Abby's Heart (Bryant Station Curves)

by Rachels, Rayne

  Skylar smiled. “This is where I belong, outside in the middle of the action.”

  We belong with our mate.

  Skylar sighed. She ran away from us.

  Not we. You. She ran away from you because of what you did, growled his bear.

  It doesn’t matter who she ran away from, all that matters is that she is gone.

  You were stupid. We could have our mate and cubs. You should have gone after her.

  I tried, said Skylar.

  You tried when it was too late. You may not want our mate, but I do. His bear growled and swatted at Skylar’s ribs.

  Quit that and settle down.

  Find our mate!

  I couldn’t find her then, what makes you think I could find her now? It has been fifteen years.

  Find our mate. His bear raked his claws across Skylar’s insides causing him to almost double over from the pain.

  Go lay down now. Too many years have passed. Our mate is gone. We just have to deal with that fact.

  His bear made an odd, lonely grunt. It shook its massive head at Skylar before it turned its back to the man.

  Skylar sighed. It had been years since he stupidly lost his mate. It was bad enough that he blamed himself, but his bear refused to speak of anything except finding their mate. Skylar wished he knew where to look. He tried finding her right after she disappeared, but it was as if she had dropped off the face of the earth.

  “Hey Anderson, looks like you survived that mountain of papers,” said Jerry Morton, the new foreman Skylar hired a couple of months ago.

  “Don’t know about that. I’ve got a few paper cuts.” Skylar was glad for the distraction from the thoughts of his missing mate.

  “I hate to do this to you, but I’ve got more papers for you.” Jerry held out a handful of receipts and work orders.

  “Great, just what I wanted.”

  “It sucks running a company. You don’t have enough money to pay me to do it.” Jerry laughed. His entire body shook. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” He turned and walked away.

  “Fuck!” Skyler turned around and went back up the stairs. “Can this day get any worse?” He unlocked the door and went back inside the trailer, slamming the door behind him. He threw his hardhat on top of the file cabinet. It slid over the side and bounced across the floor. Skylar clenched his jaws. He closed his eyes and counted to ten. Between needing a secretary to deal with the mundane paperwork chores, the way his bear was acting, and his own buried feelings, Skylar was ready to pound something.

  The shrill chirp of his cellphone filled the trailer.

  Skylar jerked the cellphone out of the clip on his belt. “Anderson.”

  “Uncle Skylar, you have to go save her. I don’t know how bad she’s hurt, but she is hurt.”

  “Whoa, slow down. What are you talking about Ben? Where are you?”

  “I’m at home. Grandma just dropped off Haley.”

  “How bad is Haley hurt?” A chill went down Skylar’s spine. He knew Jason and Tara were coming home today from a book signing in Dallas. He glanced at the clock. They wouldn’t be home for a couple more hours.

  “Haley’s not hurt. I'm not talking about Haley. Haley is fine. I’m talking about your mate. She’s hurt.”

  “Ben, you’re not making much sense. Who is hurt?” Skylar’s frustration grew.

  “I can’t leave Haley alone, and I can’t drive to town with her in the truck. I just got my driver’s license and if Uncle Todd already caught me driving without an adult with me. If he caught me driving with Haley and no adult in the truck, I would never get a driver’s license.” Ben sucked in a deep breath and blew it out. “Your mate is in danger. The darkness is after her. All I know is that she is hurt. I don’t know how bad her injuries are, but you have to go to her and help her.”

  Skylar stared at his cellphone.

  Our mate is hurt.

  Skylar didn’t answer his bear.

  Must go save mate! His bear stood up.

  Skylar swallowed. His skin itched.

  Want mate. Mate hurt. His bear shoved against him.

  Skylar shoved his bear hard.

  “Uncle Skylar?”

  “Ben, I don’t have a mate. You’re mistaken,” Skylar said through clenched teeth. Beads of sweat popped up across his forehead.

  “Yes, you do, and she needs you,” said Ben.

