*Tami's POV*
There I was, stuck in possibly the most boring situation I could have been in, tossing a wad of paper up and down as I lay on the couch. And to top it all off, it's only almost five in the morning, and the sun is just starting to come up. So I'm tired, but I can't fall asleep on this couch. Trenton has made sure I'm within reach ever since he found out I was having our baby, and even with a meeting he has to attend, I'm not allowed out of his sight.
Not that I don't mind, but really, the boy is getting a little ridiculous. He's treating me like I'm made of glass. Seriously, he insists on carrying me up and down every flight of stairs just in case, and I quote, I "trip and hurt myself".
I'm surprised he hasn't wrapped me in bubble wrap and forced me to wear a bulletproof vest.
I sigh quietly. If only Macy was here. At least she knows how to make things fun. But no, she just had to leave to go to her mother's. I don't even know why she's bothering; it's not as if she's moving out of the country. Video chat could have worked just as well.
Oh well. Guess I'll just keep myself entertained with paper.
I toss the wad in the air, and just as I'm about to catch it there is frenetic knocking on the front door, which has me shooting straight up. Crazy knocking is never good, especially not around here.
"I'll get it," I offer, trying to find any excuse to have something to do, if only for a moment. Maybe I'll get lucky and there's some desperate girl scouts outside. I could really use some cookies.
"Wait up," Trenton says. Right, not allowed out of his sight. Cayton sniggers at him. Carter, who is sitting in a chair clutching his head with what he claims is a massive, sudden headache and soreness he has had for a few hours now, doesn't respond. He said it was fading, but it's still painful. I'm almost positive he's nursing some hangover. Bethany's gone, so why not drink it up.
"You guys just wait until Macy and Bethany are knocked up," I shout to them as Trenton guides me towards the front door. I actually do feel bad for Macy and Bethany; they're probably going to be locked up in a soft room under constant supervision when the time comes.
The knocking never ceases, and I groan in annoyance as it becomes increasingly louder. I grab the handle and practically throw the door open. Yes, the pregnancy hormones make me easy to set off.
"What?" I snap at Michael, who was the one knocking like he has no sense.
"I need to talk to the Alpha and Beta," he says urgently. His tone has me taken aback some, and I look up at Trenton who has gone completely serious.
"What's going on?" he asks, stepping aside to allow him in.
"I don't know," he answers briefly, before taking off in the direction of Cayton's office. Trenton and I share the same look—confusion. Nevertheless, we follow Michael into the room.
"-The car was found on the side of the road. Totaled," Michael says as we come in.
"Were they in there?" Cayton asks, trying to remain calm but by the way he's gripping the side of his desk, I'm going to assume he's freaking out inside. All I've picked up so far is that there was a wreck. And since Cayton and Carter both look ready to kill, it's safe to say it involves Macy and Bethany.
Michael shakes his head. "No, but there was blood. And Drake picked up on another scent. Not just Macy and Bethany's."
"Whose?"
"We couldn't tell. It was tinted with silver. But we're sure that it's from one of our own wolves."
"This better not be some sick joke," Carter snarls. Michael shakes his head.
"Afraid not. Drake traced the scents, but they stop about ten feet away from the wreck," Michael explains.
"Did you check the entire area?" Cayton asks.
"Just within our territory."
"Check the neutral territory as well," Cayton orders.
A feeling of dread settles in my stomach, along with a bout of nausea. I don't know whether to contribute it to the baby growing inside of me, or the realization that Macy and Bethany have gone missing. Injured, with someone from our pack, toting around silver, and only god knows what's happened to them.
Yep, it's definitely that, I think, as I push past Trenton and head straight for the bathroom.
Trenton sits next to me on the couch, rubbing my back in an attempt to calm me. Cayton is pacing back and forth as we wait to hear from Drake, a look of deep concentration on his face. Carter, he's constantly muttering a string of threats and curse words under his breath, and rubbing his wrists uncomfortably.
