"Lauren, it’s me. Charlotte took us. We're in the trunk of her car."
She gasped, her breath turning ragged. "Oh, my god!" She tried to sit up, and banged her head on the trunk lid. "Ow!"
I flipped around so I could face her, rubbing her arm with my free hand. "It's okay. Calm down." Despite my own panic, I used a soothing voice. "Nate and Joe will find us."
"How?" she cried. In that one word I could hear the desperation, and dread that she must be feeling. And she was right; our situation wasn’t a good one. "We're in a car. Our scent doesn't go through metal."
Right, I hadn't thought of that. Since I had met Nate, I had learned a few things about werewolves. And there was one thing right now that I was counting on, and that was the strong urge to protect us. When Rowan was threatening me, Nate was very strict in keeping me guarded and wouldn't let me out of his sight. The only reason Rowan was able to grab me was because I asked Nate to leave me alone. He only let me when I promised that Lauren and I would carry the gun that held silver bullets. What I wouldn't give for a silver bullet right now.
Silver! Yes, that was the answer. Werewolves were allergic to silver. And I remembered putting on my silver necklace this morning. The gemstone wouldn’t hurt her, but the setting would. I could just turn it around and burn Charlotte with it when she opened the trunk. Hopefully, she would fall back, and we could run. Right now, I really needed something to make me believe that we’d get out of this. I reached up to touch the pendant for two reasons, one—it would protect me from the vicious werewolf who had taken us. And two—it would make me feel closer to Nate, giving me hope that he would find us. And if hope was all we had, then I would grab onto it as if it were a life line.
Instead of the cold smooth gemstone, my fingers touched skin. My necklace was gone! My spirits plummeted. I thought I had figured out a way out of this, but Charlotte was again one step ahead of us. My throat burned with the threat of tears, but I would not give that witch the satisfaction.
"Meg," Lauren said softly in the darkness of the trunk. Without seeing a body attached to the voice, she sounded hollow, and ghostly.
"Yes?" I hated the sound of fear in her voice. I needed to be calm so that I could pretend that we would get through this. It was the only way to hold the surge of panic from spilling out of me.
"Am I really Joe’s mate?"
I wanted to respect Joe's and Will's wishes, but her voice was so full of frustration and pleading, that I had to tell her. "Yes," I whispered, feeling a weight lift off of my shoulders. All the lying had been eating away at me.
She sighed with relief. "Then why has he been pushing me away?" The sound of a muffled horn rang outside the car, and I fought the urge to scream again, knowing it would do no good.
"Your father doesn't want you to be with a werewolf after what happened to me. He thinks it’s too dangerous, and I guess he was right." I laughed darkly at the situation. Just last night, I had thought Will was wrong to keep them apart. "Joe is his friend, so he's been trying to respect his wishes, but it’s been hard for him."
"My father told him to stay away from me?" Her voice rose, ringing with anger. "He had no right. This is my life!" She pounded the side of the trunk with a thud.
"I know. I even told him that you felt the same as Joe, but he wouldn't listen to me. He said that I wasn't a parent and that he was doing what was necessary to protect you."
Umph. The car jolted upward—we must have hit a pothole. Pain shot through my head as it bumped against the hood.
"Ugh." Lauren's voice was a soft moan as she bumped the side of the trunk. "Where do you think she's taking us?"
"I don't know."
"What do you think she wants with us?"
Charlotte’s words drifted through my thoughts. He rejected me, and I don't take rejection well. It was true—she bit Nate and Joe, and they both had left her. Could she be doing this to get even?
"I think it's because she feels rejected by Nate and Joe.”
"Do you think she'll kill us?" The fear was back in her voice, stronger than before.
"I don't think so. She'd have to know that they'd hunt her down and kill her for doing that." My voice wasn't as strong as I'd hoped it would be, because honestly, how could you predict a sadistic two hundred year old werewolf?
"Are you-" she began.
"Shhh! Listen," I whispered.
Charlotte was talking. "You didn’t tell me they were both mated. Now, I won't be back for the full moon." She paused with no audible response. I guessed she was on the phone. "I know, I said I'd be back today, but there’s been a change of plans."
