by Bella Colt
“And you believed him?” I ask once again, getting in his face. The kid can’t control himself anymore as I’m assaulted with the smell before I see the brown running down both of his legs. I gag and take a few steps back, smiling at the kid.
“You can go clean up and then meet the others back here to start cleaning up the streets. When that is done, you’ll report back to my house for further punishment.” I command in my Alpha tone, looking each of them in the eyes for a second before adding. “Understand?”
“Yes, sir!” They say in unison as Tommy goes to clean himself up. I stand there for a moment to watch the rest as they begin working on picking up the debris from the fight, before leaving to go back home.
Jogging back, I reach the house in record time. Walking through the front door, I stop in the kitchen to grab a drink before going to the study to fill out some paperwork for the damage done. Grabbing an ice-cold bottle of water out of the fridge, I walk out of the kitchen towards the hall. Taking a deep breath and inhaling the scents in the house when the smell of puke and blood hit me. I immediately change course running up the stairs, dropping the water bottle from my hands as I go.
Running to my door, I see that it’s cracked open, Amara wouldn’t have left it open. Did I forget to lock it? SHIT!
“AMARA?” I yell as I slam the door open to step into our room.
‘Mate?’ Wolf instantly goes on alert.
Scanning the room, I notice the bed is missing the sheet, and the comforter is thrown to the bottom. There is puke on the floor next to the edge of the bed, and the bathroom door is closed. I jog to the bathroom pushing the door open only to find it empty. Walking to the tub, I smell it before I can see smudged spots of blood at the bottom.
‘Mate!’ Wolf whimpers this time.
What in the hell happened? How could this happen here? Sweat is pouring down my face, and I can’t stop shaking from anger and fear. Allowing my wolf to take over, I feel my muscles tighten and bunch before it feels like they explode as I phase. Never before in my life has it been painful to shift. Focusing, I run out of the room, stopping only for a second to smell, but I can’t make out anybody’s scent. Running down the stairs, I stop and repeat the process with the same conclusion, no odors. Wolf is panicking, and I’m confused...we should have been able to find Amara’s scent! Especially if she left the house, but it’s like she’s disappeared at our bedroom door. I make my way out of the house and through the one-way (out) wolf sized doggie door.
Sitting on my porch, I howl long and loud into the night calling for the entire pack. Within five minutes, every pack member is in front of me, most shifted but some not. My parents, Brianna and John, with Allison making their way to stand beside me on the porch.
‘Is there anyone not here?’ I communicate with everyone telepathically.
Everyone takes a look around. My mother is just starting to say something when a rusty orange wolf joins the pack. Cassius! Arrogant prick always shows up late.
‘Now that everyone’s here, I want the entire pack to wait here while my family, John, Allison, and I talk inside.’ I listen for a second as the pack mentally starts complaining like children.
‘What’s the meaning of this?’ and ‘We have the stuff to do.’ Coming from all over the group.
‘Kill them all! Not one of them deserves to live, it was one of them! It has to be! They took her!’ Wolf screams, enraged at my pack.
‘Silence!’ I command them.
‘You’ll do as I say!’ I snarl with the finality of the Alpha tone as I turn around and trot back to the door.Shifting again, I quickly open the door and head to the downstairs bathroom for some shorts before returning. Sitting on the couch in the living room, I hang my head in my hands as I wait for everybody else but Allison to shift and dress.
Once everyone is seated, I stand up and start pacing the length of the couch I just vacated. “Amara is gone! Again! It has to be somebody in the pack!” I tell them as each of their expressions change.
“Oh my God, why?” My mother and Allison gasp in unison.
My father and John stay silent as their eyes glaze over, not focusing like they’re thinking.
“I don’t know, and I don’t fucking care; she can’t go through this again! I’m supposed to keep her safe!” I yell at them, the guilt eating at me. I should have never left her alone! She’s not going pee without me when I get her back.
“How long were you gone?” My father asks.
