“Oh, I just wanted to ask him a question that’s all. Has he been acting strangely lately? With my visiting Ginger and scouting with Nick, I haven’t been around much lately.”
“Yeah, I guess. Me and Terry were talking about it the other day, he’s been sneaking out recently. Terry caught him leaving and sent him back, but I saw him sneak out two more times. It didn’t seem to do any harm, so I didn’t tell but maybe I should have sooner. Is everything okay? I don’t like him, but I don’t want him hurt either. He’s part of the pack, after all.”
“I’m sure he’s fine, I’m gonna go find him right now. Hey, can you take this to Nick? Tell him to go see Ginger right away and to tell the Alpha she’s awake. Can you help me out with that?” She pressed the paper towel with the cookie crumb into her friend’s hand.
“Okay, but shouldn't you tell him? I’m not supposed to go up to the Beta’s area without you or Nick,” she asked, concern written all over her face, for both her friend and what she was tasked with.
“It’s okay, you have my permission. Besides, I don’t think he is even there. I think he is in the dining hall, they are having his favorite for dinner tonight so he’s probably there trying to sneak a taste,” Elizabeth smiled at her friend, trying to ease her mind with false calm. It seemed to work, because Camila smiled back and went to find Nick downstairs. Once the girl was out of sight, Elizabeth turned on her heel and headed for the single male’s area of the pack den.
She found Jeremiah’s den and pounded on the door. She waited a moment and pounded again. A hand on her shoulder made her suddenly jump and turn around quickly, punching whoever touched her.
“Ouch! Hey, hey it’s me! What are you doing hitting someone when you are pounding on their door?” Jeremiah rubbed his cheek where she had squarely landed her blow.
“Sorry, but I had to find you. Are you giving anyone else your ‘special cookies’?” She asked, putting air quotes around the proper term.
“If you’re talking about wolf’s bane cookies, yes. They are my specialty!” He stood up a bit straighter, looking quite proud of himself.
“Not that, the one you gave me. To sneak out!” she lowered her voice, crouching down a little as Jeremiah did the same.
“Shush! What are you doing? Why do you want to know?” His eyes widened enough to tell Elizabeth everything she needed to know.
“Who are you giving them to? Whoever it is just tried to take Ginger, my friend I Turned. I found a crumb under her bed,” she whispered. She was sure that was the same cookie, it had to be. It smelled the same as the one she’d eaten.
“Um, yeah I am. Sorry I didn't tell you. Did you want more? Planning a little secret outing for you and the mate, eh?” He bumped her elbow conspiratorially. “I can hook you up with a couple, for a price this time.”
“No, I want you to tell me who you gave them too. I want to talk with them, they may have even been the one who took the other wolves from that pack!” She felt the rightness in her gut at her words.
“Well, I can’t tell you but I can show you. They meet me outside the pack den in the forest nearby. Come on, I’ll show you where,” he spoke kindly, making eye contact with Elizabeth the whole time. Her wolf reared up, snapping her out of whatever he was trying to put her in.
“Are you trying to order me?” She raised up to her full height, staring into the slightly taller man’s soft blue eyes.
“Me? The Omega? Order the Beta’s mate? Never! I just wanted to show you where I’m meeting them in about fifteen minutes. I won’t see him again for several weeks if you don’t come right now though.”
Something felt wrong about this, but she had to know what was going on. Her wolf would allow nothing less than the truth. After quickly deliberating, she nodded and Jeremiah walked her toward the exit.
“Excellent! Now, just clear it with the guards that you are leaving and that you’ll be back soon, okay?” As they approached the guard’s on duty, they started to stop them until they saw Elizabeth.
“Ma’am, no one is to go out past dark without Beta Darren’s permission.”
“We are all the permission you need right now. Report me to Darren if you wish, but I have Nick’s permission. Are you going to go against Nick’s order’s, especially with his position?” The guard blanched before allowing them to pass. Jeremiah bowed to the guard politely as he walked with Elizabeth out of the den.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Elizabeth’s hair on the back of her neck began to stand on end. She’d been outside at night enough times to feel comfortable over the past two months, on patrols with Nick more recently or on Full Moon Ceremonies. She should feel calm and at ease with the moon shining overhead and the stars twinkling like tiny gems across the sky. Yet, as she followed the man who had given enchanted sweets to wolves to help them sneak around, she felt more nervous and upset the deeper they got into the forest. Maybe that was because the sliver of moonlight that shone above was not enough to fully light up this darker part of the pack’s territory.
This part blended into a national park, so it had a wider variety of flora than most areas of Florida, including plant life that was introduced and later thrived. The different trees allowed for a more spooky atmosphere, their branches dripping with creepy spanish moss that gently swayed with the breeze that blew around them. The pair wound their way between the trunks of the bright, living foliage and over fallen logs until she started to wonder just how far “nearby” really was. Just as she was getting ready to ask, he stopped a few steps in front of her, forcing her to jerk to a halt as well or else she’d bump into him.
“He should be here soon, so don’t worry,” Jeremiah smiled, carelessly optimistic.
