by Fay Walsh
Travis stuttered, trying to fight the urge to scream at Alana. But, she gave him that look that said it all.
She had no intention of letting him win, of actually speaking with him about this. He left, heading back to the other clan members. Billy was the first to comment.
"You look fucking burned,” he said.
"Yeah. She didn’t listen to me, so I pretty much shot myself in the foot on that one. I don’t know if I can fix this,” he admitted.
"You never know. Some chicks are cool with trying to fix stuff like this, so maybe you’ll get lucky,” he said.
Travis wanted to believe him, and he appreciated the support, even though it felt hollow. But his calls and texts led to no result. Travis couldn’t help but feel that strange worry start to envelope him. He wanted to talk to her, but whenever he called her, it would go straight to voicemail, even though it obviously rang.
She ghosted him, and Travis realized he had hurt her.
He needed to put aside his fear of getting into it with her, of telling her that it wasn’t right to let her in. He wanted that to happen, but it was much easier said than done. Travis realized this, and over time, he began to realize that it was getting harder and harder to not worry about these feelings. One night, after he finished dinner, he went for another walk, hoping once again to see her, but there wasn’t a single person outside. He looked out, sighing in frustration as he took in the empty street and her house with the lights on.
He hated this, and he wanted nothing more than to make this work. She didn't accept him in this state, and he wanted to help her. The killings, the situation with Alana, all of this made him want to drink, which was a tempting offer for Travis at that moment. After he finished his walk he went back to the clan and poured himself some whiskey. There was a rustling, and then he felt Daren skootch next to him. He sighed, looking at his second in command.
"She didn’t listen. Figures,” he said.
“Humans are strange. But don’t worry, let’s just drink and wait for the right time is to pursue it again. Maybe it’s for the best, and maybe providence made this choice for a reason,” he explained.
"You know I don’t believe in any of that crap.”
"It’s just a thought,” he said.
Travis drank, letting the liquid burn his throat, making him forget everything. It wasn't the ideal solution, but it worked, and that’s what really mattered at the end of the day, and what Travis focused on whenever he downed a glass or two.
Chapter 7
Alana didn’t speak to Travis for about two days after the blow up, needing some space and time to chill out. A walk through the town was what she used, for the most part, to help quell her annoyance.
She couldn't believe that Travis wouldn’t let her in, would keep her away after all this time. She could feel the anger rising up as she walked through town and looked for him as she stepped through each street.
Alana didn’t see him at all, and maybe that was for the best. She walked to one of the bars in the corner, stepping inside and seeing a few of the patrons. Nobody paid her any mind, so she sat down, downing a beer before she looked around.
"I'm surprised he isn’t here,” she said to herself.
"And who might you be looking for?” another voice said.
She whipped her head around, looking at the guy nearby. He was a man with sandy blonde hair, a little bit of stubble and piercing yellow eyes that looked almost unreal. He sat down next to her, and Alana looked at the figure, trying to understand what he was doing.
“I didn’t invite you over here. Besides, who the hell are you?” she asked.
“Name is Kirk. I couldn’t help but notice you seemed upset about something,” he said.
“No shit. It’s nothing. Just frustration,” she said.
“Maybe I could lend an ear,” he said.
“Doubt it. It’s boyfriend issues. He’s a nice guy but... I feel like he refuses to let me in,” she said.
She looked at the man as he motioned for the bartender to come over.
"Another round. And it’s on me,” he said.
“Thanks.”
“Not a problem. You’re an attractive young woman Who knows, maybe you will find some companionship right here in this bar,” he said, his lips curling into a smile.
There was something about him which bothered Alana, something that made her want to say something, but she didn’t.
“Thanks. It’s nothing. I honestly think I just pushed everything too fast,” she admitted.
"I see. Well, if you need someone to talk to, I'm here. I understand relationship issues, and it’s obvious that you like this person. Maybe the two of you need to just... sit down and talk it out,” he said pointedly.
“That’s easier said than done. He’s cryptic as fuck. I mean, we were friends in high school, but ever since, I feel almost as if he’s afraid to move forward with our relationship. I feel he’s afraid of change and commitment. He does have others that he can rely on as well, various friends that matter to him. And me, I'm just the girlfriend. I don’t have much of a say here,” she said.
“Nonsense. Of course, you do. You’re beautiful, and you obviously care a lot about this guy. Maybe the two of you need to just work it out together. Unless of course, his secrets are too big to be disclosed,” he said.
She wouldn’t say that Travis was a shifter, but instead she skirted around it.
"In a sense, yeah. His secrets have made him almost otherworldly, and I feel like I can never keep up. But, oh well, I'm here now. I mean, I do love him, but if he’s going to be all aloof towards me no matter what, then that’s fine,” she said.
"I see. Maybe he’s stressed by something larger than you know. Maybe he knows there is something going on, and he’s trying his best to hide it. I can see that, but don’t let this get you down. You’re too good for that, and if anything, I can spend some time with you to help you relax,” he said to her with a smile on his face.
