Chapter 41
Riley
I’m up early despite the late-night last night.
We went out with several of Reid’s teammates as well as Star and a few other girlfriends of Reid’s teammates.
Cameron came with as well, which Star was happy about.
Reid and I sat at a table with Caden, Cameron, Star, and another of Reid’s teammates.
We laughed and ate way too much food. It was really fun, and I can’t wait to do it again.
Today, I dress in my jeans and a soft pink sweater and pull on brown boots.
I leave my hair down for the day and put on some light makeup.
I stay quiet because Ashley is still sleeping, but I told her last night that I’d be up and out with my mom early.
I'm here, Love, my mom sends me.
I’ll be right down.
I grab my phone and slip out into the hallway. It always amazes me how quiet these hallways are on Saturday mornings. I open the door and climb into the passenger seat of my mom’s car. “Morning,” I tell my mom as I buckle. I glance over my shoulder at the car behind us. “Who’s on duty today?”
“Steve, Rick, Brody, and Jack.”
I glance back at her in surprise. “Not Joe?”
“No, he and your dad had a meeting to be at.” I’m surprised. My dad always has Joe assigned to my mom for security, but these guys are all qualified enforcers. “What are you hungry for?”
“Our usual?” I suggest.
She grins. “Let’s do it.”
There’s a small diner not far from pack lands that my parents and I have been frequenting since I was young. It’s totally a greasy spoon, but it’s nostalgic for us. I don’t think we’ll ever give it up, and they make the best omelets. “Reid’s game was certainly a nailbiter last night,” she starts.
“Oh, I know. I was so sick after that game. That was crazy but fun.”
“And you had an amazing game. Thirty points.” She shakes her head, and I can’t help but smile as I lay my head against the headrest. She glances over at me. “Are you feeling better now that you’ve bonded?”
“Oh, yeah. It’s like night and day.”
She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “I’m glad, but we shouldn’t have let you wait. I didn’t realize it would affect you so severely.”
“It’s okay; we’re bonded now. I don’t want you to worry about me.”
She squeezes my hand one more time before dropping it. “You’re my daughter. I will always worry about you.”
“How are things going with the other two alphas?” I ask, and she spends the next little bit filling me in on everything pack-related.
“Your father’s glad to have both packs’ full support, should we need help in the days to come.
” I try not to worry and focus on enjoying this time with my mom.
It sounds like my mom needs this breakfast and time away more than I do.
We walk inside and are greeted by a young girl.
“Good morning,” my mother says to the girl.
“Good morning. Just the two of you?”
My mom looks the girl over. “Where’s Kelly?”
The girl smiles. “Kelly’s on vacation.”
My mom returns her smile. “Oh, that’s nice. What's your name, Sweetheart?”
I hook my arm through my mom’s and pull lightly. “Stacey,” the girl returns.
“Stacey, are you new here?”
“Mom, stop the twenty questions,” I mutter under my breath. My mom has no problem hearing with her shifter hearing.
“Oh, sorry, dear. All right, Stacey, if you could just lead us to a booth.”
Stacey takes two menus and walks in front of us. “This way please.”
A quick glance around the restaurant shows it’s not nearly as busy as it normally is, but that works well for my mom and me.
I’m looking forward to sitting with a cup of coffee and connecting over a yummy breakfast. We slide into the booth, and Stacey slides a menu in front of each of us.
“Your waitress will be with you shortly. In the meantime, can I get you something to drink?”
I smile up at her. “I’ll take a coffee and a water.”
“Same for me,” my mom says.
Stacey walks away, and my mom and I both look at the menu out of habit.
I’m not really sure why when we both know what we’re going to get.
We both get the same meal every time we come.
A bacon and avocado omelet for me and a meat lovers for her.
Stacey comes back with a carafe of coffee that she sets on the table and two glasses of water.
“Thank you,” my mom says before she walks away.
I pour us both a steaming cup of coffee and then add half and half and stevia to mine.
My mom likes hers black. “This is nice,” my mom says after taking a sip of her coffee. “I’ve missed you.”
I take a sip as well. “I’ve missed you too.”
My mom sits back in her seat, completely relaxed. “So, how has your first semester of college been?”
I sit back as well and take another sip of coffee. “It’s been good but definitely harder than I thought it would be. I mean, it’s college. I knew it would be hard, but it’s been kicking my backside.”
My mom laughs. “Yeah, college has the tendency to do that.” She takes another sip of coffee. “How have things been between you and Reid?”
I smile at the mention of my mate. “Really good.”
My mom leans forward and points a finger at my face. “Oh, that face, right there.”
“What?” I ask.
She sits back, grinning. “That’s the face of a girl in love.”
I don’t bother denying it. “Reid is everything to me.”
She reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “I’m so happy for you, Honey.” She takes another drink of coffee. “How have you felt since your first shift? Any different?”
I know exactly what she’s asking. “No, I’m sorry, Mom.”
She reaches across the table and takes my hand in hers. “Oh, Honey, there’s nothing to be sorry for. I was just curious if you felt anything.”
