Page 54 of Wolf's Forbidden Curse

I felt a hand pat me on the shoulder.

“You’re going to make me a lot of money, my friend,” she said. “And I heard those underground human zoos aren’t as bad as everything thinks they are. At least you’ll have free room and board. A lot of people your age would kill for that kind of setup.”

Did she say human zoo?

I felt like I was going to be sick. I squeezed my eyes shut as tightly as I could and held back the nausea. My heart was pounding so hard against my ribcage that I was worried the vibrations would tip Missy off that I was awake. I’d never been so fucking scared in my life, and the worst part was that there was nothing I could do but just lay there and wait, hoping that someone would notice I was gone and come find me soon.

Please… Rory… You have to find me.

CHAPTER 23

RORY

“What the fuck do you know?”

“Wha–”

Even though I was bigger and younger than Al, I didn’t hold back with my push. I dug my fingers into his upper chest and threw him back. He stumbled into the brick wall on the side of his building. I at least had the good sense to wait until we were back at his place to start slinging accusations.

“What the fuck?” he yelled. “Have you lost your mind?”

“You have to know something! You were dating this crazy woman! Why did your girlfriend kidnap Katrina, huh?”

“I swear to God, I don’t know anything!” He put his hands up in the air. “Why would I let Missy do something like this if I knew ahead of time?”

“You could’ve been in on it!”

“No way!” He scoffed. “You have no idea what you’re even saying. Katrina—she’s— she’s like a daughter to me. I know I haven’t known her very long, but I care about her. I would never do anything to hurt her.” His voice was hoarse from emotion, and there were tears in his eyes. “I don’t—I mean—why would Missy do something like this?”

“You tell me,” I snarled.

“Rory,” he said sternly. “I didn’t have anything to do with this. You have to believe me. I’m just as upset as you are.”

Not a chance.

I held his gaze for a few seconds and then turned away, scowling. He was telling the truth, I could tell, but I was still having a hard time looking at him just then. “Fine. Then tell me everything you know about her.”

“Very little,” he admitted. “We’d only really gone out on a few dates. She spent the night a couple of times, but it was all innocent. We were taking things really slow, actually. She told me her name was Melissa Rochester, for what that’s worth. She told me to call her Missy, and that’s the only name I ever heard her use with anyone else.”

“When did she get to town?”

“Around the same time that Katrina did.”

“Did she follow Katrina here to Solara Bay, you think?”

“Why would she?”

I frowned. “Did Katrina ever talk to you about her parents?”

Al shook his head.

“Did she ever say anything about a woman named Daphne Pearl? Or did Melissa ever mention someone by that name?”

Al looked at me, totally confused. “What? No. I don’t think so.”

“You don’t think so?” I snapped at him.

“You have to understand!” Al shouted. “I had no reason to question what she said, or to pay that close attention even. We didn’t even talk about anything serious. Like I said, we only hung out a few times. In that time, Melissa never said anything that I found to be remotely suspicious. I really had no idea that she was… someone who would do something like this. Do you think I would’ve continued to see her if I did?” He covered his face with his hands and started sobbing. “Oh God, Katrina! I will never forgive myself if something were to happen to her.”

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