Alana wanted to trust him. She could feel that growing urge to do so. But, there was something about him which made her wonder whether or not it was the right thing to do, whether she should put her trust in this stranger.
"I know most people in town, but I've never seen you,” she admitted.
“Oh, I just recently moved here. I keep to myself," he said.
“That’s understandable. I try to do the same thing.”
"Good. So, what do you do for a living?” Kirk inquired.
"I'm an author. I moved here because it’s cheaper, and plus I missed this place. Honestly, Kirk, you seem very familiar. Did we go to school together or something? I don’t remember a guy like you, but I remember someone similar with a different name,” she explained.
There was a hesitation, and Alana wondered if she was onto something. Kirk then scoffed, looking at her with a glance.
"I don't know you. I'm very sorry,” he said.
“Oh. That’s fine. You just seemed familiar, so I wanted to find out if you were possibly one of the guys I went to school with. The one I've been seeing... he was actually a guy I had a crush on, back in the day,” she admitted.
"I see. Well, I'm around, and if you want to spend a little bit of time together, we can. Maybe we can work to forget about what he did,” Kirk said with a smooth tone of voice.
Alana felt a feeling of excitement wash over her. She liked the way this man spoke, but there was something sinister about it. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something about this guy which totally bothered her, something that made her want to cry out, to say something, and Alana didn’t know what it was. After a bit, he took a deep breath, stood up and walked towards the bar.
She had to admit, he was an attractive guy. She didn’t really like those types, but there was something about his air of confidence which warmed her body. She wondered if there was something deeper there, something he wasn’t telling her that he was keeping to himself.
The time together at the bar was short, but exciting. She
wanted to spend a little more time with him, for she felt there he might have something to offer. She didn’t think it would be anything more than mere friendship, but having someone to talk to, someone she could rely on and trust, felt relieving to her.
As she was about to get up and leave, she heard Kirk speak.
“Do you want me to walk you home?” he inquired.
She tensed, wondering if she wanted that. He seemed friendly, but Alana could take care of herself. However, she also felt the company would be nice, especially considering everything that was happening.
"Sure. I wouldn’t mind that,” she replied.
He smiled and then walked beside her. Alana kept to herself, feeling the presence change as they left. Instead of that friendly, albeit mysterious air to him, he seemed almost... sinister in a sense. Alana wondered if she did the right thing.
"By the way, I have to ask you something, if you don’t mind,” he said.
She hesitated, looking at him for a second.
"What?”
There was a grin on his face, one that made Alana tense.
"Is your boyfriend by chance a guy named Travis?” he asked.
“H-how did you know?”
"Because I was looking for his girlfriend. I need you for something,” he said.
Before Alana could react, she felt a hand against her mouth. Struggle meant nothing at this point, as Alana tried to free herself from the confines of the hands. However, whenever she breathed in or let out a sound, she started to taste something every time she did.
Chloroform.
She continued to struggle, to get out of this as best as she could, and as she kept pushing herself, she could feel her body growing ragged from the struggle. It was driving her mad, making her want nothing more than to just escape, but her own grip on reality started to fade away.
Her body soon went unconscious, but the last thing that she heard before she was out cold was from Kirk.
"We have the girl. Let’s take her back to our place. We’ll make sure that Travis pays for what he did.”
Chapter 8
“Come on, pick up,” he said to himself. He couldn't get a response and was feeling glum about the whole mess he had gotten into. He wanted nothing more than for Alana to just speak to him once again, so they could work out the kinks in their relationship.
But nothing. It had been two weeks since the fight, and Travis wondered if she was okay. Did she get hurt? Was she on her own doing her own thing? Were the shifters that he was trying to find bothering her? Travis had no idea, and the fact that he didn’t upset him to no end.
He went out to the main room, noticing Darren on his laptop.
"We have a problem. More people are going missing. There are also murders as well, with more and more animals dying, and people are just vanishing. We need to do something about this,” he said.
"Yeah. I'm just... struggling, that’s all,” he said.
"Is this about Alana,” he asked.
"Yeah. I've been thinking about her a lot,” he said.
"You two had a breakup, didn’t you?” Darren immediately said with a clicked tongue.
Travis looked at him with widened eyes.
“That obvious, huh?”
“Could’ve fooled me. I can see you hurting Travis. I know that you’re a good person, and you want to do what is right, but you also need to realize a part of doing what is right is choosing what you want to do with that whole mess,” he said.
"I know Darren it’s just... I do love her, I just have no clue what I want to do about us. I mean, she knows, but I'm scared to let her in, especially with all the murders happening,” he said.
