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  “I didn’t want to do this to you Avery, but the doctors thought it best.”

  There’s a slight pause in his words and my eyes flicker and latch onto a yellow and black butterfly just beyond his body.

  “It’s sleeping pills.”

  I look back to Jeff.

  “They,” He jesters to himself, “We didn’t want you to.” He stops tiring to find the right words. I save him the trouble.

  “You don’t want me to freak out,” I say plainly.

  He nods, a grimace on his face.

  My eyes latch back onto the butterfly as I hold my hand out. I wonder what it would be like to have wings and fly where ever you wanted to go.

  My eyes go back to my hand when I feel two pills fall into it. The pills are dark blue in color and no bigger than my pinkie nail. It’s amazing how two small little pills could do such damage to a human body. I toss them back without water watching light blue and dark red flick around Jeff. He’s upset and very pissed off.

  The ribbons disappear as we step through the automatic glass doors leading into the tiny airport. A gust of stale air swipes me in the face as I walk through.

  There’s not much here. A waiting area with dark blue chairs. A small café to left and a check in desk to the right. That’s it. Sort of small, right? Is that normal for private flights? I have no clue.

  A lanky man comes through the door off the left of the desk. He scrambles to the counter, his wide eyes land on Jeff, “Mr. Blackwell Sir.” The man inclines his head at Jeff.

  I watch the frenzy of dark grey ribbons that surround the man’s body in a tiny funnel. He’s afraid of Jeff, terribly so.

  I don’t hear what’s being said as my eyes start to drop watching the flurry of dark grey ribbons. My body is getting heavier and heavier by the second, feeling like a ton of bricks. My mind clouding up. That was fast.

  I start to lean off to the side. I don’t want to hit the hard-polished wood floor.

  “Jeff.”

  My voice comes out a weak whisper. My eyes no longer wanting to stay open. I hear a harsh, “Damn.” Then those little blue pills finally pull me under.

  * * *

  I come to slowly. My eyes blink and blink. I feel cool leather under my hands. I wiggle my toes and fingers. Crack my neck. Nothing hurts. Jeff must have caught me in time.

  “Ah, I thought you were going to sleep the day away.” Jeff says prompting me to keep my eyes open, “We’re almost there.”

  I sit up better in the seat, my back being a little stiff. I think I’m in some type of SUV thing. Don’t ask me what kind. I don’t know cars all that well.

  It’s done in black with silver trim. Has one of those touch screens in place of a normal radio. I shift on the leather seat to look out the window.

  Trees. All I see is trees and more trees. And gravel. I look out Jeff’s window and you guessed it more trees. Big leafy trees. I’m in the middle of nowhere.

  We come to a stop in front of a tall black iron gate, at least eight feet tall. I squint my eyes. There’s an outline of a wolf in the middle of the gate. I look left and right. The gate extends into a solid fence on either side going further than I can see.

  Another cage. Is it to keep people in or out?

  Hearing beeps I turn back towards Jeff.

  He’s typing on a keypad imbedded into the little box that stands window high. The gate slowly opens. An undertone of a sound reaches my ears as it glides across the entrance.

  “I’ll write down the code for you later,” Jeff says driving through the gate that closes just as quietly as it opened.

  I give a small nod, my finger nails clicking on the door. He won’t give me the code, at least not right away. I’ll be watched closely for a while. More than likely I’ll never get those numbers. Which is okay. I don’t plan on going anywhere.

  The tires crunch over the loose gravel as the car moves further away from the gate. Further into my new prison. At least it seems to be open. Trees and open spaces.

  The car crunches along the gravel making turns and going up and down hills. I finally spot a turn off to the right and Jeff drives on by. There’s several more turn offs appearing randomly on both sides of the gravel road, but no house, none that I can see. Just lots of trees.

  Thirty minutes later he takes a right turn off, following the gravel road that twists and turns around the trees. Soon the narrowed road turns into a wide gravel lot. He parks, giving me a smile as he gets out of the car. I follow suit. Opening the door and stepping down onto the gravel.

