The manager had apparently been furious that she’d stopped working, which only ticked Juliette off even more. She’d stood up to the boss, reminding him that without guests like that little boy’s family, their business wouldn’t even be operational. She’d thought she would have been praised for her good deed but she was thoroughly surprised she’d gotten a verbal beating for it. After that, she only worked there for a few weeks before quitting, the poisonous environment stressing her out.
As Saylor had told the story, tears filled her eyes and Jack took it as his moment to pull her into his arms, holding her close as she collected herself. It seemed completely unlike Jack to show that kind of emotion and it overall left me at a loss for words.
I didn’t understand the sudden change in those two. What did I miss?
We sat there for a tad longer until eventually we all parted ways, Juliette on all of our minds. Would she ever be found? And if she was, what kind of condition would she be in?
JULIETTE
Dear Baby.
Guess what? I’m finally beginning to show a little! My bump is tiny and barely noticeable to someone who doesn’t see me on an everyday basis, but I can definitely see it. It’s weird to be thinking that you’re growing in there, that a little human is inside of me. That I made you.
You couldn’t be more of a blessing to me. In the dark time of my life, you brought me hope and you still do. I have no doubt that you always will.
I’m dying for the day that I find out if you’re a little girl or little boy. Will I be taking you to dance classes or soccer practice? It seems crazy to be thinking of me doing those things and I don’t think I’ve fully wrapped my head around those ideas but they’re there, rolling around in my brain.
I still haven’t gotten the chance to tell Beau that he’s going to be a father, and I’m scared for that day. I’m not ready to face him yet. I feel like when I do that, that I’m losing you. I haven’t known about you for long, but you’re my miracle and it’s hard to face that you aren’t just mine. You’re his too. But it’s not just that, either. I’m scared more than anything that he may reject you, that he’ll question whether you’re his or even just walk away completely.
As someone who’s grown up without parents and family, I know how important it is for you to have one. And please know that even if Beau isn’t in the picture, I’ll always be here and so will your Aunt Saylor.
I’m your mom and I love you so much already, you can’t possibly imagine to what extent.
Xoxo, Mommy
LAURA
I sat outside my favorite coffee shop, waiting for my son to arrive. The sun began setting in the distance, painting the sky in beautiful hues of pinks, yellows, and oranges.
It only took a good ten or so minutes of waiting before my son pulled up on his motorcycle and climbed off. His boyish smile extended throughout his face, all of his stress and worries momentarily escaping him.
“Hey, Mom!” Beau spoke, giving me a tight hug as if he hadn’t seen me in years, when in actuality it’d only been a matter of weeks.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
My heart was at ease being around him. I felt as if I was now whole once more. Every moment spent with him put me at awe of the man that he’d grown up to become, taking on such responsibility at a young age and tackling it with complete alacrity.
As we sat and ordered some coffees, I took in the rugged look of my son. His usually clean-shaven face was now a mess of bristles accompanied by dark bags under his eyes. His hair seemed longer than I remembered, sticking out from various places among his head.
“What’s wrong?”
“What gives you the idea that there’s something wrong?” Beau responded, doing the very thing that he knew irked me to no end—responding to a question with a question.
“Honey, don’t. I’m your mother. I can tell when something is bothering you. I mean, look at you. You’re a mess.” I half-smiled, though my expression was grim. I watched the battle that raged inside his eyes, Beau contemplating my every word.
Out of nowhere, a loud sigh escaped him. The only motion made was his shoulders tensing as he spoke.
“A few months ago, I met this girl. Juliette.”
My body shook, eyes brimming with confoundment. “Is she your mate? What’s she like? Is she pretty? Can I meet her?” The questions came out back to back in rapid-fire succession, not even giving him enough time to answer. I couldn’t help my excitement. I’d been waiting for this day.
“It’s isn’t like that. She’s human and I haven’t seen her since our last time together a few months ago.”
My body deflated like a balloon releasing all of the helium in short wisps. I sat back in my seat and allowed Beau to continue, trying my best to not interject.
“About a week or so ago, I found a note in the bushes in front of my house. It was from her, asking to talk. I don’t know how long it had been there. The note said that she had something important she wanted to discuss with me.” He paused, running a hand through his unruly hair, only further causing it to stick up in different angles. “I dropped by her place to talk to her, only for there to be no answer. So instead I swung by the diner she works at, her friend and my old friend Jack—whose her boss—were there. They told me she had been kidnapped.”
My eyes were vacant and my body motionless. I hadn’t anticipated the conversation taking a turn in the direction it had.
“They also said the police had closed the investigation because they were lacking evidence. They’re giving up on finding her and don’t even care that she is still out there somewhere in the hands of whoever took her.”
Beau hung his head and took steady breaths to calm his nerves. Even if they could never be together, just knowing she was out there somewhere living her life happily would have made him feel all the better. That is, till she was taken.
