Mid-jump, I shifted back to human form and raced to my brother.
"Is she okay?" I shouted, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw Annabelle smiling and pretty much unharmed.
"She's okay. It looks like most of the bruises were from the car accident. She says no-one has hurt her but she doesn't remember much."
I wanted to hug her so I knew she was safe, but I knew that nothing would be able to prise her away from her father's arms right then. Noah had tears in his eyes, but a smile on his face and he was squeezing Annabelle as if frightened she might vanish before his very eyes.
"Noah, I'm leaving you in charge. The fighting seems to be under control and the cowards are retreating. Ethan is badly injured, make sure he gets help. And make sure someone checks over Annabelle, too. Give me a call as soon as there are any developments and let me know the pack are home safe."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get my girl."
LAURA
"Do you need me to get the coordinates back up?"
"I remember it." I was sat in the passenger seat of Tyler's car and trying to keep my head on straight while we hurtled down the road. I had no idea how Tyler knew where we needed to go when all the roads through the forest looked the same, but I was grateful to have him with me. I'd never been more scared in my life and I needed someone who I knew would be able to keep their composure if I totally lost it. I felt safer knowing that the rest of the guys were following close behind. They'd decided not to follow us straight away, in case it looked too obvious, so Tyler had left them with the directions that had been sent to my phone and they were going to head out after giving us a ten minute head start. The time seemed to be flying by because I was conscious we were on a time limit, but I checked my watch to find only fifteen minutes had passed when Tyler started to slow down and scope around. All I could picture in my mind was little Annabelle in the hands of these evil men and I knew that I would do whatever I had to, in order to get her back safely.
Tyler switched the engine off and stepped out of the car, so I followed suit. I took a step away from the car, trying to steady my nerves, when Tyler walked around the front of the car and stepped in front of me, with a look that gave me chills. His eyes had changed so they looked devoid of all emotion, the bleakness in them making my skin cold and my heart beat faster. It was like the old Tyler had just disappeared, to be replaced with this new Tyler who was made of stone.
"What's wrong, do you hear something?" I asked him, taking a step back from the strange vibe I was getting from him.
"Surprise," he said, before giving a sinister smile which made me realise something was very, very wrong.
"Tyler, what are you doing?" I asked, as he stepped closer to me, crowding me against the car and boxing me in so I couldn't get away. I tried to lean away from him, but just ended up knocking my head against the side of the car. I tried to remain calm, remembering that I had to be smart if I was going to be able to rescue Annabelle.
"You stupid bitch," he said. I could hear my heart beating erratically and it was only just clicking in to place that Tyler was no longer on our side. He was a traitor. You know those moments, where you suddenly realise something that changes your whole life? That was how I felt right at that very moment. It was like everything I ever knew, had just been wiped out, as I struggled to wrap my end around the fact that we had all been fooled. Jackson was going to be destroyed when he found out.
"I don't understand," I whispered, trying to get out of him what was actually going on.
"Of course you don't understand. For months now I've been working with the Grove Pack and no-one had any fucking idea."
"No," I gasped as the full direness of the situation hit me full force.
"I couldn't fucking take it anymore. All my life I've been with the same pack, day in and day out being the same. Not allowing ourselves to mix with humans and hiding ourselves away and for what? So we can hide like we are ashamed? When it's humans who should be ashamed! I'd always thought Jackson would be a good alpha, leading us in the right direction, but then you came along."
He looked at me with crazy eyes, pressing up against me so close I could feel his hot breath on my face and I physically couldn't move anywhere. I stiffened as I felt one of his hands touch my waist and slide up my t-shirt. Before I could process it, his hand had grabbed hold of my breast and squeezed it hard making me wince in pain and tears filled my eyes. I tried to push him off me but I was no match for his shifter strength and it felt like trying to move a concrete wall.
"Get off me!" I shouted, futilely attempting to dislodge his hand from my breast.
"Shut up! I was planning on helping Jackson to see how good it could be to join our rival packs, in our fight against the humans but you came along and he was fucking pussy whipped after five minutes. Now he can't get his head straight to figure out what the pack needs. I tried to get rid of you numerous times but you've got a fucking guardian angel following after you, bitch. I don't even understand what it is he sees in you. You're just another piece of ass." He removed his hand from my top, pulling away from me, grabbing my arm and dragging me behind him in the woods. I pulled on his hand and tried to get away but the shock and the stress was causing me to lose my strength, so I refocused my efforts on getting Tyler to talk more to me about his plans. As he pulled me deeper in to the forest, all I could think about was Annabelle and how I needed to get us both out of here alive. I presumed he was hiding her in the forest and if it was going to end up a fight to the death, then I had to get her location out of him before I hurt him. I knew I was being pretty optimistic thinking I could take on a wolf shifter when I was just a human myself, but I had to stay positive or I would going to wind up dead.
"Jackson's only minutes way, he won't let you get away with this!" I shouted, my arm screaming in pain from the way he pulled me through the forest.
Tyler laughed and the sound made my blood run cold. "Oh, you really don't get it do you?"
He stopped outside what looked like a large wooden shed in the middle of the trees, the night combined with the dense forest making visibility pretty much impossible. He stood before me and started pacing, ranting like a mad man.
"I'm the one in fucking charge here. Jackson hasn't got a fucking clue that I'm against him. I gave the guys the wrong directions. They think they're heading towards us when in fact they're heading in the opposite direction, straight in to a trap with the rest of the Grove Pack. They'll figure it out eventually, but by the time they do you'll be dead and be the first example of what we want to do to all the humans."
"Jackson's not an idiot! He'll figure it out. How is my death going to help you in your cause against the humans?! You're just ostracising the pack even further and giving them more reasons to fight you!" Okay, I realised that pissing him off wasn't the wisest decision, but I needed to keep him talking to give me the time for Jackson to figure it out and realise he'd been sent on a wild goose chase.
"Jackson is in love with you. He's told me himself his plans to mate you!" He stalked towards me and I stepped backwards, praying for an idea to spring to mind.
"In our world, when we find our mates it's for life. There's nothing you won't do for them. Your death will cause him to go insane, which means he'll be weak. The rest of the pack will be vulnerable and once we take out the main men, the rest will be easy to persuade to our side. I'll fight Jackson to the death for the title of Alpha and we can begin to move toward the other packs and get them on our side. We've got it all figured out sweetheart. Nothing personal, mind. You're just part of a bigger plan."
"And Annabelle?" I asked, my breaths coming faster as I stare at him with disgust. "Why did you take her? She's just a child!"
"Oh, please. I knew that if I threatened her you would do whatever I wanted. Your bond with that child makes me sick."
"Where is she?"
"Don't worry, she's safe. I might be a little bit twisted, but even I draw the line at hurting children. She's with the Grove Pack probably babbling on in that incessant way she normally does and driving them insane. Jackson and his men will find her but they'll have to fight the pack to get her."