  Tremors shot through Skylar’s body as his bear tried forcing his way out. This wasn’t the first time he had struggled with his bear for control, and he doubted it would be the last time. Skylar dug deep and pulled every extra reserve of strength. He quickly wrapped it around the bear, caging him.

  “I’ve already told you. I don’t have a mate. You have the wrong person.”

  “No I don’t.”

  “Shouldn’t you be worrying about making the Junior Varsity football team?”

  Ben snorted. “You’re mate is here. The darkness will kill her. It wants to kill her. Only you can save her. Only you can save your mate. Only you can save Abby.”

  Skylar’s legs gave out and he sank to the floor. “What did you say?”

  Ben did not answer.

  “Ben?” Skylar looked at his cellphone and realized Ben had hung up on him.

  We must save our mate. His bear pushed against its confines.

  Skylar’s mind raced. He had not told anyone he had a mate or even what her name was, not even his dad knew about what had happened. So, how did Ben know? Was she really here? What was she doing in Bryant Station? Skylar was afraid to hope, afraid it wasn’t her.

  We must go to our mate.

  You’re not going anywhere.

  I am going to mate even if you are not. His bear raked its claws against its confines.

  She didn’t want us. She ran away.

  Because you showed her, she did not mean anything to you.

  How can you say she didn’t mean anything? She was our mate, said Skylar.

  Mate should have been in bed, not bad smelling female who was not our mate.

  I don’t know how I ended up in bed with her.

  You are stupid. I pay for you being stupid. I do not have my mate.

  I don’t have my mate either, said Skylar.

  You do not care about mate. You will not let me save her.

  I care about her. I want her to be here as much as you do, but the sight of a thousand pound Kodiak bear running down Main Street will only get us shot by some foolish human.

  Skylar’s bear growled and rammed its head against the cage. It snarled one more time at Skylar then turned its back to him.

  Skylar sighed. He pushed into a sitting position and leaned against the desk. He wanted to believe Abby was here in town, but he was afraid to hope. Would she talk to him, or would she run away again? Skylar closed his eyes. The thought of Abby being in danger ripped through his gut like a knife, but he had no idea where to look.

  He picked up his cellphone and pulled up his contact list. Maybe Ben knew where she was. Skylar was about to press Ben’ name when the phone started chirping.

  “What do you want?” asked Skylar as soon as he accepted the call from David, his cousin and architect.

  “Is that how you answer your phone? Where the hell are you?”

  “Yes, it is. I’m at work. What do you want? I’m kind of busy right now.”

  “You were supposed to be here, at my office, about ten minutes ago,” said David.

  “Great!” Skylar ran his hand down his face. “Can anything else go wrong today?”

  “Are you okay?” David heard a strained undertone in Skylar’s voice.

  “Just another fight with my bear.”

  There was a pause.

  “We need to find out what’s going on with you two before one of you really hurts the other. This has been going on for too many years.” Concern filled David’s voice

  “There’s not much anyone can do.”

  “We can get the family together. We can figure out what’s wrong.” David
knew there was something very wrong. The battles Skylar was having with his bear were getting worse. He wasn’t even sure when Skylar last shifted and let his bear run.

  “There’s nothing you or anyone else in the family can do. I just have to deal with it. I’ll be at your office in fifteen minutes.” Skylar’s voice was icy cold.

  “That would be good. You’re lucky. The people from Wolfe Renovations aren’t here either. Pull yourself together and get your butt over here.”

  The line went dead.

  “What is the deal with everyone hanging up on me today?” Skylar shook his head.

  His bear made a low grunt.

  You had better behave yourself, Skylar warned his bear.

  Want my mate.

  It has been fifteen years. It’s time for you to drop it.

  His bear snorted, but put its head down on its paws.

  Skylar got up off the floor. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a ragged breath. He didn’t know how much more he could endure. Something was going to give. Either he or his bear was going to snap. Skylar was surprised his family hadn’t shipped him off already.