“Oh geez.” I shuddered thinking about the poor girl, praying that wherever she was, she’d be found and returned safely to her friends and family. I placed my hand on my son’s shoulder, trying to mentally shove all my strength into his body, as if there was such a way.
In all the parenting books I’d read throughout Beau’s lifetime, never once was I given advice about what to do when one of your son’s friends is kidnapped.
“Everything about her scares me, Mom. She’s human and the emotions that I’m feeling for her are so strong, they don’t make sense. From the start, I’ve tried to do the right thing, but she keeps finding her way back into my life. I don’t know what to do.” For a man who was usually pretty quiet, Beau spilled the beans to me pretty quickly.
I was more perceptive than most, and I was facing the only other being who I knew better than myself. I was looking into the face of the sweet little boy who’d run from the bus stop carrying flowers for me, the very same one that had scared the living daylights out of me when he’d first learned to phase into his wolf form. This was my son, my boy, and he cared deeply for this girl. “She must be pretty amazing if she has captivated you already. I can see it in your eyes. I hope that I get the chance to meet her.”
“She is one of the most incredible girls that I’ve ever met. Her smile lights up every room she walks into. And unlike most girls, she doesn’t try to be anyone other than herself. Juliette is everything I’ve ever hoped for, but I just don’t know how to let her go. With her abduction, I can’t even talk to her. I can’t tell her how I’m feeling. And hardest of all, I can’t let her go even though I know that I absolutely have to.”
BEAU
I sighed as I thought over the words that had spilled unexpectedly from me. I hadn’t realized the extent of my feelings for her until they came pouring out. Not to mention, as sweet as my mom was, the last thing I wanted to do was burden her with all the stress that I’d been dealing with.
“What about the pack?”
“What do you mean what about the pack?” I asked her, utterly confused as to where this conversation was beginning to head.
“Well, I was going to start looking for her myself. I just came to that conclusion this morning. I didn’t think of including the whole pack in a search for one human.”
“She isn’t just a human. I’ve taught you better than that, Beau. Regardless of species, each life is precious. Besides, isn’t it the pack’s job to protect humans if and when circumstances like this arise?” Mom moved her chair back to the other side of the table as she sat back and sipped her already chilling coffee.
“I mean, yeah. But…”
“But what? Don’t you want to find her? And isn’t the pack the fastest way to do that?”
“Yes.” I was suddenly taken aback by the hard tone in my mom’s voice. She was already too invested in this, and deep down I knew she was right, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wanted to be the one to rescue her. That wasn’t selfish, right? But it was and I knew it.
After saying my goodbyes to my mother, I climbed onto the back of my bike, brooding, only to realize that it shouldn’t matter who rescued her, just as long as she was found healthy and safe. As long as her beautiful aqua eyes fluttered and her mellifluous voice still spoke, even if it wasn’t to me.
Furthermore, Saylor needed Juliette and as little as I knew of their friendship, what I did know was the girls were a package deal and together was where they belonged.
I would be sure to make that happen. The other option was too grim to even consider.
JULIETTE
I woke to the sound of a door being closed somewhere else in the building I was in. No matter how many times I twisted and turned, no position in the universe could help me get comfortable on the hard floor.
The chill of the alloy chains against my wrists and ankles made the already unbearable situation even worse. Every muscle in my body ached from my lack of everyday movement and I craved the moment when I’d have my free will back.
I may even take Saylor up on her offer to go workout in a gym, which therein itself is pretty comical.
The walls stifled the voices speaking in the room beside mine and no amount of straining would magically allow me to hear what was being said. I sighed, leaning my head back on the wall. Closing my eyes, my bound hands rested on top of my small ever growing bulge.
I wasn’t sure how long I was sitting in that position before the two kidnappers entered the room. The one whom I now knew as Miguel carried alcohol swabs and multiple syringes and vials. Miles was rolling up his sleeves and placing his hands inside two latex rubber gloves.
As the men came up beside me, it was in that instant that all the memories—from the hour of my parents passing all the way up to the day I aged out of the group home—came flooding back to me all over again. All the mental and physical abuse I endured playing like a montage through my head. I felt as if it happened every time they entered the room, though it could have been my body’s way of mentally preparing myself for whatever they had in store.
Miles placed his hand on my arm to steady it just enough, to make it easier to slide the syringe into the nearest vein, just as he’d done countless times before. I once again didn’t disappoint, using every ounce of strength within me to protect myself and the little life growing inside my stomach.
Life wasn’t supposed to be like this and I vowed to myself that if I could find a way to escape, I would make sure to turn my life around for good. I wouldn’t just talk about it, I’d make it happen.
I twisted my body the best I could and kicked behind the kneeling Miles, aiming for the back of his head. I must have gotten quite predictable because he somehow managed to protect himself against every move I made. Every time I fought them, it grew harder and harder to think of new attack methods. All the violence I’d seen growing up hadn’t prepared me for this.
My kicking continued manically. Miguel stood off to the side observing, yet taking no action to jump in and help his so-called friend.