“About forty-five minutes, why?”
“She can’t be that far then! Sadly, I believe that you’re right...it’s someone in the pack, but we can’t hold the entire pack hostage outside until we find her. What we need to do is narrow it down to who would want her and why.” My father explains.
“I agree; however, I also think we need to lock down the compound, so no one comes in or goes out!” John says as he nods his head in agreement with my father.
Taking a deep breath, I contemplate my options, go with the advice or go with Wolf? Retaking my seat on the couch, I rub my face with my hands.
“That’s good, but it’s not enough, we need to do more! I couldn’t find any other scents in the house; I couldn’t even find Amara’s beyond our room!” I explain while growling low in frustration.
“We will get her back, Declan! We should call her grandmother, maybe she can help?” Allison finally speaks, causing me to remove my hands and look at her. She’s what people consider classically pretty, a petite redhead with green eyes. Looking at her now makes my heart ache for Amara, my eyes look to the slight swell in her stomach as the tears begin welling up.
“Okay.” Is all I say as I head out the door feeling utterly defeated. I release the pack to their homes with the order of a complete lockdown.
Chapter 4
Cassius
Damn! Damn! Damn! I can’t believe we have to wait outside until he gets his head out of his ass. Chuckling at the thought, I look around and see that every pack member is here, even the pups I paid to start fighting. Narrowly avoiding their gaze, I walk around the edge of people and wolves. I find the right spot to stay concealed standing behind a tall man with his back to me, just in case any of the pups recognize me.
Locked in a room, in the farthest house, and on the outer edge of town, she’s waiting for me. More than likely, still asleep from all the chloroform she inhaled. Numerous vacant houses are surrounding the town, especially on the outer edge. It seems like everybody always wants to live close to the Alpha, pussies! This is great for me, though; it gives me time and space I need to implement my plans.
The house is soundproof. All the windows except one have boards nailed to them from the outside. I have hidden video surveillance covering both entrances, and it’s stocked with enough supplies for a month. I encased the window in the room she is in with cement, and there is no handle on the door from the inside. I have the only key that can be used to open the door by deadbolt from both sides. I think I’m prepared for absolutely everything...
The strong smell of jasmine and honeysuckle catches my attention, causing me to jerk my head around the guy I’m standing behind in search of it. Black straight hair is all I can see as I stare at the small figure radiating off such a sweet smell. She looks like she stands about 5’5, but I can’t be sure from this distance. I shake my head to switch my thoughts when a voice I haven’t heard in years comes across my thoughts loud and clear.
'Mate, Claim!' My wolf demands urgently, making me sigh aloud. I wouldn’t have guessed at how much I actually missed him, but this is not the time to get sidetracked by an excellent smelling piece.
'No! I don’t want a mate, and you and I haven’t talked in years, so why would I listen to you now?' I retort back, trying to be done with all this so I can get back to it.
'I stopped talking because you never listen!' He growls back at me so loud that my head vibrates from our link before I’m greeted by the typical silence.
My Alma Lobo and I haven’t spoken to each
other in fourteen years. There was an accident with this “friend” of mine, and he tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen, and my “friend” died. After that day, my Alma Lobo abandoned me, and I’ve been alone in my head; he wouldn’t answer my questions or help me in any way, even when I begged him to. Absolutely fucking nothing, and then now because of some cute chick, he thinks he can come back and demand I claim her. He’s dead wrong.
I’m lost in my thoughts when someone bumps into me, and instantly jolts of electricity are shooting throughout my body from the point of contact. Looking down, I realize it’s her! Honeysuckle and jasmine, she must have been making her way in this direction through the crowd, and I was too distracted that I didn’t even notice. She looks up and smiles at me from ear to ear.
Shit! She knows, she’s obviously a werewolf but definitely not from this pack. Fuck me, what am I going to do? Declan opening the front door and standing on the porch as he calls for everyone’s attention, distracts her and allows me a few minutes to think.
