Phil refused to leave until I was placated enough that I wouldn't hurt anyone. Only problem was with the lingering doubt, my eyes remained a very pale blue. Lucinda was fussing over the children, enjoying every moment of it. Sid had gone down to the club to ensure everything was running smoothly for the duty manager. Just like he did every night. Curtis was down there as he always was and Stuart was somewhere hidden and watching. Phil could see the unease in my persona, I was giving away far more than I wanted to.
"What's going on?"
"Stuarts got a honey trap down there."
Phil grinned and shook his head.
"Of course he has. So why the worry?"
"I don't know."
"I'll tell you what, if you promise me you will do everything in your power to keep your cool, we can go down there and see what's happening. Ok?"
"Ok." I smiled at him.
Phil was going to go down the front stairs, playing it cool as he walked through the VIP room and continued into the main area where the majority of his pack were enjoying the night. Everything would be done normally so that no one would take any notice. I slipped down the back stairs and into the staff area, there was no one here at this time of the night, everyone was out attending to the patrons. So why did I feel so uneasy? Quietly I closed the door, it clicked shut with the beeping of the key pad lock. I could hear something odd from the bathroom, the feint sounds of a woman. The light overhead hummed, flicking as it slowly started to die. There was light emanating from the bathroom, the door opened a crack as it always was. It might have been a communal bathroom but the toilet stalls were separated by a wall and a row of sinks. There was only one toilet stall that was shut, the women's toilet. My heart sank as I crept closer to the moans, hearing her pant his name. The door was unlocked as I pushed it open. Sid wasn't in here but Phyllis was.
"I didn't think you would trust him." a dark voice laughed from behind me.
I spun around completely shocked. The main door closed and Austin was standing there, watching me as he always did. He leaped at me and sank a syringe into my neck, the world around me darkened as I fell into his arms.
****************************************
My head banged against something hard as I slowly regained consciousness. I was somewhere dark, I was bound and gagged. The sound of a car engine was a dull hum below me, I looked around, I was in a boot. Inwardly I huffed, I had fallen for the stupid lie and gotten myself abducted. Phil was going to be pissed. No, Phil was going to be frantic, blaming himself and probably going ape at everybody. Sid would be more frantic than Phil could ever be, he would know that I didn't trust him enough, that the whole horrid nightmare of that woman was coming back to haunt him. I had to escape, my babies were at home, my Sid was at home, they were waiting for me. Feeling around the crusty carpet I could feel heaps of things. Were they that stupid that they didn't clear out the boot before abducting me or was this a spur of the moment thing? I would lay money on the fact that it was unplanned, or at least this part was unplanned. My hands moved around finding something cold and metal. It was an axe and let's just say that it wasn't a very nice thing to find when I had just been abducted. I rubbed the rope over the blade eventually freeing my hands and my legs. It hurt pulling the tape off my mouth but it had to be done. Fangs are a good weapon.
I gripped the axe hard as the car slowed, my heart was racing. The car hadn't stopped; the engine was still running. I could hear a repetitive clicking sound, it had to be the indicator. We were at a set of lights maybe? Looking at the axe I thought there was no better time like the present and hacked it to where the lock was. The car must have been old, it only took a few times and the boot lifted up. We were at a set of lights and I was faced with one very shocked motorist in his car. But this was no ordinary motorist, no this was one very old memory, sitting there very stunned. I climbed out of the boot, hearing noises from the front of the vehicle. Austin had gotten out of the car and was stalking around to me. He lunged at me and held me, trying to get me back into the car. I kicked hard, sending him to the ground. I fell backwards, landing on my wrist. Pain shot through me as my fingers tingled. Finally, Noah got out of the car and started laying into Austin.
"There's a phone in my car, use it." he yelled at me as he landed a right hook on Austin's jaw.
I scrabbled to my feet, pain searing in my wrist. My hair was pulled back, Phyllis dragging me to the ground. She yanked at my hair pulling me to the back door that was open. I could hear Stanley yelling at them that they were making a scene, that everyone was watching. Phyllis let my hair go free and got into the car, Austin landed a hook into Noah that knocked him to the ground. He ran past me and climbed into the car. With a whole heap of noise and tires spinning, the car took off through the red lights, cars tooted their horns and the drivers yelled their obscenities at them.
It had happened so fast, I had no time to think about any of it. I sat there in the middle of the street watching the fast disappearing car. It was a faded blue bomb of a thing. Noah crawled over to me, looking over me, seeing the needle mark.
"Are you ok Ronnie?"
I nodded but suddenly I burst into tears, being engulfed in his arms.
"It's ok, you're safe now."
There were more screeching of tires, car doors thudding and a lot of yelling. My tear blurred eyes looked up, Phil was here I could see him behind a tree as he transformed back to his human state. Curtis tossed him some clothes as Sid picked me up, hugging me and kissing me, alternating being angry and happy. Stuart was stalking around Noah, shouting something at him.
"Stop!"
They all stopped and looked at me.
