I attempt to open them, I squeeze my eyes tight. To my surprise and relief, they open halfway. I open and close them a few times, so they can adjust to the dim light in the room and start to look around. As I turn my head, I see somebody shift in the opposite corner, so I crab walk backward. My muscles ache in protest, but I manage to scuttle towards the closest wall.
“H-Hello.” I stammer.
“You’re up, finally.” Says an older blonde woman whose hair is just starting to turn gray.
“I’m so glad he didn’t injure you.” She says while looking me up and down, smiling.
“What is going on? Where am I and why I am here?” I ask rambling.
“Shhh! We don’t want them to know you’re up yet. They expect you to sleep for another four hours or so.” She explains looking worriedly at the door to this room.
Now that my eyes have adjusted, I can tell it’s not a room. It’s a cell. All I can see is the surrounding gray walls with a solid wood door that has no handle but boasts six iron bars across the top for a window. There is a bucket in the furthest corner with a wash bowl and rag set next to them. I also notice one sheet and blanket spread out on the floor in the opposite corner. The only redeeming quality in this room is the one-foot by the one-foot barred window on the opposite wall that allows light and fresh air in.
“Do you know why you were brought here?” She asks quietly.
“No, I don’t even know where here is, or who you are,” I demand.
“I’m Amelinda. Linda for short. I’m just as much a prisoner here as you. Look, we need to figure out how to get you out of here fast. He won’t keep you alive long!”
“How do you know that?” I ask loudly.
“Hush and I will tell you everything I know about your child.” She answers in a whisper and waits to see if I have anything else to say while focusing on the door.
I stay quiet and look right into her blue eyes.
“Well, I’m going to start by asking how much you know about your parents?”
My mind goes entirely blank when I hear her question. Parents? The question takes me off guard. I know I had parents at some point, but I haven’t had the luxury of trying to find out about them.
“I don’t know anything about them. What do they have to do with anything?” I ask.
“Absolutely everything, my dear.” She responds with tears in her eyes.
“You are my son’s daughter, so I’m your grandmother.”
“What!? Is this some sick joke?” I ask skeptically.
“What is your name, child?” She asks while taking a deep breath.
I glare at her to let her know I don’t trust her.
“Amara Smith,” I tell her.
“No! Your real last name is Kaiser. You look so much like your father, Wolfrick.” Unshed tears fill her eyes as she says his name.
“How do you know that I’m your granddaughter? I could have just been grabbed by mistake!” I say, looking at her.
I am still not buying her crap.
“If you’re my grandmother, then why are you locked up down here. Better yet, why am I?” I ask. “Oh, don’t be daft, I know you’re my granddaughter because of my senses!” She barks back.
She must be able to see that I’m lost because she continues to explain.
“It’s that tingly feeling you get at the base of your neck when a blood family member is nearby, our wolves find it useful, especially when locating lost pups and such.”
“You’re here because your grandfather, the King of Wolves, wants you dead.” She says flatly.
“Why? What in the hell did I ever do to him?” I ask anxiously.
“Nothing that you can change, my dear. He’s hated you since before you were born. He never wanted your parents to be together, and he tried everything in his power to separate them. He even reinforced and updated the law against reproducing with other magic species and humans. When that didn’t work at keeping them apart, he hired rogues to kill your Mother. Your father was killed protecting her. Apparently, she was newly pregnant with you at the time. I wish I had known that back then. I would’ve done anything to help.” She says, looking ashamed.
“What do you mean?” I ask, raising my eyebrows.
“I didn’t find out about you until after your mother...” She starts but then stays silent.
“After my mother what?” I ask irritated.
“Amara there are things that I won’t tell you to protect you. Whether you believe me or not, I care about you. What I can tell you is that your mother was caught and brought to our home in Germany. She was held there for three days before they killed her publicly in front of the king’s court. Your mother’s last words to the king were that her daughter would end this tyranny and that it was your birthright to do so. The king offered an outrageous bounty to anyone who could bring you to him. Preferably alive. I was elated when I found out you survived. Then I heard what he planned if he ever found you. Once I found out I
kind of lost it and confronted him in front of his council and subjects. He felt that I made a fool of him. Ultimately, since he can’t physically hurt me or kill me because of the bond, I’m stuck down here.” She explains while looking towards the barred window in the small room.
“You’ve seriously been here that long? I would’ve killed myself by now.” I say without thinking.
“Believe me, I would have, just because it would kill him. Unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing here that will work.” She answers like she has tried to do just that.
“Why did he hate my mom so much? I know she wasn’t a werewolf, so what was she?” I ask when the notion hits me.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I only briefly met your mother once, right before she died. I’m ashamed to admit that I was no better to her than the King was on that one occasion. I was so blinded by my mate and his power that I’m amazed I was able to snap out of it.” She says, looking at the ground.
We both fall silent as I get lost in my thoughts. How am I going to get back to Declan? My heart is hurting as wet drops start to fall from my eyes as I think of how worried he must be. I grab my chest as I lay my head back on the dirty ground.
‘Declan. . . I need you!’ I think to myself, forcing my eyes closed until I pass out.
Chapter 29: Declan
It feels like several hours have wasted away in my dad’s study while we go over every detail of today’s events. We are looking for anything that will help us figure out who took Amara and how to get her back. We have over half of the males from the pack searching for any sign of her. I was only able to follow the trail to the other side of the woods before it went dead. Her scent was entirely covered up by metal and exhaust fumes. I have no idea who would even want to take her. I’ve already had two of our stealthiest wolves dispatched to watch Bob, but the latest report indicated that he is currently passed out on an armchair in his apartment.
“Declan!”
My dad’s voice jars me back into the present.
