“Abigail!”
I paused my step in the sand as Rachel joined my side, she was one of my closest friends. She knew the most about me and she kept a decent secret.
“So glad you came down!” She smiled, looping her arm around mine, “Did you come with Scott?”
“No.” I shook my head, “Why?”
“Scott said he was gonna bring ya'.”
“No.” I said again, “I mean he did ask but-” I got distracted as I looked out to the lake and the bright moon reflecting off it. It was really pretty, it was a shame that it was being forgot about due to alcohol and loud music.
Rachel raised an eyebrow in my direction, “Come on, he's hot.”
I looked around us, scanning the crowd of like aged people.
“Are you looking for him?”
“No.” I smiled at her, “I'm just... looking.”
“For what?”
She was always very persistent but loyal, we got along good for those reasons.
“Nothing.” I giggled.
“Come on, Abi.”
I stopped dead in my tracks as I found what I was looking for. Staring at him near the bon fire as it burned brightly into the night sky.
“What are you looking at!” Rachel snuck her face in close to me.
I swallowed and looked away, “Nothing.”
“Which one?” She looked over to the fire, in that moment he turned towards me and I grabbed her to turn away.
“What are we doing?” Rachel was confused but going with it, like usual.
I sighed and looked over my shoulder, “Who's that girl?”
“Who? What? Where!” She spun around and took me with her.
I stumbled on a rock but recovered. My eyes fell back on him, he was facing the lean brunette, her hand gripping his bicep. I wanted to grip his bicep.
Rachel crunched up her nose, “Do you have a crush on that guy?”
“No.” I turned her but my idiotic cheeks flushed from my lies.
She cocked her head, “Abi.”
“No.” I repeated, then looked back over to him, “Who is she?”
“I don't know, but more importantly, who is he?”
“He works for my dad.” I breathed, watching him still.
“He's a ranch hand?” Her voice filled with prickling interest.
“Yeah. He's one of the cowboys. He's super nice...”
“Yeah, I'm sure he is. But he looks like he's twenty or something!”
“Twenty-five.” I corrected.
Rachel laughed, “Abigail! Your dad would kill ya!”
“I know...” I sighed as the brunette snuggled herself into him but he seemed to inch away. However her hands didn't stop gripping his fitted white shirt. I wanted to be that girl so bad in that moment.
I sighed.
“Jeez, you like have a huge crush on him!”
“Look at him,” I huffed, “He's so hot...”
“He's okay yeah, but you're sixteen. You should just go out with Scott.”
“Yeah...” I agreed, sadness laced through my voice as I took in the truth. Daddy would never approve and Colten Turner would never go out with me.
Rachel grabbed my arm, “You gotta stop staring at him, it's weirding me out and soon it's gonna weird out other people.”
I smiled and looked to her, “Thanks.”
“What else are friends for?” She laughed, “Come on, let's go find Jessi and Scott, they gotta be here...”
I took one last glance at him and swore his eyes caught mine, but only for a split second, before I was pulled away and my clear view of him and his white hat became blocked by other's around us.
***
Abigail's eyes fluttered open.
Her tongue wetted her dry lips and she moaned as she took in the area she was situated in.
A cold, hard, dirt ground with low light and one door that was closed tight.
She was alone.
Moving slowly on her side, she winced, “Ow.” The gash on her head, covered in dried blood and dirt and she coughed a few times as she moved into a sitting position.
She moved her hands up her arms and paused as the ring grazed her skin, she looked down to the pretty diamond still in the same place he'd put it.
A soft whine escaped her lips and she stared down at it, “Colten, where are you?”
Her blue eyes shot up as the door crashed open and two well built men in jeans and bare-feet walked in. One tossing a kerosene lamp down in the middle of the room.
“Awake finally?” He moved towards her. He had a slimy smile across his face as he took her in, “Pretty thing.”
“We can't touch her. Mateo's orders.” The other said from behind him.
He snapped his eyes to the protester, “What does it matter? It's Turner's mate. We should mess with him a bit. I'm sure Mateo won't mind too much...”
Abigail pushed her feet out frantically and pressed her back against the stone wall of the room.
They watched her and he shoot his head, “No.”
“I want her.”
“I'm Beta. You're not touching her. Mateo's orders.”
Abigail swallowed, “Please, don't hurt me.”
The slimy one smiled at her.
“So, innocent, your voice is.” He purred while the Beta held back, “If I didn't know better... I think she wants to be played with.”
“Leave her alone, Alexar.” The beta was growling now.
The male looked her over once more and stopped his advances, “Yeah.”
The beta let off on his growling and seemed satisfied.
Abigail swallowed as she held her hands tightly entwined, her ring under her grip.
There was a loud crash and the beta grabbed Alexar, “Let's go, Mateo is here. Stay put human!”
