“Chloe,” I opened the water and took a greedy gulp. The first few swallows stung my tender throat but the cool liquid quickly soothed away the pain. I finished the bottle quickly and Delilah handed me another. I really wanted to down that one as well but noticed it was the last one she had with her. I didn’t know how long I was going to be down here. Knowing Cyrus, it would be a while and who knew when I would be given water again. I set the unopened bottle down beside me before I leveled her once again with a questioning stare. “Where am I?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. We’re on some old farm land but that’s all I’ve seen.” She met my gaze and I knew she was being truthful when she gave me an apologetic smile. “I’m never told where we are due to security measures or something. They always have to blindfold me when we move around.”
My eyes widened in shock, not just because of what she said, but because of how nonchalant she was about it. Like being blindfolded and not allowed to know your location was normal and no big deal. It was as if she had no idea how dangerous the company she kept truly was. She wasn’t a shifter. I would have sensed that right away. So, what was her purpose?
“How long have things been like this for you?” I had a feeling it had to be for a long time for her to be indifferent about some very alarming matters.
“As long as I can remember, really. Malcolm adopted me when I was around five.” That explains it then. She is an adopted daughter and doesn’t know any better; the poor thing.
“And Malcolm would be whom exactly?” I hadn’t ever heard that name before. The way she said his name made it sound as if he were important.
“He is what they call the ‘Alpha.’ The leader of all the shifters.” What!? “They are a little barbaric – for sure – but you’ll get used to their ways. The hot headed possessiveness grows on you.”
I was beyond confused at this point. “I thought Cyrus was the Alpha panther.” Instead of answers, so far I had only gathered more questions.
“Well, I guess that is technically true.” She bit her lip in concentration as she seemed to search for the right words. “I’m not really sure how it all came about, but I do know that your new mate is only second to Malcolm.”
It was absolute crickets in my head at the moment. I didn’t know how to process the information I was just handed. That psychopath wasn’t even the head psychopath? This wasn’t good news for anyone.
“I’m sure you will be out of this room in no time.” Her face brightened with a smile as I continued to stare at her. She was trying to reassure me. I could tell that she had no clue toward the real reason behind why I was in this room. This girl radiated kindness and I couldn’t bring myself to believe she would condone what Cyrus was doing if she truly had any idea.
“Do you know why they locked up in the first place?” I needed to hear her truth because I knew whatever story this poor girl had been fed was just that, a story.
“Cyrus found you. He tried to explain what he was and that you were his mate.” Her expression turned sympathetic. “It’s completely understandable that you freaked. Seeing someone turn into an animal for the first time is shocking. Even after witnessing it with your own eyes. It’s pretty hard to believe.”
I was speechless again. No wonder this girl thought that it was okay for me to be in this cell. She truly believed that I was in some state of shock over the concept of shifters. This poor clueless girl. She was living with monsters and had no way of knowing the truth. I needed to say something. Give her some insight on the real situation but I didn’t know what to say.
“That’s not…”
“Cyrus is a great guy. He’ll take great care of you.” I could feel the bile rise in my throat. Each of her words were like a kick to the gut. I wanted to scream. I wanted to spill everything to this girl and tell her how I have already found my true mate and explain how much of a threat Cyrus really was. But I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t allow anyone the knowledge that I had a mate. Cyrus must never find out about Falcon. As long as he was safe it didn’t matter what happened to me. Just the thought of what’s to come made me shiver in both fear and disgust.
“Are you cold?” Delilah’s tone continued to be filled with concern. She shrugged out of her jacket. “It is a bit damp down here. Take this.”
She handed me the dark green canvas material. I was so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn’t realized that I accepted it until I had already pulled it on. It was still warm from her body heat and the warmth seeped into my icy skin.
“You still down there, Del?” A gruff voice called from the top of the concrete stairway. I immediately shuffled back until I was pressed against the far wall. I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped them in my arms.
