Felicity
Normally I was okay with working a lot of hours—I needed the money and for the most part it wasn't like I had anything better to do. But today of all days, I'd have preferred to not have to spend a few hours in the stupid grocery store.
I wanted to be at the bonfire already.
When Jacob had invited me yesterday, after his little meeting with Bella, there was a serious depth to his eyes and I had a feeling that the bonfire was going to be important. My mind was blank on what could be planned to happen, but I was endlessly curious.
And since I had work until eight, I couldn't show up until after that, even though everyone else would start showing up around seven. I hoped whatever was going to happen waited until I arrived.
Around seven when I wanted to be gone from work already, therefore my mind was elsewhere as I stocked pasta noodles onto their shelves, a petite girl practically bounced down the aisle. She was accompanied by a tall blonde guy, and it took me a second—because my mind wouldn't stop spinning—to recognize them as Cullens.
"Hello," the girl chirped. "I'm Alice. This is Jasper. We were wondering if you'd like to come meet our family? Our father is a doctor."
Her words were...strange. Why would I want to go meet her family? Why would it matter that her dad was a doctor? As if everyone in town didn't know that already. I'd never felt inclined to meet him before. Besides, I didn't want to go anywhere but La Push, where something was going to happen tonight. I needed to go and find out what that was.
Or...did I? Really? Because it was actually kind of really nice for Alice to come all this way to invite me over. Definitely an odd thing for a Cullen to do—other than Bella, they didn't have any close friends outside of the family. I was pretty lucky to have this opportunity. I needed to accept before it slipped away—
"Yes!" I said, excitement infusing my tone. "That'd be great. Just let me clock out real quick..." I put down the box of spaghetti noodles in my hand and absently strolled to do as I'd said. The manager in the office didn't even blink an eye, though my co-worker at the register was giving me a strange look. She obviously didn't understand how amazing this was.
Making it back to where I'd left them, I said, "Okay, I'm ready."
Alice smiled. "Great! Let's go." She led the way and I followed with Jasper trailing behind me.
The ride in their shiny car was a blur. Lots of trees. Zero talking. I'm not sure I blinked at all the entire trip there. But then we were in front of their ginormous house and I felt like all I could do was blink. And smile lazily. Could I feel my face? Was my face still there?
"Maybe a bit much, Jazz," Edward said as we stood in their living room—when did I get here? I thought I was outside.
"She didn't want to come with us," Jasper said. Was he talking about me? I wanted to be here!
"No, I do!" I told him eagerly, hoping he wouldn't send me home.
His expression went hard. "I know. We're not letting you go anywhere. Calm down."
I released a relieved breath. "Thank you."
A soft voice spoke up from a doorway across the room. "I'm not sure this is a good idea."
My gaze snapped over to see a beautiful brunette frowning at me. A tall man I knew was Dr. Cullen stepped up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're not even a little curious?"
The woman bit her lip. "It's interesting..."
"And I'm sure it'll become more interesting very soon," he said with a smile. Then he stepped around her and approached me with his hand outstretched. "Hello, Felicity. I am Carlisle Cullen. Thank you for coming to visit us today."
I nodded quickly as I shook his—freezing cold—hand. "Oh yes, of course! Thank you for inviting me."
His smile was firmly in place as he tugged me toward stairs. "It's a pleasure. I was hoping you could help me with something."
"Help? How?" There was nothing I could do that would be doctor-caliber. What could he possibly need me for?
We went up sets of stairs to the third floor, stopping outside a room with the door closed. "I've become privy to some information about your...friend...Jacob Black."
I blinked. "Jacob?" What did he have to do with anything? He wasn't there. Was he?
"Yes. I don't believe you know it yet, but your dear friend is a werewolf."
I blinked again, my gaze resting on the closed door in front of us. Were we ever going to enter? "Oh wow. A werewolf? Are you sure? That sounds..."
"Crazy?" Dr. Cullen asked.
I nodded.
He chuckled. "Yes, I suppose it does. But I know for certain it's true. You new friend Jacob Black is a werewolf. So are some of his friends on the reservation, but that's not why you're here. You're here because of you and Jacob."
"Because I'm friends with him?" Everything was so confusing. My mind was foggy.
"Because you're his imprint," Dr. Cullen corrected.
I wanted to ask a question, but all that came out was a cough. This was so weird. What was even happening?
"An imprint," the doctor explained, luckily figuring out what I was trying to say, "is a soulmate. When the wolf meets his—or her—imprint, they have an immense reaction that ties them to the happiness, wants, and needs of that person for eternity."
