*Cayton's POV*
Find Macy, find your mate. Macy, Macy, Macy.
That was all that ran through my mind the entire run. Nothing else, just that. I didn't think about anything else as I let my instincts take over, or as I let myself go wolf and take off into the forest running as fast as I could. When I found the totaled remains of my car, I still didn't think of anything else but finding my mate.
And when I found my father, lying on the ground, slowly healing from a rather painful looking wound, I didn't care what caused it or that he may very well need to see a doctor. I just knew that he knew where Macy was, and that's all I cared about.
I have Drake and Michael check around the area, while Carter and I go to my father, who has himself leaning against a rock.
Before I have the chance to shift back, Carter charges towards Warren, furious growls echoing through the air. I have half a mind to just let Carter kill him and move on, but I think better of it. I think he deserves it—in all honesty, anyone who has no problem risking the life of my mate and my Beta's, all the while betraying their son and pack does. And as much as I wouldn't mind killing him myself, I know I can't really do that, knowing it would crush my mother.
So, I tackle Carter and pin him down before he does anything. He's upset, that much I can relate to. But, as I've said before, we need to keep a calm head if we're going to get out of this with all four of us alive.
Even as I remind myself that, I can feel my own control slipping each second I'm away from Macy.
Cater furiously thrashes underneath me, trying everything he can to throw me off. He puts up a good fight, I'll give him that, but the Alpha power makes it easy to keep him down.
'Let me rip his fucking head off!' he growls through the mind link.
'Carter, you need to calm the hell down,' I say back, trying to keep my voice level while asserting my power over him. He won't have any of that though, because it does little to stop him.
"You're wasting time you know," Warren speaks up, and I can tell it takes a great deal just to say it. "Bethany and Macy aren't being helped by you being here."
While I know he's only saying that to save his own ass, it's true that we're not getting anything done. Carter, who may be acting irrational at the moment, also realizes this, and calms down with a huff and a guttural growl.
As soon as I'm sure he's calm enough, I release him and shift. I briefly tell myself that, no matter what, I have to keep a calm head. It shouldn't be too hard, considering the years upon years of Alpha training to handle situations like this. But, then again, I guess it isn't much of a secret that all that seems to be forgotten when Macy is involved, especially when she's in danger. I suppose it's just a general werewolf thing when it comes to mate, if Carter's reactions have anything to say about it.
"Why did you do this?" It's the only thing I can think to ask. I know what happened here; I saw it all by tapping into my mother's mind. From the second Joshua bit into Macy's wrist, all the way to the point where she attacked him. I didn't see which way she headed, but I saw where Bethany went, so I know she followed.
"It was for the pack," he says. I scoff as he continues. "You weren't thinking about what was best for the greater good, someone had to."
"You didn't even give her a chance!" All thoughts of remaining calm aside; I was pissed. It happened so fast too, I didn't have a second to reign in my emotions. Its one thing to insinuate that I don't care about my pack; but to take matters into your own hands and put lives on the line because you can't handle things not going your way?
Knowing him, that's what really bothers him the most. The fact that he saw she could be perfectly capable of running a pack with me as a human probably irritated him to no end. He was wrong, and now because he can't accept that, we're in this mess.
"I didn't have to, it was clear as day. You're blinded."
Clenching my jaw, I turn to my side to face a still-angered Carter. He looks at me, raising an eyebrow, almost as if asking if he can go ahead and kill him now. For the briefest second, I almost just nod and let him at it, but thankfully Drake interrupts.
"We've found something," Drake says, making me pause. I nod my head, signaling him to continue. "Definitely a Midnight Fire wolf. He was here not too long ago. It goes from the wreck, to the clearing through those trees," he points at the trees on our left, "and then back into their territory."
I see Carter from the corner of my eye peering into the clearing. Something, I don't know what—call it Alpha's intuition if you want—tells me to stop him before he does something.
I don't get the chance, however, because before I have any time to react, Carter shifts and takes off into the woods, headed straight for Midnight Fire territory.
"Carter!" I call after him, hoping to stop him, but it isn't any use. He keeps on running. I run a hand through my hair in frustration, before turning to Drake and Michael. "Drake, take Warren to the doctor, and then straight to the pack prison. Don't let my mother near him, no matter what," I order, before turning to Michael, "you're coming with me."
Both nod obediently, Drake going one way and Michael shifting to follow me. I take a deep breath, allowing my wolf to take control, and he does with urgency. Once shifted, I shake out my fur and take off after Carter, Michael following close behind.
'Trenton, I need you and ten other fighters to meet me at...'
*Bethany's POV*
Joshua finished lecturing me, and like a scolding parent had me sit on the couch in his office while he was working. Essentially, I was in time out.