Miles’ eyes darkened as he released my arm and swung his right hand up, smacking me clear across my left cheek. Though the first blow stung, the following ones were much more painful. He continued, alternating with the slaps across both of my cheeks.
Pure agitation grew to fill his eyes as I continued to fight against him, despite all his efforts to once again break me. Miles paused, only to place his two hands around my neck. Although I’d managed to get in a few good swings, the moment his grip tightened, I gasped, trying to suck in as much air as possible. With each second it grew harder.
My body soon stopped responding to what my heart was telling me to do... To keep fighting. My eyes widened—full of fear—the men in my focus becoming more and more blurry. Darkness enveloped me, welcoming me like an old friend after a long winter’s nap.
MILES
“And why exactly did you stand back and watch instead of helping me detain her?”
“Uh. Y-y-you looked like you had it handled.” Miguel stuttered under my gaze.
“I should have opted to work alone. You’re a complete dumb ass.” Fuming, I snatched the medical instruments out of Miguel’s hands as he knelt down beside the unconscious pain in my ass, strands of her blue colored hair draping over her face. The large bruises of my handiwork were beginning to appear on her face.
“You said that you wouldn’t hurt her.” Miguel counter-argued, but the look I gave him shut him up rather quickly.
“I guarantee now that this Juliette chick has finally learned her lesson. She won’t be fighting back any more. If she does, then she’ll be suffering the consequences of her actions. The decision is in her hands.”
As soon as I’d successfully extracted what I’d needed, I placed a bandage over her arm to soak up the small amount of blood that was beading on the surface.
“Here.” I shoved the vials roughly at my partner, the grimace on my face continuing to harden. “Get started testing this. There has to be some way to explain the rapid regeneration of animal cells.”
MIGUEL
“Okay,” I responded as I looked down at the samples in my hand and then back over at the unconscious girl draped against the wall, her head hanging off to one side, resting against her shoulder.
I knew now more than ever that what I had agreed to from the start was the wrong choice. What did this girl ever do to warrant this kind of treatment?
Wracked with guilt, I just didn’t know what I could do or say to improve the situation. I was too far involved to turn back now and the shadow of Miles’ threats against my family hung over my head.
As the man of the house, I provided everything for them despite what it cost me in return. It was my choice to agree to help with his plan, but Miles made it so I couldn’t back out, even if I desperately wanted to.
I thought of my two-year-old son and my wife, who was now in her last trimester with our second child. I couldn’t lose them; they needed me. Looking down at Juliette Mitchell pained me and made the guilt even more unbearable.
What if someone did this to my pregnant wife and unborn child? I didn’t know if anything could’ve been done to stop me from killing anyone who dared to lay a finger on her.
But I made my bed and now I had to lie in it. So be it.
SAYLOR
I answered the door, only to find Beau’s massively large frame standing in my doorway.
“Well, I’d say, ‘Good Morning!’ but considering you’re blocking all of the light, I could just as easily say, ‘How’s your night going?’ And by the way, how the hell did you find out where I live?”
Beau snickered at my commentary while I stood back and ushered him into my place.
“Everything is on Google, Saylor. Everyone knows that.”
“Well o-kay then. What’s up, Hugo?” I asked, cracking myself up. I laughed so hard that I was leaned over, clutching my stomach as tears streamed from my eyes.
“Ha ha,”
Beau responded, though the twinkle in his eyes showed his commendation. Now that we’d gotten everything out in the open, I had somehow subconsciously forgiven him. He wasn’t a victim but he also wasn’t the only one to blame, I understood that now.
“I’ll give you that one.” He smiled at me as my giggling began to dwindle. When I was finally calm enough to listen, Beau began to talk, his voice taking on a much more serious tone. “I’m gonna find her.”
Dear God.
“Wait, pause and rewind. You’re gonna what?” My hands flew through the air as I spoke in disbelief, eyes widening with shock.
“The police gave up on her and I don’t intend to sit by while she’s suffering through God knows what, in God knows where.”
“Okay, I’m with you on that, I really am. I want to find her just as much as you do, but we can’t just charge in guns blazing with absolutely no game plan, clues, or resources.”
“Sure we can.”
I sighed. Stubborn ass. I looked him straight in the eyes, a multitude of emotions in the very depths. Beau cared more about Juliette than he was letting on and I sure as hell wouldn’t be the first one to bring it up.
Everything in me screamed that he was right. Jules needed to be rescued. I knew that more than he did.
Beau wanted her found because he had a connection with her and possibly felt something for her, but if he knew that she was pregnant with his child, the poor guy would most likely blow a gasket, or break something. Maybe even both.
There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Juliette could handle herself, but being preggo with an eggo could pose a small problem, clouding her judgment.
“Okay, so what’s your game plan?” My mouth twisted into a devilish smile. “I’m ready to get my girl back.”
Make A Wish (Dandelion #1) Page 9