Fearless is the direct sequel to Unbroken, but it will not contain any spoilers so it can be ready safely without knowing the end of Unbroken. It is being published before Unbroken is finished because Kim will have her own story to tell towards the end of The Way to Live.
Please read Max's POV on the situation in SuperNatural1985's one shot titled Strong Part 4.
I'd like to thank SuperNatural1985 for her amazing editing skills and for all her help and support! As she has already announced in her new story, The Way to Live, Max will be making appearances throughout this story as one more of the Pack. I encourage you to please read Max's original story in The Way In, also by SuperNatural1985.
*Kim has now been introduced into SuperNatural1985's The Way to Live and was already featured in Struggling, Disastrous,It Begins, Broken Bonds, Hurt, Challenge, Aftermath, Werewolf Law 1 and Unacceptable.
*A special thanks to Nevaeh717 for the awesome feedback and support.
Leave Out All The Rest – Linkin Park
I dreamt I was missing, you were so scared
But no one would listen, 'cause no one else cared
After my dreaming, I woke with this fear:
What am I leaving when I am done here?
So if you're asking me,
I want you to know….
When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed
And don't resent me, when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory, and leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest; don't be afraid
I've taken my beating, I've shared what I've made
I'm strong on the surface, not all the way through
I've never been perfect, but neither have you
So if you're asking me,
I want you to know….
When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed
Don't resent me, and when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory, and leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest…
Forgetting all the hurt inside that you've learned to hide so well
Pretending someone else can come and save me from myself
I can't be who you are
When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed
Don't resent me, and when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest…
Forgetting all the hurt inside you've learned to hide so well
Pretending someone else can come and save me from myself
I can't be who you are
I can't be who you are…
Ch 34 Gone
Reese POV
I did not like it one bit that my mate was in the room alone with the human that wanted her, especially after smelling the anger that had been coming off of him before. But I knew that if he got out of hand, my mate could take him, though I would rather be the one to put him in his place. Kim was mine and mine alone and no one would touch her unless she wanted them to. I would make sure of it.
"Reese, calm down," Antonio ordered as he leaned against the wall in front of me, obviously having caught on to the smell of my anger. I looked up at him and caught the sight of his wolf in his eyes and instantly looked away. He was on high alert, so it was best not to challenge him. I could even see through his relaxed posture to see the tensing of his shoulders that told me he was ready to kill.
I leaned back against my own wall with the door to Kim's dressing room right beside me and brushed a hand through my hair. Kim had been in there for less than a minute and I was already starting to get anxious. Being away from my mate when there was a danger on the loose—one that was after her specifically—did not sit at all well with my wolf. As soon as she talked with the brain dead human, I would not leave her side for barely more than a second until Turner was caught.
I was just about to start pacing to rid myself of some of my tension when a crack erupted from within Kim's dressing room. I recognized the sound instantly. It was the sound of one of the werewolves' favourite killing techniques. Neck snapping.
I spun around towards the door, the wolf within me preparing for battle as fear and panic threatened to take over. I turned the doorknob roughly, but it didn't budge. I was just about to turn it harder when I was suddenly pushed aside and Antonio growled deeply as he went to turn the doorknob, but I never saw it happen.
Pain shot through the back of my head, making my knees buckle, and I collapsed to the floor, my head spinning out of control as if I had spent the entire night drinking, the effects coming all at once instead of gradually. I blinked hard, but the dizziness didn't disappear. I tried to get up, knowing that these effects weren't coming from me but from my mate bond. My mate was in danger; I needed to get to her. But it was useless. My legs refused to hold me up.
I felt strong hands pull me up as another pair tried to hold me steady while I found my footing. I tried to speak and almost vomited. Voices and shouts sounded around me and I was numbly aware of the door beside me being ripped to pieces. I yanked hard on the grip that held me tight and strode over to the door, moving as an alcoholic would. Someone tried to hold me back, but it was too late. My wolf roared.
Antonio POV
I heard shouts and a pain filled howl behind me, but the noise died down as I flung myself over the windowsill and into the cold and dark night, hearing tires skid over asphalt as I started to run. I was met with a cold breeze, but it didn't stop me as I ran across the almost deserted parking lot, following the backlights of my target. I could just make out the license plate, but then the van reached the road and I lost it from sight.
"No," I gasped and sped up, but it was no use. I reached the road and leaned over, bringing my hands down to my thighs as I breathed hard. No. I looked up down the road where the car had gone, but it was nowhere in sight. I had failed. I failed you, princess.
My hands shook with anger and my wolf was storming within, demanding that we follow the mutt. Thankfully, I had had years to establish tight reins over him so I was able to push him back until I could barely feel his bloodlust, barely.
A passing car honked at me and I growled despite myself and turned around. I ran back to the window to Kim's dressing room, sweat making the shirt cling to me. Kim was gone and I knew who had her. And I had a license plate number. I would get to her and soon, but I knew—and so did my wolf—that we had another problem right then.
Even before I reached the window I could already hear the sounds of struggle. I pulled myself into the room and found Karl pinning Reese against the floor, pinning my son's arms behind his back and pressing his knee into his back. Reese was roaring beneath him, sometimes words and sometimes not. Tears fell down his face despite the anger that his eyes held and his shouts held a note of pain that was crystal clear with my werewolf hearing.
