Sure, she'd been super sloshed before, well that one time – at that party, with Dodge. That had not been fun, but this was different. Like a pounding all across her body, which left her weak and destroyed. Similar to your life being sucked from you or that's the best she could come up with.
Her fingers traced over her cheek as she tried to shake the sickness she felt. Her toes twitched in the dirt beneath her.
She was cold, her skin tight with goosebumps and she felt a dampness down her side, sticky and a horrible smell.
She gagged and coughed, having smelt it before, puke. Vomit. Regurgitated pancakes and cheese...
She heaved; her stomach empty. Her whine echoed around her as she turned on her back, the dirt grinding into her scalp and auburn hair. Her chest convulsed sending dirt from her mouth into the air around her.
She realized that dirt wasn't just in her mouth, but in her lungs as well. She tried to lick her lips but it was useless. The grit wasn't coming out anytime soon.
It was dark around her, cold, disorientating and held a level of eerie uncertainty.
“I'm impressed,” cut a deep voice.
She cranked her head around.
Bruce stood across from her in what seemed to be a cave. She squinted, a lantern providing the only bit of muted light.
He smiled at her, “I understand now. You didn't survive that crash. Someone turned you.”
Chloe went to get up, but she was tied at both her wrists and ankles with rope, “You're making a huge mistake.” That's all she could think up and how Grayson would be beating him black and blue for this.
Bruce rolled his eyes and sat down in the lonely metal chair, “Yeah, yeah.”
Chloe finally sat up, noticing she was only in her shirt and underwear, “You pervert.”
Bruce smiled, “Don't worry, I didn't do anything, yet. I have bigger things to worry about.”
“Like what!” she shot, “Being a total loser?”
“Lippy still? Even though you’re going to die?” Bruce tilted his head and smiled at her. “But no... that,” he pointed next to her and Chloe looked over, afraid for what her eyes may fall on.
The sight of a crumpled up woman, asleep with a lonely blanket was what she witnessed though.
“Oh my god! Savannah?” Chloe screeched and tried to move towards her.
“Don't!” Bruce yelled. “Don't you touch the Luna or I'll rip your throat out. And how do you know her name!”
Chloe turned to him, “Where's Darcy!”
Bruce shrugged, “Out. Looking for Grayson.”
Chloe twitched and looked back to Savannah, “She looks sick.”
Bruce grunted and stood, “Don't try anything stupid, Chloe. You'll regret it.”
“Why did you take me?” her voice broke and she tried to catch her emotion. She needed to reel it back in and not show him her weakness but it had become hard. She wanted Grayson so bad at that moment.
“Because Darcy will be very interested in your whereabouts in regards to our pack.”
“Grayson's going to kill you both,” Chloe threatened. Hell, she was going to kill them both, if she could figure out how to shift again.
“Grayson?” Bruce laughed, “I told Holtz, I wouldn't finish last. I'm Tribune's new beta.”
Chloe didn't know what that meant, but she guessed, he was Darcy's new bitch.
“I thought you were an alpha’s son?”
Bruce rolled his eyes, “We're going to slaughter Balant or something to that affect, I'll keep a few around. For the most part, they're useless to us.”
Chloe stared at him, eyes wide now from the information.
“But first, we'll take care of the possible threats.”
“Don't you touch her!” She now had an uncontrollable urge to protect Savannah, ready to fight to the death for her.
Bruce stomped towards her.
She sunk back against the wall, flinging her tied feet at him.
“Keep your mouth shut, Chloe!”
“Bruce, you can do better than this. You don't have to be under Darcy.”
“Shut up! Darcy Holtz is the best alpha to come into Tribune.”
“Why are you keeping her here? She looks so frail. She must be cold.”
“Darcy is-” He faltered, perhaps realizing he had spilled out too much information, “Shut up, Chloe.” He walked away.
Chloe’s mind reeled through what was happening and why. Why Savannah Turner was chained up in a cave, basically unconscious was of her main thoughts. Upon further inspection, she saw Savannah's face had been beaten, her eyes long since sunken and her cheeks gaunt. She had withstood a large amount of abuse, however the girl was beautiful and resembled Colten in a shocking way.
