‘I don’t know that I can even imagine that.’
‘You won’t have to if you just give up with all this shit—maybe you’ll see it for yourself.’
‘This shit?’
‘Brody, you need to calm down with the overprotectiveness. I’m an adult, and I can look after myself. I would have thought you’d be happy at the fact I now have someone else looking out for me?’
‘Are you guys ready to order?’ The waitress appears with her notebook. ‘Your drinks will be along in just a minute.’ I’d forgotten about the menu and still hadn’t decided.
‘I’ll take the prawns to start, and the ribs, with a side of onion rings, and chicken wings please, in barbeque sauce.’
‘And for you, miss?’
‘I’ll have the same, thanks.’ Her eyes widen just a little, then she frowns, jotting it down. As she does, the drinks arrive, courtesy of the barman. He hands over our pints of coke and leaves us to it—the waitress following at his heels.
‘Willow, I know you’re bonded, and I know it’s inevitable, but I just can’t help being pissed that he is five years older than you. It’s a lot.’
‘Not really in the grand scheme of things, Brody, at the end of the day, I’m almost eighteen. Closer to that than seventeen when you think about it, and yes, we could have waited—he intended too, but it would have been torture for us both. And now we know why it was so hard for him.’
‘Are you telling me it’s that difficult to be around the one you’re meant to be bonded with that you can’t wait a couple of weeks?’
‘Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.’
‘That’s stupid, what if you were ten and him fifteen?’
‘Well, I guess chemistry has to come into play too, Brody. That’s just silly.’
He harrumphs. ‘The fact doesn’t change, Brody. We are bonded. You can’t change it and the longer you draw this pissed off crap out, the worse it will get between us. I love you, and I’d like for you both to get along. Is that too much to ask?’
He inhales deeply and twists his lips up, but before he can say anything, the waitress stands a tray by the table. On it are our prawns. They smell divine. And I can’t wait to dig in.
‘Oh my god, these are fucking good,’ I tell Brody as I pop a second prawn in my mouth. He follows and moans in appreciation as he chews on his own. My phone beeps.
Howard- ‘Everything okay, sweetheart?’
Me- ‘Yes, everything is great. I miss you though.’
Howard- ‘Fuck, sweetheart! Hurry up home.’ I giggle as I put my phone in my pocket.
‘Howard?’ Brody asks rolling his eyes.
‘Yes,’ I tell him as I pop another prawn in my mouth. Brody is already mopping up the sauce with the garlic bread slice that came with the starter. I’m still savouring the taste.
All of a sudden I can see everything in slow motion. Brody is up and out of his seat in seconds, dragging me out through a door I hadn’t even noticed was there. All I know is that I can smell a wolf in the air. And it isn’t a friendly one.
We crash through the emergency exit, and before I even have a chance to turn around, I am grabbed and knocked to the ground. There’s a sharp sting in my shoulder. The pavement is cold, and my head is swimming. I can see through blurred vision that Brody is fighting two males. Oh no, I need to help him. I reach for my knife and clutching it in my hand, I try to get up. I see a huge boot swing and feel the crunch of my nose as it connects with my face.
‘I don’t think so dah’ling,’ someone says. I hear Brody grunting, but I can’t see. I can’t fucking see. Instincts tell me to curl into a ball and protect my head. But I desperately need to help my brother.
‘Jordan,’ I yell, but it’s weak. I can barely catch my breath as I take blow after blow, knocking the wind out of me. I’m vaguely aware that I’m trying and failing to fight back.
‘Give me that before you cut yourself, you stupid cunt,’ my attacker snarls at me. I know that voice. I’m up on my feet, swaying, trying to orient myself with what is happening and where we are. I can barely see in front of me, but I swing my knife hand when I notice a fist arcing toward me. I move to block, but I’m heavy and sluggish, I can barely keep my eyes in focus. I try to speak, but nothing but slurred words leave my mouth. My tongue feels thick and weighted down. Everything sounds like an echo in my ears as I try to shake my head to clear it. I’m lifted off my feet.
‘Tough bitch this one. Thought she’d be out like a light with that dose.’ Are the last words I hear as darkness takes hold.