"Firstly, can we get off the road, secondly, he wasn't the one that abducted me. He saved me."
Stuart squinted at Noah as he stood from the ground, everyone moved to the kerb.
"I was only passing through, on my way to a friend's house two towns over. He's having a big party or something." he shrugged.
I watched as the group of men around me waited for his explanation as to why he had breached the fifty-mile radius. One of Phil's men was here and was moving the cars out of the way of the very irate people that had been going around them.
"I know it's in the zone but I was only passing through, I had no intentions of going anywhere near her, I swear."
"Alright." Stuart said not very impressed "We will accept your explanation only because you lucked out and were able to save Veronica."
"Gee thanks." he rolled his eyes and then looked at me "What did you do now?"
"I have no idea."
"He had a fixation on her but that could have been part of the plan." Stuart muses.
"I think it's best if we return to the house." Phil looks at me and in particular, the needle mark.
"Get the doctor in to make sure she's ok."
"I hurt my wrist."
Sid was about to move me to the car and I stopped him.
"Say thank you. He saved me."
He squinted at me with his lips pursed.
"Fine." he hissed under his breath.
"Thank you for saving Veronica's life Noah, I appreciate that you broke the rule and happened to be in the right place at the right time."
"Sure." he grinned, thoroughly amused at the discomfort Sid was exuding "Any time."
Sid tugged on my good hand, urging me to the car.
"Thanks." I smiled at him "We are good now but seriously don't break the radius again."
Noah nodded with a soft smile, waving goodbye as I was ushered into the waiting vehicle.
Sid was permanently attached to me, his hand was either holding mine or his arm was wrapped around me, like it was some kind of security to him. Like it would help if someone tried to take me again. Maybe it was a comfort to him, maybe he thought that he would never see me again. I felt very drowsy, the street lights blurred as Phil sped us back to the house. He hadn't said a word but I knew something was coming, I knew Phil wouldn't rest until he had. Feeling very light headed I rested on Sid's shoulder, snuggling into him as I closed my eyes. He held my sore wrist, keeping it free from being any further hurt.
"Was that exciting enough for you?" I whispered.
He laughed a little. "You are crazy; you know that?"
"Yeah, but you love it."
"I do baby, I do."
I must have fallen asleep in the car, when I opened them again, I was being carried up the back stairs. Phil was telling Lucinda about the ordeal, one very upset Lucinda was hovering around. Her eyes were puffy, the signs of age very evident on her otherwise youthful face. Even Phil looked like he had aged a lot since the last time I had seen him. Then I remembered, the last time I saw Phil. I knew why he was so upset, he was blaming himself.
"Sid, I'd like to talk to Phil please."
"It can wait until morning." he said as he placed me onto the lounge in our bedroom.
"No, now."
"Fine but don't get off that lounge, who knows what the drug has done to you."
"I don't know if you noticed, but I was walking before you picked me up."
"For once, can you do as you are asked, please?"
"Fine." I waved him off.
Sid huffed as he stalked out of the room, Phil entering seconds later.
"You wanted to see me?"
"Yes but it's a bit hard when you are on the other side of the room."
Reluctantly he moved closer.
"I know what you are thinking and you can stop it, right now. This is not your fault."
"It is! One, I should not have let you go down there, not only was it not safe but it wasn't healthy for your mind or your marriage. Two, even if you managed to convince me, I should have been with you. I knew he was here, I knew he had an unhealthy fixation on you. Three, I should have gotten to know him better before allowing him to get so close to you."
"Abductions happen on the street with total strangers, how well you know a person will be of no benefit."
"I'm sorry Veronica, I know you don't agree but this is my fault. Once I've dealt with the fallout of tonight, I'll hand in my resignation. Cody can be your new beta."
"Like hell he will and you will not hand in any resignation. You will stop this nonsense and move forward."
He tried to object but I shut him down quickly.
"Stop it right now, that's an order. You will go and deal with that family, they are not to be in this pack any more. I want all members to be aware of what happened and what they need to do if they happen upon them. I also want you to contact their former pack and tell them that we are not impressed that they were sent to us. Find out if they knew what they were like. Then you can contact all packs and tell them that the three of them are no longer a member of our pack and therefore without a pack. See how long they last." I grinned.
Phil looked at me rather stunned.
"You, Phillip James Wilson are the only beta that I want so don't come in here with your self-deprecating nonsense. I would be dead long ago if it wasn't for you. I know that this has been a very long road for the two of us but I think that this is worth it. So don't you dare think that I will accept any resignation from you."
He looked at me with a slight grin, bowed his body slightly.
"As you wish, my lady. Will that be all?"
"Yes, you may go now."
Sid poked his head through the door after Phil left, one crazy grin was on his face as he walked over.
"Did you just tell Phil off?"
"I did." I said very proudly "He tried to resign."
"I take it you refused it."
"Of course, would I want anyone else around other than him?"
He shrugged "I don't know, would you?"
"Next in line is Cody."
"Oh well then, that's settled. Phil is definitely not allowed to resign." he grinned.