She swallowed as they slammed the door of the room on her and she stared at the lonely burning kerosene lamp, “Colten...”
She swallowed and looked around her, there didn't seem to be any definite way of escape.
There was an exchange of harsh words and the door shot open again.
The long, dark haired alpha entered the room. He stopped across the room from her, “I heard you're awake.”
She whimpered.
“I'm going to give you one chance.” Mateo approached her slowly, his voice thick through his spanish accent. The beta came in behind him but stayed by the door, like he was under command.
“Tell me where Mia is.”
Abigail stared up at him and swallowed, “Who?”
Mateo growled, “Don't play dumb! If you're Turner's mate you know what's going on...”
“I don't know anything.” Abigail's tears started.
“She is human.” The beta noted.
Mateo turned to him and growled, his beta shutting up and turning away.
“You don't know anything!” Mateo laid in on her.
“No... please, let me go! Please!” She begged.
“Shut up!” Mateo moved fast towards her and pulled her to her, “I don't care if you don't know, you'll at least be leverage. Now.” He looked her over.
He brought her forward, stepping into the light and that's when his face became distinguishable.
She stared at him, her whimpering silencing, “Who... are... you...”
Mateo stared her down, “What did you say!”
“Who are you!” She shirked, swinging her arms out as he tackled her.
Mateo grabbed her around her neck and shoved her on the ground, “Shut up!”
She stared up at him, “I know you.”
Mateo stared down at her, “You don't know me, human!” He kicked her in the stomach.
The beta got antsy, “Alpha.”
“Shut up!” Mateo yelled, shouting in spanish, the beta leaving the room and the door closing behind him.
Abigail pressed up against the wall tight, her mouth bleeding, “Please.”
“Colten took my sister, didn't he? He tracked her into his stupid pack!”
“I don't know!” She cried aloud, stepped away from him.
Mateo boiled and stepped back from her, looking her over, “He doesn’t deserve to mate.”
Abigail swallowed.
“Don't you know what he is?”
She blubbered.
“What?” Mateo snapped at her.
“I do.” She said softly.
“Well, he looked her over, at least you're not lying. What's your name?”
She swallowed, “Abigail.”
“Abigail?” He repeated, “Were you going to let him mate you?”
Her eyes widened and she didn't answer.
“You were!” He snapped, “Weren't you? I guess he is pretty convincing, plays that innocent card well. Always has.”
She swallowed, “Please, let me go. I can get you whatever you...”
“You can't get me anything!”
“Money.” She squeaked out.
Mateo tilted his head, “You think I care about money, human? I already have enough money and some.”
She looked around her and stayed quiet.
“The only thing you're good for, is getting Turner where it hurts...” He reached out and grabbed her by her chin, pulling her in close.
She struggled and he shook her, making her legs limp.
“Don't fight me.” He breathed in her face, “Do you love him?”
She didn't answer.
He growled and pulled her closer, “He must love you.” He put a hand to her jeans and undid them with quick fingers.
“No! Get off me!” She bucked away from him and he grabbed her back, slamming her into the wall. She stared at him, her brow furrowing as she spat all over his face, “Go to hell!”
“You little slut!” He rushed her and her cheek collided with the stone as she slipped to the cold ground, “Rule number one about werewolves, Abigail, don't piss off the alpha.”
He came around her and grabbed her blonde hair, swiftly kicking her again, “Turner isn't allowed a mate!”
She screamed in pain.
“Why?” He kicked her again in the same place, her abdomen, “He doesn’t deserve it and neither did his father.”
Curling in on herself, she sobbed, “Please.”
“No!” Mateo snapped, “Now, get on your knees.”
She looked up at him, biting her bottom lip as blood trickled down the side of her face. She tried to move but fell forward on the ground at his feet.
“Come on!”
“I think my ribs are broken!” She cried out.
He grabbed her by her shirt and hauled her up, her shrieking would be heard beyond the walls without a doubt.
Her bottom jaw clambered as she tried to stay sitting.
“Get up!” He roared.
“I can't.” She sobbed, “Please, stop.”
He growled and watched her fall to the ground again, “Useless, humans.” He crouched down next to her and took her chin, forcing her eyes to look up at him through the dim light.
He watched her suffer, “You think he'll come for you but an unmated alpha won't stand a chance against us.” He smiled a wickedly evil smirk, “But he can try.”
He flicked her face away from him and she cried out in pain, “Useless.” He grabbed the lantern and left the room.
Her eyes started to close, her breathing slowing to a staggered harshness. She gasped for another breath and turned on her side, crying out in pain.
Staring into the darkness, her skin prickled with bumps and she began to shiver from the shock her internal and external injuries, her eyes finally shutting.