Page 114 of Wanted

“Odd? How?” my mother questions.

“She said she was ‘fine.’ Ashley doesn’t use the word fine.”

My mother rolls her eyes. “Maybe she’s grown up a little, which is exactly what she needed to do.” My mother tosses her cloth napkin on the table with an aggressive shake of her head.

“Honestly, it’s what both of you need to do.” She rises from her seat.

“Angela, let’s not get upset.” My father takes her arm.

“No, David. This is the perfect time to get upset. When the girl we’ve raised comes into our home with this…man.” She gestures at Chance as if he were gum on the bottom of her shoe. “Asking us questions as if we did something wrong.”

“That’s not at all what’s happening,” I say, rising to my feet in my own defense.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Chance rise as well. I can feel his wolf’s protective instincts welling up.

Please calm down. She’s just a little upset and taken off guard.I speak through our bond.

That’s not why she’s upset.

His reply surprises me and I turn to look at him to ascertain what he’s picking up on that I’m not.

He sniffs the air.

It smells like death in the air.

My stomach twists in knots.

Death?

“Then tell us exactly what is happening, Emery,” my mother insists, oblivious to the private conversation taking place between Chance and me.

“Where’s Ashley?” I demand, ignoring her question.

Her eyes widen and her lips part for a beat before she blinks. “W-what?”

Forget the good girl act and being nice. I inhale deeply and I catch a minor hint of what Chance picked up on.

My heart squeezes in fear.

Ashley!

“My sister. Where is my sister?”

My mother reels back in surprise and possibly fear.

Before I know what I’m doing, I run from the dining area toward the staircase.

“Ashley?!” I call out.

Chance is hot on my heels.

In the back I think I hear someone say something like “get the tranquilizers” but I ignore it. My focus is to get to my sister. Her car is in the driveway. She must be here and they’re keeping her from me for some reason.

“Ashley?!” I yell out again as I race up the stairs. I stumble on the second to the last stair but manage to stop myself from falling by grabbing onto the pinewood banister.

“Are you here? Can you hear me?” I call out, my voice sounding panicked.

With Chance directly behind me, I get to Ashley’s bedroom door and go to push it open, but it’s locked. I bang on the door, but it doesn’t budge.

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