  The first thing I notice is the grass at the edge of the lot. It’s such a bright green. It looks like something out of a fantasy movie. I shut the door moving up onto the grass.

  I’m in a wide clearing with trees surrounding it. It looks to be a perfect circle. The trees standing guard over the huge three story cedar log cabin setting pretty in the middle of the clearing. It has a massive front porch. Big bay crystal windows along the right side of the cabin. A second half porch on the third floor. It’s a beautiful place.

  My feet move following Jeff to the smooth pebbled side walk that leads to the porch and seems to branch off on either side of the cabin.

  “Lots of room,” Jeff says cheerfully, his steps picking up speed.

  He must be happy to be home.

  A tiny scream has my head jerking towards the front of the house.

  “They’re here. She’s here.”

  A little girl in a pink dress barrels down the porch steps. Brown pigtails flying about her small head. Before Jeff has a chance to stop her she slams her tiny body into my legs. Her little arms locked tight around my knees. She lets go instantly, a small whimper coming from her mouth. She takes several steps back standing off to the side of Jeff.

  Her sweet little voice comes out in a confused whisper, “What’s wrong with her daddy?” Big brown eyes never leaving my face.

  Jeff sucks in a shocked breath, shoots me an apologetic look and squats down eye level with his little girl. “Nothing’s wrong with her sweetie.”

  She shakes her little head slowly, “But daddy there is,” She insists, standing on her tip toes, “There’s nothing there. She’s hollow like the chocolate bunnies I get for Easter.”

  Jeff gives me curious look laced with caution.

  I tilt my head to the side, looking at his daughter. Wondering what she knows and how.

  He turns his blue eyes away from me and back to her, “She’s fine sweetie. Go find your mommy.”

  She nods, giving me one last questioning look and runs back the way she came.

  “Sorry about Lilly. She’s heard a lot about you and was just excited.”

  I hum watching the now empty porch. She’s just a little kid. Kids speak their minds. But what does she really know?

  His hands rub across his face, “Come on. Let’s get you settled in.”

  I step up onto the porch, getting a full body shiver. Goose bumps break across my body as laughter reaches my ears. More people. Sigh.

  A deep growl comes from Jeff. He turns facing the trees to the left, stepping in front of me. He growled. Like a dog would. I eye the back of his head. Why would a grown man growl like a dog?

  Hearing muffled voices becoming stronger, I lean a little to the side till I’m able to see.

  Three guys step out of the woods. One seems to be limping and the others are laughing at him. The limping one’s arms fly. He’s raving about something.

  “Oh, Jeff your home already.” The guy with the short brown hair says uneasily with blood leaking out of the corner of his mouth.

  “Yeah.” The one in the middle which happens to be the same one who’s limping squeaks out. He has a cut above his right eye brow. Blood slowly dripping down into his eye. He swipes at it with a shaky hand.

  “When did you get back?” A gruff voice comes out from the left.

  Tingles, feeling like sparks start racing down my spine and across my skin. What the hell?

  You know the feeling you g
et when your arm or legs fall asleep after setting certain ways. It tingles, shooting through your whole body. It’s not painful neither is it comfortable. That’s what I’m feeling, just my whole body is nothing but those spikes of tingles.

  I step all the way out from behind Jeff, where his wide body is no longer hiding me from their view. All of them three-take notice. They promptly hush up and straighten out like soldiers, the one in the middle not doing such a good job. He looks pretty banged up.

  “Just now.” Jeff bites out. Then looks at me. I give him a shrug, turning my gaze back to the new comers.

  Cocking my head. I examine them more closely. All three are built like Greek gods. Tall and muscular. The one with the gruff voice has dark black hair and thunder cloud grey eyes. There’s something in his eyes I don’t like. He’s also the only one who doesn’t seem to be hurt.

  The one in the middle with the bloody face and limp is a little shorter than thunder eyes and not as built muscle wise. But still taller than me. His warm brown eyes have a shine to them like he’s always holding a secret, his hair is a sandy blond. He looks to be the roughest of the bunch.