I sighed. "Wow." Jacob could not feel that for me. We were only friends. Nothing near as intense as what the doctor had described.
"You are definitely his imprint," Dr. Cullen said, as if reading my thoughts. He was very intuitive. "And since you are, I am quite interested in studying you."
My eyes widened. "Studying...me?"
He nodded. "Yes. An experiment, if you will. Or a whole string of them. So I can discover more about the making and capabilities of an imprint, particularly one on the side of a normal human such as yourself. The possibilities are quite fascinating. Will you be wholly normal and the connection only be soul deep? Or will your genes and blood and other bodily indicators show up abnormal? Will your connection be a mental and/or physical link to your wolf imprint? Will he know when and if you're in intense pain? There is so much to explore."
A shiver of fear began to crawl up my spine. I almost expected it to evaporate before I could fully feel it, but no. I was actually scared. "Intense pain?"
Dr. Cullen sighed. "Jasper had to go hunt, so he's unable to monitor your emotions. I apologize for any unhappiness you feel during the proceedings."
Then he opened the door in front of us to reveal a full-on hospital set up...with a whole slew of extra equipment that had terror creeping into my stomach.
"Just step right inside, please," he instructed, gesturing to the room.
I didn't move a muscle. No way would I voluntarily walk into that room.
But that did nothing to phase the doctor. He simply grabbed my arm and pushed me inside, following me in and shutting the door behind us.
"Alright," he said. "Let's begin."
***
Jacob
Paul was an asshole. He knew Felicity was my imprint. So making sure she got food once she got here after work was my responsibility. But no, he made her a damn plate and was now guarding it like it was his purpose in life, taking over what I had been planning to do without any consideration for me at all.
"You're being stupid," he told me, biting into his cheeseburger.
My eyes narrowed. "You're being rude."
"You both need to stop bickering," Leah barked from across the fire. "Damn. Never thought I'd say this, but the girl needs to show up already so you two will be fucking quiet."
Elijah shifted in his seat next to Leah. "She should probably be here already. How late was she working until again?"
"Eight," Paul answered, beating me to it. Again. Shit.
"Yeah," Elijah said. "It's almost nine. I hope she's okay."
Leah sighed, irritation on her face but she seemed to be putting an effort to not snapping. Interesting. "Maybe she got out of work late. Or went home to change. Or some other reasonable explanation that doesn't require anyone freaking the fuck out."
Maybe she had a point, but I couldn't just sit there and wonder. So I stood up and said, "I'm going to see if I can find her."
Paul shoved the last bit of his food into his mouth and stood next to me. "I'll come along."
"What if she shows up here?" Elijah asked, appearing uncomfortable.
Paul rolled his eyes. "Then call one of us."
Elijah nodded and we left. "Where do you want to check first?" Paul asked me.
"The grocery store. It's where we know she was last—makes sense to start there."
We took my car, since neither of us wanted to shift and be out of contact from the others if Felicity showed up there. When we pulled into the parking lot of the store, both Paul and I focused right on the fact that Felicity's car was in a space. I parked next to it, relief beginning to fill me. I'd been trying to stay calm, but the idea that something could have actually happened to her was hard to keep at bay.
But her car was here. She was inside. "Let's go see what's up," I said.
Paul led the way inside—but froze just inside the doors. "Leech," he hissed quietly.
My eyes widened as I stepped inside...and instantly smelled exactly what he'd said. "The Cullens live in town," I said, attempting to remain rational. "Maybe they needed to buy something." Even though the words were coming out of my mouth, I didn't believe them. Something was wrong. A heaviness settled in my gut. Something was seriously wrong.
"Hey," Paul called to the girl working the register. "Is Felicity here?"
The girl raised her brows and popped her gum. "Nope. Left a couple of hours ago. I figured she quit."
I squinted. "Did something happen to make her quit?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. She was stocking some shelves, then two of Dr. Cullen's kids walked in. They talked for a few minutes, and then she clocked out and left with them. Didn't say a word to me. But normally when that kind of stuff happens, they're quitting. Her shift wasn't even over yet."
My hands began to shake. "Do you know where they went?" I asked through clenched teeth.
"Nope," she answered unhelpfully.
Before I could snap at her, Paul grabbed my arm and dragged me outside. "Dude," Paul said once we were far enough away from the entrance that we had some semblance of privacy. "Freaking out at whatever-her-fucking-name-is won't help anything."
Tremors rolled through my entire body now. Felicity was gone. With the Cullens. They walked into the place where she worked and took her. Somehow. How did they even get her to go? They better not have hurt her.