“Here’s the deal, we are on a complete lockdown starting now until further notice. Meaning no one comes in, and no one goes out! I know this is an inconvenience for some of you, but trust me, it’s for your own good!” He growls to the crowd in his Alpha voice. He’s making sure none of us can disobey him before he turns around and goes back into his house, before releasing us to go back to what we were doing before.
“Hi.” She greets me looking directly in my eyes; hers are a light caramel brown color.
“Hello, what’s your name?” I ask back lamely before I can catch myself. I don’t care what her name is! I don’t have time for this or her...possibly ever in my life, and leading her on will only make a mess for me. I need to make this believable, or she’ll never leave me alone.
“Raina, but my friends call me Rain, what’s yours?” She asks, genuinely interested in knowing.
“Cassius, but I prefer Cash. Look, I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not mate material, and anyways I have a girlfriend that I plan on staying with!” I say snidely behind a smug smile, lying straight to her face.
“W-what are you saying?” She asks. The betrayal and confusion evident on her face and I can see the tears in her eyes threatening to fall.
“I’m saying that I reject you,” I tell her with finality before I turn around and start walking away, making my way back to that house. I have one more window to board up before it gets too dark.
Chapter 5
Raina
He rejects me? What in the hell? I can’t control myself as the tears start to fall unwillingly down my cheeks, I watch him as he walks away from me not looking back once. Ugh! I can’t believe that man or men in general in my experience.
The men in my pack are no better. After dating two guys in my pack when I was sixteen, I learned pretty quick what men are really after... wolf and human alike, seems to make no difference. I decided back then that I wouldn’t bother with dating anyone but my mate, and I haven’t. However, Cassius has decided without getting to know more than my name that I am somehow not worthy of being his mate. Who would choose a girlfriend over a life mate? I can guarantee it’s not the best relationship it could be...
Out of plain curiosity and nothing else, I decided to follow him. I must see what this girlfriend of his looks like. Making sure to stay behind bigger bodies, I walk with the crowd until it dwindles down to only a few people walking the same path he is taking. I follow as long as I can before I have to stay behind as he continues walking alone down the street. Sniffing the air and locking onto his scent, I lean back, trying not to look like a stalker and wait since I don’t know the area. Initially wanting to wait ten minutes before going after him, but mine and wolfs’ curiosity and jealousy won’t allow me to.
So, after waiting seven minutes. Four-hundred and twenty excruciatingly long seconds. I begin following his scent, walking alone down a semi-dark street that leads away from town. Streetlamps illuminate the path every thirty feet or so, but the majority of them are broken. Only one out of every four is lit, allowing the darkness to cover the path. This street must not be used often or by many people I ponder continuing my walk for about a mile when I come to a three-way fork in the road.
Each one must lead to a different property, walking to the front of each one I inhale deeply looking for his scent. It’s weird, but I smell him on all three, but the path to my left is the most recent, so that’s the one I choose. Strolling, it takes a few minutes to make my way up to a log cabin house, it’s fashioned like all the other packhouses that I’ve seen while here. Still, this one has some immediately noticeable differences. Chills shock up my spine when the first thing I notice is that all the windows here have been boarded up.
'Be careful! Don’t like this!'My she-wolf warns me.
'We’ll be okay. His scent is strong here, though, so I have to check it out,' I explain to her as I edge up to the house and make my way around back.
Walking past the front porch, I notice that there’s no handle to the door, only a deadbolt. That’s weird, even if the house is vacant or just a show property. Maybe he is a construction worker, and this is his job site? I’m starting to think that I could be wasting my time and risking looking like a real stalker as I turn the corner of the back of the house. Immediately, I'm assaulted by the smell of wet dirt, no, not dirt exactly... maybe clay? Looking around, I notice a ground window that isn’t boarded up but doesn’t look right either. I walk closer for a better look and can see that it’s been very recently cemented shut! What in the fu….. a door that I hadn’t noticed opens and interrupts my thought. Before I’m able to even think to react, Cassius is walking out, wearing a tool belt on his hips as he carries a board under one arm.