And me, I'm freaking out. Trenton is the only one who isn't going insane, but I know he's just keeping his emotions hidden for my sake. I don't see the point in that; we're mates, which means we can feel each other's feelings, along with each other's pain, if they're strong enough. I can feel the anxiety coming off him in waves.
Even Michael is impatient, sitting on the couch next to Trenton and tapping his foot on the ground as he waits for Drake.
No one is speaking to each other, we're too consumed with our own thoughts and worries.
Finally, the time comes when Drake walks in, looking depleted. Everyone stops what they're doing then, and all eyes shoot to Drake as we wait for him to give us the news. By the grim look on his face, something tells me it isn't good news.
"We found three things," he begins. "One, blood. Not too much, but it was all in one spot in the middle of the forest. It was human." We all know that means it's Macy's, and I feel the nausea starting to build up again. I grab Trenton's hand in mine, squeezing tightly.
"Second, Bethany's scent was coated with silver in that spot." Carter growls at this, and Cayton has to put a hand on his chest to stop him from flipping out. "And the last was... two new scents. Both from Midnight Fire wolves."
"Fuck," I hear Trenton swear under his breath, voicing my exact thoughts.
And like a switch flipped, Cayton's face goes emotionless, signaling his Alpha side taking over. It's almost disturbing how fast he can do that, but I suppose it's better than him destroying everything within a twenty feet radius of him. Like Carter looks like he just might do.
"And where did they lead to?" he asks monotonously.
Drake shakes his head. "We don't know. They were untraceable from there."
This isn't good. Not good at all. Only one thing could have happened. Someone from this pack has betrayed us, and led both Bethany and Macy straight into the hands of Joshua.
"What do you suggest we do, Alpha?" Drake asks.
"I'll tell you what we do. We go to Joshua's, rescue them, and rip his throat out," Carter interjects before Cayton has time to answer. I internally roll my eyes at his completely reckless idea. I have no power or tactical skills, but even I know that's a dumb idea. However, Carter isn't in the right state to be thinking rationally. Not that I blame him.
"We need a strategy Carter, we can't just go in guns blazing," Cayton says. Now, he's in complete Alpha mode, and even with Macy missing, he's keeping a calm head. Which is surprising actually, because he isn't exactly known for keeping calm when it comes to her. I just wish the same could be said for Carter.
"To hell we can't! I'm not just going to sit here while my mate is with Joshua!"
"You're going to have to," Cayton says with a tone of definiteness. "If we want both of them back safely-"
"I just want my mate back safely, and I'll do whatever it takes," Carter says, causing my mouth to drop open. I understand he's worried, but is he seriously going as far as telling Cayton he couldn't give two shits about Macy? He might as well be writing his own death certificate.
"Carter-" To his credit, Cayton doesn't look as pissed as I expect him to be. I guess he's trying to see it from Carter's point of view. It is his mate, and being Beta just makes him more possessive and protective of his mate than regular male werewolves. However, Cayton, being Alpha, is even more possessive and protective. Carter knows that, and I'm shocked that he's saying this to Cayton.
"If it wasn't for your mate, mine wouldn't even be in this situation!" Carter cuts him off. Cayton's jaw clenches, and I know he's really trying to keep his patience with Carter. Hell, if I were him, I would have already kicked Carter's ass.
"Carter, shut up," Cayton says through clenched teeth. I inch closer to Trenton when I notice both of their eyes going black. Leave it to me to be stuck in a room with two highly unstable and pissed off wolves, Alpha and Beta wolves no less.
"Don't tell me to shut up, Cayton. We both know Joshua has been after Macy for a while now, so I wouldn't be surprised if she's already dead. Instead of wasting time trying to find a body, why don't we try rescuing someone who's actually alive."
Oh. Shit.
What's left of Cayton's patience snaps in that instance. His eyes turn pitch black, and before anyone can even think to intervene, Cayton sends his fist flying straight towards Carter's face. I flinch at the sound of bones breaking, and flinch once again when the force of the hit sends Carter flying backwards onto the ground. And if the situation was different, I might have laughed. Yea, I've never liked Carter too much.