The thought made my shaking increase.
"Jacob!" Paul shouted. "Listen to me." He punched my shoulder. Hard.
My attention flew to him. My lips curled in a snarl. Paul ignored it. "Here's what we're going to do. You are going to go in those trees over there," he pointed to our left, "and shift. Then you're going to howl and alert and we'll all have a meeting on the rez. I'll drive your car to my place since it's closest and just to double check she's not there. I'll meet up with you guys after."
I shook my head. "She won't be there. I know it." And I did. I knew. She wasn't safe at home. She was with the damn Cullens going through fuck knew what.
Paul nodded. "Gotta check to be sure, man. Now go."
I didn't waste any more time arguing with him. Felicity was taken by the Cullens. We needed to help her, not stand around chatting. Shit. She didn't even know a single thing about wolves or imprinting yet and I was already failing. I hadn't kept her safe, hadn't protected her. Why did I let her work without someone there to keep an eye out? Why was I so fucking stupid?
My mind spun as I finally reached far enough in the trees to shift and I'd never phased easier. The wolf took over with almost no effort at all. Quil and Kai's thoughts started colliding with my own, and while Kai pretty much ignored me Quil asked, What's up, man?
A howl tore out of my throat without answering him. He could make sense of my thoughts if he wanted to know. I began sprinting toward the rez.
Sam's mind joined the group. What's wrong?
I think Felicity is missing, Quil answered, his thoughts uncertain. Jake's going crazy.
Felicity is definitely missing, Sam responded. Meet me.
I adjusted my direction to head to him. Quil and Kai abandoned patrolling and did the same, though Kai's fucking condescending thoughts of Felicity weren't helping anything.
You don't know what I know about her, Kai tried to defend himself. I lived with her for years. She was nice at first, but then she turned into an honest-to-god bitch.
I snarled, picking up speed. I could tear a chunk out of the asshole's hide before going to get Felicity, right? Shouldn't slow me down too much.
No, Sam ordered. You can't. And why would you say that shit, Kai? You must have a reason. Apparently Sam was going for the reasonable approach of getting to the bottom of whatever was Felicity's stepbrother's actual problem.
I preferred the simple beating-the-shit-out-of-him approach. Not that anyone seemed to be on my side with that, based on their less than enthusiastic responses to my idea. More pack members were joining us, but they were trying to keep to themselves as we all made it to the meeting spot.
We were friends when our parents first got together, Kai told us. His mind whirred with flashbacks of them chatting and laughing, smiling and friendly. Then she started to do messed up shit. She told my friends stuff I didn't want them to know. Sent rude notes to girls signed with my name so they wouldn't give me a second glance. She took whatever secrets I told her in confidence and made my life a living hell. So I stopped being friends with her and gave back to her as good as she gave to me. I fucking hate her.
None of that sounded like the Felicity I knew.
How did you know it was Felicity who did those things? Sam asked, remaining as diplomatic as possible.
She was the only one who knew some of it! How could someone else tell a secret only she and I knew? Kai demanded.
Easy, Leah said, her mind sorting through the images she'd gotten from Kai's head. Your mother didn't want you to be friends with the girl so she made you hate her.
Kai snorted, leaning back on his legs as he waited with Sam and the others who'd already made it to the spot. She wouldn't do that. My mother isn't a saint, but she does love me.
You're being stupid, Leah told him. Your mom has always hated her. She turned the girl's own father against her. You don't think she'd do that with her son too?
For some reason, that actually sunk in. But then he said, How would you even know?
I finally made it to the spot and saw Leah's wolf huff. I'm imprinted to her ex-husband who still cares about her fucking well-being. He's had a lot to say and talk through. I listen. And I'm not an idiot.
Kai had no response to that and Sam spoke then, So she's missing? Where's Paul?
Just then Paul phased in. Almost there. I ran some in human form since there were some dumbass teenagers poking around in the woods.
Did you find her? I asked, unable to stop myself from sounding hopeful even though I knew in my gut what his answer would be.
No, man, sorry. He skidded to a stop next to Embry. She wasn't at our place.
Sam growled. So we need to find her.
Actually, Paul said, we already know where she is. Jake didn't tell you?
His mind is a fucking minefield of angst right now, Leah scoffed. Plus we had a heart to heart with Kai about his hatred of Jake's imprint. We didn't get the chance to dig through his brain.
Enough, Sam said. Where is she?
I began to growl, my entire wolf body shaking with thefury running through my veins. TheCullens took her.