I watched him for a moment and my heart went out to him, knowing that if I was angry, he was ready to kill every living thing within sight. Or so his wolf told me which was in full view. In fact, I could see Reese's features start to deform, his skin shimmering as the first stages of the Change began. Karl was struggling to hold down my son and I knew that we didn't have a choice. I strode over to them and kneeled.
"I'm sorry," I murmured into Reese's ear as he screamed for us to let him go and then brought my fist down on the back of his head. He collapsed against the floor face first and Karl let go of his arms and got off of him, dusting imaginary dust off of himself.
"Well?" he said and looked over at me with a raised eyebrow. I saw Morgan watching me as well and Nick came over to Reese and kneeled down beside him, muttering a "Sorry, buddy."
"Gone," I said softly. Nick looked up at me, fear clouding his eyes for a moment before he got it under control. Karl nodded and kept his face neutral as he turned back to the room. He didn't know Kim very well, but she was Pack and Karl's wolf understood that they had to protect her since she was just a child, no matter how much he disliked it. Morgan, who had barely made an acquaintance with Kim, was looking at a loss and seemed to be just waiting for orders. I motioned to him and then gestured towards the room, my eyes falling down on the body, the smell of death and sex filling the air. "Let's get this cleaned up."
Gently, I patted the earth that I had just placed into the recently dug grave. I hated burying children, but it had to be done. His head being snapped the way it had been could not be explained so easily to the forensics. Modern technology made it difficult to hide werewolf kills unfortunately, so the poor boy's family would never know what happened to him, just that he disappeared.
I stood with the shovel in hand and Nick muttered something indecipherable under his breath as he followed suit. We started making our way down the dark path and back to the house, each of us lost in our own thoughts.
Anger still ran through me, but I had it under control at least, though it ignited easily when I thought of Turner. He had managed to hide himself from us back at the theatre, burying his scent under litres of cheap cologne. He had killed Alex and taken Kim. We had tried to get into the room the moment we heard a neck snap, but Reese's momentary daze had halted me. Nick, Morgan and Karl had arrived right at that moment, having been sent by Jeremy who no doubt had sensed danger. But it was too late.
I had failed twice tonight, with Kim and with Abbey. Abbey was like Kim's sister and had thus been under my protection tonight and I failed miserably. I had been too focused on my daughter to worry about her and so had the Pack which had also focused on protecting the pups, but not the human. Noah had given the alarm shortly before Jeremy had sent the reinforcements to us, telling us that Abbey was missing. Only once Kim's dressing room had been cleaned did we actually start looking for her. We found her scent back in the coffee room and followed it down the hall where it disappeared into the stink of cheap cologne in a storage room which then led all the way outside. The room hadn't smelt of death, so she was alive, for now.
Kim's dressing room had smelled of death though, because of Turner, but it had also smelled strongly of sex. Reese had engrained his scent in Kim and vice versa. This did nothing to help extinguish my growing fears. If Turner got close enough to her to smell Reese on her, then I had no idea what he would do. Would he kill her for being with another man? He believed Kim to be Rachel, so would he see it as unfaithfulness? Or would he set out to kill Reese instead?
"It's not your fault," my son repeated for the millionth time. I said nothing and just kept walking, shifting the shovel over my shoulder. It was my fault and I knew it. I had decided to leave her alone for just one moment and that was all it took. Granted, the scents in the room told us that Alex had opened the window from the inside, allowing Turner in—though whether he did so willingly or not, we didn't know. But I had been the one to decide to leave her alone with him in the room. He obviously hadn't had very good intentions because he had been the one to place the chair behind the door, hindering us for a few seconds longer. Still, it was my fault and mine alone.
We reached the edge of the forest that surrounded our house and instantly heard the sounds of screams and shouts. Immediately we started running back to the house, dropping the shovels to move more quickly. We ran through the front doors and through the house, following the sounds of commotion to Kim's bedroom where Elena was watching the situation with a resigned look. Reese had woken it seemed.
Reese POV
"Let me go," I roared from under Clay, but he just pulled my arms up higher against my back, making me wince in pain. I struggled to break free of his grip, but it was pointless. It seemed that Clay was able to hold me down without much effort, but I just kept wriggling under him, needing to break free. Kim needed me.
"Either calm down or I clock you," Clay growled from above me. I struggled for a moment more and then stopped moving. Awkwardly, Clay rolled us and then pinned me so I was facing him. His blue eyes gleamed with the wolf, shoving mine back forcefully but not entirely. I knew that it would be more than impossible to get my wolf to back down tonight. Once my wolf was pushed back I submitted to Clay and then to Antonio when he stepped into my field of vision.
Clay let me up and as soon as I was free I backed away from them so I could look at them all at the same time, my wolf not trusting anyone in that moment to have someone behind my back. My wolf growled furiously within and I ached with the need of my mate. Kim was gone. I clenched my fists and tried to fight the feeling of emptiness that filled me but it was useless. With Kim gone I had lost a part of myself, half of my soul, my mind and my heart. My mate was a part of me and I was a part of her and I was lost without her. I felt like I was drifting through space, through the vast emptiness of the universe, and I was all alone.