Cayton steps out from behind his desk, fists clenched, stalking towards Carter who is on the ground, blood pouring from his nose.
I look helplessly to Trenton, begging him with my eyes to step in and stop them before this gets out of hand. Trenton is always calm, always the most reasonable of the three. Who knows how many fights he's stopped between these two idiots.
Trenton grabs my hand and hoists me up, putting me protectively behind his back as he moves us farther away from the scene. We might have tried to run out the door, had it not meant running right between the two. Trenton looks back at me and shakes his head. I translate that as 'There's nothing I can do to stop this.'
He's right I suppose. Carter went a little too far, and he deserved that punch. Nevertheless, if they're going to beat the shit out of each other, they're not going to get anything accomplished.
Both Drake and Michael are standing off to the side, looking completely shell-shocked, not knowing whether to step in or not.
The next thing I know, Cayton has Carter by the throat, pressed up against the wall.
"I told you to shut up," Cayton growls, his voice deeper than usual. This means that Cayton is no longer in control. His wolf is, and he's probably seconds away from shifting.
Trenton starts to back up even further, still keeping his protective stance in front of me. On instinct, I put my hands over my stomach.
Carter weakly tries yanking at Cayton's wrist, but to no avail. Nothing is stronger than a pissed off Alpha.
Just as I'm sure Cayton is going to murder Carter, he lets go. I thought that maybe it meant he was gaining control, but when Cayton drops to his knees, I'm a bit confused.
Cayton gasps, clutching at his chest, his face twisted into all kinds of pain.
"What's happening?!" I worriedly ask Trenton, once the shock all wears off and is replaced by confusion and worry.
"Something's wrong," he says as if it wasn't obvious. I would have rolled my eyes, had Cayton not of started yelling in pain right then. Everyone was at his side in a flash, leaving me standing where I had when Trenton was guarding me.
I run to join them all surrounding Cayton, who by this point is lying on the ground, still holding onto his chest as if he was trying to claw his heart out.
"He's in a lot of pain," Drake says. He zones out for a second, before coming back. "The pack doctor is on his way."
"Trenton, what's going on?" I ask in a shaky voice. I don't know what it is, but seeing someone in so much pain, and me being completely helpless has me close to tears.
"I don't know," he says, shaking Cayton's shoulders. His eyes are squeezed shut, and a few beads of sweat start dripping down his forehead.
Carter, who had been against the wall regaining his breath, joins the huddle around Cayton. And even though Cayton was seconds away from murdering him, he looks awfully worried, even as he wipes his own blood away.
"Cayton, what's wrong?" Trenton asks, still shaking Cayton's shoulders. Cayton doesn't respond; I'm not sure he can. He looks paralyzed from pain. An unknown pain. I don't know what could possibly cause someone this much pain, especially someone who had been fine seconds before.
Finally, the doctor comes in, ordering everyone to get out of the way. Everyone takes a step back, and I grab onto Trenton. He wraps his arms around me, and by the tenseness in his muscles, I know he's just as concerned as I am.
"Help me get him to a bed," the doctor orders. Carter and Drake are immediately on the job, both carefully lifting Cayton off the ground and carrying him to one of the spare rooms. I close my eyes as Clayton continues screaming in pain.
There is lots of fast talking from the room they're in. I can't make most of it out, not that I tried. I keep my head buried in Trenton's shirt. This whole day has just suddenly taken a turn for the worst. And to think, it only started. Macy and Bethany are missing, Cayton and Carter are both on edge, Cayton's suffering from an unknown pain in the other room, and even though it's nothing compared to all of that, I'm starving.
My stomach growls loudly, which gains Trenton's undivided attention.
"You're hungry," he states.
"Yea, well..." He gives me a quick kiss on the forehead before getting up, I assume to get me something to eat. He comes back in with a bowl of cereal. I don't know why, but I've been craving Cheerios like crazy. And I smile a little when I see it's exactly that.
