"I got to ask Kelly what you are doing here. You have Frank's pup in your belly. That pup belongs to us." Kelly backs up a step. "What happened to Frank?" Kelly's chin quivers. Jackson is suddenly next to me.
"What's going on?" He murmurs to me.
"They know Kelly and they want her pup. They want to know what happened to Frank." I whisper back.
"Gentlemen, I'm Jackson Reynolds, alpha of the East View pack. What can we do for you?" The drivers of the two rear trucks get out and approach. Kelly's eyes get wide as they flank Jackson and I realize a moment too late what is about to happen. Kelly slips free of Earl and bolts for her house, she shifts midstride into a gorgeous small white wolf. My sister is a thing of beauty in any form but she is the most submissive female to run on four paws. Earl starts after her but two of the visitors grab him. The one called Christian grabs me and stares Jackson down. I try to shift but he has a tight hold on me and I'm powerless. So is Earl.
"Let's go alpha boy, inside before I snap your mate's neck." They marched us up the steps and inside the house. "Where is your restraining wall?" Jackson makes a face and looks at me. I shrug because I don't understand what he means. Jackson looks at Earl for help when Christian tightens his grip on my neck. I struggle against him and he nudges my rear end with his crotch. Eww. "Struggle all you like female, I'm more than happy to oblige." I snarl at him and I know my eyes are angry amber. Jackson's growling as well and having trouble holding his self in check. This is not going to end well.
"It's in the basement." Earl growls. He's snarling and struggling. I know his mind is on Kelly. Jackson leads the way and I see him looking around for a weapon. I know that if we get out of this he will stash them all over the house so this can never happen again. Dad preached for years to us about how important allies are and how it's always important to protect the pack from threats but we never learned the lesson because no one ever attacked us. We are heading to the back of the basement now to a room I've never been inside of before. We haven't been in this house long and I haven't explored every inch of it yet. It seems stupid that I haven't now. It should've been the first thing on my list after internet and cable. I blow out a breath trying to calm myself. My heart is pounding and I'm wavering between wolf and human. I can't shift because he's on me like a second skin. As long as he has a hold of me, he controls Jackson. As long as he controls the alpha, he controls the pack.
"So what do you assholes want?" I growl. Christian snarls and laughs at the same time.
"I like my women feisty so keep it up little one." He nudges me again. I can feel his hardness and it is not pleasant like when Jackson does it. Jackson snarls because he can feel my emotions. I can feel his too. He's anxious, frightened, and angry, not in that order. The room is all cement with two small windows near the ceiling. There are shackles attached to the walls but only one set. They must not have counted on more than one prisoner at a time. I hear my captor grunt. "Lock them up. I'll keep her with me." Jackson snarls and starts toward us but Christian tightened his grip on me and I can't breathe. Jackson backs off and lets them shackle him to the wall next to Earl. "Here's what is going to happen. I am now the alpha of the East View pack. I'll keep her as my female and as long as she behaves, I'll let her live. You two will stay here until I decide how you will die." Jackson struggles against the shackles and chains but he's stuck. Christian pushes me from the room and locks the door from the outside. The other three walk ahead of us and help themselves to my house. "You'll behave and you'll do as you're told or I will kill your mate. Do you understand?" I nod sharply. "Good, go make us some food, it was a long drive."
"I can't cook. Kelly is supposed to teach me."
"Bull shit. There isn't a woman alive that can't cook something."
"I can't, I can make a sandwich well enough, maybe scrambled eggs. Kelly did the cooking."
"Fine, sandwiches." I nod and go to the kitchen. I can hear the others in the house. They are going through our things in the bedroom and office. "Where are the guest quarters?"
"You can go through the door in the living room or access them from outside on the porch." I finish with a growl that escapes me.
"You will not growl or snarl at me and you will not shift. You will be submissive if you want that handsome young man to stay handsome and alive." He cups my chin and squeezes my cheeks. I nod again jerking away and go to the pantry for supplies. As soon as he leaves me, I send out a text to my whole address book. A smart captor would've taken my cell first thing. This bunch was not smart.