I suddenly realized that I was alone with Antonio and that Clay, Elena and Nick had left, but I hadn't seen them leave—I was too preoccupied with the immense emptiness that now filled me with my mate gone. Without a word, Antonio walked over to the bed and sat, leaving me standing. I unclenched my fists and tried to force calm into my body, but my wolf was roaring within me, demanding that we go find our mate right now, though I knew I needed to relax before I did such a thing. I might hurt others if I was out of control which is why Antonio had no doubt knocked me out back at the theatre.
"I'm sorry," Antonio said. I frowned at him before I understood. I growled lowly, shaking my head, and started pacing to ease some of the tension. Though my wolf was beginning to calm a bit, his anger was now giving way to despair. I suddenly felt like crying.
"It's not your fault," I growled and stopped pacing for a moment, closing my eyes and taking deep breaths. I would not despair. I would not be able to find my mate like that. I clenched my fists again and found the wolf's anger and let it consume me. Right then I needed anger. Maybe not the wisest choice, but despair would leave me helpless and my mate needed me. I took a deep breath and started pacing again.
"It's mine," I said and was answered with a growl that I returned. Kim was my mate and she was mine to protect. But I understood that Antonio was the Alpha here in our household and that as her father he would feel the need to protect her. But we all protected her, even our little brothers, and yet she had been taken.
Rage built up dangerously within me and before I could stop myself I spun around and faced Antonio. "What the fuck are we still doing here? Why aren't we out looking for her?" I roared. My wolf felt like he was in a frenzy and I had to work hard to keep him under wraps. I needed to be careful or I could easily turn into a danger if I lost control of my wolf and then I would not be allowed to go on the search for my Kim.
Antonio then explained that we were waiting for Jeremy to call us down before we started our search. I growled and started to argue when he cut me off with devastating news. Abbey was gone as well. I stiffened as a wave of anger washed over me and I forced myself to sit down next to Antonio. His dominance would help me keep the wolf under control for now. I nodded grimly, keeping my eyes on the floor, as he told me what they had found back at the theatre.
Silence fell between us when Antonio finished informing me and I was still trying to get my wolf and anger under control when a knock came at the door. The door opened and my wolf whined at seeing Noah. His eyes were red and his expression grim and tear stained. He strode over to us slowly and when he reached us, I instantly stood and took him in my arms, comforting him and letting him comfort the wolf with his presence. Noah fell into my arms with a stifled sob and his body started shaking. Antonio stood silently and laid a hand on Noah's shoulder in silent comfort.
My wolf calmed somewhat within me at Noah's touch, feeling reassured that we were able to help him. Being older than Noah, I felt the wolf's instinct to protect the younger generation since I was the oldest within it. Being able to comfort Noah alleviated some of that protective instinct, but I could still feel the mate bond pulling strongly at me. My mate felt the instinct to protect as well, proving that our mate bond was stronger than even Clay and Elena's at times. I had even known when my mate had been hurt, or knocked out.
"Get some rest," I heard ordered from the door and I looked up to see Jeremy there. As always he held no expression on his face, but I knew that he, just like me and every other dominant in the Pack, was beyond pissed that one of ours had been taken. "We are all too tired tonight, so we set out tomorrow." I growled despite myself, but Jeremy just lifted a hand, pulling his wolf out and forcing mine to back down. "You are forbidden from going after Turner without my permission, Reese Williams. Am I clear?" It was impossible to disobey him when he used his Alpha voice, so I reluctantly nodded and then bared my neck to the Alpha, giving him my absolute submission.
Satisfied, Jeremy came over and laid a hand on Noah's other shoulder. My weeping brother hadn't even moved an inch since Jeremy had walked into the room and didn't seem to acknowledge Antonio's or the Alpha's comfort. I had never seen Noah so attached to a girl since I knew him the way he was to Abbey. So much so that I was even beginning to think that they might be mates. If that was the case, then the tears would soon give way to anger.
Jeremy and Antonio left a while later, leaving me alone with my little brother. I knew that we both wanted to start the search now, but I also knew that we were tired and it was late—or very early. So it was better to wait until tomorrow morning to begin the hunt. And then the smell of blood would fill the air.
I held Noah tightly against me, letting him comfort my wolf—though that didn't mean he stopped raging. The only thing that would truly calm my wolf right then was my mate, but she was gone. The smell of her in her—our—room did nothing to soothe me. All it did was infuriate the wolf more with the knowledge that this was all we had of her.
Noah had stopped crying, but I still held him. I still felt like crying, but the anger I felt was overriding that need, especially when I thought of Turner and how I had given him the opportune moment when I left Kim alone. Right then I couldn't bring myself to feel sorry for Alex. Only once I had my mate back with me would I allow myself to feel for others, but I couldn't right in that moment. Only my brother's sorrow allowed me to feel for him, but nothing else.
I felt a little pain on the back of my head but I knew that it was from where Antonio had hit me to knock me out and not from the pain that I had felt from my mate bond. Now that I was more relaxed and so was my wolf I could think back on what had happened at the theatre. My Kim had been knocked unconscious, I was sure of it. The symptoms I had felt told me so and I also knew that would have the only way for Turner to have gotten her out of the building. Otherwise my mate would have wiped the floor with him before he could so much as lay a hand on her.
