Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Kathy was instructed to bring a tray of drinks to the VIP room—a place she dreaded more than any other. Its gilded door concealed an atmosphere thick with entitlement, where guests too often forgot the boundaries of decency. Each time she entered, she braced herself for the discomfort of wandering hands and lingering gazes, wishing she could vanish into the shadows. Yet, with steady resolve, she balanced the glasses, determined to get through the task with her dignity intact.
Kathy's boss didn't mind her not wearing a uniform at work, and now, exhausted and hungry, Kathy is in no mood for anyone's nonsense. Knocking first, she entered, carrying drinks and a food-laden cart. After placing everything on the table, she saw her sister Skye with friends and Skye's boyfriend, Asher. Skye seized Kathy's arm.
“Dad wants you to come home?”
"Tell dad I said to go to hell and that I'm already married."
"It's all lies, a sham marriage just trying to cheat us out of everything and leave us with nothing," Skye exclaimed.
Kathy exited the room, closing the door, and continued working, hoping for a quick clock-out to head home to Anthony. The break room was a mess; coworkers' lack of cleaning had led to an infestation of small bugs. As a result, she had to get a rug, fill the sink with hot, soapy water, and place her food bowl in the sink herself. Finishing up, Kathy exited the room, carrying her empty lunch container and wrapped cloth, and placed the container in her locker. She returned and pulled out her cellphone to post in the work group chat.
“Let me be clear: if the break room isn't cleaned, there will be consequences. Next time there are bugs, I won't be the only one cleaning them up. Just a heads-up: Ginger has eaten my lunch, so I'm now working on an empty stomach. Teamwork is essential; otherwise, I can't offer further assistance. Does everyone understand?” Kathy texted.
The group started responding to Kathy's message with emojis. With her message delivered, she kept providing refreshments until her cell phone rang, answering through her Bluetooth headset.
“Hello. Who is this?”
"You always forget the sound of your husband's voice," he whispered.
"Anthony, I'm sorry, but I'm up to my ears at work at the moment."
"How's work treating you?"
"Tired and hungry," she felt a gnawing emptiness in her stomach and a heavy weight on her eyelids.
Didn't you eat the food that the cook prepared for you?
"No," Kathy said, "my coworker ate my food just because she saw it. I'm working without having eaten. Regardless, I'm wearing a Bluetooth device, so we can continue talking. How's your day going?”
I'm very busy, but I'm almost finished with my paperwork, and then I'm helping my father and brother with their business.
“You are blind,”
"Miles read the documents, or I used Braille," Anthony lied.
Kathy and Anthony remain on the phone while she works, and they stay connected until she can clock out and grab her items from the locker room. Ginger appears to gather her belongings, giving off smell sex and their boss' cologne. Kathy knew they were having sex, and then Ginger, holding cash, approached her.
“Please accept my apologies for eating your food. This money is for you to get something to eat.”
"Ginger, you can keep it. I have my own money."
“I must leave; my husband is waiting for me at home.”
“He hates it when I'm late.”
"Your husband adored you."
"He does, I'm currently speaking with him over the phone."
"My apologies, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Actually, I'm taking the next four days off."
As Ginger exited the locker room, something fell from her jacket pocket. Kathy saw it but said nothing; upon closer inspection, it was a pregnancy test. Kathy grabbed a tissue and examined it, confirming her suspicions. Ginger is expecting a baby with our boss. He was still on the phone with Kathy, and he heard her breathing. Kathy gathered her belongings and hurried after Ginger, but Ginger had already left.
“Damn!”
With no need to keep the pregnancy test, she discarded it and used hand sanitizer from her bag to clean her hands. She walked out of the building and saw her car. Using her keys, she unlocked the car door, then locked it once inside. Having started the car's engine, she checked for other cars before exiting her parking space. She left to go home without realizing that Anthony was still on the phone with her.
“Anthony, see if the cook can make me something to eat, if she's not too busy.”
"Certainly, one moment please."
Anthony mind-linked the cook, instructing her to prepare Kathy's meal before her arrival, ensuring it was something she'd enjoy.
When you come in, Kathy, the cook, will have something ready for you.
“Thanks,”
As Kathy drove, she noticed a car tailing her in the rearview mirror. When she turned left, the car did too; when she turned right, the car followed suit. Yes, the car is still tailing her, so she decides to leave town without showing fear. She drives along a straight road to avoid weaving through traffic and risking an accident. A car pulls alongside and rams her, pushing her off the road. The car's tinted windows prevented her from seeing inside. Anthony hears everything that's happening.
"Kathy, is something wrong? I can hear someone banging on your car."
"Yes, I believe they are attempting to force me off the road."
As Kathy's car veered off the road, Anthony heard her scream, then silence; the line went dead.
The impact of her car hitting the tree totaled the vehicle. Luckily, her seatbelt prevented serious injuries, although she felt warm liquid and pain in her wrist when she reached for her head. She believed her wrist was broken, but then she realized her phone was unharmed. She used her hand to unbuckle herself from her seat and kicked out the window to climb out. She gathered her bag, but the lack of signal rendered them useless. Dizzy and bleeding from a head wound, she scanned the area where the car had pulled off. There's an attempt to get rid of her by someone.
Anthony attempted to call Kathy's cellphone, but it went to voicemail. He doesn't know her current location. Max allows Anthony to use his wolf eyes only in the presence of Miles, without anyone else knowing. Anthony's about to turn into a werewolf, so something happened to Kathy.
"Alpha, what's happening?"
Kathy, I heard her scream, and then the call was disconnected.
Anthony opened his balcony door, jumped over the railing, and shifted into his black wolf form. Max immediately took over the search for their mate, heading into the woods, hoping to pick up her scent, but they were crossing the pack's border. Kathy's safety is on their mind; they're imagining all sorts of things that could go wrong. If anything should happen to Kathy, the guilt would be a burden they could never bear.