"Yeah, but do you really want her to not know about the truth? About how shifters can be good, but also bad? Lots of people make the mistake of never letting others know about that, and that’s something that bites them in the ass later, and can be quite stressful if you’re not careful. With everything that’s going on, you need to make the right choices in life, Travis. You need to realize that letting them know about what being a shifter really is can help with their lives. I know you’re stubborn, I know you don’t want her to know for fear of her running away, but honestly, if I had a woman I cared about, I would do what my heart wanted me to do, and I'd tell her everything," Darren said.
He had a point. Travis knew for a fact that it was only going to get worse with time if he didn’t actually tell Alana everything. He loved her, and if he continued to hide it, it would only grow worse.
"You’re right. I need to do something. But, how do I begin with this,” he asked.
"You should do what your heart says. If it means telling her everything in private, then do it. If it means you take some time and figure out how to tell her in the best way possible, then do that. The future is up to you.”
Travis knew this. He then looked at Darren, unsure of what to do next.
“Do you know what I should do? I mean, I do love her and all, but it’s strange. I feel like we’re meant to be,” he said.
“Do you think she’s your mate?”
“Maybe. That’s probably why I'm so attached to her. You know me, I don't get attached to women, like this. So, there’s obviously something holding me here, keeping me from leaving,” he explained.
"I see. You should go find her then. Perhaps, telling her you love her is what you should do.”
“I think I do love her. When I try to envision life without her I just don’t think it's possible. It’s so strange to be so sure about something, but I feel in my heart that this is right. And while she doesn’t understand it yet, I think it’s best if we move forward and try,” Travis said.
"Fair enough. I won’t stop you, Travis, especially when you believe you’re doing the right thing. I know that deep down you probably understand what you're going through better than any of us,” Darren said.
“I do. It’s so strange, but it feels natural, right, and honestly I don’t want to lose this,” he told Darren.
“Then don’t. Go after her, and find her. I think once you two work this out, you'll get it. And plus, I think she’s the key to fixing this whole mess in town,” Darren pointed out.
That’s when Travis nodded. “I think so too. I don’t get it, but I think that’s why I am so attached, and I have this nagging feeling I'm supposed to be near her to understand,” he said.
“Then go after her. Find her, and see for yourself,’ Darren said.
Travis pulled himself together, taking a deep breath and then turned to the doorway.
"Where do you suppose the first place to look should be?”
"I think the house is probably your best bet,’ he said.
Travis nodded, agreeing with that.
"Fair enough,” he said.
He went to her house, but when he got to the front door, he realized that it was open, but there wasn't anyone there. Fear immediately washed over Travis as he looked forward, realizing that there was something wrong, terribly wrong.
"Where is she,” he asked himself, looking around the front of the house. He didn’t see any lights on, and he noticed that the door was left wide open. He looked around the place, sniffing for her, but his bear-like nose couldn't track a scent. He didn’t see anyone else here, and that’s when Travis felt his body tense, the hairs on his arm started to become prickled.
She had been taken.
He noticed that the scent of her was faint like she had been gone for a while. While the house did smell like her, it wasn't the usual strong scent. There was a reason why Travis maintained human form as much as possible, it was because he hated how strong his damn sense of smell was.
Now, it was paying off to have a strong nose. He sniffed around, again and again, noticing that he couldn’t find her anywhere. The doors were open and the windows were still unlocked.
So she hadn’t been home yet.
Travis started to follow the trail. He sniffed hard, and although her scent was starting to fade. He followed it to the bar
nearby, but then it stopped.
“Someone masked her scent. I can’t track it,” he muttered to himself.
That could only mean one thing: she was taken by someone strong enough to hide her scent. She then was taken to a place, and he knew that whoever it was, they were strong enough to fight him.
Travis had no idea what else he could do at this point besides head to the clan, so that’s what he did. He could feel his heart pulsating, and the nagging feeling of dread washing over him. It was stifling, but as he continued to run, he then thought of one thing.
I'm the only one who can save her, the only one who can stop this mess from getting worse.
Chapter 9
Where... am I?
Alana started to feel her eyes move open, her body waking up. She could see her vision starting to become clearer, becoming less blurry as time passed. When she finally regained consciousness, she noticed two figures in front of her.
Wolves.
Alana tried to move, but the bindings were too strong. She struggled, attempting to break free of her confines, but the rope was too tight. She struggled once more, whimpering as she felt the ropes start to burn her skin.
“Quit trying, you dumb bitch. You’re never getting out of here” the voice said.
Alana looked at the figure, noticing the slightly white line against the edge of the fur around its neck. She also noticed the scar against the snout too. She noticed that it was right near her, and she could feel the warm breath against her neck.
"P-please don’t kill me,” she said.
There was a small chuckle from the one that was near her neck, and soon, both of the wolves stood back. She looked at the two forms as they changed, and she lurched in surprise at the fact that one of them was the attractive man from the bar, and the other was a beautiful redheaded girl.
"W-who are you?” she asked.
“I'm surprised you haven’t figured it out yet Alana. Considering we all went to school together,” the woman said.
She looked at the two figures, immediately gasping as she realized who they were.