Calli

Dewdrop

The nickname used to make butterflies flutter in my stomach. Now it makes me feel nauseous.

“How the fuck is this possible? You’re supposed to be in prison!” I yell at him, backing as far away from him as possible until my back hits the wall.

“There are certain benefits to being a werewolf, Dewdrop. One of them is scaring the shit out of the guards until they let you go.” I shudder at his voice and feel my hands begin to shake. My heart rate speeds up and my palms slick with sweat. I try to keep my breathing under control. I need my wits about me and can't afford a panic attack right now.

“Don’t fucking call me that you piece of shit! You lost the right to even look at me a long time ago!” I scream at him and his smile fades into a scowl as I search my surroundings frantically for any kind of weapon.

“I think you’ve forgotten your place, Calli. Perhaps I should remind you.” He growls as he rounds the island towards me. My eyes widen in horror as my feet move away from him of their own accord. I nearly trip over the leg of the table, but manage to right myself without taking my eyes off of the predator in front of me.

“NO! Stop right there, Paul! Don't you dare touch me. What is wrong with you? Haven’t you taken enough from me already?! Haven't I suffered enough because of you?!” I feel tears sting my eyes and I bite my lip to keep them from falling. I refuse to look weak in front of this monster.

“Me take things from you? Are you fucking kidding me, Calli? Because of your little hissy fit, my Alpha overlooked me for the Beta position. Said I wasn’t stable and reliable enough. You made me lose everything I had ever worked towards. Everything I had ever wanted. That position should have been mine. It was my birthright. Now I'm just another pack member. I’m in this pathetic state because of you!” He spits at me and I can’t help but flinch.

He does look pathetic. His t-shirt is ripped and dirty, his hair and beard obviously haven't been washed or trimmed in much too long and his shorts obviously used to be pants with the way they are cut off at different lengths on each side. His feet are bare and dirty, one toe almost looks black, possibly from frostbite. If his eyes didn't hold the same hollowness, I probably wouldn't have even recognized him. A man who was once muscular and healthy now has gaunt cheeks, and bony arms. He looks nothing like the other werewolves I have come to know.

“It's not my fault you kidnapped me, you psychopath! And it sure as fuck isn't my fault you raped me!” I scream back at him and move towards the living room to get further away from him.

“Rape? I didn’t rape you, Calli. You wanted it, we both know that.” He says with a cruel smirk and I try to swallow the bile rising in my throat the acid burning almost as much as the memories of what he did to me.

“You’re disgusting.” I say, barely above a whisper. He laughs, a booming yet hollow sound.

“I’m disgusting? You’re lucky I ever even looked at you. A pathetic human. If you didn’t have such a nice ass I never would have bothered.” He pulls a syringe out of his back pocket and starts movong towards me.

“Look at you, even now fucking up my plans. You weren’t supposed to be here, Calli. I was supposed to take the Luna with no witnesses. It's a shame I can’t take you both, my place isn’t set up for two. So I’ll give you enough of this to keep you unconscious until I finish with the pretty little Luna. And then I’ll be back for you and we'll finish what we started.” He sneers.

“How lucky for me that you’re the Beta’s mate. After I kill the Luna and you, the Alpha and Beta will be weak and pathetic. My Alpha will be able to kill them easily and overtake this nice little pack you all have here. Then I will be rewarded for my good deeds and be given the position that I deserve.” He smiles sadistically and he runs towards me.

I grab anything I can find to throw at him while furiously mind linking Finn.

‘Finn! You need to get back here now!’

‘What’s wrong, baby?’ I can feel his concern through our bond.

‘It’s Layla! He’s trying to take her! Hurry!’

‘Who Calli? Who’s trying to take her?’ I can feel he’s panicking through our bond now, but I can’t link and focus on staying away from Paul at the same time.

Paul wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls my back into his front.

“I’m sure you’ll tolerate this dosage well. You’re very familiar with this drug after all. It’s what I used on you the last time.” He chuckles in my ear and the feeling of his breath against my cheek makes my skin crawl.

“What are you going to do to her?” I ask as the tears begin to fall down my face.

“The same thing I did to you.” He whispers. “Only this time it really will be rape and your alpha will feel every second. All the way up until I kill her with my bare hands.”

I can’t stop the sob that pours from me as I try to wrench myself from his grasp. I never give up, even though I know I'm severely outmatched.

“Please don’t do this. You don't have to do this.” I whisper as I feel the needle plunge into my neck.

My world begins to fade to black and the last thing I hear is, “Just remember when you wake up and she’s dead, it will be all your fault.”

I don't know how much later is was that I awoke, only that it was now dark outside. I sit up straight and feel my body shaking violently. I look around and realize I'm in my and Finn's bedroom.

Alone.

I try to push myself off the bed, but my legs feel like they weigh a thousand pounds and my head spins a little when I change position too quickly.

'Finn?' I mind link.

'Baby! Oh thank God you're awake. I've been worried sick. I'm so sorry I can't be there, sweetheart. We got a lead on Layla and needed to follow it.'

'Is she....' I can't even ask, it hurts too much.

'She's alive. Ian can feel her. But if you're awake she probably is too so we need to hurry.'

Understanding crashes into me and my heart begins to beat frantically.

'Finn I think I know where she is!'

'What? How?'

'The man who took her! It was Paul. I had no idea he was a werewolf.'

'Paul? You mean your ex douchebag?'

'Yes Finn it was him!'

'Baby... are you sure? Maybe it's the drugs messing with your mind. I thought he was in prison.'

'I did too, Finn but I swear it was him you have to believe me!' I beg him as my eyes fill with tears. I hear him sigh and can just imagine him running his hand downs his face.

'I believe you really think that's what happened, my little love but we have a lead on her and we need to follow this up. We have a warrior stationed at the house to protect you. Please just sit tight and regain your strength. This will be over soon. We'll have Layla back and I will come home to you.'

'Finn! Please!' I'm sobbing at this point and my heart hurts that my own mate won't listen to me.

'Baby I gotta go. Just let us handle this ok? We're about to move in on the location. I have to put my block up but I'll be home soon. I love you so much.'

I try to implore him to listen to me again, but I feel the link break and when I try to push against his mind, it's like he's placed a brick wall in front of it.

Anger courses through me, bright and heavy as the fury builds in my chest. How dare he not listen to me? How dare he brush me off so easily? How dare he put Layla's life in danger with his arrogance? I grab the closest thing I can, a frame with a picture of us at our mating ceremony, and fling it against the wall. The sound of shattering glass is satisfying, but doesn't satiate my anger entirely.

My mind flits to Layla and what she may be going through right now. How scared she must be. Anguish rips through me at the thought of my friend, my sister feeling such pain, feeling so powerless.

No.

I refuse.

This will not happen again. I won't let it. If Finn refuses to listen to me then it is up to me to save Layla.

My friend.

My fucking Luna.