***
My hands are bound behind my back, and my legs feel like lead. I can’t move my body at all. I inhale, desperately trying to see if I can find any familiar scents, but my nose is blocked. I’ve taken a beating and my face is in a bad way, but I can faintly smell one scent that is very distinct. Daniel. The new alpha from my old pack. I don’t want to open my eyes just yet and give away my advantage. I test the bindings on my wrists, but my fingers are almost numb, they’re bound so tight.
‘She’s awake,’ I hear Daniel say. ‘Too soon, my little pet,’ he says, and I feel a sting at my neck. I fight to stay conscious. I try really hard, but the darkness surrounds me. I have nowhere to run. I have to let it in. I have no choice. Howard my mind screams out. Howard.
I SMILE AS I respond to Willow’s message. I miss her already. I finally know how Jared and Brad feel, and won’t ever be able to tease them about it again. Fuck, it’s like I need her to breath. How the fuck I’m going to manage, being away from her when I go back to Uni, I don’t know. But I know I’ll have to, or risk looking like a fucking pussy. At least she’ll be here when I get home. I slide my phone back into my pocket when I get a whiff of Jacob. Turning, I see him just buttoning up his shirt. What the fuck?
‘What the fuck are you doing here?’
‘I’m just coming to see what Jared actually wants me to do because he said to guard the perimeter but Harrison is already out there, so I came back.’
‘What? I fucking told you to go with Willow and Brody!’ I can feel the anger rising inside me, and I only just manage to rein it in. ‘EXPLAIN!’ I demand. ‘NOW!’
‘Brody got a message from Jared just before they left. I was to go straight out to guard duty. I did a couple of rounds only to realise I was crossing over with Harrison. He said orders were the same. He was on duty. So I came straight back here.’
‘Fucking Brody!’ I mumble, walking back inside the house. I dial his phone. It rings. Answerphone. FUCK. I’m about throw the thing, but I know I can call Willow—she’ll answer. So I dial her, all the while searching Jared out. I make it to the top of the stairs when her phone also goes to answer machine. Frowning, I dial again. Same. Again. I knock on Jared’s bedroom door. I dial again. By the time the door opens, and I’m looking at a half-naked Jared, the answer message has come on again.
I don’t have to speak. He knows there’s something wrong immediately.
‘Talk to me.’
I take a deep breath. ‘Could be nothing but I sent Jordan and Jacob with Brody and Willow. Did you message Brody, telling him you needed Jacob?’
‘If I needed him, I wouldn’t have messaged Brody. I’d have called you.’
‘What I thought, and now I can’t get either of them on the phone.’
‘You tried Jordan?’ Stupidly, I shake my head, while scrolling through my phone, bringing his contact up. I dial and wait. Nothing happens. I dial again. Answer message. I growl and dial again. Same.
‘Fuck, Jared, what the fuck is he doing with her?’
‘Calm down. Where did they go?’
‘I don’t even fucking know. Why the fuck didn’t I ask?’
‘Howard, calm the fuck down and let go of the frame before you break it. Come on, where’s Jacob?’ I move fast towards the stairs, and I hear Devon asking what’s going on. I find Jacob in the kitchen. ‘Where did they go?’ I ask. He holds his hands out, palms up, and shrugs his shoulders. Jared and Dev
on come in behind me.
‘Brody was asking about places to go earlier. Maiya mentioned that the Frankie and Benny’s was really good. I’m pretty sure that’s where they’ve gone.’ Devon explains.
I keep dialling Willow and keep getting the answer message. I’m about to lose my shit when Brad also comes in, followed by Maiya, who confirms the conversation. I’m walking out of the door to get my car when Jared stops me.
‘Let me call Harrison and get Jacob out on duty—we’ll all go. I don’t like this any more than you do.’ I nod, still heading for my car. I hear Jared call several names and get the females taken care of while Zoe trots out with him and Brad. Harrison comes out from the tree line, and we’re good to go. With the car full, I wheel spin on the drive, trying to get a move on.
‘Easy, Howard, no good to anyone if we don’t get there alive.’ I ignore him because the faster we get there, the quicker we find out what the fuck Brody’s playing at.
I pull into the car park, and the first thing I see is the car they left in. Still parked outside. The front entrance isn’t far away, and there is no sign of Jordan. The wind isn’t in our favour either from this side. I walk straight into the restaurant and scan it closely, followed by Brad. Harrison and Jared are scouting around the outside. Zoe tries to calm the waiter, who is freaking out about us walking in and around the place without waiting to be seated. I go to the toilets. Trying the women’s first.