The door opened silently then and Max and Addison came in, grim-faced and tired-looking. Max looked like he had done some crying of his own and my heart went out to my little brother. He loved Kim so much. But as he neared I could smell anger coming off of him as well as from Addison. They probably weren't any happier with the decision of waiting until tomorrow to start the hunt than I was. Though I knew it was the more logical thing to do, it didn't mean I had to like it.
Turner wouldn't hurt her, not immediately at least. He loved her, or rather the girl he thought her to be. I tried not to think of what he would do to her once he realized that she wouldn't yield on the fact that she wasn't Rachel. Instead I focused on my brothers and future brother-in-law.
I shifted in the bed and they sat down, but I quickly lied down and they followed suit, leaving me the one closest to the door. Kim's absence was painfully evident as Addison took up her place on the other side of the bed, again the feeling of emptiness filling me. I tried and failed to not think about it and found myself trying to force the mate bond to tell me something to no avail. It was strong, as my almost blacking out when Kim had told me, but maybe it wasn't that strong or maybe Kim was still unconscious.
The Pack's silent comfort and Kim's lingering scent on the bed allowed me to relax enough to allow me to sleep, though not deeply. All I wanted was to go after Turner but I couldn't disobey the Alpha, my wolf wouldn't let me. Tomorrow though, no one would stop me from hunting and killing Turner. Tomorrow he would pay for everything that he had done to my family and to my mate. I would kill him, even if it was the last thing I did.
Kim POV
I kept my breathing even and forced myself to stay still despite the instinct to jump up and run. Everything that had happened before my blacking out flashed behind my eyes and tears threatened mercilessly, but I pushed them back with all my might. If I got through this, I would have all the time in the world to feel guilty and to mourn, but right then I needed to push it all aside to survive.
I kept my eyes closed, breathing slowly and inhaling the smells of the place I was in. All I could smell was cheap cologne, however. Fear banged on the doors within me, as did the wolf, but I held them both down. I could not lose it, not now. I had no idea where I was or where Turner was and I needed a clear mind to be able to handle him. He was crazy and I would need to be very, very careful or he could kill me even if he didn't want to.
Pain seared through the back of my head where it had hit the floor, but I ignored it. Worrying about pain wouldn't help me right then. I was fine—I think—so a little bruising wouldn't hurt.
I had my ears perked but I couldn't hear anything, so I slowly opened my eyes. It was dark and the room I was in didn't have a window. I assumed it was a room since I was lying on a very comfy bed that smelled disgustingly of Turner, so he had obviously been sleeping in it. Hopefully not while I was in it, though his scent was strong enough to suggest that he had been. I could at least be grateful that I could not smell sex, but I could smell arousal. I suppressed a shiver at the thought of what Turner could have done and turned my attention back to the present.
I raised my head a bit and it was only then that I realized that something tugged at my wrists. Light trickled from under the door and I could start to make out shapes, but all I could see was the bed and what looked like a dresser a few feet away. I looked down at my hands that were pulled close together and saw that they were handcuffed. Another tug told me that the handcuffs were tied to the bed somehow, but I couldn't see it. Turner thought me as a threat, I suddenly realized. He didn't want me dead but he knew that I didn't believe myself to be Rachel and knew that I was likely to kill him as soon as I got the chance.
Panic threatened now and the fear intensified. Nothing I could do helped me to calm down, so I thought of my mate. I needed to relax or might never see my mate again. I needed to think smart as my father always said. Turner wouldn't hurt me if he thought I was Rachel. I needed to play this right so I could give my Pack time to get here. No, I thought suddenly. I would not play freaking damsel in distress; I could not rely on my Pack because they might not even know where I was. I needed to find my own way out, with or without the Pack.
I wiggled on the bed and found that I could sit up and that my heels were gone, leaving me bare foot. I sat and pulled on the handcuffs, the metal warm from the contact with my skin. They jingled lightly and I heard a thump from somewhere outside of the room, followed closely by the sounds of heavy footsteps. The door opened and the light flicked on, momentarily blinding me. I squinted, allowing my eyes to adjust, and then looked at the man that had caused my Pack and me so much grief.
Turner's icy blue eyes surveyed me with longing. I held his gaze, my wolf rising instinctively within me. He didn't back down from me and I wasn't about to submit to him either. I couldn't. He was a mutt and I was Pack. He had to submit to me and the wolf knew it.
Without breaking eye contact, he came over to me and bent down so we were at eye level. I resisted the urge to growl at him and kept my face as passive as possible. He leaned closer to me, his eyes piercing right through me. I stayed still, inhaling his scent that made my wolf growl within me as she acknowledged the fact that we had a threat before us. As quick as lightning, Turner kissed me and I gasped from the force. Without thinking of the consequences, I bit down hard on his lip, tasting blood. With a deep growl, Turner pulled away and stood, staring down at me with anger in his eyes and his scent flared with the smell of it as a few drops of blood trickled down his chin. I spat out the taste of his blood and grimaced as the wolf roared for more.