-Need help, the alpha and beta locked in basement, alpha house full of four intruders that mean us all harm, get help!
I immediately get a text from Autumn who is connected to her cell phone like it is an additional limb.
-What are you talking about Summer?
-Get Dad now! Frank's betas are here to take over East View. I push send as he comes up behind me and grabbed it away from me then smashed it on the floor under his heel.
"Hey! I just got that!" I scream at him before I think. I immediately cover my mouth with both hands. He is standing over me with cruel amber eyes.
"Your mate will receive two lashes for that. Where is my lunch?" I point the unassembled sandwiches on the counter. "He will receive two more for that. Every time you displease me, I will whip him. Do you understand?" I nod. Shit. Jackson pays for my crimes. I make the sandwiches and put out chips and soda. I hope he gets loose before that happens. One of the wolves drags Kelly into the kitchen. She went home and hid. Stupid girl, just once, why couldn't she get a backbone? Kelly begins to clean up. She keeps her head down but I see that they bruised and split her lip. There may be a shadow of a bruise on her eye. She was trying to protect the pup. Maybe she showed a little backbone after all.
"What happened to you Sis?" I murmured. The others filed in and sat at my dining room table. I brought the plates of sandwiches. One of them said thank you. Kelly glanced at him. Something was going on and I watched her. Christian is their alpha, Donny is the beta, and I'm not sure about the other two but they are probably betas too. If all that is true though, who is taking care of the pack? I help Kelly clean up the kitchen, when I glance outside; I see Jackson and Earl racing across the field. Jackson's black wolf ran just in front of Earl's brown one. I turn my head to hide my smile. Jackson Reynolds former juvenile delinquent and major mischief-maker picked the locks. Why didn't I think of that? Of course, he'd picked them. I never could keep him out of my locker at school. Jackson is free and so is Earl, hopefully they have a plan. I would like nothing better than to fight my way out but I know I don't stand a chance against the four of them. Kelly gives me a curious glance and I ask again, "What happened to your face?"
"The one in the flannel came to my house and I tried to fight him off." She whispered.
"Good girl." I murmur gathering the meat and cheese to carry to the refrigerator. Kelly grins proudly.
"His junk hurts." She smiled prettily at me and I gave her another ‘good girl.' I hope Jackson hurries. When they've finished eating, they put Kelly and me in front of the TV. They go back to the dining room to discuss their plans. My wolf ears aren't good enough to hear them. I study the front door. It's bolted shut. If it was unlocked, I may be able to get her out of here. The window is an option. I can break through and she can shift and follow. I wonder how fast they would catch us and decide it's not worth the effort. I sigh. Kelly watches me for a moment then lies down and covers herself with a blanket. "Can you get me some warm milk please?" I nod and go back into the kitchen. All eyes are amber and on me.
"Kelly needs milk. Sorry to interrupt." I pull a mug off the shelf and fill it then put it in the microwave for a minute. They are still watching me. I grab a soda from the fridge and take the milk from the microwave then leave the kitchen. Their conversation continues. For hostage takers they are docile and I wonder if I can dominate them. It's not unheard of for a female to dominate lesser males but with Kelly in the house, I decide not to try it. I go back to the living room to find an open window and Kelly gone. I smile and say to the empty room. "Here you are Sissy." I still hear them in there, no one has moved. They aren't the smartest of criminals since everyone has escaped except me. I cross to the big window and step out of it. It cranks and it opens out instead of rising up so they didn't hear her with their attention on me. She's smarter than she looks. I shift and dash in the same direction that Jackson ran. I follow his scent. There are no other wolves around because he has gotten them all to safety. He's a good alpha. I follow the trail for more than a mile. I was nearing the creek and the cave when Jackson's wolf tackled me and sent sideways onto my back. He nips at me playfully then yips. We both shift and his mouth is on mine. I hear Earl laughing. Jackson is trying to consume me. His hands are everywhere pulling and grabbing. I want him. I want him right here but the others are watching. I pull back. His lips are moving over my skin, across my cheek and down my throat to his mark. When he is satisfied, that I am alive and well he steps back.