3. Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Willow
Bang. Bang. Bang.
“Willow, open up,” a loud male voice booms through the open window.
I jump, then bite my lip to keep from screaming.
I had been lying, all cozy in a soft pile of blankets on the couch, with the dogs.
But now, my heart hammers, and I debate running to the back of the house.
Bruce and Lucy let out impossibly loud growls, immediately alerting me to the danger outside.
“Willow. Quick. Let me in. We need to talk.” The urgency and familiarity of the voice make me pause. After grabbing my tablet from the table, I quickly pull up the cameras, breathing out a sigh of relief when I’m greeted by a face I know well. Gavin, the Alpha who saved me so many months ago. Safe.
Using the hand signal for “place,” I send the dogs to their beds to relax.
Once I’ve extricated myself from the blankets, I walk to the front door. It takes a minute to disengage all the locks before swinging the door open to welcome Gavin inside. Nerves make me nauseous. The agents assigned to protect me rarely show up unannounced.
What in the world is going on? Please let this be good news…
“Where’s Calloway?” The door closes, and my anxiety grows with every passing second. Calloway is my usual handler. I guess that’s probably the word for it, although I’m not completely sure. “I was expecting him to come get Lucy tomorrow.”
It’s been a few months since I last saw Gavin, but the tall, sandy-haired Alpha is unforgettable. His cedar scent wraps around me. Although it does nothing for my libido, the sense of safety that comes from his pheromones instantly puts me at ease.
“Calloway was called away on a different project, but don’t worry, he’s fine.
Sorry, I didn’t give you a heads-up about the change of time.
I need to take the dog today and head back ASAP.
” Gavin watches me secure the locks before turning to scan the room.
His eyes immediately fall on Lucy. “She’s beautiful.
I can’t believe you found her at a shelter. ”
“Me neither.” I fidget, not sure what to do with my hands. “I knew she would be the perfect fit for Rowan.” My sister’s new name slips from my mouth, and I bite my lip, hoping he won’t notice. We’re not supposed to know each other’s current identities.
“You ladies are terrible,” Gavin complains, running his fingers through his hair. “We can’t protect you if you insist on doing the very things we’ve forbidden.”
He’s not wrong. But how do I explain that being without my sisters is like missing a limb?
I need the reassurance that they are all right.
Safe. The dark-web chat Ro made us is one of the few things that keeps us sane.
She swears it’s secure, and considering how good she is with computers and technology, I can’t help but believe her.
“Sorry, Gavin. I swear we don’t know anything besides each other’s names.” It’s the truth. Rowan has been staunchly against our sharing more details. No addresses, phone numbers, or even what changes we’ve made to our physical appearance. She says it’s important in case one of us gets taken.
“You three are killing me,” he grumbles good-naturedly, getting closer to Lucy and stretching out his hand so she can sniff his palm.
“There should be four of us.” My voice cracks, and Gavin’s eyes snap to mine. The utter devastation in his gaze knocks the breath out of me.
“There should be,” he agrees. “And I promise we haven’t given up on finding Aspen. She’s still alive. Until I bring her home, I’ll never stop looking.” The force of his vow makes me truly believe that this matters to him on a level that’s more than professional. And I can’t help but wonder, why?
I’d ask, but Gavin and his fellow agents are rule followers to a fault.
Steel traps that never bend, so instead I switch to an easier topic and gesture to Lucy.
“She’s a really good girl, I promise she won’t give you much trouble on the…
drive?” I’m fishing, but not knowing where my sisters are is slowly killing me.
As the eldest. I’ve always felt responsible for the rest of them, and the distance between us is an agonizing torture.
Straightening to his full height, Gavin wags a finger at me and snorts, “Ah, ah, ah, none of that.” He shakes his head, but I know there’s very little heat behind it. Our protectors are nothing if not kind.
“Anyway, are you sure Ro deserves this sweet girl?” he asks with a smirk.
My youngest sister has always been a wild child.
She’s a bit of a thorn in the paw of our federal protective agents, causing havoc and chaos wherever she goes.
Which is exactly why Lucy’s the right pup for her—strong, steadfast, and lovable.