“Don’t do anything you'll regret, I'll be outside,” he growled at her and shifted, jumping up the steep grade to the entrance of the cave.
She saw now it was the only way in and out. You had to be shifted to gain access to the outside world. It made her more upset and she sat there wishing and hoping for her mate.
It took a few minutes, but she inched towards Savannah. Trying not to make any noise, she held her breath in the process.
She got up to the young woman and lied on her side in front of her. With her fingers, she brushed Savannah's hair out of her face, still she didn't wake.
“Oh, thank god,” she whispered as she saw the woman breathing.
“I told you not to touch her!”
Chloe was tossed onto her back as Bruce whacked her in the head, sending her back into an unconscious abyss.
***
Grayson pulled his truck to a stop outside the little white house. It was piled up on the sides with snow drifts, the path had not been shovelled in a long time and he groaned, likely from annoyance with having to bulldoze his way through it.
He jumped out, walking to the front door as it shot open.
Mike jumped out into the frigid temperatures, “Grayson! Holy crap!” he slapped his friend's shoulder.
“Hey, Mike,” Grayson slipped past him and walked inside the house.
Mike slammed the rickety front door, “Whoa, hi?”
“Do you know where Bruce is?” Grayson cut right to the chase.
Mike stopped and lifted an eyebrow, “Dude, where have you been?”
Grayson turned to him, “Never mind that. Have you seen Collins?”
“No, man,” Mike thought a minute, “I saw Scott the other day.”
Grayson grunted, “Where?”
“School,” Mike walked into his dingy living room and sat to a worn couch, “Hey, have you seen...” his words fell apart.
Grayson creased his brow, “Chloe?” he finished Mike's sentence for him.
Mike looked up to him and swallowed.
Grayson growled, “Collins took her, I think.”
“What!” Mike snapped to his feet, “I knew I was missing a memo. What's going on?”
“What hasn't?” Grayson shot. “I've searched this whole town twice in twelve hours. I can't find her scent anywhere. It led up into the mountains, but... I lost it. That blizzard came in.”
Mike swallowed, “Bruce will come back to his house. He'll need clothes or food or something... Even his pack.”
Grayson sneered, “Something's going on.”
Mike sighed, “I think Darcy's up to something.”
“You think?” Grayson snapped.
Mike hesitated.
“Mike!” Grayson stepped towards him.
“Alright. Darcy has something going on up in the west side of the territory. He's made me watch the border several times, but I haven't been able to find anything he might be hiding.”
“You've searched the mountain side then?”
Mike shook his head, “Nah, he's specific where he wants me to run. It goes from the west mountains, down into the valley, and near Chloe's house.”
Grayson growled, “Show me where.”
Mike swallowed.
“Darcy's not here,” Grayson said to him.
“I don't want a betrayal against an Alpha,” Mike stinted.
“Help me and I'll take Tribune from Darcy. I'll give you beta.”
Mike paused and looked up him, “Seriously, but... oh...” Mike smiled, “That's what that smell is!” Catching on to the fact that Grayson Holtz was now a mated Alpha.
Grayson rolled his eyes, “Are you helping me or not?”
Mike took another moment to process his options and then grabbed his jacket, “Let's go.” They headed back outside and over to big black pick-up.
Mike climbed in the passenger side, “Are you going to tell me how this all happened?”
Grayson pulled the truck out of the snowed in drive, “Haven’t you heard of sand or a snow blower?” The truck's tires spun in an attempt to grab traction.
“Dude, that would require effort,” Mike looked over to him smiling. The truck spun out again and finally Grayson got it back on the highway.
“So, what it feel like?”
“What's what feel like?” Grayson grunted.
Mike tried to hold back his amusement, “Being a big mated alpha?”
Grayson sighed and looked to him, “I don't know. It's alright. I'm more concerned about my mate at the moment.”
“Collins would have to be dirt dumb to do anything to her. The guy's not even mated.”