“Yeah, Scott. I’ll be up in a minute.” Delilah hollered over her shoulder before turning back to face me once again. She frowned at my new position. “Hey, don’t worry about that guy. He’s harmless, I swear.”
Somehow, I was not convinced. A lump formed in my throat and I couldn’t choke out a response. What could I say? She wouldn’t be inclined to believe me anyway. This girl had been around the cats for most of her life. She had been, as far as I could tell, well taken care of. She wasn’t a prisoner and seemed to have quite a bit of freedom since she was in here with me. No, there wasn’t anything I could say.
“I have to get going. I don’t know when I will see you again.” She looked kind of crestfallen when she said that. “The last time a mate was found I had to leave immediately after. So, if I don’t see you, remember that everything will work out as it should.”
She walked toward the barred door, opened it, and stepped out of the room before securing it behind her. I scrambled to my feet just in time to hear the lock click into place. This whole time we were in here together and I didn’t think of the possibility of the door being unlocked. Not that I would have made it anywhere, but still I felt idiotic for my lack of trying.
“Please don’t leave me down here. You don’t understand what’s…”
“Delilah!” She let out a sigh and flashed me one more kindhearted look.
“Just give him a chance, Chloe.” And with that being said, she disappeared up the cement steps and I was once again locked in my own personal hell. It wasn’t until a while later that I realized she had said something about another mate being found. That girl must be terrified, wherever she is. Was she like me? Or had she been ripped away from her life without any knowledge of what was happening to her? This girl had to be another Potential, which caused me to think about her true mate. If Aribelle’s hunch is correct, then the Potentials are destined to be mated to the wolves. If that was truly the case, then this girl that Delilah had mentioned could belong with either Dane or Colton. Regardless of whether she was right or not, that poor girl needed to be found.
16
CHLOE
Delilah hadn’t returned and I wondered if she truly was moved to a new place all because I was occupying this cell. I had no way of knowing if it was night or day. There were no windows. No cracks or crevices the sunlight could shine through. This must be what solitary feels like.
At least the room I was being held in was large enough to move around. The space was illuminated by two light bulbs that hung from the ceiling on the outside of my cage. It was a soft light, but it was more than enough to bathe the entirety of the basement. Looking through the metal bars, there wasn’t much to see. The cement stairway – the pathway to freedom – was directly in front of me. Mocking me. The area housed nothing else. No forgotten boxes or furniture. Nothing on the unpainted walls but an old washer and dryer hook-up. There was nothing to hint at my whereabouts. Just a concrete floor.
My cell wasn’t much better in the way of comfort. The walls were unpainted as well and the floor was cracked and dirty. The furniture consisted of a fold down cot – void of sheets and blankets. Next to that was a rickety looking wooden chair and an upside down wooden crate. In the far corner of the room sat an old toilet and small me
tal sink. Their sanitation was questionable but at least it wasn’t a bucket. Thank goodness for small favors, I guess.
I wished that I could find some sort of clue to my location. More than that I wished that I could feel my bond to Falcon. It felt as if it had never existed, and I prayed it was only due to that chloroform type chemical that Delilah said they used to knock me out. I actually hoped that it was still lingering within my system. I couldn’t bring myself to face any other possibility to the emptiness I experienced. I missed the connection. I only just started to allow myself to use it, but even before that it was like having a built in security blanket if I should happen upon a need. I guess it was true what they say – you never appreciate what you have until it’s taken away.
Cyrus had been taking from me since I was ten years old. First my father and then my freedom. From there, he took away my hopes and dreams for my future. He made me feel powerless and afraid. But now, I know what my future could be. I know who I am destined to share it with and I wanted it. I wanted to take back the reigns and steer my own life.
A newfound confidence began to build deep inside. Cyrus may have stolen my control a long time ago, but I was finally ready to take it back. Even though I hated to be held captive once again, I needed to be here. I had made the right decision to go. Maybe not for the right reason to begin with, but I did what was best for the pack – for Ari, Mazie, and the other Potentials out there somewhere.