“You sure he’s coming this late? It’s pretty dark out, is he gonna be able to sneak out like we did? I barely managed to get us out, if it wasn’t for my connection with Nick-”
“Oh, yeah. He had help, I’m sure of it,” he assured her. “So, what makes you think this guy is the one taking the wolves?” The question surprised her. She wasn't expecting an Omega, even one as kind as him, to ask such a question. But since he made the cookies, she assumed he’d be upset about their use.
“Well, first there was the crumb I found in Ginger’s room, then things just kinda started to click into place. Whoever had access to the cookies, would be able to sneak around and not be seen.” Her thoughts raced as she watched Jeremiah react to her words. All of this was obvious to her, but his reactions were not expected. He just watched her, a light blue glow behind his eyes. Elizabeth’s wolf was on high alert and for once, a little scared.
“Of course, who ever could sneak around without any wolf in the pack seeing them has to be up to no good, right? How do I know you're not the one then, huh? Or how do you know it’s not me?” The glow in his eyes grew a little brighter and she realized all at once her mistake.
“You know, Camila would have never gotten hurt had you been where you were supposed to be.”
He swung hard, but she was faster, managing to duck aside as she growled, “No one else is coming, are they?”
“Heh, took you long enough. Do you have any idea how long it’s taken me to get you alone?” He’d cut off the route they’d come from with his movements. She could figure out the way back easily enough, if she could shift and track their path. But her shift, though a quick process usually, left her vulnerable to attack for those few moments. She couldn’t risk it, not when he was so close to her. She had to distract him, to run away and shift to make it quickly back to safety, back to Nick.
“Why? Why did you do this? Why are you taking wolves?” She was slowly backing deeper into the forest.
“Why? I wonder, hmm, maybe because I was told to? Maybe because I secretly hate Beatrice and Nick and everything they stand for? Or maybe, just maybe, because I felt like it?” Jeremiah paced back and forth, weaving his way towards her. She kept backing slowly, deeper into the forest, never losing sight of his approach. Somewhere in the back of her mind,
she felt Nick’s fear and anger, that meant Camila had found him. They would be out searching for her soon, so that was a relief.
“You have to have had an end goal, so what is it? What do you want?” She snapped back, stepping over a log before she tripped.
“Well, that would be telling now, wouldn’t it? I can’t risk you knowing and remembering!” He jumped toward her, faster than she remembered him moving as his eyes blazed. She ducked and dodged his swings, she could keep this up if she had to, but she needed to find an opening. She had to get away and warn the pack, warn her mate. Her thoughts momentarily distracting her, Jeremiah managed to land a hit on her face, knocking her head into a tree. The rims of her vision darkened as she tried to stand, but too quickly he was on her, hands around her throat, squeezing. She tried to claw at his hands as she gasped for air, her wolf begging to be released. She shuffled her feet around, trying to find purchase to fight back with, but the ground was too slick here.
She started to shift, she had no other choice, but he lifted her up and slammed her head back down, breaking her concentration and squeezed harder. She felt warmth spreading from the back of her head and down her neck, but still her nails dug into his hands causing him to growl out, “Just give up! I’ve got you now, you’re not getting away. Your mate will never find you where I’m taking you. But my Master will be very pleased with me, he’s wanted you since I first mentioned you. Heh, wonder what my reward will be.” The darkness quickly spread to cover her vision and her hands fell limp at her sides as unconsciousness claimed her.
***************
Camila had a terrible feeling in her gut, and her wolf knew it too. Something was really wrong and only Nick would believe her. Elizabeth was in trouble, and she had to get help. She ran to the dining hall, but he wasn’t there. He had been, but left so she tried the training room further down the hallway and found him talking with a few people about guard duty. He seemed fine, so maybe she was making something out of nothing. Her wolf told her otherwise, so she slowly approached the group and tapped Nick's shoulder. He glanced at her, a smile on his lips.
“Hang on, Camila, I’ll be just a– what’s wrong?” The smile fell away as he took in her worried expression.
“I need to speak with you, Beta.” She didn’t use his proper term unless it was serious, and he knew that. He excused himself from the group and took her out of the room and around the corner. “Liza told me to give you this. She also told me to tell Beatrice and you that Ginger is awake. I think she’s in trouble.”
“Liza has always been emotional, you know that Mila. I don’t sense any fear in her right now, but she has been getting better at the bond sharing lately. What is in the paper towel?” He took it from her and opened it, Camila seeing some crumbs from some kind of food. It smelled sweet to her nose, but something in Nick’s eyes made her rethink that thought. “Where did she get this?”
“She didn't tell me, but told me you should go see Ginger soon.” Her worry only grew when he folded it back up and strode toward the medical ward, leaving her to trail after him. He flung the doors open and went straight to Ginger’s room.
“Sir, you can’t– oh! Nick, go ahead. Elizabeth said to only allow you, her, or Beatrice in so Camila can’t go in right now.” The male nurse called from his desk.
“You’re going to stop your Beta?” His voice was laced with dominance, and the poor nurse blanched.
“No, sir. Go in,” he responded as Nick flung the door open, and Camila walked in quietly behind him.
