Chapter 53: The Trap

The pack searched for two hours. Found nothing. No one.

Whoever was inside had disappeared like smoke.

"This doesn't make sense," Alex said. He looked frustrated. "We checked everywhere. Every room. Every closet. Nothing."

"They knew we'd search," Andres said. "Got out before we locked down."

"Or they're still here. Hiding." Stacey looked around. "Somewhere we didn't check."

"Where?" I asked. "You looked everywhere."

"Not everywhere." Cole looked up. At the ceiling. At the air vents. "The ducts. Someone small could fit."

Everyone went quiet. Looking up.

"Check it," The Elder said. "Now."

Alex and Marcus shifted. Climbed up. Started checking vents.

I felt sick. Someone watched me from inside the walls. Like a rat.

My phone buzzed. Another text.

"Smart. But too late. I'm gone. But I left a present. Check your room. Sweet dreams, Luna."

I showed Cole. His face went hard.

"Everyone out! Now!" His Alpha voice filled the space. "Could be a bomb."

The pack moved fast. Out the doors. Into the parking lot.

Cole grabbed my arm. "You too. Outside."

"But our room."

"I'll check it. You stay here."

"No. We go together."

"Lita."

"Together or not at all."

He looked at me. Knew I wouldn't give up. "Fine. But stay behind me. Anything happens, you run."

"Okay."

We went upstairs. Slow. Careful. Cole first. Me behind.

Our door was closed. Locked. Like we left it.

Cole opened it. Looked inside.

Nothing looked wrong. Bed made. Clothes normal. Everything fine.

"Maybe it was fake," I said.

Then I smelled it. Something sweet. Flowers. Wrong.

"Cole, do you smell that?"

"Yeah. Get back."

Too late. The smell got stronger. My head felt fuzzy. My legs weak.

"Cole, I feel sick."

"Gas. It's gas. Get out!" He grabbed me. Pulled me to the door.

But my legs wouldn't work. Everything spun.

I fell. Cole caught me.

"Stay with me. Don't close your eyes."

But I couldn't help it. Everything went dark.

I woke up somewhere else. Not my room. Not the gym.

Dark. Cold. Tied to a chair. Rope on my wrists and ankles.

"Hello?" My voice echoed. Empty building maybe.

"Finally awake. Took long enough." A voice from shadows. Female. Familiar.

A figure stepped into dim light.

Erica.

"Surprise." She smiled. Mean. "Miss me?"

"Let me go."

"Why? I worked so hard to get you here." She walked closer. "The texts. The watching. The gas. All part of the plan."

"What plan?"

"To get you alone. Away from your mate. Away from the pack." She circled me. "So we can talk. Girl to girl."

"About what?"

"About how you stole my life. My place. My future." Her voice got sharp. "I was supposed to be Luna. Cole was mine. But you ruined it."

"I didn't steal anything. The mate bond chose us."

"Lies! You're human. Humans don't get Alphas. You did something. Used magic. Tricked him." She grabbed my hair. Yanked my head back. "Admit it."

"There's nothing to admit."

She slapped me. Hard. My cheek burned.

"Liar! You're just a weak human who got lucky. You don't deserve Cole. Don't deserve to be Luna."

"And you do? You let demons possess you. Killed a pack member. Got kicked out." I looked at her. "You did this to yourself."

Another slap. Harder. I tasted blood.

"Shut up! You know nothing!" She was breathing hard. Losing it. "I gave everything to that pack. And they threw me away. For you."

"Because you betrayed them."

She pulled out a knife. Long. Sharp. "I should kill you right now."

"Then do it. Stop talking and do it."

She pressed the knife to my throat. "You think I won't?"

"I think you brought me here to talk. Not kill. If you wanted me dead, I'd be dead."

The knife pulled back. A little.

"Smart. But wrong." She smiled. "I brought you to make a deal."

"What deal?"

"You leave. Tonight. Disappear. Tell Cole you don't want to be Luna. Don't want him. Go back to your old life."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I kill everyone you love. One by one. Starting with Stacey. Then Alex. Then Cole." She leaned close. "I have friends. Wolves who hate you. We're ready."

"You're lying."

"Am I?" She showed me her phone. A photo. Stacey. Walking outside the gym. A red dot on her chest. Sniper laser.

My heart stopped. "Don't. Please."

"Then agree. Leave. Tonight. Never come back."

"They'll look for me."

"Let them. By the time they find you, you'll be gone. New city. New name. New life." She put the knife down. "Or stay and everyone dies. Your choice."

I wanted to fight. To shift. To break free.

But the ropes were silver. Burning my skin. Trapping my wolf.

"How do I know you'll keep your word?"

"You don't. But it's their only chance." She checked her phone. "Five minutes. Decide. Leave or lose everything."

My mind raced. What could I do? Tied up. Weak. Alone.

Cole would come. But would he find me in time?

And Erica had people. Snipers. Wolves who hated me.

She'd kill them. All of them.

Unless I left. Saved them by going.

"Tick tock. Three minutes."

I looked at the knife. At the phone showing Stacey with a laser on her.

At Erica's crazy eyes.

My life with Cole or their lives without me.

"Two minutes."

I closed my eyes. Thought of Cole. Of the pack. Of everything.

"One minute."

I opened my eyes. Looked at Erica.

"Okay. I'll do it. I'll leave. Just don't hurt them."

Erica smiled. "Smart girl. I promise. They live. As long as you're gone."

She cut the ropes. I fell forward. Weak. Dizzy.

"There's a car outside. Keys in it. Drive. Don't stop. Don't call anyone. Just go."

"And if I don't?"

She held up her phone. Finger over a button. "Then I send the signal. And Stacey dies. Right now."

I stood. Legs shaking. Walked to the door.

This was it. The end.

I was leaving. Running. Giving up.

To save them.

The door opened. Cold air hit me.

I looked back. "How do I know you won't kill them anyway?"

"You don't." Erica's smile was evil. "But you're about to find out."

I stepped outside. Saw the car. Started walking.

Behind me, I heard Erica laugh.

And somewhere far away, I heard a howl.

Cole. Looking for me.

Too late.

I got in the car. Started it.

One last look at the warehouse. At the life I was leaving.

Then I drove.

Away from everything.

Away from everyone.

Away from the only home I'd ever had.

Because sometimes love means letting go.

Even when it breaks you.