Chapter 3: Missing Girl

Nessie's POV

I felt like I was on the verge of losing my mind completely. It had only been a few hours since Hazel, my daughter, my only daughter had gone missing. Simply vanishing without a trace.

I'd gone to her room to check on her only to discover that her bed was empty. I searched the entire house and neighborhood calling out her name over and over again but she was nowhere to be found.

I called my husband Jacob, who was still at work, and he rushed home as soon as I told him what happened. He ranted on and on about how he was going to 'ground her for the rest of eternity' for this.

It seemed that Jacob was more angry than worried. That made me mad. How is it possible that he wasn't even the least bit worried about our daughter? Our human daughter. Anything could've happened to her and he's worried about punishing her when we find her!

However as more hours went by I could tell that his anger was beginning to melt away and be replaced by genuine concern and worry. I didn't realize it right away but I think Jacob was only angry in the beginning because he didn't want to believe that anything was truly wrong. That she'd simply gone to a friend's house without permission or something like that. However as more time passes without a sign from her he began to really get scared.

There had been no sign of an intruder so that only left one option. She had run away. What I couldn't understand was why. Why would she run away?

Had we been to hard on her? We just wanted her to get the best grades and be top of her class like her brother. We were still angry that she quit cheerleading because that would hurt her chances at a scholarship. She knew what was expected of her. We made it clear to her all the time.

I sighed. The worry inside of me only intensified with each passing minute. We had already reported her missing to the Honolulu Police Department. Jacob was currently running around the island looking for any trace of her. Meanwhile my son Eric was the most quiet about the whole situation.

I couldn't help but feel that this was God's way of punishing me for what I'd done. I'd run away when 17 years ago when my family falsely accused me of a bunch of bullshit and didn't believe me when I told them the truth. My own solution was to run away. I wondered if my parents were as worried about me then as I am about my daughter now? Probably not since they were still angry at me for what they thought I'd done.

I looked over at my son who was still sitting quietly on the couch. Running away wasn't the only sin I committed. I had been lying to Jacob and Eric for many many years. I cheated onJacob once years ago with Nahuel. I conceived Eric with Nahuel. I let Jacob believe the baby was his when I told him I was pregnant. I was afraid of how he'd react when I told him the truth. More importantly though I didn't want to hurt either one of my guys by revealing the truth.

I often listened to Jacob comparing Hazel to Eric. Jacob had often remarked that he wanted to retire as alpha already and that he wished his son would hurry up and phase so that he could take over as leader. A few nights ago Jacob said it again at dinner time and this time my daughter responded.

"I wish I could phase," she said. "I'd love to take over as alpha,"

Jacob laughed. Her father actually laughed. "You would not make a good alpha because you don't make the best decisions. Like quitting cheerleading and your grades would probably slip more,"

I could see how deeply that hurt my daughter I regret not saying anything now. I regret not defending my daughter and speaking up for her. I know Jacob loves her and only wants what's best for her but sometimes he unintentionally hurts her instead.

Hazel didn't say anything for the rest of dinner. She was trying to hide how hurt she was. Later on in the evening though I heard her crying softly in her bedroom.

When she left for school the following morning she seemed more distant than usual. Jacob went to work a little while later and than I did. I didn't see Jacob until almost 11pm that evening. That actually happened a lot where he had to stay at work late. Or he'd have to go back into the office after dinner. It seemed to become a much more frequent thing over the years.

Most nights I was actually alone. Usually it was just me and the kids. When Jacob was home he wasn't always in the best of moods. I don't know what went on at work to cause Jacob to become so distant to me and his kids. Or why he was so much harder on Hazel than Eric. Then again I was sort of like that with my kids as well.

Jacob and I had grown more distant over the years. On the rare times he wasn't busy at work I was busy at work. I was a veterinarian at the local animal hospital and that often required long hours as well. If I was being perfectly honestly with myself I could not remember the last time Jacob and I had made love together. I just know it's been years. There have been times when the thought of sleeping with another man, even if just for one night, has crossed my mind but I could never bring myself to cheat on him again. Once was enough to fill me with guilt until this very day.

As for my son? I didn't know much about what went on his life. I didn't know much about what went on in my daughter's life either. Maybe my family's been falling apart for years now and it took Hazel's disappearance just to prove it.

I took a deep breath. I couldn't continue to sit here and do nothing. I had to look for my daughter.

"Going to look for your sister. I can't just sit here any longer. Let me know if you hear anything," I say to Eric.

"Sure thing mom,"

With that I'm off. My eyes desperately scanned my surroundings as I drove around. I passed by beaches, parks, schools, everything.

My hands shook the steering wheel from all the nerves I was feeling. If something bad happened to Hazel I'd never forgive myself.

I heard a noise from my phone signaling that I got a text message. I looked and saw that it was Jacob.

I've just confirmed that she is no longer on the island. I've been speaking to several of her friends and one of them just admitted to lending Hazel enough money to leave. Though how she even got the money to lend Hazel in the first place is still a mystery. Heading to the police station now to report this to them.

If I thought I was scared before I was wrong. I was beyond terrified now! My 14 year old daughter was not even in Hawaii anymore!

I was responding to Jacob's message when I suddenly heard a series of frantic honking behind me. I looked up but it was too late.

My car had begun to drift across the dividing line into opposite traffic. I slammed into the other car with so much force that my own car flipped over twice. I was thrown from the car because in my haste to find my daughter I'd forgotten to put on my seatbelt.

I landed several feet away from the car. I could feel nothing but cuts and pain all over my body. I could feel my head swimming in and out of consciousness.

I heard several people screaming and some people calling 911.

"Nessie!"

I saw two people get out of the car that had been behind me. The one that had been honking desperately to get my attention on the danger that I wasn't able to avoid anymore.

Now I was sure I was having an injury induced hallucination. Because the last thing I remember was seeing my grandpa Carlisle bending over me desperately trying to keep me alive while grandma Esme watched on in horror.

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