There were so many unanswered questions. What were the cats hoping to accomplish? What was the end game? How were they always able to track us down when it was obvious that we were not their mates? How did they plan to change that? So many questions. I had a feeling that Cyrus had some answers and whether I liked it or not I needed those answers. We needed those answers. I knew that he had no plans to kill me. Make me suffer? Yes, but the only way for him to do that would be to hurt my family or my mate. I knew – without a doubt – that my family would be protected at all cost by the pack. As far as my mate was concerned, Cyrus will never know I was claimed by one. He would never know about Falcon because what he didn’t know couldn’t hurt him. All I needed was for my bond to connect once again.
A shudder ran down my spine as my mark started to tingle. It had been some time since anyone ventured close enough for me to feel. I didn’t know anything about where I was but it had to be isolated. Minutes stretched by before someone entered the building. The door creaked open and then slammed. The loud sound caused tension to seize every muscle I had. Heavy footsteps fell across the floor as my visitor made his way toward the basement door. The small hairs at the base of my neck stood on end. My skin broke out in goose bumps as the door was thrown open at the top of the cement staircase.
I retreated to the back of the cell as mud caked boots began their descent. My heartrate accelerated and sweat pooled at my lower back. My arms wrapped my torso – an attempt to shield my body from its impending doom – on instinct. No matter how strong I wanted to be, I couldn’t control my body’s immediate reaction. There was a predator heading in my direction and he was the subject of my fiercest nightmares.
As he slowly made his way to the bottom of the stairs, I took a deep breath. Somehow, I needed to find my courage. I couldn’t relinquish my power anymore. I closed my eyes and thought of my mother, Ari, the pack. Then an image of Falcon filled my mind. I thought about everything I wanted to say to him. Every experience I wanted to have with him. Only one thing stood in the way. One vile creature stood between me and everything I ever wanted and I was about to face him for the first time in nearly three years.
A fire lit through my veins as anger filled me. That rage began to burn through all the fear that Cyrus had long ago created. When it was done, I had nothing but hatred and loathing left for the panther. My hard-fought confidence swelled within me as his footfalls came to a stop outside the cell door. I squared my shoulders and prepared myself for the sight of him. Seeing him would surely be a shock to the system but I was ready for it. I opened my eyes.
“Hello, my precious mate.” Hearing him use that word was like dousing a fire with gasoline. My rage burned so bright I was sure flames shot from my blue eyes.
“I am not your mate.” A dark chuckle filled the cell. The sound seemed to slither over my skin like thick oil. He leaned against the door. His strange yellow eyes raked down my body. The glint that lit them made me feel exposed, dirty.
I schooled my features – taking a page out of the Falcon Tonalee handbook – and kept my need to shudder under wraps. If he was hoping for a reaction, then he was going to be disappointed.
“Why am I here, Cyrus?” He looked the same as he did the last time I saw him. The last time I was forced through the door of his office all that time ago. His jet black hair hung at his shoulders. The length reflected by his lanky body. Although his presence was still imposing, his lean build – like that of all the panthers I had come in contact with – lacked the broad muscle of the wolves. Their bodies seemed to match the sleekness of their animal. Where the cats may have been faster, the wolves were definitely stronger.
His eyes were always startling. An eerie yellow that haunted her worst nightmares. They were set below a dark brow that made the color even more off putting. Those eyes, if given the chance, could penetrate the strongest of emotional walls. A stare that was just as dangerous as the man.
“This is where you belong, little Chloe Weever.” No, definitely not where I belong.
“In a cage?” I scoffed.
“With me.” He purred out the words and my stomach rolled in disgust.
“I don’t belong with you.” I spit out my reply and narrowed my eyes in defiance.
“You will.” The purr turned into a hiss. His tone resonated with finality.
