Chapter 9
NINE
Holly
“I don’t think you should go,” Adeline says as I grab my water bottle and keys.
“I’ll be fine. I promise I’m not going near that trail we were watching last night. But I… I can’t be here today. I need to clear my head, and I don’t want to be worried about Camden showing up at any moment.”
“I can tell Rhodes to ask him to stay away,” she offers.
I shake my head. “He won’t listen to him. I’ll be fine. I won’t be gone for long.”
She sighs. “Okay.”
I can tell Addy doesn’t want me to go, but I have this strange sensation inside me. I need to get out. I need to be alone for a while.
Starting my car, I hit the road, heading toward town and following the signs toward a hiking trail.
My thoughts drift to Camden and the time we spent together yesterday.
Part of me hoped he would make up for our first meeting, but a bigger part of me urges me to protect myself and keep him at arm’s length.
It’s hard to ignore my physical reaction to him. Every time we’re close, every time I think about him, I feel like I’m about to combust.
Being around Adeline and Rhodes isn’t helping. It makes me wish I could have what they have all the more. But I don’t think that Camden will ever be my Rhodes. I don’t know that he has it in him. The Pack and his responsibilities come first with him.
I park in the little lot at the base of the trail and climb out, smiling as I look around. It’s a beautiful day, and I already feel more relaxed as I take in the forest and hike up the trail.
It’s pretty easy at first, and I take it slowly, navigating the narrow path until it widens.
I get to a fork in the path and decide to go to the left, figuring I’ll be heading away from where Camden and I were watching last night.
I walk for another half hour, stop at a fallen tree to rest, and chug half my water bottle as I catch my breath.
Birds chirp above me, and I smile, tilting my head back and letting the sun shine on my face.
A branch snaps behind me, and I gasp, leaping to my feet and spinning around to scan the area.
“Sorry about that,” a man says, appearing out of the trees.
“It’s okay,” I say, but something inside me screams at me to run.
Alarm bells go off inside my head. Something about this man creeps me out. He feels like a threat.
He approaches me, and I take a few steps back.
“Where are you going, baby?”
My face twists in disgust at the nickname. I’m about to tell him to get lost when something dark is pulled over my head.
“No!” I scream, kicking out, but it’s no use.
Hands grab me, dragging me backward. My feet scramble for purchase, but we’re moving too fast. I tear at the bag over my head, but it must be tied because I can’t pull it off.
I freak out. My brain works overtime to process what’s happening and figure out a plan to get out of here.
Before I can, they throw me onto the back of some kind of vehicle, and we take off. They must have an ATV to maneuver in the forest.
The ride is bumpy, and I hang on for dear life, knowing I’ll be in even worse shape than I am right now if I fall. I can’t risk any broken bones because I’m going to need to fight and run if I want to escape.
“Help!” I scream as the vehicle slows.
I can’t see where we are or if anything or anyone is around me, but I still have to try.
“Someone help me! Help!”
“Shut up, you stupid bitch,” one of the men growls.
I tense as we jerk to a stop, hoping I can run. But I’m tied to the back of the ATV. Hands pull at me again, and I can hear other people around.
“Help!”
Someone hits me across the face. I fall to the ground, yelping as I land on a sharp rock.
“I told you to shut up!” the man yells.
I cower away from him. What do I do now? What’s going to happen to me? I think as hands drag me to my feet.
Tears slide down my cheeks as I stumble along. Pain radiates from my hip where I fell. I limp as fast as I can, biting down on my lip until I taste blood so I don’t start sobbing.
It will be okay, I tell myself. Someone will come. Camden will find me. He’ll rescue me.
Hands push on my shoulders, and I fall back, landing on a chair.
“Sit still,” someone commands.
I tense as they tie my hands behind the chair and secure my feet to the chair legs.
“Don’t do this,” I plead.
No one responds.
Footsteps retreat, and the hood is pulled from my head. A man stands in front of me, smirking down at me.
“He’ll be pleased,” he says.
I frown. “What?”
Without answering, he turns and walks away.
Once he’s gone, I’m all alone in the room.
I look around. There’s nothing much in here, just the chair and a dresser in front of me.
I twist, wincing at the pain in my hip, and see two doors behind me.
One looks like it goes to a bathroom, and the other, I’m guessing, is a closet.
Where am I? Someone’s house? Why did they take me? What did he mean when he said he’ll be pleased?
A million thoughts race through my head. I start to hyperventilate. Closing my eyes, I focus on my breathing.
Everything will be okay. Adeline will tell Rhodes and Camden where I went. He’ll find me. He’ll come for me. I know it.
I just hope that he gets here in time…