Chapter 16: Chapter 16

**​

Just as expected, my day is uneventful, lacking events. In other words, dull. My friends normally help make everyday the best day. But everyone seems droopy today. Maybe it is the cancellation of Spirit Week. Everyone looks forward to this.

I get home very tired. The first thing I do is fall onto my bed to take a nap.

**

"Samantha, wake up. You have to get up." I hear a soothing voice. "No." I protest and snuggle into my pillow. Someone slaps me on my check. "God dammit, Samantha! Wake the fuck up!" So I wake up.

I open my eyes, and I am not sure how to react.

My eyes open, I'm not surprised. Silver and Michael stand towering over me. I pull my hand up towards my cheek, "Ow," I whimper. Silver sends a death glare to Michael. He doesn't see it.

"We need a witch here, pronto." Michael orders as Markus storms in. "They're about three hours away." He states. Who is? Who's coming? "What direction?" Michael paces. "All, when need to get a witch down here now."

"I KNOW MARKUS! I HAVE ALREADY SAID THAT! WHERE IS Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth? As in the Elizabeth that helped me stop the mind-invasions? Is she working for them?

"Relax, Michael, I'm right here. What did you need?" She walks in looking tall and proud. Elizabeth's adolescent face has a mature expression. Someone her age shouldn't have as much responsibility as she does.

"I need you to perform a cloaking spell." He says simply. "On Samantha, I presume?" Elizabeth holds so much poise. "Precisely, get along now," Michael pushes her towards me. He whispers something in her ear and her eyes flash with anger, yet, her structure and maturity remain the same.

Michael stares at us, sighs, and the walks away with Markus.

"Elizabeth? Are you going to do the spell on me? Please, don't. If you do, I won't go home. Elizabeth! Please-"

"Will you shut up! God!"

"Why are you working for them?"

"I told you not to talk."

"Elizabeth, please let me free!"

"Shut up."

"Why are you doing this?"

"CAN YOU TAKE SIMPLE ORDERS I SAID NOT TO TALK AND WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU TALK!"

"I'm sorry! I was just trying to figure out why you're doing this to me."

"It's a kill or be killed world, Samantha."

"What do you mean-"

"Shut up!"

Elizabeth doesn't talk to me anymore after that. What did I do to her? Why is she doing this to me? Has she been on their side all along?

I miss Emily. She is my only friend at Moon shadow Pack and I'll never get to see her again. But that's only if I can get out of here.

"So, in case you are wondering a cloaking spell makes it hard to track you. It hides where you are. It doesn't make you invisible." Elizabeth explains as she takes a knife out a slashes through my soft hand. I inhale in pain.

She takes my hand and squeezes it over some herbs. She says something in, what I believe to be, Bulgarian.

"It's done."

She gets up and makes her way toward the stairs that lead to an exit.

"I suggest you stay here, unless you want to kill two innocent people tonight." Then she disappears in the darkness.

What did she mean by 'two innocent people'? How am I supposed to escape if there are lives at stake? Why is this happening to me? Then Alpha Hughes slips in my mind. His face is enough to make me realize who is really at fault here.

Michael, Markus, and Alpha Hughes if they could just get along, I wouldn't be where I am. I wouldn't have more than just my life to worry about.

A scream breaks my from my thoughts. "What the..." I trail off. I attempt to break the chains but they only wring me. Crap. I try some more.

Call for help.

A voice says in my head. What is that? Who is in my brain? "HELP! HELP!" I obey the voice's directions. "Nicolo? Did you hear that?" A woman's voice says. "Hear what?" I assume Nicolo says. "That-never mind. I must be imagining things. I can't smell anyone down there. Contact Alpha Hughes and tell him his mate isn't here." What? No! I'm here! Help me!

I try to scream but it comes out as a tiny, soft whisper.

"Help! Someone! I'm down here! Help me." My eyes grow heavy and I give into the familiar darkness.

My eye open and I'm in a van. Why has this happened to me so much in the last month? I am not even shocked.

"Samantha." The voice that greets me is a voice (believe it or not) I longed to hear. "Alpha Hughes?" I smile a bit. Then I frown.

"How'd you get me away? How did you find me? No! They're gonna die." I panic. "Right now, that does not matter. We need to get you to a safe haven. You have a greater chance of dying if you're with me." He states.

Safe haven? Why? "What are you talking-" I am cut off by Emily, "He means if you want to live, you'll have to make like a dog and play dead," Emily appears from the shadows. She looks gorgeous. Sweat coats her forehead and her hair is messy, and she still looks like a model.

"Why?" I ask. Then Philip comes.

"Michael assumes that you are leverage for him. Apparently, you're Jack's weakness."

"I'm what?"

"Are you deaf or just plain stupid? He said you're my weakness." Alpha Hughes insults me.

His words sting. But I'll take his harsh words over that cell any day.

"What happened to Michael and Markus? Are they dead?" No one answers me. I ask again. And still, no reply. Alpha Hughes clears his throat and mutters something. I don't hear him. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you." I say politely. "They got away." He whispers.

After moments of silence Philip speaks up. "I'm still wondering how he got on our territory unnoticed. He was either let in by someone from our pack or killed our guards. Which that's impossible because we have over 100 guards and if one were to fall, we'd know." He thinks aloud.

"Right, which means he was let in. Jack? Does anyone in this pack have reason to hate you?" Emily looks over to make mate. "No..."

"Crap."

My eyes snap up to him. He has the same murderous look I've seen more than once in this past month.

"Chelsea!" Chelsea, who is that? Oh.

"Who the hell is she?" Emily yells.

"She's an old friend." He says.

"What kind of 'friend', Jack?" Philip asks.

"She was my sex buddy. Obviously she developed feelings for me and came up with the idea that she and I were mates." Alpha Hughes elaborates.

"Fucking shit Jack! Do you realize that this means she can get them on our land without us even realizing! How could you be so fucking reckless and stupid!" Philip yells at him. I've never seen this side of Philip, it scares me.

"How dare you yell at your superior! The only reason I tolerate your disrespect is because you are my kin! Without that, you're good as dead!"