Grayson didn't look that overly impressed with the information, “But he's an alpha blood, which means when he's around her she's weaker, which in turn endangers my mate more.”
“A new blooded wolf without a pack wouldn't be as subjected to an alpha affect as much,” Mike thought a moment. “However, the first time around an alpha blood is the worst.”
“Exactly,” Grayson ground his molars, “We need to find her.”
“We will.” Mike looked to the cracked dashboard, “Why is your dash in half?”
Grayson glanced at it, “I don't know, Chloe made me mad a few weeks ago.”
Mike held back his laughing, “You know what's funny, how freaking worked up you let a human get you.”
Grayson looked to him, “Remember who the mated one is right now.”
Mike smiled at him, “I hope I never have to find out.”
Grayson snorted, “One day you'll find your mate and you'll understand my pain.”
“Man, I really hope not for my sake. I'm good being a free spirit.”
“You're an idiot,” Grayson grunted. “Anyway, Henry's been out looking for Collins, but he's come up with nothing yet.”
“Do they have someone outside his house waiting?”
Grayson pointed at his glove box, “Call someone, tell them to go there.”
“You didn't think about this already?” Mike pulled open the glove box.
Grayson growled again at him.
Mike smiled and pulled out the phone, “Point for the Beta already.” He got on the cell phone and arranged for a watch on Bruce's house, while they searched the west side of the territory.
Grayson pulled off the highway into a rest stop, “We'll walk down the side and shift.” He took a few moments to prepare himself.
Mike jumped out and they walked over to the side of the steep grade together.
Grayson inspected the drop off, “Or maybe we'll just jump and shift.”
“I'm down for jumping,” Mike took off his jacket and shirt. “Let's do it quick before any cars turn up.”
Grayson stripped down and threw his clothes in the back of the bed.
“So, Henry knows Chloe is a wolf?” Mike put his hands on his hips again as he stood stark in his boxers overlooking the grade.
Grayson sighed, “It hasn't exactly been said, but if the guys still thinks she is human at this point, I'm worried about him.”
“Ha,” Mike smiled and jumped down the side, shifting into the muted albino wolf. Grayson followed and they crashed into the banks below, causing the trees above to be shaken clean of their boughs of ice and snow.
Grayson shook his coat, sending derbies in all directions, That was fun... he growled with discontent.
Mike jumped out a bank and licked his lips, smelling the air, Fun. Fun. Fun. More amused than Grayson was with it.
Grayson leapt forward off his hind legs and barrelled through the forest.
Mike trailed him, West then, Alpha!
Can you not act like an idiot for a minute? Grayson turned sharp and ducked out of the way of a large fallen tree.
I was just trying out the name, oh holy one. Mike jumped to his side. They were fast, precise and heavy footed and they blended into their surroundings perfectly.
Your idiot-ism isn't helping me concentrate; it's making me think I should retract my Beta statement.
Oh you can't go back on your word. I'm your wing-man... forever. Mike let out a quick yelp of amusement.
Grayson growled at him, Just shut up and show me where to go. You can piss me off once we find Chloe.
Yes, Alpha.
Grayson lashed out at him and snapped his jaw.
Mike tumbled away and sprung to his feet, continuing on at the steady pace.
I see being mated didn't take away your easy humour, Grayson. Onward!
***
Chloe blinked; her head pounding. The same feeling of being hung over present, but this time lesser and she was thankful for that.
Her hands gripped into the ground beneath her and she pushed up. She listened and only heard Savannah's quick breathing next to her. Bruce's scent had faded.
She turned to Savannah and moved next to her.
The girl was still crumpled up, but moaning and breathing heavily.
“What's going on?” Chloe pulled back the blankets covering her face, “Savannah?”
The girl let out a high moan.
“Are you okay?” Chloe felt herself starting to panic, “Savannah?”
The girl panted, then her eyes flashed opened and she moved away from Chloe quick, until she was against the cave wall, hugging the blankets close to her.
Chloe swallowed, “It's okay, are you alright? I won't hurt you.”