He spots me immediately and starts growling ferociously while in human form. The look on his face sends a cold chill throughout my entire body
“Run!” My she-wolf commands breaking my stupor.
Immediately I obey as I turn and dig my feet into the ground for leverage, pushing off and start to run. I’m already around the corner of the house when I hear the sound of wood hitting the ground, followed immediately by his hard footsteps quickly catching up behind me. My breathing is ragged, and my sides are hurting as I make my way past the driveway, fighting with myself not to look back. I hear his footsteps crunching in the gravel from the side of me, warning me of his general position.
Knowing my chances are small, I wait until I hear his footsteps just a few feet behind me, quickly closing in. I drop to my hands and knees on the ground, hugging my body, praying this works. He has no time to stop as he runs and trips over me at his full force. Watching as he falls and lands on his face into the road, I quickly stand up and attempt to run again. Once I’m upright and taking deep breaths, I’m immediately greeted with a sharp stabbing pain in my side that has me wishing I was in better shape in my human form. Fighting nausea, I walk a few more steps before I notice Cassius isn’t on the ground anymore. I have no time to process this as a hand grabs me at my neck, and an arm is wrapping and locking around my waist and squeezing. Lack of oxygen and pain has me seeing spots as I claw at the arm squeezing me, before surrendering to complete blackness.
Chapter 6
Amara
Slowly consciousness returns to me as I struggle to open my heavy eyes completely confused. Blinking rapidly, I will them to adjust to the dim light quicker as I slowly sit up. Looking around, I’m in a small barren bedroom with a bathroom attached. The only light offered is a few candles that are on floating shelves. A sick feeling in my stomach has me quickly laying back down on a small bed next to a gray wall.
Where in the hell am I, and what happened? My head hurts and is pounding as I rub my hand against it until I find an egg-sized knot while focusing on the wall. There’s something off about this wall, a slight discoloration that looks like a rectangle. Curiosity has me slowly sitting up and running my hand along the wall to feel the rough, hard-rocky surface that’s definitely out of place.
Concrete in the middle of the wall, why? A window maybe, as soon as the thought forms realization hits me. I remember everything from throwing up and being caught naked in the shower by a masked man. Looking down, I realize I’m dressed in a long white t-shirt, taking a sniff I can tell it’s Declan’s and underneath I am wearing a pair of my underwear. Another wave of nausea hits at the thought of some pervert dressing me, and I have to lay back down.
I must have dozed back off because I’m abruptly woken up by the sound of the door slamming open. The first thing I see is a small female body being tossed to the floor, making her grunt from the impact. In the dim light, I can only make out a mess of blonde hair and blue eyes before the person tossing her in closes the door. Those eyes are somehow familiar....but why, though? Where have I seen those bright blue eyes before? Running through a list of people I know, not one person comes to mind. Expanding my thoughts to recent people in Declan's family and immediately I know who it is! Cassius!! Getting off the bed, I walk towards the woman.
“Are you alright?” I ask her as I lean down, offering her my hand. She shakes her head from side to side in a no response.
“Can you walk?” I ask. She nods her head in a yes before taking my extended hand. As I pull her up, I see her face scrunch in pain as her free arm immediately goes to her ribs. Helping her walk to the bed, I help her lay down as comfortably as I can before I sit on the edge next to her. Her eyes are closed, and I can tell she is struggling to breathe as I listen to her heavy breaths that are shallow and wheezy.
“I’m going to lift your shirt to look at your ribs,” I explain to her.
Without opening her eyes, she slightly nods her head as she drops her arm to her side. I have no medical training, but I’ve been to urgent care enough times that I was able to pick up some basic knowledge. Grabbing the hem of her blue V-necked shirt, I roll it up to just below her bra line, revealing her flat stomach and ribs but still leaving her covered. I see a massive dark bruise forming that spans the length of her right side.