‘Willow,’ I know she isn’t in there because her scent isn’t there. Same in the men’s. The booth they’d been sitting in is empty and still has their glasses and plates on. The drinks are only half drunk. Something is fucking off. Brad and Zoe head over to me.
‘Can you smell that?’ Brad asks. I shake my head
‘What?’
‘It’s Daniel. He was in here. It’s faint, but it’s here.’ Just as the bottom falls out of my world Brad’s phone buzzes and he leads us to a fire exit. Pushing the door open, we arrive at the back of the building. The light above the door is out, but straight away, I smell blood. Brody and Jordan are here and bleeding badly. Letting my eyes adjust to the night, I run down the alley to where Jared and Harrison are both trying to deal with the bleeding from both guys.
‘Howard, get me my bag quick.’ Zoe demands
I run to the car and grab it from the boot. By the time I get back, she’s performing CPR on Jordan. Brody is out of it, and his phone is on the floor about a foot away. He’s taken a bad beating and has a stab wound to his shoulder, and his forearms and hands are messed up where he’s fought against the knife. Why the fuck isn’t he waking up though?
‘His blood smells weird,’ Jared says. I hadn’t picked up on that until he said. ‘He’s been drugged.’ Zoe and Harrison are still working like fuck to get Jordan breathing again. I don’t much like the kid, but he doesn’t deserve this. Fuck.
‘I need to track her. I’m sorry, but I need to go.’
‘Fuck. Wait a minute. You are not going alone—they want you dead remember?’
‘I don’t give a fuck. I’m not standing around while they have her.’
‘Howard! Think smart for a fucking minute. You’re messed up right now, and your head isn’t in the game. You can’t fucking help her if you get caught—or worse.’
I stop, grinding my jaw.
‘Brad, go with him see if you can get a trace on her?’ Jared orders. Brad nods turning and patting my shoulder.
‘Come on.’
I don’t have time to feel bad about Jordan or Brody. I need to find my mate. We scour the alley, and all I find is traces of her blood, which sends me in-fucking-sane. There isn’t enough that she’s wounded so badly she can’t heal, but the fact she’s wounded at all is enough.
‘I should have just fucking killed the bastard,’ I bellow down the alley. There are tyre marks from a van or a four-by-four of some kind, and that’s where the trail of Willow’s scent ends. I try like fuck to differentiate between the vehicle they used and every other vehicle on the main road. Nothing. I’m about ready to pull my hair out by its roots when Brad calls me over.
‘There are got cameras here, here, and here.’ He points down the main road at each set of traffic lights. He turns us back into the car park. ‘We’re going to go in and ask for the cameras of the car park and also any others they have. I nod, and we enter the restaurant again. The waiter looks pissed.
‘Listen, you’ve already cost me a couple of customers. Now, unless you’re going to buy a drink or food, I’d like you to leave.’
‘Fuck off, dipshit,’ I growl as a woman dressed in what looks like managerial attire approaches.
‘It’s fine, Wayne, I’ll handle it.’ Then she turns to us. ‘What can we do for you gentlemen, if you haven’t come to dine here?’ she asks sounding sweet but looking far fucking from it.
‘We’ve had an incident in the car park and the alley that leads to the back of the building. I need access to all of your recording equipment,’ Brad says in his best professional voice. I growl behind him, my patience wearing very thin.
‘Can I see some ID?’ she asks still smiling. I think that’s it, and our gig is up, but Brad pulls something out of his back pocket and flashes her it. Her brows shoot up, and she appears to be very taken aback, clearly not expecting actual proof. That made two of us, but I don’t ask questions as she moves us through the restaurant. We come to some equipment that looks like DVD players but a bit fancier. Waving her hand up and down them she says, ‘Have at it.’
‘No monitors?’ Brad asks incredulously.
‘Yes, in the back, but I assumed you would want the digital copies.
‘Yes. I do, but I need to know what copies I need from what cameras.’
‘Well, the monitors are in the staff room at the back, but we need to take the copies from here.’
‘Fuck it. I’ll just copy the lot and watch on my monitors. I don’t have time to piss about with out-dated systems like this.’ Her face is a picture as Brad gives it to her.