Savannah's bottom lip quivered, “Ow!” she cried, slamming her eyes shut and ducking forward.
Chloe didn't understand what was going on. She searched over the girl. Sure, she was bruised and beaten, but she was unsure why the girl seemed to be in so much distress. Skinny, her skin frail, bloody, but there was no other clear medical issue that Chloe could see.
She fought with the ropes on her wrists, “Tell me what's wrong. I'll help you.” She pulled and tried to get them undone, “Damn it, Bruce.”
Savannah screamed, “It hurts, it hurts!”
“What does?” Chloe hopped on her hands and knees towards her.
Savannah gripped her hands to her stomach and cried.
“Holy!” Chloe ripped back the blankets back as she sat to reveal Savannah's very pregnant stomach.
Chloe's eyes bugged out of her head and she stared in horror, “Oh damn, damn, damn!” She felt her breathing starting to turn into hyperventilation.
Savannah screamed again and started to pant once more, her fingers wringing into her stomach.
“Savannah, how far along are you!” Chloe tried to calm herself, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.
She opened her bright hazel eyes and looked to her, “I'm...” she whined through a contraction.
“Savannah!” Chloe grabbed her hand on her stomach, trying to get her to focus on her.
“I'm full term,” she leaned her head back.
“What happened when I was out? Did Bruce leave to get help?” She really hoped the dumb idiot wasn't that stupid!
Savannah started to cry, “He's going to call Darcy in.” Her eyes filled with tears, “It's a girl... He's going to kill her.”
“What!” Chloe snapped, “Why?”
Savannah sobbed, “He wants an alpha for the pack.”
“Why is he going to kill her though?”
Savannah didn't respond, instead she arched back and screamed.
Chloe let go of her and started to process what to do. She looked to the ropes on her wrists and studied the knot. Then brought it to her mouth and chewed. The bits of grit and nylon broke off in her mouth making her cringe and choke, but really, she was already a dirt ball, so what was chewing on rope at that point.
“Ow. Help me!” Savannah cried.
Chloe chewed harder, after three minutes, she broke the tie free and scrambled to get her legs untied.
Savannah was a different story though. They had her chained to the wall. Chloe got up and ran for the lonely chair, but Bruce hadn't left a key or anything close to it.
She dashed back over to her and put her hands on the woman's beaten face, “Savannah, do you know where they are keeping the key for the chains?”
The hazel eyes looked to her, exhausted, afraid.
She needed help and Chloe was going to do everything in her power to do so.
“Darcy has them.”
Chloe cringed, swallowing, “How long have you been labour.”
“On and off for a few-” she moaned and Chloe sat next to her, pulling her in and letting her rest her head on her.
Savannah shook and Chloe reached for the blanket at their feet, covering her.
“It's been on and off a few days. I've tried, to tell the beta wolf, but he w-wasn't listening. Darcy's been gone awhile.”
Chloe wrapped her arms around her shoulders and pulled her close, “Okay, just take deep breaths, I won't leave you.”
“Who-who are you?”
“I'm Chloe. I'm Darcy's brother's mate.”
Savannah pressed her cheek into her shoulder, “Darcy hasn't told me much. We-we met only four months ago.”
“How are you this pregnant!”
Savannah went through another contraction, quivering and breaking Chloe's arms, “Are you not... like us?”
Chloe swallowed, “Your pregnancy's are faster?”
“A mid way point between a human and wolf,” she took a staggered breath.
Chloe tried to digest that information, but it was a bit unsettling. She felt more like an animal than she ever had before. Even with her turning into her large auburn wolf, this was a whole other level.
“I wish, I was home.” she cried, “I wish, Darcy wasn't my mate!”
Chloe swallowed, “You're brother's here, Savannah. Colten's here, looking for you.”
Savannah broke to tears, “Really?” Sobbing into Chloe and clinging to her, “He came?”
It was bad, the situation was bad. She could try to shift and she was, but she hadn't gotten enough of a chance to memorize the pull the she needed to turn into her wolf.
Chloe rubbed her arms, “Savannah, do you know why Darcy has you here?”