“I know this isn’t the best time for this, but we received word from the lawyer. He stated that he’ll have no problem getting Amara emancipated. She won’t even need to be present at the disposition.” He says.
“This is good news. Her foster parent will have no right to contest it; especially when he’s hit with his own subpoena for neglect and misappropriation of childcare funds.”
He raises his eyebrows at me in concern. It’s just the two of us in his study now.
“I know!” I say in a monotone voice.
I am trying to act like I care about the court and legalities concerning Amara, but I can’t. Without her here, life seems to cease. There is no laughter, no love, no happiness. Life is nothing but a ball of longing and despair that sits like a weighted rock in my gut. I don’t want another tomorrow if she’s not in it. I can’t keep my thoughts off of her. Is she hurt? Is she scared? If they touch her, I swear I will rip their entrails from their bodies and shove it down their throats!
“Calm down, son!” I hear my dad say. He must have seen the murderous rage on my face.
My gaze connects with his. I recall an image of Amara out in the clearing getting mad when I had told her to calm down. I give him a halfhearted smile, thankful for the memory.
“Declan, it’s going to be okay, we will get Amara back!”
Suddenly, I jump up from my chair when an intense pain hits me in the chest. It’s like a white-hot burning ache that causes immediate tears to well up in my eyes.
‘Declan. Declan, I need you!’ I hear Amara cry in my head.
‘Amara? Amara, where are you?’ I beg fruitlessly, knowing she can’t hear me.
“She’s calling me through the bond, she needs me! She’s so scared and depressed. I can feel it!”
My skin is too tight, and my muscles are vibrating with pent up energy as I pace around the room. Wolf has remained eerily silent since I phased back, that worries me. He didn’t even pipe up when she called for us.
“I know son, this is hard, but you have to be strong for her. You are no good to anybody if you can’t think straight!”
I answer with a nod causing me to think about Amara again. Everything reminds me of her. It’s pure torture not knowing where she is.
“Why isn’t she using her connection to talk to me, and tell me that she’s okay and where she is?” I ask him.
“Think about it, son. You are only newly mated it’s been like less than a day, right? She was raised as a human. She probably doesn’t even know you heard her. She could figure it out, but she will still only be communicating one-way.”
“That reminds me; why didn’t she mark you? He adds, as an afterthought.
“I don’t know. Like you said, she was raised as a human. I just assumed things would happen naturally, but I guess she never got the urge. Maybe her other half interfered somehow.” I say looking at the ground.
I’m still a little hurt that Amara hadn’t marked me when we mated.
“Hmm. . . when did the doctor say he would have the results from Amara’s blood tests?” He asks, looking at me, waiting for my gaze to rise.
“He didn’t say, I assumed he would call. He better be running it now!” I say, looking up into his familiar green eyes.
“I’ll call and check on the status while you go and take a nap, you look like hell!” He says.
Smiling, he walks over and pats me on the shoulder on his way to open one of the study doors. He turns around and waits so I get up and follow him. I thank him as I walk through the doors, thinking that I will go for a walk outside. I already know there will be no sleep for me. I can’t bring myself to go into my room without her.
PART 2
Chapter 1: King Dierk
It was roughly two decades ago that I moved from my home country of Germany to this redneck place, just to find this…this repugnant abomination.
“BRING MIR EINEN SCOTCH!” I yell at my footman standing by the door.
He walks over to the bar opposite my desk and pours me a scotch from the decanter. I sigh with frustration as I lean my head back and roll it side to side to relieve some of the tension. Years, it’s been so many years that I’ve been waiting.
“I can’t believe that mutt has been in the same state this whole fucking time and that son-of-a-bitch just recently found her!” I growl as I take the drink from the footman.
He backs away, not wanting to turn his back to me. A visible sign of distrust, I think as I smile. Coward. Good! Ruling by fear is what has kept my people in order, not friendship or trust; fools are those who believe otherwise!
“Schicken sie ihn in!” I tell the footman, and he leaves me,
He returns a moment later announcing an arrival.
“Luther.” The footman says before bowing and stepping to the side, allowing me to see him.
“Well, it took you long enough, didn’t it?” I say looking him up and down.
It has been a long time since this scraggly boy was before me. Her nephew…I was in my study, pacing the length of bookshelves that were filled end to end with thousands of novels.
A child! I can’t believe how stupid Wolfrick was, I had wanted so much better for my son. He wasn’t supposed to be dead; she was. But I got my vengeance on that bitch! She didn’t suffer enough, especially with her surprising revelation! Now, what to do about their child, what to do? A knock on the door broke up my path of constant pacing.
I remember when my wife’s nephew Luther entered the study. He looked around confused and asked for his aunt, Amelinda. I told him she was where she belonged.
I have never really liked my mate she was too weak, so I decided to make my own destiny without her. I hated having to answer to this pup. His visit gave me an idea, though. I tasked him with finding Wolfrick’s spawn.
He paled at the request and wanted to know why I did not task one of my own men to do it. I played to his ego and insisted that as a 17-year-old werewolf, he was ready to prove himself to me. He was still unsur
e, so I explained that the child is no more than a month old and though she will have some sort of protection I think her people are weak. I swore him to secrecy and made sure he knew that he was not welcome back until he had her alive. I made sure to use my Alpha tone to ensure that he obeyed every detail of my order. I remember him asking to see his aunt with watery eyes before he left. I told him he could see her when he returned, using her nuisance to my advantage.
As I shake away the memories, I realize that the man standing before me is no longer the same naïve boy that I sent out so many years ago. His brown eyes are darker than they were before, almost black, instead of a light brown. I am no longer able to distinguish the pupils from the iris. His cheeks are sunken in, and his greasy dark black hair reaches past his ears.