'Ryker! It's my stepfather! He is the one who kidnapped me!' I urgently mind-link Ryker.
Ryker curses with anger. 'This is bad! Are you at your father's house?' He asks, his voice tense.
'No, we aren't at his house. I'm in some kind of big old shed or run-down abandoned factory. I've never been here before,' I reply, anxiety gripping me.
'Leon is bringing me a map. We will mark all the abandoned buildings and sheds and check them all until we find you,' he assures me.
'Ryker, you need to hurry. My stepfather said he's going to kill our baby,' I mind-link. Tears streaming down my face.
A ferocious growl rumbles through our mental connection. 'I'm going to kill your stepfather if he lays a finger on you or our baby,' Ryker vows in a rage.
My stepfather grabs my hair, yanking my head back. His grip is painful. 'Are you even listening to me? Or are you too busy zoning out?' He shouts, his frustration mounting.
I lock eyes with my stepfather. 'Ryker is going to find me, and he is going to kill you for this!' I warn him with determination and fear.
'Your precious man, Ryker, huh? So, he's your baby daddy?' He taunts, a wicked grin playing on his lips.
'Yes, Ryker is my mate!' I reply, my voice steady despite the circumstances.
My stepfather smirks, then abruptly stands. He lifts the chair I was sitting in and hurls it across the concrete floor, relishing in the shattering sound it makes upon impact. 'Please don't. I'm begging you,' I plead as he advances toward me.
Anticipating his intent to harm me, I instinctively curl up, bringing my knees to my stomach just as he delivers a brutal kick. Pain shoots through me, and I scream for him to stop. He ignores my cries, launching another kick and then another. Desperately, I use my legs to shield my stomach from the blows, doing my best to block each strike. Finally, he targets my face, landing a vicious blow before stepping back, apparently satisfied with his handiwork.
I remain there, bruised and battered, my body slowly beginning to heal. My stepfather nonchalantly lights up a cigarette, blows the acrid smoke in my face, and walks away, leaving me alone in the dimly lit, forsaken place.
He returns an hour later, his face contorted with shock as he stares at my miraculously healed face. 'Where have all your bruises on your face gone?' He demands with disbelief.
I look away, deliberately ignoring him. Frustration gnaws at him as he kneels down to inspect me further, confirming that the bruises have indeed vanished. 'Impossible,' he mutters as he rises. Seizing my face tightly in his hand, he demands, 'How did you do that?'
'I already told you, I'm a werewolf. We heal quickly!' I retort angrily, defiance sparking in my eyes.
He glares down at me, thoughts racing behind his eyes, then delivers a swift and brutal kick to my stomach before I can react. Pain erupts within me, and I cry out, feeling a rush of liquid pooling beneath me. My stomach tightens, and I scream in agony.
'Oh dear,' my stepfather casually shrugs, his sadistic grin returning. 'Looks like I've brought on your labor, Astrid,' he mocks, relishing in my suffering.
My breathing intensifies, and my forehead becomes slick with sweat as I brace myself for the next contraction. I scream once again while my stepfather watches, seemingly delighted. 'I'm going to enjoy the look on your face when the baby comes out, and you won't even get to hold it!' He taunts, striding over to an old, dusty bench.
I hear the clanking of metal as he rummages through items. 'I think this will do the trick,' he says, brandishing a Stanley knife.
'No, Dad! Please!' I plead, my voice filled with desperation, then scream in agony as another contraction hits. 'Ryker! Hurry! The baby is coming. I'm in labor!' I frantically mind-link, tears streaming down my face.
'Astrid, you're in labor?' Ryker's voice trembles with concern.
'He beat me, Ryker. He triggered the labor. He's going to kill our baby as soon as it's born!' I inform him, crying out from another contraction.
'Astrid, we found almost twenty different abandoned places on the map. We've checked twelve so far. We must be getting close now. I promise I will be there soon!' Ryker reassures me through our mind link.
My stepfather returns, sitting on the ground in front of me, casually scraping the blade of the knife against the concrete to torment me. My contractions are relentless, drawing closer together. My body instinctively urges me to push, but I fight against it, fearing for the safety of my unborn child.
'We're here! I can smell your scent!' Ryker urgently mind links. I scream in agony as another contraction grips me tightly. 'I can hear you, Astrid. I'm coming, babe,' he reassures me.
I hear his footsteps, and my stepfather is alerted as well. He quickly gets up and opens a long box, pulling out his shotgun. The gun is pointed toward the door just as Ryker barges in.
'Let Astrid go!' Ryker growls, his voice resonating with a dangerous edge.
My dad, however, finds amusement in the situation. 'Or what?' He retorts defiantly.
'Or I'll rip your head off!' Ryker's threat carries a chilling intensity.
Without hesitation, my dad fires his gun, the shot just missing Ryker by a hair's breadth.
'We're going to play it this way, are we?' Ryker's voice is a low growl as he strips off his shirt and pants, swiftly shifting into his large black wolf form.
Ryker charges toward my stepfather as the gun discharges, accompanied by a whimper and yelp. 'Ryker!' I shout, horror coursing through me as I witness blood dribbling from his wounded shoulder.
My stepfather takes a step back, a twisted grin forming on his face. 'Well, I'll be darned! So, werewolves really do exist after all. Just think of the money I would get if I shot you dead and skinned your fur,' he laughs.
Ryker growls and circles my stepfather, the gun still pointed in his direction. I scream in pain as another contraction hits, and my stepfather briefly glances my way. Seizing this moment, Ryker lunges at him.