She whimpered, “I-I... told him it was a girl and he went crazy. He beat me one night when we were on the way home to his pack. I don't remember anything after that.”
Chloe swallowed, realizing the wolves outside her window that night had been Savannah and Darcy. Her worst fears seemed to be transpiring.
Savannah continued, “Darcy wants a male to continue his alpha line. I believe he wants to kill our baby and get me pregnant again. At least that's what I heard him saying to the beta outside one evening. Most-most of the time I just pretend I'm s-sleeping.”
Chloe held her closer, “What a – he's such a loser. My mate will find us. Grayson will find us.”
Savannah shot back from her and screamed, “I think she's coming!”
“Oh!” Chloe went wide eyed in panic again, “Okay, just-” She tried to mentally calm herself, but really, she didn't have a leg to stand on!
“My pants!” Savannah laid down.
“Oh man, oh man.” Chloe grabbed the blanket and shoved it under Savannah's legs, “Oh god, why! Grayson hurry up!”
Savannah screamed again and Chloe pulled off the girl's ripped up jeans. She looked over her bruised and bloody legs.
“Why haven't you tried to fight them off?”
Savannah whimpered with a contraction, “They haven't been feeding me enough. They keep b-beating me to keep me weak, there's no way I can come close to shifting.”
“What a bunch of asses!” Chloe cursed.
Savannah arched back, “I need to push.”
“Are you serious!” Chloe screeched, “Okay, okay...” She tried to calm her breathing and think back to all the movies she'd ever seen. The sex-ed in school, but they'd never really taught her how to deliver a baby.
She closed her eyes and pulled off Savannah's underwear, “Okay, just do whatever you need to.”
Savannah moaned and gripped her stomach, “It hurts so much!”
Chloe swallowed and reached out for her chained up hand, “This is messed up.” she shot under her breath.
Now believing everything happened for a reason and at least she was there, with Savannah, instead of the beaten down girl being all alone.
She came to Savannah's side and brushed her light brown hair from her forehead, “You're not alone.”
Her eyes flashed to Chloe's, meeting hers briefly and smiling, “Thank you,” her emotion broke and she screamed out the most blood curdling cry Chloe had ever heard in her life.
***
Grayson and Mike's furious stride came to an abrupt stop as a loud howl broke out.
Grayson snorted, lifting a paw, Who the hell was that?
Mike scanned the horizon, Calling for an Alpha.
Grayson growled, Well I guess they found one.
Bruce. Mike stepped up to his side, his tail swishing back and forth behind him, Sounded like a Balant wolf cry. It's got to be Bruce.
Grayson growled, Where did it come from?
The high ridge on the north side, I think. Mike's ears perked up and glanced behind him, Do you want to go that way?
We'll split up and catch him in the middle, if he runs. When I get him, I'm going to kill him.
Mike whined, Watch it, Gray. You don't want blood on you, if you want Tribune.
Grayson growled, Thanks for the reminder.
Mike backed from him, Course, you’re the alpha blood, do whatever you want, man.
Let's just go, Grayson snapped.
I'll go left and use the threat call if I come across anything.
Good. Grayson lunged forward and they went their separate ways. He headed up the steep mountain side and followed the freshly broken snow to the high ridge where Mike had thought the wolf call had come from.
He lowered his muzzle to the trail and jogged along, following the present stench of Bruce Collins. It wasn't long before he found him.
The brown, disjointed, and ugly looking wolf paced the ridge, waiting.
Grayson jumped beside him, his nails slamming into the hard ice, taking his respective challenge pose.
Bruce turned, slipping on the snow and trying to regain his balance. His eyes went wide and he snarled at Grayson.
Grayson approached him.
I thought you died of a broken heart. Bruce snapped, his teeth baring out of his drooling jaw as he laughed at him.
Grayson leapt forward and threw him across the ridge, I told you not to touch her again!
Yeah, well, what can I say? Bruce jumped up running at him and clamping his jaw around Grayson's neck. Orders are orders and Chloe Pryce would be a nice notch on my Beta belt.