  The last guy on the left is taller than thunder eyes is with a lean build and, dark brown hair and playful hazel eyes. And he’s smiling at me with blood trailing from his mouth down the left side of his face.

  The tingles come back making me want to run my hands up and down my arms. While all three stare at me.

  “Not the time boys.” Jeff’s voice booms out with a slight growl.

  They give a small nod. Eyes still locked onto me.

  The Sandy hair one takes a small limping step forward, “Is that . . .”

  He’s interrupted by a forth guy stepping into the yard. The guy immediately locks eyes with me. The tingling increases. I can see his muscles locking up with stress or maybe uncertainty. He’s intimidating, slightly taller than the others with forceful bright jade green eyes and rich brown hair. His grey shirt is torn on the side with blood melting into the white color of his shirt and he has a small cut on his cheek.

  Jeff growls again throwing his hands up in the air, “Do I even want to know what happened this time.”

  They shake their heads no.

  Jeff snarls, barking out, “Stay put.”

  Turing around towards the glass door he calls over his shoulder, “Come on Avery.”

  I linger a little longer. As the fourth guy moves up. standing next to the one on the right. My eyes bounce back and forth between the two. I think they might be brothers.

  I rub my hands down my arms as the tingles seem to take over all other physical feelings. Buzzing in my blood.

  Looking at all four guys. Watching them. Watching me. What makes them different from other people I wonder as my head once again tilts. Hazel eyes move, taking a step closer and opens his mouth. I turn around passing through the doorway before he could utter a word. I’m curious about what makes them seem different but not enough to stay and talk.

  Chapter Four

  Kayden

  “AH MAN, I think I broke my ribs.” Camron Jones moans out holding onto his side as he climbs out of the back of the wrecked Hummer.

  “You, I broke my damn nose!” Nick Simons yells out, his voice muffled, leaning against a tree watching Cam fumble his way out of the broken back glass window.

  Camron wipes at his eye and looks down at his hand. A smear of glossy blood shines on his tanned hand. “I’m bleeding.”

  BAM!

  Both boys jerk around at the loud noise. Aden Callister pulls himself out of the now door less back seat.

  “Why’d you do that for?” Cam whines setting on the ground looking at an unruffled Aden. “And why ain’t you hurt too.”

  Aden smooths down his dark blue button up and looks at Cam, a smirk forming on his slim lips, “Seatbelt.”

  Cam grunts, rolling up his right pant leg. He winces as it rolls above his knee. He frowns and pokes at his black knee.

  “Shit!”

  Cam looks up at Nick’s bellow. Blood pours out of his now straight nose. Black and blue bruising cover the sides.

  “Tip your head back, dummy,” Cam grumbles leaning his head back against the tree closing his warm brown eyes. “We’re so dead.”

  “Kayden is dead. We’re the victims.” Nick mutters.

  Kayden groans painfully, coming awake from the inside of the Hummer. Damn. The driver side door is crushed in. He decides to crawl across the middle console and falls out of the passenger door. Whence hitting the hard ground and stare at the others. His lips curling up at the corners.

  “I told you that wouldn’t work,” Cam says eyes still closed.

  Kayden chuckles climbing to his feet. He jerks at a sharp pain in his right side. He pulls the hole in his white shirt open more looking at the long gash in his side. He wrinkles his nose at it. The gash will heal in a couple of minutes. A slight sting on his right cheek tells him has a cut there too.

  Kayden turns to look at the white Hummer. The whole left side is smashed in when it hit the line of trees and the glass is busted out in the back window.

  He runs his fingers through his shaggy hair, “We’re dead.”

  “Nope. No way.” Cam grips climbing to his feet, “Your dead.”

  Aden chuckles following a limping Cam towards the Alpha’s house.

  “And I need to see Doc,” Cam yells over his shoulder.

  Kayden looks at his brother.

  “Nope, you’re on your own.”

  “Nick, come on man.”

  Nick just shakes his head, wiping the corner of his mouth with his shoulder. When Aden set his nose, Nick bit his tongue and its bleeding like a mother.