“Y-you, I remember you. You’re that guy who was with Liza. Are you a werewolf too?” The woman on the bed had a head of ruffled strawberry blonde hair that looked natural enough. She was paler than Liza for sure, and not as pretty to Camila’s eyes, but werewolf looked good on her. Her light brown eyes were bright and alert as they flicked from Nick to Camila, obviously startled by their sudden entrance. “And who are you? Are you Beatrice?”
“Ginger, my name is Nick and this is Camila. We are friends of Elizabeth. I have a question for you, if you can answer it,” Nick’s voice was all business as he spoke. He pulled out the paper towel and quickly unwrapped it. “Have you seen this before?”
“That? Yeah, Liza found it under my bed after I screamed about being grabbed. Are you here to keep me safe?” Nick quickly folded it back up and stowed it away safely.
“No, but I will send someone in a moment. Stay here and we’ll keep you safe. I have to go.” He left quickly, leaving Camila to follow after.
“Wait, is Liza in trouble? She didn’t mean to turn me! Don’t be angry at her! It’s my fault!” The grief and sadness in her voice caused Camila to turn around again. She saw Liza in her eyes, and walked slowly over to the woman still strapped down to the bed. Tears streamed from her eyes but she was unable to wipe them away.
“Hi, Ginger, right? I’m Camila and she’s not going to get in trouble for changing you. We just want to find her and make sure she’s safe, okay?” Camila unbuckled the woman from the bed, allowing her to swipe at the tears running down her cheeks. She grabbed a tissue box and handed it to the now partially-freed woman.
“Is she in danger? She seemed really upset when she left.”
“We’re not sure, but don’t worry. Nick would never let anything happen to the woman he loves.” Ginger’s eyes widened as Camila smiled.
“Guess I was a little outta line calling him hot, huh?” Both women smiled a little, until a knock at the door caused Camila to turn around. Nick was there, with Benjamin at his side.
“Ginger, this man is named Ben, he will be with you from now on until Liza can replace him. You can trust him, he won’t let anyone hurt you.” The two stared at each other, Ginger’s cheeks darkening a little as she nodded. “Mila, let’s go. We need to see the Alpha.” Camila patted Ginger’s hand before following Nick out. Dr. Gerald was just outside the door, waiting for them to leave.
“We’ll keep ‘er safe, Beta. Don’t worry about ‘er and go find our dear Elizabeth.” Nick nodded to the doctor and walked out of the medical ward with Camila hot on his heels.
Nick moved quickly, despite his age which only made wolves faster and stronger. He was in his prime, while Camila was left to jog after him. She had a lot of questions on her mind and trying to figure out which to ask first was hard.
“Nick! Can we slow down a bit! I’m not as old as you, y’know!” she gasped, causing him to slow to a stop. He turned toward her like he had forgotten she was there at all.
“Sorry, we just need to move fast. If this is what I think it is… I shouldn’t have let her out of my sight, I’m so stupid!” He punched the stone wall out of frustration, causing the stone to crack a little. Seeing his strength displayed in anger scared her a little.
“What is? That crumb? What is it?” She had no idea, but he seemed to.
“This is a cookie made with a certain herb I’m familiar with. It clouds the senses of werewolves around the user, we used it a lot on humans too back when I was in Europe. If this was in Ginger’s room, then that explains everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yeah, the missing wolves with no trace, your attack, Ginger’s attempt… everything. Did Elizabeth say anything else to you?” Nick’s eyes had turned the grey-silver they showed when his wolf was close to the surface.
“Well, she asked me about Jeremiah but– you don’t think he– ”
“I do. Remember when she ran away? If she used one of these, then of course she knew who gave it to her. Let’s go to Beatrice, if she found Jeremiah, then she could be in real danger.” They made their way up the stairs quickly, but this time Camila didn’t argue. That sinking feeling in her stomach was only getting worse. She hoped her friend was safe and sound, just wandering around the den somewhere and not with the wolf who might be taking and hurting others. After they finally reached the top of the stairs, they moved quickly to the Alpha’s den. Terry walked up to meet them, about to say something but she saw Nick and stayed silent.
Instead, she waited nearby as Beatrice opened the door. Nick didn’t wait to be invited in as he strode right in and turned towards the Alpha.
“Nick, what do you think you’re doing? Walking right in without being invited, that’s very rude you know. Hey, you two can’t come in either!” Beatrice shrieked at the other two females who followed Nick inside. They stood on either side of him, causing Beatrice to balk. “What is going on here?”
“You need to hear what was just discovered by my mate, who may very well be in danger at this very moment. Please, have a seat,” Nick said sternly as he motioned towards her large desk behind him. Beatrice slowly shut her door and began to move towards her desk but her door pounded again. With a sigh of exasperation, she swung the door open again to see Darren standing there. He opened his mouth to say something to Beatrice, but upon seeing Nick in the room, glared at him instead.
“You need to keep your mate on a leash, Nick!” Darren growled. Nick stood again, growling louder and putting every one of his nearly two hundred years alive into his response.
Pureblood (Pureblood series) Page 24