“What does that even mean?” I did my best to sound bored. It wasn’t hard to do. I was bored with this. “I’m eighteen now. I have my mark, and guess what?” He continued to stare and I returned his gaze with more confidence than I ever thought I would possess. “You. Are. Not. My. Mate.”
His gaze was unwavering. It was more than enough to make me squirm but I held strong. I met his heated look of obsession with my own disgusted glare. He broke our staring match when he leaned back from the bars. “It isn’t time yet.”
“Did your alpha tell you that?” His eye snapped back to mine and they flashed with a dangerous light. “Yeah, I heard that you aren’t the one in charge around here.”
“The four alphas are considered equals.” He snarled every syllable.
“The four alphas?” His lips parted into an evil smile.
“Let me tell you a little story, precious.” He grabbed the bars once again and leaned his forearms against them. I kept as still as stone, waiting for him to begin. Whatever he was going to tell me was going to be bad. I could feel it. I also knew that it was important. Whatever it was. “Once upon a time…”
17
FALCON
It had been a day and a half. Nearly thirty-six hours since I had heard her voice whisper its weak song throughout my mind. I was lost. My wolf was out for blood and almost completely out of my control.
The first twenty-four hours after she was taken were blanked from my memory. My wolf – already anxious from the injuries I had received – became filled with rage and the emptiness that consumed our heart when her consciousness faded into dark nothingness. He became feral as he battled for dominance and easily won due to both the physical and emotional pain that crashed over me.
His rampage went on for hours. The garage would need extensive repairs before it could be opened for business once again. Tools and automotive parts were strewn across the concrete floor. My wolf tore out the hoses for the hydraulic lift. Everything became his target while the red haze of fury overcame him. Connell had barricaded me in the shop when he had heard the anguished howl. The others had been communicating with him as they attempted to chase after my foolish mate.
She had somehow given three wolves the slip and disap
peared silently into the night. They were able to track her scent for a short distance but it dissipated too quickly with the weather’s unpredictability. The pups found a location that carried the scents of both Chloe and the panthers. There, Colton located a chemical laced rage. It was an obvious sign to verify what I already knew. She had been drugged and had fallen into the deep sleep immediately after she pushed her words past my wall and into my heart.
Now, she was gone. There was no sign of her, or any of the cats for that matter. Every trace had vanished. The trail had run cold and I could do nothing. I couldn’t protect her. I couldn’t fulfill the vow I gave my mother on that tragic night. My whole being vibrated with infuriation. Toward the pups for being distracted that night. Toward my mate and her apparent need to be self-sacrificing. But mostly, I was infuriated with myself for not anticipating the full effect my injuries would have on Chloe. The girl was chocked full of self-blame and the events of that night pushed her to her breaking point.
“We will find her, Fal.” Colton’s hand clasped my shoulder. My wolf lashed out for control once again and before I was able to cage him, I had the pup against the wall. My hand wrapped around his throat and I had lifted him off of his feet. He choked – from lack of oxygen flow – and his face turned deep red.
“Release him now, Beta.” Connell’s roar rumbled throughout the entirety on the room. The words were reinforced by the push of his Alpha command. I had no other choice, but to concede to his will and drop my hold on the other wolf.
Colton dropped to his feet and sucked in some much needed air before coughing on the exhale. “I didn’t intend to anger your wolf.”
I said nothing as I turned away and headed out of the room. We were at the Weever’s house awaiting the return of my mate’s mother. Aribelle had called her earlier in the day when it became painfully clear that we had no hope of locating Chloe. We had searched the entire area. No clue as to where they could have possibly taken her. The women had become distraught and demanded to talk to me. She had said four words. Only four words to me, but they were the most important words at the moment. You will find her. Her tone had been absolute. As if she had every faith in the world that I was capable of finding her daughter no matter the circumstance. These circumstances were far from ideal. We had nowhere to start unless I could reach her through our bond. The link was still empty.
Intended (The Potential Series Book 2) Page 9