Chapter 51

My heart is pounding in my chest. As Adrian and I run toward the man calling for him, I prepare myself for bearing witness to the worst nightmare of my life or the end to the one I’m currently living.

We see a group clustered together murmuring amongst themselves, we sprint toward it. Everyone parts for Adrian and we reach the center to see the Beta holding what I know to be Grace’s sweater.

I gasp and clutch my hand to my mouth to keep from screaming. I want to wail, cry, and tear something apart, but I know that won’t help anything, so I fight to keep my emotions in check. Adrian and Grace need me to be strong right now.

Adrian clutches my hand and gives it a squeeze, as though letting me know that he’s there for me. Even though he’s probably panicking as much as I am. I squeeze his back, telling him the same.

Adrian takes the sweater and then looks toward the fence surrounding the carnival. Letting go of my hand, he walks to the fence and pulls aside a space where the wire had been cut to make a hole. A hole large enough for a small adult to get through.

Adrian pauses and appears to breathe deeply.

“She’s in the woods.” He says simply and tears at the wire to widen the hole before stepping through.

One by one, the rest of the searchers follow their Alpha through the hole and towards the woods. I should wait here in case Grace wanders back, but I can’t just stand there. So, I follow them toward the trees.

The moment we cross into the woods, I watch with a mixture of horror and amazement as the people around me contort violently, sprouting fur and teeth until a pack of wolves are tearing through the woods, sniffing the air, and following the trail of a scared, missing little girl.

I follow along, not really sure where I’m going, but as the wolves trail after the scent, there’s a sudden feeling of wrongness in the direction we’re going. I feel a pull to my left and see a disturbance in the vegetation. My outdoorsman foster father’s teaching kicks in and I know to pay attention to the signs.

As I track the signs of recent movement through the woods, I come to a grouping of rocks. I might have passed right by, looking for the next sign on my trail, but there’s a faint scent of what reminds me of Grace’s watermelon shampoo, and I hear what sounds like a sniffle.

“Grace?” I call out and wait, my heart all but stopped with the anticipation.

Finally, I hear a small voice answer back, “Lily?”

“Grace!” I scream and run for the rocks. I scan them, and it doesn’t take long before I find a large crevice, creating a cavern under the formation. And there, crouched in the corner, curled into a ball, her eyes red with crying, is Grace.

“Hang on, Sweetie! I’m coming for you!” I assure her and start crawling inside. Grace, her eyes huge, as though she can’t believe she is seeing me, reaches her arms to me. As I grab onto her and pull her to me, my heart soars with relief and gratitude that she is safe in my arms.

I get us both out of the cavern and set her down on the grass.

“Are you hurt?” I ask, scanning her from head to toe for injuries. She looks okay, but she doesn’t answer me. Just hangs her head and crashes back into me, clutching me tightly.

“It’s okay. You’re safe. Let’s get you home.” I say softly as I pick her up and start trekking back toward the carnival. “Daddy is here. He is so worried about you.”

At the mention of Adrian, Grace clutches me harder and buries her head in the crook of my neck.

I exit the woods to see that the wolves have returned. Everyone is clustered together facing Adrian who appears to be addressing them. As Grace and I get closer, the group turns to see us.

Adrian seems to do a double take, and then eyes wide in shock, runs toward us with a loud, “Grace!”

Grace picks her head up off my shoulder and reaches for him, tears streaming down her cheeks. Adrian takes her from my arms and holds her close. I know what he is probably feeling because I’m feeling it too.

Relief, joy, and confusion. Like waking up from a terrible dream you were convinced was real.

Grace buries her face in Adrian’s shoulder and cries softly while he rubs her back and soothes her, uttering reassurances that she is safe now and he is never letting her go.

Looking up at me as I watch the heartbreaking scene, he reaches a hand out and wraps it around the back of my neck, pulling me into the embrace with Grace between us.

I clutch his waist and allow myself to feel the warmth and relief of knowing the nightmare is over and the little girl we care for so much is safe and sound.

“Thank you.” He murmurs into my ear and my heart threatens to break in two. He shouldn’t be thanking me. I was the one who allowed her to get lost to begin with.

After what feels like an eternity, and yet still far too quickly, Adrian releases me and wraps an arm around my shoulders to guide us back to the group.

“Let’s go home.” He says, “Someone deserves hot chocolate and marshmallows after today.”

Grace doesn’t look up, but she nods against his shoulder and despite the tension and guilt I still feel, the corners of my mouth tug. At least she still wants her favorite treat. Had she said no, I would have started to worry again.

Relief fills the eyes of so many gathered as they watched us approach. Yet, there is the unmistakable murmur and the undeniable looks of judgement as they turn to me.

Adrian tucks me close to his side, Grace held tightly in his other arm. The group parts and allows us through. It’s only after we get to the other side that the whispers start.

“…she took her.”

“Such a conniving woman.”

“Probably wanted to make herself out to be the hero.”

I can’t help but piece the whispers together. They think I took her, just so I could rescue her. I can hear every whisper and practically feel every glaring look as we all walk toward the parking lot.

My blood boils and outrage rage starts to simmer under my skin threatening to break free. They talk as if I could be evil enough to do something like this. As though I could do anything to hurt this little girl.

Yet, I can’t react. If I do anything to defend myself, I’ll just be adding fuel to the fire. I stare straight ahead, praying that we reach the car before I snap. With every whisper and every suspicious look, I get closer and closer to my breaking point.

But just when I think I’m on the verge of erupting, Adrian stops short and whirls on the group.

“That is enough!” He roars and everyone falls silent. Their Alpha commands their attention, his temper simmering to the point of boiling over. “I will not hear another word slandered against my mate.”