This snuggly girl’s what Ro needs in her life after the horrors she endured at the hands of Pack Mordred.
“No one warrants her more than my baby sister.” Rowan never talks about what happened to her, but from the screams alone, it was horrendous. My skin grows tight, and a cool chill races down my spine.
Gasping helplessly, I try to take a deep breath, but nothing makes its way around the ball of powerlessness lodged in my throat.
As always, Bruce knows just what to do. After hopping off his raised bed, my sweet boy clambers over to me, jumping up and nuzzling my face.
Part protector, part therapy dog, his actions snap me back to the present.
Quickly switching to a more businesslike demeanor, I gather Lucy’s things. I had already gotten a bag together for tomorrow, so it doesn’t take much time. Then I walk him through Lucy’s basic commands to make travel easier.
“Thanks for this. I had better be going. You know the risk of me staying too long…” Gavin trails off, turning away so I can give the rottie kisses and hugs goodbye.
Knowing there’s no sense in prolonging this, I escort them both to the door.
“I promise I’ll get her there safely,” Gavin says before leaving.
My heart breaks as I watch him load her into the back of a nondescript red car.
I’ll miss her sweet little brown-and-black scrunchie face.
And the gentle way she wakes me up in the morning.
But it’s much more bearable knowing she’ll use her wit and bite to safeguard my sister.
Bruce steps up next to me, and I reach down to pat his fuzzy head as we watch them reverse down the driveway.
Exhaustion builds within me, choking out my will to remain upright. This day needs to be over, and there’s only one place I want to be. My nest is my haven, so I secure all the locks and set my alarm before heading toward the house’s guest room.
“Come on, buddy. Let’s go have a snuggle party.
” Bruce follows closely behind, his cold, wet nose bumping into my knee.
We wander into the room, but instead of hunkering down in the bed, I open the closet.
Only two people know where my nest is: me and Calloway, because he helped me create the perfect sanctuary.
Once I’ve moved clothing out of the way, I press my hand against the side panel, and it slowly slides to the side.
Ducking my head, I climb into the hidden space.
It’s the size of a large walk-in closet, with a fairly low ceiling and sunken floor.
As far as nests go, there isn’t room for a whole pack, but it’s just the right size for me and Bruce.
Blankets, pillows, and the softest, comfiest mattress you’ve ever felt fill most of it, but I can still easily stand in it.
Bruce follows me inside, resting his head on his favorite blue pillow.
My whole nest comprises various shades of blue.
From bright robin’s egg to dark navy and everything in between, even iridescent blues.
The vibrant colors and patterns remind me of the sky, the sea, and the freedom I used to take for granted.
Settling in beside Bruce, I reach for my computer and quickly enter the forbidden dark-web chat.
W: Puppy package on her way to R.
I type it and hope that somebody is around to talk. Most sisters fight and argue over trivial things, but that was never our way. We’ve always been the closest of friends, a little group of four that nothing could tear apart…
Until they did.
O: Lucky R!!! I bet she’s the goodest girl. I’m thinking about getting a kitten. Or a fish.
W: I’m going to head to the shelter again tomorrow to see if there’s a pup for you, so keep me posted if you do. I’ll make sure to get one who likes other animals.
O: Will do! How are you? I miss you.
W: Doing okay. Miss you too. So much. Have you been up to anything new?
O: Not too much… I’ve started writing again…
W: And what about singing?
All of us were gifted with a variety of musical talents. Piano was my forte, but Oakley had the voice of an angel. When she got on stage, it made our parents so proud, blowing audiences away and bringing them to tears.
O: I’ve tried. My voice just doesn’t sound right.
Looking down at my gnarled hands, I can’t help but feel her pain.
W: Keep trying. Different doesn’t mean bad. Or take up something completely new that makes you happy.
O: I’m not sure I know what that word even means anymore…
Yeah, little sister. Me, neither.
We chat for a while, but Rowan never appears. It’s disappointing, but I’m not even sure whether we’re in the same time zone. Even though it hasn’t been long since sweet Lucy left, I was hoping to see if she made it to Ro quickly—meaning she’s nearby. But unfortunately, the mystery remains.
How much longer until this is over? Will I ever see them in person again?