"You're the best," I say, before digging in, my mind still on overdrive with all that's happened in the past hour.
Although it's only an hour later when Drake comes in with the doctor, it seemed to be forever. Doc looks pretty stressed, and he runs a hand down his face.
"Is everything ok?" I'm the first to ask, loosening my grip on Trenton's hand, where it has remained for the hour.
"He's going to be in pain for about another three hours," the doctor says sorrowfully. "There isn't anything I can do to help."
"Why is he in so much pain?" Trenton asks. The doctor looks at us grimly, as does Drake.
"It isn't his pain."
*Bethany's POV*
I wince as the burning sensation of silver on the skin of my wrist grows.
I try for the hundredth time to yank the cuffs off my wrists, but it's no use. I'm too weak with them on. My head is still lightly throbbing from the collision it had with the dashboard, and the cuts I suffered from shards of glass and the bruises from my body being tossed around in the car are slowly healing.
Joshua chuckles at my attempt to get out of the cuffs from beside me. I clench my fists and fight the compulsion to throw up as he reaches over and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear.
"Try all you want darling, it won't work," he says, trailing his fingers down my cheek. I flinch away, growling at him before I can stop myself. No one but Carter is allowed touching me intimately, especially not Joshua.
He laughs again, before retracting his hand. My wolf growls at him from inside me, but we both know that no matter how much we want her taking control and mauling Joshua, the silver inhibits her to do so.
Roy laughs quietly beside me, still in that forsaken police uniform. I seriously consider suffocating him by using the chain of the handcuffs. I glare at him. He meets my eyes, a smug smile that only I can catch on his face. I know what that smugness is for, and I absolutely hate him for it. Roy is a liar, a deceiver, a murderer, and to top it all off he's in a position of power as Joshua's Beta, so he can get away with it most of the time. I would rather have Joshua near me than him.
Pressing my back against the rough bark of the tree, ignoring Roy's snide looks, I look at Macy on the ground. My eyes immediately go to her wrists, where the bite mark inflicted by Joshua's teeth is still prominent. It's been thirty minutes since Joshua bit her, and with each seconds passing I grow more and more anxious.
She looks so lifeless, so close to dead that it makes me sick. With the fading darkness surrounding us, and the light of the full moon, it seems even more dismal for some reason. The only sound is everyone's breathing and the quiet thump of our hearts. Macy's, even though it's so weak and slow, is the only one that stands out to me.
Warren stands beside Macy, pacing back and forth impatiently.
After the crash, Macy was completely out, and I was almost to that point. I barely had control of my motor skills, and everything was fuzzy. I was awake to watch Macy's body being dragged out of the wreckage by Roy, before I had felt my own being pulled out. I tried fighting my way out, but I wasn't in any state to control my motor functions. All I could do was allow myself to be dragged out and then put into silver handcuffs.
They injected something into Macy once they had her out and were sure she was stable enough to make it through. There was blood, I remember that much. The smell of gas and smoke mingled with the metallic smell, and it took every ounce of strength I had left just to keep my dinner down.
I was useless as Joshua picked me up and carried me away, as Roy carried Macy, and Warren emerged from behind the trees to follow us, spraying us all with scent-away spray so we wouldn't be tracked.
I passed out during our trek, only to come back to a conscious state and finding myself leaning against a tree next to Roy, as Joshua kneeled down next to Macy's body and bit into her wrist.
And here I am now, still as useless as I was when I was being pulled out of the totaled car.
Warren stops his pacing for a moment, pulling his sleeve back to check his watch.
"How much longer is this going to take?" he asks.
"If she's actually going to live, the change will start soon. Then about four hours for it to change her. If it doesn't work, well, we won't be here much longer," Joshua answers without a care.
"This better work," Warren mutters, resuming his pacing. "If it doesn't, I'm not going to be the one who informs my son of it." I glower at him, thinking of all the ways he could possibly come to an untimely end. To me, he's no better than Joshua, who I would rank somewhere lower than dirt.