What are you talking about! Grayson threw him off.
Bruce hesitated, his paw injured, What? You haven't heard? I'm Tribune's new Beta. Guess Darcy understands the importance in a strong pack.
You're not strong. Grayson squared his shoulders, Darcy likes to use people and anything he can. Why would you give up Balant to be a lesser position?
Bruce growled, Because, Darcy and me want all the territory. So we can run this land right. Enough with borders and sharing, it's time for total control.
Grayson snorted, What a deal. You must be more stupid than I thought.
Bruce lunged on him and the wolves tumbled off the ridge. Flying down the grade at a wicked speed until they landed on the bottom side of the cliff face.
Grayson jumped up, shaking his coat, Where is she!
I'll never tell. Bruce sung at him.
Grayson ran at him, sending the brown wolf flying through the air, Maybe you didn't get the memo when you took my mate. But, I can now kick your ass, worse than I could before.
Bruce flew into a tree and crumbled to the ground, whimpering. He lifted his head and looked up as Grayson flew at him, shoving him back against the tree and crunching Bruce's throat beneath his jaw.
Bruce yelped, whining, and screaming under him, I'll show you! I'll show you...
Grayson increased his bite, making his point clear to the brown wolf, You mess with me again, Collins I won't kill you, I'll disable you for the rest of your life. Now get up and show me where my mate is!
He released him, sending Bruce to his feet at the same time.
Go! Grayson instructed, snapping at him from his side.
Bruce lowered his muzzle in submission, walking out into the valley.
***
Chloe felt the bones in her hand crushing beneath Savannah's grip, “Ow.”
Savannah yelled out, pushing hard as she did, “Is she coming?”
Chloe didn't want to look, but she did, she knew she had to. She moved to Savannah's legs and made a face, looking down.
She cringed and looked back up to Savannah. “Yeah, she's coming.”
Savannah started to cry, as another contraction came.
“Push, Savannah, push!” Chloe reached for her hand and held it, “Push...” Her eyes started to water and it was only seconds till tears spilled her grubby cheeks.
Savannah pushed once more and Chloe scrambled, letting go of her hand and catching the child before the baby hit the dirty blanket beneath her mother.
“Oh my god!” Chloe pulled her into her chest and stared at the baby, “Savannah, look! Look!”
Her sunken eyes looked to the child, “Oh, my baby... Please, take care... of her...”
Chloe's blue eyes up, “What?” A tiny cry erupted from the child - breaking Chloe's concentration from Savannah. She brushed her hands over the tiny little girl's brow. The baby nuzzled her chest in response, squawking.
Chloe broke, crying more, “Oh my gosh, you're beautiful. Savannah, look at how beautiful she is!” Her teary eyes looked up, breaking the umbilical cord with her hands and turned her attention back to Savannah, who was passed out.
“Savannah!” she hugged the baby close and searched for something to wrap the child in to keep her warm. She grabbed Savannah's jeans and held them around the baby.
“Oh.” she crawled to the child's unconscious mother as she held the baby tight to her chest, “Savannah!”
She brushed her hair from her face again, “Savannah!” With her breathing shallow and barely audible, even with her wolf hearing, Chloe felt dampness on her bare legs and she looked down to see blood pooling.
“No!” Chloe shot up and stared down at Savannah. She tried to hold back her tears, but Chloe Pryce broke. She sunk down beside Savannah's head as the woman took her last breath. She put a hand on her neck and searched for a pulse but Savannah Turner had died.
She put a hand on her shoulder and cried, “No,” the baby broke her from her sobbing and she stood, staring at Savannah's limp body.
The little thing began to bawl in her arms and she tried to comfort her. Unable to believe what had transpired.
She hugged the little girl to her chest and watched her, her tears pouring her cheeks and blurring her vision, “Hush. Hush.”
She rocked the child back and forth, walking across the cave, where she found her jacket Bruce had stripped off her. Wrapping the tiny thing in the parka, her cries faded as Chloe patted her back, “I won't let them hurt you. I'll protect you, I promise. I won't let your mother down.”