  Fifteen years of fighting with his bear.

  Fifteen years of his bear caged up inside of him.

  Fifteen years of celibacy because his bear refused to accept anyone but their mate.

  Skylar knew his family was worried, but how could he face them and finally tell them the truth after fifteen years of lying to them. There was no way around it. He was an asshole, not only to his family but to his mate.

  Abby was right to run from him.

  He didn’t deserve her.

  Skylar turned out the lights and left the trailer.

  Chapter 3

  “Abby!” Billy coughed. He pulled his shirt up over his nose to filter out the dust, but the dust was so thick, it did little to help. His eyes watered. “Abby!”

  I smell blood, Abby’s blood. Abby is hurt.

  Billy paused and sniffed. The shirt blocked most scents, but the sweet tang of blood hung in the air—Abby’s blood.

  Find Abby! Now! The wolf inside Billy growled.

  “Abby!” Billy pushed the broken boards and bricks aside and pulled himself to his feet. He looked around.

  Dust still hung in the air, but it wasn’t as thick as it had been when he first woke up. The wall now had a large hole in it and rubble littered the floor in front of it, but no Abby.

  Several bricks in the pile moved. The rubble emitted a low moan.

  “Abby!” Billy picked up one brick after another, tossing each one aside.

  “Get this stuff off of me.”

  “I’ll have it off of you in a couple of minutes. Don’t move.” Billy pushed and tossed the bricks aside until he had Abby uncovered. “Don’t move. I need to make sure you don’t have any broken bones or other serious injuries.”

  “I’m fine. I just need to get up.” Abby tried sitting up, but started coughing.

  “I told you not to move.” Billy ran his hand down her legs, checking from broken bones.

  “Quit that. I don’t have any broken bones.” Abby said between coughs. “Help me up. We need to get out of here.”

  “You shouldn’t move.”

  “Normally, I would say you’re right, but we have to get out of here.”

  Billy reluctantly helped Abby up.

  “Grab the equipment. We need to go through the video.” Abby groaned as she put weight on her legs.

  “I don’t think you can even walk.” Billy grabbed the video equipment, Abby’s tablet and picked up Abby.

  “Put me down.”

  “I will put you down when we get outside. You have several bad cuts.”

  “How do you know?” asked Abby. She hurt everywhere.

  “I can smell the blood, but I can also see that nasty cut on your forehead.”

  “Damn wolf senses. I really hate them. Just put me down.” Abby pushed against Billy, trying to force him to put her down.

  Billy held her tighter to him as he climbed the stairs. He used his foot to push the door completely open.

  Abby sighed when they stepped into the warm sunshine. “Put me down.”

  “You don’t look so good.” Billy gently put Abby down. He kept his arms around her shoulders to make sure she didn’t fall down.

  “Would you get away from me?”

  “You need to see a doctor. You don’t exactly have wolf genes,” said Billy. He slowly backed away from his cousin. “Damn, the Alpha is going to kill me.”

  “I’m not calling him, are you? Besides, bumps and bruises are to be expected in this line of work.” Abby walked over to the truck and opened the back door. She grabbed the first aid kit.

  Billy took it from her. “What do you want out of it?”

  “I can get it.” Abby lifted an eyebrow at him, which was not a very smart move. Her forehead started burning and aching.

  “Abby?”

  She snorted. “I want the gauze and the saline solution.”

  Billy put down the tailgate of the truck and put the first aid kit on it. “I’m going to clean the cut on your forehead and put a bandage on it, and you’re going to sit quietly on the tailgate while I do it.”

  “But—”

  “Not one word.” Billy raised an eyebrow at Abby.

  “Whatever.” She moved to the tailgate but didn’t attempt to hop up onto it.

  Billy rolled his eyes as he reached down, picked her up, and carefully put her on the tailgate. He took the gauze out of the plastic wrapper and wet it with the saline solution. As gently as he could, he cleaned the cut on Abby’s forehead. It wasn’t as deep as he originally feared, but it could use a couple of stitches. Taking out another gauze pad, he pulled a roll of tape out of the open first aid kit. He covered the cut. “You really need a few stitches in this one.”