"What do I have to do to make you remember who you are, my love? You are not one of them. The Pack doesn't care for you, only I do," he murmured and then sat down again, bringing a hand up to my cheek. I stopped myself from pulling back and just glared at him. So much for playing it smart.
He started leaning in again, as if a kiss would bring back my memories. "Kiss me again and I'll rip your head off," I growled. Anger flared in his eyes once more and his wolf came to the forefront, almost daring me to challenge him. He was more dominant than I had thought. Survival told me to keep my mouth shut and to just go with it, but my wolf wouldn't let me. No one touched me but my mate.
"The Pack will pay for breaking us apart," he vowed, his wolf flashing furiously behind his eyes. Suddenly I saw his nostrils flare and a frown creased his forehead. He leaned closer again but instead of going to my mouth he went down to my chest. I stayed absolutely still until he roared. I jumped despite myself and watched him as he stood and started pacing furiously in front of me, the stink of his rage thick in the air. I didn't need to ask what he had smelled on me. His anger told me everything I needed to know.
"He marked you," he growled furiously as he paced. When I didn't say anything, he spun and glared at me before his look turned soft and pain filled his eyes. "He claimed you as his when you're mine, my love," he whispered and I just stared blank faced at him. Best to keep my mouth shut before I made him angrier, though his anger was obviously not directed at me but at my Pack. I couldn't allow him to be angry at them or he might hurt them. I couldn't let that happen.
Without warning, he was on top of me, pushing me down on the bed as his hands started undressing me and his lips nibbled roughly on my neck. No. I struggled under him, trying to push him off of me, but he was so much bigger than me and weighed much more than I did. His hand slid up my dress and reached my panties, tugging them down. I buckled and panic built up within me. No, I couldn't let this happen.
"This will bring us back together, I promise," he murmured huskily into my ear. I pushed and wiggled under him, trying to get free without success. Only when I finally screamed as his hand slipped into my panties did he finally stop. His hand retreated and he pulled away from me to stare down at me. His eyes held so many emotions that it was hard to know what he was feeling, even by scent.
"I don't want to hurt you," he whispered as he caressed my cheek gently. I squirmed at his touch and shivered as I felt his arousal. He gave me one last longing look and then got off of me. He went straight to the door and left without looking back.
As soon as the door closed, my body relaxed, though not entirely. There was still a threat nearby and I couldn't let my guard down, but at least my neck was no longer stiff. I breathed in deeply, forcing myself to calm down. The only reason that he stopped was because he didn't want to hurt me. He loved me—or the girl he thought me to be—so he couldn't hurt me. It was probably the only time that I was grateful for his dementia.
I pushed my dress back down as best I could with my hands cuffed and just lied on the bed, thinking. I needed to think of a way to get out of here. I wasn't strong enough to break the bonds he had on me and I was too hungry to attempt a Change, so I would have to convince him to get them off. I knew how I would need to do that and my insides squirmed and my wolf growled at the thought of it, but I had no choice. I had to convince Turner that I was Rachel.
Reese POV
"Reese, calm down," I heard Nick say forcefully. I nodded and took a deep breath, pushing the wolf back as hard as I could for the millionth time today and every time it got harder. If we didn't find Kim soon, I was sure that I would lose it. Once I had my wolf mostly under control, I looked up and found Nick and Antonio watching me intently.
"I'm fine," I murmured and started to walk forward again, but Antonio stopped me.
"Keep him under control," he ordered and I nodded, knowing that if I lost control of the wolf I would be removed from the search party and I couldn't allow that. I needed to search for my mate. She needed me. She was okay, though, that much I knew. I hadn't felt any pain or anything to suggest that she was…permanently injured, so she had to be okay.
"Let's go," I said, gesturing that we could start moving. Antonio gave me one long look with his wolf in full view, pushing mine back even further, and then started walking. We set off again down the street, going to check out the apartment Karl had informed us about, while he, Clay and Elena checked out another one. Morgan had been left on guard duty with the Alpha, Jaime and Hope guarding the boys and the twins. Noah had not liked it at all to be left out of the search but he still hadn't completely healed, otherwise he would probably here with us. Max had of course wanted to come as well, and while he was mostly healed, he was still too uncontrollable, though he was getting much better.
We were convinced that Turner was staying in town which was how he had been able to control our movements. Karl, Clay and Elena had broomed the entire town before Turner had taken Kim, but for now we had nowhere else to look. From the time we almost caught him at the airport we have had his account and credit card numbers, so we would know when he used them, thanks to Paige, the witch on the interracial council and friend of the Alpha elect. He had a car which we also had the license plate number to thanks to Antonio, but it was a stolen car, so he could have easily taken Kim elsewhere or further away from the Pack. Finding where he used to stay though, might give us a clue as to where he was heading. I just hoped my Kim was strong enough to wait for me.
Kim POV
What felt like hours later, Turner showed up again, with food. He set it down on the bed and then quickly stepped back, watching me expectantly. I looked down at the food and gingerly picked up the plate as best I could with my hands tied. I took a good whiff of it, ignoring Turner's gaze on me. I hadn't expected to find any poisons but I wasn't going to trust Turner on anything. My father had included identifying poisons and sedatives into my training as well as in everyone else's.