‘I don’t believe it’s out-dated.’
‘If you can’t see what the fuck is going on, at the moment it’s going on, then it’s out-fucking-dated, and makes my job a fuck of a lot harder,’ he grumbles. She looks at me. I grunt, and she goes away. Brad is busy downloading shit from each machine, but he’s getting more pissed by the second.
‘If I don’t know what’s on here, I can’t wipe it until I know for sure I’ve got the info we need. If I can’t wipe it, the whole fucking kit and caboodle will be on the system and who the fuck knows what they caught!’
‘Fuck! Just copy everything. Can we check that a copy worked, really quickly?’
‘Gimme a second. When this first one has downloaded, we’ll check it, then I’ll know if it’s copied over correctly.’ It feels like it takes about ten minutes when in reality it’s probably ten seconds, but every damn minute is a minute Willow is further away. But we also can’t risk the pack. So, anything on the system needs to be wiped. He gets the green light that it’s downloaded onto his little stick, so we move to the staff room, which is through the back of the kitchen. We get some funny looks, but nothing a scowl doesn’t deter. I just want this job done so can we find a lead of some kind. Fucking anything to go on right now would be a blessing.
We find the monitors, which has Brad spitting feathers. He’s practically snarling at the injustice of a system so shit. Me, I just see monitors that will show me shit I need to know. As I tap my foot, he uploads from the stick, and we see a perfect view of the front door. He fast-forwards a little, and we see Willow and Brody enter. I almost want to scream at her to turn the fuck around, but I know there is nothing that can be done now. It’s too late.
‘We’re good. Now we need to get the info from every camera they have.’
‘Let’s go.’ We make our way back through the kitchen and back to the machines we need. Brad works as fast as he possibly can, and it still feels too long. In the meantime, Brody is conscious but seems out of it. We fi
nd him fighting to get up despite his wounds, and his only words are ‘Willow’. Fuck, at that moment I forget he is the dickhead that let her get taken because I share his pain.
‘What happened? Where did they take her?’ I ask him as I put my knee on his chest to keep him still. It’s only then that I realise Zoe is trying to stitch up his wound. I look around, trying to see Jordan, hoping he too has come back to the land of the living. But I don’t see him. Or Harrison either. I don’t have time to question it though—there are more important things on my mind right now. Brad pulls me up and off Brody, telling me to let them work on him—we need to get him home so we can work on this stuff. I nod, not able to argue with his logic. We haul him into the car and drive as fast as possible. When we get into the kitchen, Brody is laid out on the table, and Zoe recommences her work.
‘Where’s Jordan?’ I ask as I move with Brad and Jared into the security room.
‘He needed immediate treatment. Harrison took him. They knew he was coming. I called ahead, and the doc was meeting them on the way to assist. It doesn’t look good, but he’s only young, so I’m hoping…’
‘Shit,’ is all I manage. Last thing we need is to be losing pack members. He’s barely had a life. We get the shit downloaded in half the time it took to upload from the restaurant. Brad instructs each of us to watch two monitors, and he puts up the cameras. I get the front entrance, which I’d already seen a part of and the lower monitor is inside the restaurant.
‘How do we fast forward?’ Jared asks.
‘Each monitor is touch screen. Touch the right hand lowest corner and the buttons will appear.’
I do the same and flip through them entering the restaurant, and do the same with the lower, watching while they take their seats. I watch Brody dictate where they sit, and I can see he wanted to be by the exit. When they sit in the booth, I lose sight of Willow behind Brody as she’s sitting opposite, and I can only see the back of him. But his head swivels, and he is clearly watching for anything unusual. I’m waiting for Daniel to walk in, and I don’t have to wait long. He opens the door and strides through with purpose, knowing exactly where they are sitting and not missing a beat. He’s been watching, that much is obvious. I see Brody’s back stiffen, and he is up and out of his seat, dragging Willow up in front of him, making sure he is between Daniel and her. Then they leave through the fire door. And Daniel follows. He hovers in the doorway just long enough that I know he is watching whatever is happening unfurl before him. Bastard. I clench my jaw as I watch. Rewinding and squinting just enough to see if I can see something. Anything.
Fated Love (Stone Pack book 3) Page 11