Being in here, I've realized this pack has most likely fallen to pieces under his poor leadership. The mountains of paperwork and the constant calls that he ignores lead me to believe this. Now, you can say what you want about Joshua, but he is an amazing leader. Well, he was, at least. Ever since Erica was killed, and like I've said, he's gone slightly insane as a result, he's lost his touch.
By the way he seems to be in some sort of daydream, his eyes clouded as he stares off into space, only to have him glance over at me and that cloudiness to disperse slightly and him to regain some function for a short time, I assume he never gets anything done. I briefly wonder how this pack gets by.
There's a knock at the door, and after a minute I realize that Joshua is zoned out again and didn't hear it. I sigh before getting up and opening the door.
"Alpha-" the boy starts to bow his head, stopping when he realizes I'm not Joshua. "I'm sorry, is Alpha Lockhart busy?"
I look back at Joshua, who is still lost in his own world. He isn't aware of the two people standing just in front of them, and I could probably just walk out without him noticing. I would too, if it weren't for the fact that I couldn't just wander around alone without it getting back to Joshua.
"Yes, is there something you need?" I ask, only then noticing a distinct feature of this boy. And sadly, it reminds me so much of Macy that I could cry. His eyes, yellow just like hers, tell me he's a changed.
While I'm studying him, he seems to be doing the same, except there's a hint of recognition in his eyes at the sight of me. I find this odd, considering I've never met this boy.
"I was just-Are you Bethany, by any chance?"
"I-uh-who wants to know?" I ask, slightly shocked that he knows my name. I'm certain I've never met this boy...
"Sorry, its just that-" he looks around me carefully, back to Joshua who is still in his daze, "someone is looking for you." He says it so quietly I almost don't catch it.
"Who?" I question, lowering my voice as well, though I don't know why.
"Bethany, what are you doing?" Joshua's sudden voice causes me to jump away from the door, revealing the boy. "Waylon. What do you want?"
"Alpha," the boy Waylon greets, bowing his head in a sign of undeserved respect. "Donny sent me up. He wanted to know if you wanted to meet the new prisoner yet." I catch Waylon glance at me from the corner of his eye, which only confuses me.
Joshua sighs, rubbing his temples as if he has had too much on his plate and Waylon is only adding more. "Tell him I'm busy," Joshua almost growls in frustration. Waylon, who doesn't seem all that fazed, simply nods.
"Just let Donny know when you want him to bring her up," Waylon says, the entire time looking at me. My eyes furrow at the emphasis on 'her', and the fact that he was directing his words to me. Well, no he wasn't, they were meant for Joshua, but he said them to me. Almost like he's trying to tell me something.
"Wait, before you go, who's looking for me?"
I don't know why I asked, because if someone is really looking for me, it wouldn't be wise to let Joshua know. For a second, I wonder if it's Carter, and while I hope it is, I hope it isn't. Besides, would Waylon let him get by if he was a threat?
"I must be thinking of someone else," he finally says after a moment of tense silence. He's lying, I could tell just by the manner of his tone. He starts walking towards the door, and still wanting to know who's looking for me, I follow.
"Are you sure-" He turns to me suddenly, digging in his pocket for something. I wait silently, and after he checks that the coast is clear, he holds out his closed hand to me.
I also check to make sure no one is watching, specifically Joshua, who is glancing back and forth from his paperwork to me. I hold out my hand, and Waylon drops something cold onto my palm.
"This is who," he finally says, and without another word, he nods his head and turns to walk down the hall. I watch his back, confused and curious, before I finally look down at my hand.
And all the subtle hints hit me at once. In my hand, is the gold heart, a diamond in its center with engraved swirled patterns surrounding it. I had seen it many times on one person, a certain female who is now a wolf and is just crazy enough to try and come after me.
I know I have to find some way to get to the prison and find Macy.
*Macy's POV*
I pick at the sandwich currently in my lap, not feeling all that hungry even though I could probably eat a horse if I set my mind to it.
Neil is sitting on the ground, back against his bed, wolfing down his sandwich without giving himself a few seconds to even taste it. There isn't much to taste I suppose, it's only a chicken sandwich, which, if I'm comparing, is like the rubbery chicken they used to serve at my high school, a fruit cup, and a bottle of water, otherwise known by the inmates as dinner.
I can see Alan, all tucked up in his cell alone, as finished his meal and is just tossing the water bottle up and down as he lays on his back. With nothing better to do, I decide I might as well eat, since I'll regret not eating later anyways. And Alan did say I would have one hell of an appetite.
"Eat it or I will," Neil says from below me, his head tilted back as he looks up at me. I frown, hugging my sandwich to my chest and shaking my head.