He kept his distance this time, taking on a new tactic. He sat beside the door, leaning against the wall, and talked. He didn't even need me to participate in the conversation as he told me how we—him and Rachel that is—met. I sat uncomfortably on the bed as I ate and watched him as he spoke, never taking my eyes off of him in case he tried anything again, but I needn't have worried. He was trying to get me to "remember" by telling me stories about "us."
The story of how he and Rachel met was soon followed by stories of their time together, just a few months from what I could tell. As he spoke, I was unable to stop the trickle of pity that ran through me. He had loved her so much that when he lost her he lost his mind. He made sure to make me understand that Rachel had asked to be bitten and that he hadn't wanted to do it, but he had given in, in the end. The pity I felt though, evaporated as soon as I remembered all the innocent girls he had killed…and Alex. I pushed that thought aside and forced myself to concentrate on Turner.
Turner then told me how he had felt once he learned that the Pack had killed me. His words, not mine. He had been convinced that the Pack had killed Rachel, the Alpha elect not wanting another female werewolf to compete against her. He had felt lost, alone and weightless, he said. Again, pity tried to reach me, but I forced it back. No pity for the man that had done so many evils, even if he was crazy which he obviously was.
He told me about how he had found me again in Tucson and had bitten me, hoping to jog my memory. But the Pack "killed" me before he could get me away from my family imposters. He travelled the country looking fro me after that and the same story was repeated three more times before he found me. He thought that the Pack had hidden Rachel from him and he had gone around biting girls that looked like her, thinking that she would come back. God, he really was nuts.
He then told me of how he had watched Stonehaven closely after biting me and how he saw me at Christmas. He said that he had tried to force the Pack to hand me over by killing girls on their territory, but they hadn't yielded. So he tried to get me himself and when that failed, he attempted to take my brothers to get me to come to him. Just like I had thought, he had tried to use my brothers. Sick bastard.
I had just finished eating my plate of food when he reached the story of how he had managed to get me back at the theatre. I stiffened and tears burned my eyes as roaring guilt filled me. Alex had been so hurt by what I had done and seeing me with Reese that he had agreed to somehow get me alone with Turner. I tried to keep my face expressionless, but even I could smell my emotions flowing from me, though Turner didn't seem to notice. Alex was dead and it was all my fault.
Once Turner had finished his narration with endless vows of love he stared at me, just stared at me. His light blue eyes were emotionless for once as he searched my face. I kept very still as his eyes wandered over my body and I tried not to squirm as I smelt his arousal rise. Having a threat before me and my hands being tied allowed me to push my internal turmoil aside for the moment and to focus solely on the situation at hand. I could think about things that were once—if—I got out of this.
"They changed you," Turner said suddenly, his eyes back on my face. I said nothing. "You didn't use to sing. You never believed the lies someone else told you. You would have never let someone who wasn't me claim you." Pain rang through his voice and I knew that this was it. I had to take advantage of his weakness and I felt my wolf whole heartedly agree with my decision, albeit reluctantly.
"I am Rachel," I said quietly. He blinked. He blinked again and then slowly rose to his feet. With slow motions he came over to me and sat on the bed beside me, ignoring the empty plate beside him. Gently he lifted his hands to my face and leaned over, kissing me gently. Everything within me rebelled at the touch of his lips on mine and my wolf growled viciously despite having agreed to the plan already, but I reminded her of our mate and how this was the only way to get him back and she shut up.
Slowly and reluctantly I let him in and he moaned into the kiss. His hands held onto my face as he took the lead and started kissing me harder, his arousal growing intensely. Suddenly he pulled away and pushed me back roughly, flying off the bed with a low growl. I stared at him as he glared down at me, his hands clenched at his sides, the smell of his anger sweeping over me.
"You are not Rachel," he growled, his jaw clenched. "Rachel never kissed me like that." I wanted to rage and storm as my wolf growled within me. What the hell had I expected? Of course he would realize I was lying, though the mutt didn't seem to know how to use his nose to be able to figure it out. Not many wolves knew how to do it. Lies held a certain scent and the liar's heartbeat always accelerated, so it was just a matter of using your nose and ears. I had had the Pack to teach me this; Turner hadn't had a very good teacher it seems.
Turner glared at me for a moment longer before leaving the room indignantly. As soon as he left, I had to fight to control my panic. My attempt at getting him to believe that I was Rachel had backfired and badly. What would he do now? Would he give up? I doubted it. He had spent way too much time looking for me to just give up now. But I was afraid that he would try to take me to try to make me "remember".
I forced back panic and fear at the thought of that and leaned back against the wall, trying to force calm into my body. Slowly, my body relaxed as I took deep, calming breathes. I needed to be calm for what I was about to do. Antonio had been teaching me to Change only my hand, but so far I hadn't managed to do it. It was much more complicated than it looked. But if it worked, my hand would be thin enough to get out of the handcuffs. If this didn't work, then I would have to Change completely. It would give me an advantage against Turner, but I couldn't open a door without fingers and my Change would not be silent, so Turner would be forewarned of my Change.
