Page 2 of My Pucking Family

“Zoey, can you sit down right here while I try to figure out what happened here?” I ask her as gently as I can, though it must not have actually been gentle judging by the way her body tenses, but she just nods and sniffles.

She's gone. They have her. I don't know who they are... Benny, I can't do this again.I'm half roaring, half wailing for all my men to hear, but I can't be bothered to care right now.

I’m breaking. This is all too much. It's all my fault. For many moments, there is no response, but I can feel their energies. They're all furious and terrified. Not just for me but for her. For such a small creature, she truly evokes large feelings in everyone she meets. It rips me apart even more to know how much they already care for her as well.

FUCK…

GODDAMMIT…

SHIT…

My men all take turns venting their frustration through their chosen words, while they also try to wrap their heads around what's happening.

I'll tell Coach what's going on, and he'll understand why we've got to leave practice.Benny leads, having been the first one to gather himself, apparently. That's one of the perks of the sport being primarily werewolf blood; they understand pack and mate matters that would otherwise be a disaster to try and dance around when shit like this happens. Only most people don't have to deal with shit like this. With their mate being kidnapped.

I'll set up a trace on her—

I have to interrupt Slate mid-sentence.I have her phone. She dropped it in my car. I was bringing it back to her. That’s how I found out she was missing.

My wolf continues to howl in rage as I grow anxious, fearful of what’s to come because...I don't think we can survive this a second time.

FUCKis Slate's only response. The man is our technology contact for a reason. He can trace and hack pretty much anything. I don't know what he can do without anything to track.

We're on our way, Boss. We'll find her. I promise.

I know Benny's just trying to make me feel better, but the way he sounds right now, it's not working. That man radiates sunshine and happiness, and even he sounds dark and concerned.

I can't do this again. If something happens to her, I'll…

I'm snapped out of my own thoughts when I hear a fresh sob come from Zoey.

“Roman, where is she?!” she yells at me like it's all my fault. It probably is.

Why did I allow myself to think that this time would be any different?

She jumps from where she's sitting and bangs her fists on my chest for a few moments. She's in worse shape than I initially noticed, and my anger must be suffocating her.

“I don't, FUCK, I don't know. I just came back to drop off her cellphone. She dropped it in the car.” I grab hold of Zoey's still swinging fists, and as calmly as I can, I capture her hands to end her ineffective assault. She stares at me for a minute and steps away, wrapping her arms around her middle.

Without being able to do anything until my men get here, I pace the grass in front of Zoey with my head in my hands.

Anger and unease go to war within me as I do everything in my power to resist the urge to transform into a wolf because a human is in my presence. It would be so much easier to release control to my wolf and allow the darkness and foreboding to consume me.

“Did you see her at all or have any idea who took her? Has she been…has she been talking to anyone else?” I ask, not really wanting to know the answer.

“Are you fucking stupid or something?! She's crazy about you, you giant idiot! I called the police forever ago; where are they?!” she yells, on the verge of another meltdown. Just as she throws herself down to the grass, we hear the sirens approaching in the distance.

2

Ugh, I feel like total crap,I think as I try to wake up from my nightmare.

That was so weird.

Wait, why does my whole body hurt?

Why does it feel like I'm lying on cold concrete?

Why can't I…

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