I have to pick the crust off the bread, even if I shouldn't be wasting food. It's crust though, who cares? I toss it off the bed, only to have it tossed right back and hit me in the eye.
"Ow! That was my eye," I whine, throwing it hard as if it would cause any damage.
"Stop wasting food you ingrate," he scolds.
I just stick my tongue out, going back to picking off the crust and throwing it at him.
"Are you always this annoying?" he groans, picking a piece of crust off the top of his head, examining it, then shrugging and eating it. I scrunch my nose up, shaking my head at him.
"It's not my official job or anything, but basically all I do is piss people off," I say. As I take the first bite of my sandwich, I realize just how hungry I really am, and I debate on just shoving it all in my mouth at once. But that would be unladylike, and improper. But, then again, who's here to judge me? Convicts?
With that in my mind, I finish the rubbery chicken sandwich in approximately two bites.
"I'm starting to question if you're actually a female," Neil says below, looking at me with disgust and amusement. Oh, who is he to judge. He was stuffing his sandwich in his mouth five seconds ago like he was at an eating contest.
"I am," I say through a mouth full of food, my cheeks probably resembling a squirrel's stuffed with nuts.
"I'll need some proof," he says, smirking.
I'm not too fond of pineapples, which makes up about three-fourths of this fruit cup. I pick out two grapes, pop them into my mouth, then proceed to dump the rest onto Neil's head.
"Do you know any professions where it's my sole job to piss people off? I think I'm really good at it," I comment when he looks at me with a deadly expression.
*
"Are you coming or what?" Neil grabs my shoulder and starts shaking it roughly, and I slap his hand away.
"No, that's disgusting."
"Actually, it's to prevent disgusting-ness."
"Not where I'm concerned."
"Come on, it's bad enough you won't do anything for me while you're stuck in here, I don't want you smelling like a dead fish on top of that."
I shake my head at him, pulling the scratchy blanket up to my chin and closing my eyes like I'm actually going to sleep. "Well, it can't be worse than smelling your man-stank mixed with processed fruit juice."
Donny and a bunch of other guards have come to collect everyone for showers, and Neil, somehow convinced this is a great way to get me out of my clothes, is insisting I go. I don't know what he thinks is going to make me want to go into a shower room with a bunch of males, but clearly there's some sort of drug being passed around the cells.
Once the chatter dies down and I'm sure I'm alone, I sit up in bed and continue what I was doing ever since Waylon left: drumming my fingers against any solid surface and planning a homicide.
I've come up with a list; Warren, Joshua, the guy who dressed up as a cop (I still haven't learned his name, not that I care), and if Neil keeps it up, he'll make it on their too, but Cayton will probably be the one taking care of that. In fact, if I'm not the one who ends up murdering these three assholes, I can assume Cayton might just be angry enough to do it.
And now we're back to thinking about Cayton. Honestly, the first thing I'm going to do when I get out of here is kiss him, and then slap him upside the head.
I mean, he's the possessive, bossy one out of the two of us, he should have put a halt on the whole trip! Granted, it probably would have ended in another fight, but at least I wouldn't be stuck in a concrete cell with sexually frustrated male werewolves.
I know it isn't his fault, of course, I'm just grumpy and bitter and extremely moody at the moment. Speaking of extremely moody, I wonder how Tami and her little bun is doing.
Thinking of that makes me think of Cayton yet again. Just remembering how disappointed he was when he thought I was pregnant, only to find out it was actually Tami. On the bright side, it's a good thing he didn't get his way. There's no way I would of went through all of that without a miscarriage, which would have really destroyed him had he found out.
My mind begins to wander though. What exactly would our kids look like anyways? How would they act? I mean, the world can only handle so many little me's running around, and god help us all if they get Cayton's sometimes unruly temper.
Guess we'll find out in a few years, I say mentally.
Or, you know, sooner would be ok too, Wolfette inputs.
Do you not understand that I'm—WE are only 19?
...Your point?
Oh dear lord, I have a Lisa in my head. Deciding not to continue this discussion, I go back to planning my homicides, as if that's a normal thing for a girl my age to be thinking about. Then again, I think I've surpassed the amount of crap most girls my age have to go through.
I take a deep breath, my body instantly going tense when I smell something off. The smell, its almost recognizable, and Wolfette seems pretty laid back about it. Still, I can't help but keep my guard up. I've already become accustomed to everyone's scent. There are three general ones actually, something Wolfette says helps distinguish which wolves are from which packs, but this one, I haven't exactly gotten used to. It's more pleasant than the rest, I'll give it that.
I grab my cover, and like a scared little kid, I crawl under it in hopes of making it seem like this is just another empty cell. I know it won't work, but a girl can hope.
As the light, slow footsteps become louder, only to stop suddenly, I suck in a breath and hold it.