I took a deep breath and tried the partial Change. I concentrated solely on my right hand, moving it in slow circles as I breathed deeply and slowly. My hand started shimmering and I saw the muscles twitch, but the Change didn't go any further than that. Again and again I tried, but after about thirty minutes I gave up. It was useless. If I hadn't managed to do a partial Change while in the training room with my father, then it was nearly impossible for me to achieve it while I was kidnapped by an unstable mutt that was likely to rape me when desperation reached him. I wasn't like Max who had his wolf always near the surface which had allowed him to master partial changes long ago.
My hunger didn't help either. The plate of food he had given me was far from sufficient. I hadn't eaten in at least the last twelve hours and Changing took a lot of energy that I did not have in that moment. But still, I had to try. I knew that if I let my hunger go on any longer, I might lose control of my wolf and I couldn't let that happen. I didn't mind killing Turner—I think—but I would never forgive myself if I killed an innocent bystander. I still hadn't gone on a run around humans—I was supposed to go with the Pack sometime in the next few months—so I had no idea if I would be able to control my wolf's instincts should I encounter a human while in wolf form.
I closed my eyes and adjusted my position on the bed so I was comfortable. I wouldn't Change if I was uncomfortable, Elena had said, so long ago it seemed. I was on all fours, my hands at an awkward angle as the chain and handcuffs pulled at them towards the edge of the bed. I took more calming breaths and concentrated on my entire body now, drawing my wolf out.
As I had predicted, my discomfort and hunger made it difficult to be able to concentrate, but I managed to work through it. I felt my muscles start to spasm and stretch painfully as the Change began. I kept my head down as I bit on my lip, trying desperately to keep quiet but it was impossible.
A stifled scream had Turner bursting the door open and shouting at me to stop, but it was too late. I was past the point of no return. I was faintly aware of the door slamming shut as I finished the Change and inhuman screams escaped my mouth. Panting, I lied on the bed, trying to focus. Despite my exhaustion, I stood and extracted my front limbs from the handcuffs and wiggled out of my clothing.
I sniffed the air and caught the faint scent of Turner's fear that had my wolf burning for a hunt. I shifted on the bed and got into position facing the door, my hind legs prepared for the pounce. I could hear Turner coming back towards the room. He would probably be armed, my instincts told me, so I prepared to tackle him on his legs, hopefully hitting one of the main arteries. Once I had him down I could go for his throat. All this planning was for nothing however, as I discovered once the door swung open.
I growled viciously and pulled my ears back as I bared my teeth to the werewolf before me. He held my gaze without blinking and I saw his hand bring up the weapon higher as my growl intensified. I saw blood trickle down my friend's neck and my human instincts kicked in, so I shut up and just glared at the mutt.
Abbey stared at me with fearful eyes, the smell of her fear thick in the air. For a moment I half expected my wolf to push me into attacking Abbey because of the stink of her fear and her apparent weakness, but it didn't happen. And I knew why. Abbey was under my protection and always had been, ever since we met. I couldn't hurt her anymore than I could hurt one of my brothers or the twins.
"Change back," Turner said slowly, so I had time to decipher the human words, his eyes never leaving me. I growled deeply despite myself, but the mutt just lifted the pocket knife up higher, blood falling all the way down to Abbey's dress, staining the gold with dark red. The smell of blood ignited older wolf instincts, but my protective instincts overrode the more vicious ones.
Slowly, I lied back down on the bed, keeping my eyes on Turner. The Change hurt beyond measure. I thought for one endless moment that I wouldn't be able to go through with it. Hungry and exhausted after Changing to wolf form only a few minutes beforehand made it excruciatingly painful to Change back to human. But somehow I did it. For Abbey.
My body shook violently as the Change ended and I was covered in cold sweat. I gasped for air as I tried to steady my aching limbs and clear my clouded brain. I don't know how long it took, but I eventually stopped shaking and looked up to see my friend's face overtaken by horror. Her mouth moved in a soundless scream as the smell of her fear blocked the rest of the scents of the room out. I had never Changed in front of anyone but I knew that it couldn't be a very pretty sight.
"Abbey," I whispered hoarsely. She said nothing as she stared into my eyes where the wolf was still present. As I watched the terror grow in her eyes I realized the mistake I had made. I should never have brought her back into my life. It was too dangerous and now we were both paying the consequences of my stupidity.
"Your friend here told me that you're like sisters," Turner said softly and I glanced at him to see him watching me intently, but I kept my eyes on the knife in his hands which was still much too close to my friend's throat. I knew that I should try to do something but I couldn't do anything without risking accidently hurting Abbey, so I nodded stiffly instead and heard a faint whimper escape Abbey's throat.
"What are you?" she whispered and I saw her hands start to shake. Before I could even open my mouth, Tuner spoke.
"You never really liked humans even if you were one of them, my love. The Pack has done a better job at erasing your memories and implanting new ones than I had thought, including ones about your life before the Pack. But I bet they don't know what would happen if I destroyed those memories," he said with a smile that had me trembling with terror.
Before I could even entirely process his words, he moved the knife away from Abbey's throat and then plunged it into her chest in a lightning quick move. For a moment it seemed like nothing had happened, but then he pulled the knife out and blood spilled out. The crimson liquid rained down my friend's body towards the floor, but I didn't see it fall. All I saw was the terror in my friend's eyes as she fell to the ground, falling in the puddle of her own blood.