I've known this day was coming, I knew Joshua would find me. However, I never imagined it would be because of the former Alpha of the pack I was hiding in. Moreover, I never imagined he would go as far as dragging his son's human mate into it. That's a kind of betrayal that even rogues wouldn't do.
"I'll be sure to send a gift basket then," Joshua responds.
Warren pauses to glare at him. "You said you've done this before. I would expect it to work."
Joshua shrugs, as if he could care less about whether or not she made it. Which he couldn't, if I'm being honest. "I didn't say it worked every time. No matter, I got what I came for," he says, twisting a piece of my hair around his finger. I cringe away in disgust.
Deep inside of me, I know that he's right. He got what he came for. Me. Now that he has me, he's surely never letting me out of his sight again. Joshua learns from his mistakes, and he won't make them again.
If only my sister, Erica was here. None of this would be happening. Joshua wouldn't be so hell bent on misguided revenge to avenge her death, I wouldn't be stuck in an ostensibly bottomless pit of depression, and most importantly, the people I love wouldn't be in danger.
Macy is in danger right now. Carter will more than likely put himself in danger trying to find me. I don't want him looking though; he would only be risking his life. If I could tell him to move on, I would. I just wish I wasn't incapable of mind-linking him, because I would tell him that right now.
Carter. Tears spring to my eyes just thinking about him. I'm never going to see him again. I never wanted to find my mate; I never wanted to burden my mate, especially when Joshua was on the prowl. However, fate has never been known for being too kind to me. Now I have to suffer knowing I'll never see him again. He'll never be there to comfort me when I wake up screaming in the middle of the night from my nightmares, he'll never be there to make me smile or tell me everything will be ok.
"I believe you have yourself a survivor," Joshua says, snapping me back. I look at him in puzzlement, before realizing he's talking to Warren. Straight away, I look to Macy.
A tsunami of relief washes over me as I see all the wounds she gained from the crash, along with the bite on her wrist, starting to heal. Which means that she's about to change.
I silently hope whatever they injected her with keeps her knocked out for the duration of the shift. Trust me; the pain of your first shift is almost unbearable. It's only rivaled by the pain of being rejected. And injected with silver. For her though, the change will be ten times worse.
Werewolves are born with all the essential DNA for shifting. Since she's human, her body has to first develop that DNA before she actually shifts, which is why she was practically lifeless for this first hour. Her DNA was altered, and that's the time when most die. If your body rejects the alteration, the venom becomes poison that kills you.
But most people don't know that, for the rate of success to be higher, the change should happen on the night of a full moon, and the blood of the victim must be healthy- and it's a good thing Macy's is. I only know all of this because of Joshua. He's changed quite a few people, which is why Warren came to him. And since Warren had me to bargain with, it made it all the better of an idea to him.
Judging by the sun's position in the sky, barely peeking above the horizon, I would say it's about five or six in the morning. Carter is probably up by now. He always gets up early, even if he doesn't have Beta duties until later in the day.
Therefore, for the next four hours, we sit and watch Macy change. It's a slow, gruesome process. I keep my head buried in my knees for the majority of the time, my hands covering my ears to try to ward away the sound of snapping bones.
I can't shake the overwhelming feeling of guilt eating away at me. I should have left Dusk Valley when I wanted to. I should have gone rogue. However, I found Carter before I could gather enough courage to do so. And as selfish as it was of me, I couldn't leave Carter after I found him, knowing well that I was going to give him more hell than he deserved. Moreover, Macy. Look at what my selfishness has gotten her.
I swipe away a tear that slips, hissing as the silver touches my cheek.
The last of the bones snap into place, leaving the area in an almost eerie silence. I finally get the courage to look at Macy, who had thankfully been unconscious the entire time. On the ground, where a girl once was, lies a wolf. A slightly less than averaged sized, dark brown wolf. Macy.
I hold my breath as the sound of a whimper escapes from her. She moves her legs ever so slightly, before opening her eyes.
Her once brown eyes are now an almost glowing yellow, something that will forever mark her as a changed.