“Would I know right away?” I ask.
She nods. “I think so. I honestly don’t really know a whole lot about it. I wish I would have asked my Grandma more about it, but I didn’t.”
Her grandma, her dad’s mom, was a seer. She had the ability to catch glimpses of the future, to see things that had yet to take place.
The ability is passed down to the females in the family, but it sometimes skips a generation or two.
My mom’s grandma never had any daughters, and my mom doesn’t have the ability.
I’ve always known that I could have seer abilities, but since I never showed any signs when I was young, it was pretty clear that I don’t have the ability either.
My parents always told me it could happen after my first shift but most likely not.
Usually seers start “seeing” from an early age.
“It’s okay, Love. I was just curious.” She takes another sip of her coffee and changes the subject. “Their coffee is always good here, but this is extra good today.” She reaches for the carafe, and I’m surprised to see she’s already gone through an entire first cup.
“Wow, you’d better eat some food to balance out that caffeine,” I tease. She laughs. Loudly. I glance over at her.
When she looks at me again, her eyes are bright. “Why don’t we come here more often, Riley? It’s really good, and their coffee is the best.” She takes another long swig.
I glance over at the kitchen and then back at my mom and frown. “I wonder why we haven’t been waited on yet; they’re not that busy. Maybe I’ll just check with Stacey.”
“No. Sit down. Let’s just enjoy this time together.”
I flinch at my mom’s voice; it’s much too loud.
I frown. “Mom?” She looks at me, and I don’t like the look in her eyes.
Her eyes are too bright, almost feverish-looking.
A feeling comes over me, and I look around the restaurant once again.
I clock the few faces in the booths. Nobody’s eating.
They all have plates in front of them, but nobody’s eating.
A cold sweat gathers on my back, and my breathing starts to speed up.
My mom picks up her coffee again, but I put my hand on it, stopping her.
She looks over at me. “Riley, why won’t you let me drink my coffee?” Her voice is once again too loud, and I feel my body tense. There’s something very wrong about this entire situation.
Reid. I reach out for our connection, but there’s nothing there.
Reid? Panic builds in my chest and I try the pack link.
Dad? Zane? There’s nothing. My heartbeat speeds up, and I keep my gaze on my mom even while I clock how many people are in the restaurant.
I loosen my muscles in preparation to shift and fight, but when I reach out to my wolf, she’s unreachable, just like the rest of my pack.
This time I can’t stop the panic that races through me.
I see someone exit the kitchen out of the corner of my eye. “Mom,” I whisper frantically. “Mom.”
Her eyes meet mine, and I want to cry at the feverish look in them.
She looks like she’s high or something, and I realize that whatever happens next, it’s on me to get us out of here safely...
and alive. Somebody stops at our table, and I look up.
A man I’ve never seen before stands next to us.
I refuse to react to the darkness in his eyes, and I channel my father.
“Hi,” I smile brightly. “My mom and I changed our minds. We’re going to get going now.
I’ll leave money for the coffee on the table.
” I stand, or at least I try to, but the room around me spins, and I end up sitting back down.
“You sure about that?” he asks with a cold sneer.
I try to get the room to stop spinning, but now that it’s started, it won’t stop.
“Oh,” my mom says, like she just realized the guy was standing there.
“We’re ready to order. I would like a meeeeaaloversomlit.
” Her words are all slurred together, and my fear ratchets up another notch.
Whatever they gave us is working against us overtime.
I try to stand again, but the man just shoves me back into the bench. “Hey,” my mom says with a frown.
“Mom, it’s okay.” I don’t want her to get hurt.
I face the guy. He seems to have grown a second head in the last few seconds.
I squeeze my eyes tightly and then try again.
This time, there’s a third head. I hear my mom groan, and I try to look over at her; but the entire room is spinning.
I hear a thud and look over to see my mom’s head is down on the table.
“Mom,” I cry in panic; but my voice is weak.
I reach out once again to Reid and my pack.
I try desperately to reach anyone, but it’s like the connections are severed.
Then there are voices, and more bodies. I try to eye them, but they all blur together.
My panic grows when they tie my mom up and take her away from me.
I try to follow, but I can’t move. My entire body seems to be shutting down.
Strong arms grab me and hoist me up against a strong chest, but the smell is all wrong.
It’s not the scent I know and love. It smells like fear and pain and death.
I close my eyes as we move and hope I don’t throw up.
I’m aware when they throw us in the back of a van or some kind of vehicle and start driving.
I’m not sure how long we drive. I keep coming in and out of it, but I feel like it’s been a good amount of time.
Every time I open my eyes, I look for my mom.
She’s always just a few feet away from me, but I can’t get to her.
I can’t move my body. I want to move, but my arms and legs won’t listen to me.
There’s a breakdown somewhere. I reach out every time I’m awake and try to get anybody from our pack, but there’s nothing but static.
I wonder how long it will take them to figure out we’re gone.
In one of my more alert moments, I wonder if the enforcers who were with us are okay; I hope so.
Finally, the van stops. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad, but I’m going to err on the side that it’s bad, really bad.