  Kayden jogs to catch up with the three, “So that’s it. After everything we all been through you guys are just going to through me under the bus.”

  Cam snorts, “Yeah, because it was our idea to go dukes a hazard.”

  “Hey, it would of work if that bird didn’t fly out in front of me.”

  “Come on. There was no bird Kay.” Nick says wading through the creek.

  Kayden stops in the middle of the creek. His head cocking to the side.

  What is that? His blood feels like its igniting, warming his body. His heart starts pounding in his sore chest. That staring wheel didn’t do it any good.

  Aden is the next to stop looking to the left. His body has a small tremble to it. His knees wanting to buckle.

  Nick is the next one to feel the unknown power, being the weaker of the three. His knees do buckle. He falls to the ground with a groan. His breathing harsh.

  Cam screams, flat out falling on his face. His body withers on the ground. Small cries coming from his clenched lips.

  Aden stumbles forward grabbing a hold of Cam’s shoulder, siphoning the emotions from Cam. He groans as a cold blackness lashes at his soul.

  It’s all over for a couple of minutes and they all look at each other with confusion splashed across their faces.

  “What in the wolf howl was that?” Nick gasps, still rocketing from the wave of power that came and went.

  “Nothing.” Cam gasp, climbing to his feet with Aden’s help.

  “It was sure as hell was something,” Nick shouts.

  “No,” Cam shakes his head, “I meant it felt like nothing. A cold black hole. I lost myself for a couple of seconds.”

  Kayden listens as each guy talks. His eyes narrow at what they say. It didn’t feel like anything to him. It felt like he found something he’s been missing.

  “Hey, you coming?”

  Kayden shakes his head no at his brother.

  Nick shrugs his shoulders and the three move on.

  Kayden bites his lip, head titled back in the air. There’s something there. Something cold yet warm. He can’t put his finger on the scent. It smells like home but that couldn’t be possible.

  He shakes it off and starts jogging through the trees. He breaks the tree line and his heart stops. His gaze goes straight to the porch where a w
aif of a girl is standing next to Jeff.

  Kayden moves slowly up to the rest of the guys, who are standing ram rod straight. He locks his muscles up when he stops beside his brother. His body wants to keep moving forward. To the sickly-looking girl on the porch. His blood heats among other body parts. He never looks away from the girl’s dead ice blue eyes.

  What is wrong with her, he thinks looking at her skeleton face. Cheek bones showing loud and clear. Black rings under her eyes. Even her long black hair looks lifeless and yet he still wants to go to her and wrap her up in his arms and never let go.

  Jeff growls, throwing his hands up in the air, “Do I even want to know what happened this time.”

  Kayden shakes his head no, still looking at this girl that every fiber of his being is telling him to go to.

  Jeff snarls, barking out, “Stay put.” Turing around towards the glass door he calls over his shoulder, “Come on Avery.”

  Avery. Kayden says the name repeatedly in his head. Avery. His heart sputters in his chest.

  He watches Avery looking over each of them with her dull eyes. Taking each guy in from head to toe. His wolf perks up at that. A growl building in his chest. He doesn’t like her looking at the others like she is.

  Kayden watches as she rubs her pail frail hands along her slim arms. Something is bothering her and he doesn’t like it.

  He sees Nick moving out of the corner of his eye while watching Avery. Her cold eyes go to his brother and she spins around on her heel walking into the house, closing the door after her.

  “I thought for sure he was going to ring our asses,” Cam mumbles limping towards the house.

  “Who was that?” Nick asks.

  “The black hole,” Cam mutters, slowly pulling himself up the porch steps.

  Kayden’s eyes glow and narrow at Cam’s back.

  “Cam, where are you going?” Aden questions.

  “To have Shelly call Doc. I’m not walking all that way.” Cam snaps.

  “Avery,” Kayden mumbles the last to move. “Doesn’t Jeff have a niece named Avery?”

  Cam freezes with his hand on the door knob, “Oh my god. Your right. I bet that was her.”

  Cam thinks for a moment. “She looks different.”