  “I’m okay. That was probably the worst of my injuries. By morning, I’ll be bruised and stiff.” Abby gave him a little grin.

  “You’re already bruised, cut, and getting stiff,” said Billy as he pulled out another gauze pad. He poured some of the saline solution on it and started wiping the rest of Abby’s face.

  “Would you quit cleaning my face? I’m not a little kid.” Abby pushed away his hand.

  “Would you let me see if there are any more cuts under all this blood? You look like someone dumped a bucket of blood on you. You could audition for a part in a horror movie.”

  Abby snorted but did not say anything while Billy cleaned the blood off of her face.

  “You’ve got a few minor cuts, but nothing else like the one on your forehead.” Billy gathered the used gauze and put them into a plastic bag.

  Abby carefully slid off the tailgate.

  “Where are you doing?” asked Billy.

  “First, we need to lock the building, then, I need you to get to the hotel and go over all the video we got. I need to know if we caught anything unusual or if this was just typical deterioration.”

  Billy looked at her. “You don’t think this was normal, do you?”

  Abby shook her head. “Something’s not right. That wall was not on any of the blueprints and not one of the permits was for building a wall in the basement.”

  “The building has been empty for about twenty years. Maybe someone has been sneaking into the building and using the basement.”

  “It’s possible, but I don’t think so. Did you smell or hear anything odd before we went in?”

  “What? Now I’m the police dog?” Billy put his hand over his heart. “Do I look like a police dog?”

  “If the snout fits.”

  “You’re so funny. Ha. Ha. Ha.”

  “Seriously, did you smell or hear anything?”

  Billy shook his head. “Nothing different than from what we already know.”

  Abby frowned. She glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to get to the meeting with Theo Willis over at the architect’s office. I’m already about 15 minutes late.”

  “Call them and resch
edule it. You’ve got a legitimate reason.” Billy put the first aid kit back into the truck.

  “You don’t cancel meetings with Theo Willis.”

  Billy looked at Abby and raised an eyebrow. “Are you planning on going looking like that?”

  Abby looked down at her clothes. Dust and dirt covered her. “I don’t have much choice. There’s no time to go change.”

  “I’ll lock up. Are you absolutely sure, you’re okay. I’m not crazy about the idea of you driving.”

  “I’m fine.” Abby lied, hoping he wouldn’t smell it. She really hated wolf sense. Around the pack, it was like living with lie detectors. It really sucked when she was a teenager. “As soon as the meeting is over, I’m going straight to the hotel room.”

  “I’ll go over the video. If you need anything, you call. I mean it—anything. All I need is for you to have a wreck. The Alpha will just kill me, but he will lock you in your bedroom until your old and gray haired.”

  “Do you really think mom will let dad do that?” Abby grinned at Billy as she got in the truck.

  “I’ll start a preliminary list too.” Billy picked up the digital recorders and closed the tailgate. He walked to the driver’s door and handed Abby her tablet. “You be careful kiddo.”

  Abby waved as she drove off. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw Billy open the passenger door of his truck and put the video equipment inside.

  Abby frowned as she bit back a groan. She really needed some painkillers. Her adrenaline levels were dropping, and she was feeling the aches and bruise, but the cut on her forehead was the worse. The pain throbbed in time with her heartbeat. It would surprise if she didn’t have a concussion.

  She sighed. The sooner she finished with the meeting the sooner she could get to the hotel, take a shower, and lie down. She would have to call her dad, aka the Alpha, and let him know what had happened, but it could wait until morning. She needed to look at the video. Hopefully, Billy had caught something that would shed some light on what had happened. Drilling a hole into the wall should not have made it crumbled. Over the years, both she and Billy had drilled numerous holes into walls in worse condition than that one. None of the walls had ever fallen on her like that one.