The scream that tore through my throat made my ears ring painfully, but I kept screaming, even as I launched myself on Turner. He stumbled back, shock filling his eyes before he stepped aside, but I was quicker than him and managed to grab the knife hand and spun around with it, digging it deep into his back. I pushed him away and out of the room, watching him only long enough to see him fall to floor with a grunt of pain.
I went back to Abbey who was lying face down on the floor and gently turned her over. She was still breathing, but barely. I held her in my arms despite everything I knew telling me to put her down and to call an ambulance. I was just too afraid to leave my friend, even for a second. "Abbey," I sobbed, tears falling mercilessly down my face onto hers as she blinked, mixing in with crimson liquid that stained her cheeks and nose.
"Kim," she murmured, her eyes falling momentarily on me before they closed.
"No," I cried and shook her gently. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at me, really looked at me. "P-please," I sobbed, the salt water blurring my vision. "D-don't leave m-me." She smiled crookedly at me despite the fear I could see in her eyes.
"I…I love you…," she whispered through hard breaths and lifted a hand to my face, touching it lightly before letting it fall. "You will…al…ways be…my sister," she gasped and then went limp, her head falling back as I watched the light leave her terror filled eyes.
"N-no. P-please," I cried and shook her again, but she didn't move. She was gone. Forever. Tears rained down on my friend's body as I gently put her down and my body shook with violent sobs. My fault, all my fault. And Turner's.
I clenched my fists and stood, spinning around on the spot to see Turner crawling across the next room, blood dripping down his back and staining the floor he crawled over. He had somehow managed to get the knife out of his back, but I barely noticed this as I flung myself at him. I took him down and landed on top of him, easily pinning him due to his wounds. As I held his hands over his head and dug my knees into his sides, making him wince and whine as I pushed his back against the hard floor, I snapped his fingers one by one. He howled beneath me, the smell of his fear wafting up to me, consuming me and feeding the wolf that was starving for revenge.
Once all his fingers were broken, I snapped his wrists. Turner writhed under me and begged for me to stop, but I hardly heard him as the blood pumped in my ears. His hands were useless then, so I let them go and held onto his shoulder as I moved over him and dug my knee into his groin. He screamed, the sound piercing through my ears and leaving me momentarily deaf, but I didn't stop. I pushed harder and harder into his crotch until I couldn't any more.
I shifted back to straddle his sides, digging in hard and making him whimper, a sound that had my wolf howling for more. I clenched my fists and let my anger have free range on his face. Every time flesh hit flesh the faces of my family and Pack flashed before my eyes. He had hurt my brothers, threatened the Pack and killed innocent girls. And Alex and Abbey. Abbey, my sister, my friend, my saviour. The memory of her blood made my blows come harder and faster until Turner's face was beyond unrecognizable. It wasn't until he started pleading pitifully did I finally halt my onslaught.
I put my bloodied hands back on his shoulders and held him down as I stared at him while he gasped for air. Soft whines escaped his throat every so often but they did nothing to diminish the rage that stormed within me. Though through my range, one thing became absolutely clear. I was an animal. That's what Turner had made me the night he bit me all those months ago. A vicious and blood thirsty animal.
Turner had his eyes closed and I heard him muttering how much he loved me and that he would never hurt me. That only infuriated the wolf more. Thanks to him we had failed in our duty to protect Noah and Max. And Abbey, even if she wasn't Pack she was still under my protection. And now she was gone.
I leaned down, receiving a full blast of Turner's blood, and put my lips to his ear. "This is for Abbey," I whispered and then in a move so quick he had no chance to see it coming, I put my hands on his head and snapped his neck.
I stood, bloodied and naked, and stared down at Turner, his face turned away from me at an awkward angle. My body shook uncontrollably and I suddenly collapsed beside the corpse and emptied my stomach. Tears fell mercilessly, blurring my vision as I tried to stand. My knees felt like they would give way at any moment so I held on to the wall, leaning against it and covering it with blood.
My body hurt all over and my hands especially ached from the beating I had given to Turner. I blinked hard, clearing my eyes of tears, and looked around. I saw what looked like a small loft but I couldn't be sure as my eyes fell on the phone hanging from the wall just in front of me.
I stumbled over to it, shivering from the cold that was starting to sweep over my body, and unhooked the phone. I leaned against the wall, trying to steady myself, but my hands shook too much and it took me about a half a dozen tries to dial the number.
"Hello?" I heard a voice answer urgently. I closed my eyes and slid down the wall, falling to the floor as sobs threatened to overtake my body.
"Reese," I croaked, more tears spilling from my eyes as my body started convulsing. I dropped the phone and screamed as the Change took over my body. Pain beyond measure assaulted my body and I swear I could feel it all the way to the tips of my hair. I screamed hoarsely as I struggled to control the Change but there was no stopping it.
I whimpered as I fell to the floor and the Change ended, but the pain didn't go away. I could hear muffled sounds coming from the pone beside me but I didn't go to it. Instead I crawled over to the source of the smell of blood, hunger eating at my insides.