Page 4 of Kidnapped By the Alpha

We paid our check and walked a block over to the bridal boutique. Mila continued to chatter about all the elements her perfect dress would have.

It wasn’t the wedding I wanted, although that was a part of it. My jealousy of Mila had more to do with how easy things seemed for her. For as long as I could remember, Mila had never had to try to get a man’s affection. She was fun, witty, kind, and beautiful. It was like the world fell at her feet. Now, she was set to marry her love, and I was still alone. I wished that someday, Imight have the chance for my dream wedding, but I felt like time was running out.

For years, Mila had her perfect man lined up, waiting for marriage. Instead of agreeing to be his mate years ago, she had spent her time testing the waters. She had taken him for granted, but had still been rewarded with a mate at the end of it.

Meanwhile, I had never even been asked on a date, let alone had a wolf from the pack express an interest in me being their mate. I wondered if I should blame all the stories of love I had read for putting the idea of a fairytale romance into my head. At the age of thirty, I doubted very much that I would find a charming, kind man who would want to make a life with me. Perhaps it was time for me to give up on my fantasy.

Madi opened the glass door to the boutique, and a small bell chimed overhead, alerting the staff that a new bride was in need of their attention. Mila stepped inside excitedly, but I hung back.

“Aren’t you coming in?” Madi asked. She looked at me with concern, but I smiled in assurance.

“In a minute,” I said. “I just need a little more fresh air.”

Madi gave me a knowing smile. She may have been younger than me, but she was wise beyond her years. We had only spoken a handful of times before today, but she was a highly intuitive person I hoped to get to know better. I could tell she knew that I was struggling to be a supportive friend in light of my singleness.

“We’ll get her started with measurements,” she said. “I’m sure it will take a little while. I can hear her talking the ear off of that poor saleswoman right now! Take your time.”

As the door shut behind her, I breathed a sigh of relief. It was nice to have a moment of quiet after such a busy day.

I took the opportunity to stand on the sidewalk outside the boutique and watch the passersby. Just a few minutes of people-watching should help me shake off my mood and be ready to re-enter the wedding preparations with gusto.

Pinedale wasn’t a large town, but it was a little busier than Sparkle Hollow. There were plenty of pedestrians—mainly shoppers, making their way up the street with their purchases—as well as car traffic.

I saw a group of teenagers walking along the opposite side of the street. A few held ice cream cones, and I wondered if there was a sweet shop nearby that we could visit after we were done looking at dresses. A nice scoop of chocolate sounded divine right about now.

On a nearby bench, an elderly woman sat, crocheting something inside a canvas tote bag. I smiled, wondering if it was a gift for a family member or just something she did to pass the time.

My musings had lulled me into a sense of peace. I took a step toward the door, intending to rejoin the other women, when I felt Rae perk up. A sudden spike of adrenaline coursed through my body as Rae became more alert to our surroundings. My heart beat faster and my eyesight narrowed as I attempted to find the cause of Rae’s unease.

Is everything okay?I asked her.

Something’s coming. Be ready, she replied cryptically.

That’s not very helpful, I said.What is coming?

I’m not sure… she trailed off. I could tell she was doing the same thing I was doing—looking for danger.

For a moment, I considered turning around and running into the boutique to get help, but a part of me was sure that I was still safe here. It was broad daylight in the middle of town. What could I possibly have to fear?

I took a few steps toward the corner, trying to get a better view of the street so I could ascertain where any danger might come from. Strangers continued to pass on the opposite sidewalk, but the area I stood in was empty now. I had just decided to head back to the dress shop to warn Madi and Mila when the hair on the back of my neck stood up and a shiver went down my spine. I was being watched.

I wheeled around, realizing that my back was to an alley. A man was standing less than two feet from me. I jumped, alarmed at his close proximity. My back made contact with the brick wall of the building as I stumbled backwards to get away from him.

“Goddess!” I cursed in shock.

The man and I looked into each other’s eyes, and I gasped in shock. I recognized those eyes. Dark blue irises surrounded his wide pupils, like the eye of a hurricane that might swallow me up if I wasn’t quick enough to find shelter.

“You—” I began.

Before I could say another word, he closed the distance between us and placed a rough hand over my lips. My eyes widened in fear as the expression on his face turned from casual observance to vicious intent. I prayed for someone to see me, but there was no one in sight.

In my peripheral vision, I saw a vial of red liquid with a needle at its base. I had seen this once before—the day Madi had been taken. My protests were muffled by the hand covering my mouth as he pressed the back of my skull into the hard wallbehind me. I felt a pressure in my neck followed by an intense wave of pain before my vision went black and I felt myself falling into the darkness.

Chapter 3 - Jasper

Thanks to how close I had parked to the alley, it was easy to carry the unconscious woman to my car without being seen. It took less than fifteen minutes to carry out the abduction and arrive back at our pack cabins in the forest.

I doubted whether her companions had even realized she was missing by the time I opened the door and pulled her out.

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