Her voice was muffled, and I might have missed a word or two. "You can handle them." Another pause. "Are you totally useless? If they get out of line, use your teeth. It's not that hard. I have to take care of something. I'll call you if I need you." Lauren nudged me as Charlotte paused again.
"Just handle it!!" Charlotte yelled, and then the radio came on. She must have hung up.
"Teeth?" Lauren whispered. "Did she make more werewolves?"
I shuddered at the thought of Charlotte creating more monsters like her. "Sounds like it."
The car slowed and turned a corner. "What were you going to say?" I asked, remembering that I had cut her off.
Her elbow grazed my side as she shifted position. "Are you mad at Nate?"
"For what?" I asked, dumfounded. Why would I be mad at him? It wasn't his fault that Charlotte felt the need to get revenge after a hundred years.
"For marking you."
I had forgotten about that, which was understandable since I was knocked out and in the trunk of a car. "I'm not sure. Right now, I would give anything to see him."
I paused, remembering how I reacted to the other odd wolfy things he had done. The idea that he marked me like a rancher branded a cow was a little disturbing. But now with this situation, I hoped it would make the wolf inside of him find me faster. And if that happened, I wouldn't say a word to him about it. I had told him to be honest with me, and although I hated finding out from Charlotte, I understood that with Lauren’s appearance, he couldn’t explain.
The car slowed, tires crunching on gravel as Charlotte pulled onto the side of the road. When her door creaked open, I tensed, waiting for her to open the trunk, but she didn't. A loud thud sounded above us, and I heard some muffled sounds as she moved around the vehicle. The door closed with a bang, and we began to move once more.
I relaxed, and thought about what we had been talking about earlier. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Joe," I said softly, feeling guilty for keeping it from Lauren for so long.
I felt her lean up on her elbow. "I don't blame you, Megan. I went through the same thing with Nate. And I hated keeping it from you too. But like this, it wasn't my news to tell. Besides, I had my suspicions. I’ve been friends with a werewolf for three years. I recognised the signs."
Her words shocked me. “You knew?”
“Not knew, but I wondered. I was going to ask if you knew anything, but if it was true, you must have had a god reason to keep it from me.”
“Wow! I had no idea that you were suspicious.”
“I asked Joe a few times if there was anything he had to tell me, and he always answered no. So, I thought that maybe I was wrong. It’s a relief to finally know for sure why he’s been pushing me away.
I had felt the same way when I learned the truth about Nate.
We grew quiet, listening for sounds that would be helpful to figure out what was happening. Charlotte got out four more times, just moving around the car. She never spoke to us, and we would tense up waiting for her to make a move, but she didn't. We couldn't figure out what she was up to. Finally after what seemed like hours, she opened the trunk.
"Come on, I don't want you making a mess in my car.” She grabbed my arm, digging her nails into my skin, and yanked me out. She slammed the trunk on Lauren; her muffled scream had me tensing in Charlotte’s grip.
We were at a rest stop
next to a lake on the side of the road. The sun was shining bright, but the chill from the lake bit at my skin. I was still only wearing my short-sleeved sweater. The rest stop was deserted, so any hope of getting help disappeared.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked her as she shoved me to the small building. I stumbled along losing my footing, but she didn't notice or didn’t care.
"Because I can," was the only answer she gave me.
Once we made it inside the small foul smelling building, she pushed me into the stall and left the door open. "Hurry up and go."
I stood in front of the hole that was cut out of plywood and gaped at her. "You want me to pee while you watch?" I asked, feeling horrified by the idea.
"I'm not leaving you, so if you have to go, do it now. I'm not stopping again." Her gray eyes shot daggers in my direction.
"Where are you taking us?" I asked, unable to keep the tremor out of my voice. Fear throbbed in my chest, taking my breath away.
She just stared at me with her arms folded in front of her. Her long red hair blew with the breeze that came through the open side door. Since she wasn't going to answer me or turn around, I did my business, forgetting about the need for privacy. When I was done, she shoved me back into the car and yanked Laruen out.
While I was waiting for Lauren’s return, I remembered washing my father’s car with Ben when I was younger. Ben was my family’s groundskeeper and Mona’s husband. He had left the trunk open and went into the house. For some odd reason, I climbed inside and shut the lid. At first I thought it was exciting because I had always wanted a fort, and to me it was a close alternative—until I tried to open it. Panic set in, and I started to scream. It felt like I had been in there for hours, but apparently, it was only a few minutes. After Ben let me out, he explained that there was a button that I could have pressed to pop the trunk.
With that thought in mind, I felt along the trunk lid above me, feeling nothing but smooth cold metal, until my fingers touched a round, plastic, button. My heart soared with joy as I pushed it. I almost cheered when the trunk opened. Cold crisp air rushed through the gap, and excitement washed over me. Now that I found the button, we could wait until the car slowed, and then push it open. Just as I was about to pull the lid closed again, I heard Charlotte yell, "You little witch!" And then she was there, reaching for my head. Her eyes were wild and yellow; her face was distorted with rage. She yanked my hair and slammed it onto the floor of the trunk.
Pain exploded as blackness took over—again.
Chapter Six
The Search
"So where do we start?" Joe asked Nate as they stood about twenty feet down the driveway outside of the cottage. "We lose the scent here. They've got to be in a car."
Nate knew how Charlotte’s sadistic mind worked; she would want revenge for their happiness. She would want to see them suffer, but she wouldn't kill the girls because keeping them from their mates would be punishment enough.
"She won't kill them," he said softly, gazing down at the gravel below him, expressing his thoughts out loud.
Joe nodded, leaning against Nate's black sports car with his arms crossed in front of him. "No. She's just doing this to make us pay for leaving her. She's incredibly selfish. Always has been. She didn't think she did anything wrong. In her mind, she did you a favor by making you a werewolf."
"And when I hated what she made me?" Nate asked, glancing at Joe, an eyebrow arched.
Joe smirked at his friend as a blast of wind ruffled his hair. "She thought you were ungrateful."
Nate shook his head, not surprised by Joseph's words. Even by the little time he'd spent with Charlotte, he could sense that she believed that the world owed her something.
"Let me ask you something," Nate began.
Joe lifted his head, encouraging him to continue.
"When she didn't get what she wanted, what was her reaction?"
Joseph laughed sadly. "She'd throw a hissy fit, even as an adult." He gazed at Nate, understanding Nate's train of thought. "And you're right; this is her grown up version of a tantrum. She realized we had found our mates, and she hadn't. In her mind, since we rejected her, she had every right to punish us. She'll want us to suffer, and I’ve a feeling she'll hurt them in some way to get her point across even further." Joe winced visibly at his own words.
It must be hard for him, Nate thought. It wasn’t a stranger that took the women he loved, but his own sister. How could he ever forgive her? Nate was different; he didn’t have a personal attachment to the woman in question. He felt his eyes turn a dull yellow and rage thrum through every cell in his body at the thought of Charlotte hurting Megan. She was the love of his life. He felt whole with her around. He had been miserable for over a hundred years, holding onto guilt for Lucy's death. But Megan freed him from all of that, made him happier than he'd ever been, even before he was turned.
"We have to find them!" Nate's voice was a low growl, his hands clenched into fists.
"How do you suggest we do that?" Joe asked with frustration in his voice.
"Well,” Nate began, refusing to give up, “We both agree that she won't kill the girls, and she'll want us to find them." Nate paused staring down the driveway. Dusk had fallen, but thankfully they had perfect eyesight so the darkness wouldn’t hinder their search. "I think she'll leave a trail."
Joe nodded, pushing himself off of the vehicle. "I agree. You drive. I'll stick my head out the window."
"No, you drive," Nate argued. A flash of guilt surged through him as he thought of his teeth scraping Megan’s soft skin. "I marked Megan; my senses will be stronger."
"You're right. Let’s go." Joe moved quickly to the other side of the car, eager to start the search.
They had only driven to the end of the Riley's Estate when Nate picked up a scent. "I think she's driving with the window open. The scent seems blurred, mixed with the wind. But it will make it easier to find them. Turn right," he instructed.
They drove for a while in silence with Nate's head leaning slightly out the window. Every once in a while he'd sniff and then nod to Joe. They were still on the right track. When they got to the end of Union, Nate motioned for Joe to turn left. It looked like they were heading to the interstate.
"I will kill her for this. You know that, right?" Nate said in a low voice, breaking the silence that had fallen upon them. He was looking straight ahead, his eyes focused on the scenery passing by. The streets were nearly deserted. The evening air was icy, keeping pedestrians at home or in cars.
Joe shook his head gravely. "I understand, and my wolf is itching to make her pay for taking my mate, but she's me sister. I can't kill her." His voice held a note of fear. “She wasn't always a sadistic werewolf—she used to be human.”
"She took your mate!" Nate yelled, slamming his fist against the dashboard in front of him as frustration took over. He wanted to stop talking and figure out how to find them, and instead, Joe was defending the one that had ripped the girls from their grasps. "And she kills for fun. She needs to die!"
Joe's face was strained as he turned to glance at Nate. "Don't you think I know all of this?" he asked, his Irish accent getting thicker with emotion. "But she is me family. I can't let you kill her." His tone was firm, and he wouldn’t back down. They both sensed a fight in their future, but for now they held a common goal—to find their mates and make sure they were safe.
Nate faced his friend with pursed lips. "Let’s just find them and then decide what to do with Charlotte."
Joe turned away to concentrate once more on the road without uttering a word.
Nate sniffed again. "Turn here," he said gesturing to the I-81 Northbound. "Do you think she's headed to Syracuse?"
"No idea. Could be Watertown, Fort Drum, even Canada. There are lots of possibilities this way."
"She's your sister. Where does she live?"
"Do you think she keeps in contact with me?" Joe asked, with his brow raised. "I haven't heard from her since I left her. Stephen t
alks to her every once in a while. Last time I heard, she was in Chicago."
"Is that how she found us? Through Stephen?"
Joseph shrugged his shoulders. "Must be. I certainly didn’t tell her."
They grew quiet, following the scent trail Charlotte had left them, knowing that they could be going on a wild goose chase—or even worse, a trap. But their only option was to follow through; they had to find the girls, no matter what awaited them.
After about an hour and a half, Nate glanced at Joe. "I asked Megan to marry me last night."
Joseph's face brightened, and his lips formed a small smile. "That's wonderful! Did she say yes?"
For a brief moment, Nate's eyes flashed with happiness. Megan had agreed marry to him, and he still couldn't comprehend why. "Yes. But we didn't have time to make any plans."
Joe's eyes widened with alarm. "Is she wearing a ring?" he asked, his voice was filled with worry.
Nate shook his head with relief clear on his face. "No, I found it in her nightstand before we left."
"That's good. Who knows what Charlotte would do if she saw that?"
Nate nodded. "I know." He glanced around the area the scent trail had led them. Civilization had slipped away, leaving only trees, lakes, and fields. They hadn't seen much of anything for the last half hour. Just as Nate was about to open his mouth to speak, his nose caught a big whiff of all three women.
"Stop!" he yelled, his heart racing. The scents were so strong that the girls were either here or had been not long ago.
Joe slowed to a stop, and both werewolves jumped out. The scent led them to a rest stop, which was empty.
"Should we look around?" Joe gestured to the woods beyond the small building that held both men's and women's washrooms. The siding was a faded green color that hadn’t seen a coat of paint in years. Nate noticed the cracks and peeled paint in an afterthought as he glanced around.
"There's no point. The trail leads to the building and back to the road. Damn it!" Nate pounded his fist against the side of the building. A loud thud echoed in the brisk darkness, and the wind rustling through leaves in the forest beyond was the only answer. It was getting late, it was already eight thirty. He was frustrated. The moment he smelled Megan's scent, his hope had soared. He should have known that Charlotte wouldn't make it that easy.
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