Chapter 133 – Strength

Natalie paced Cass’s grandfather’s study. She was worried sick about her best friend and wished there was something that she could do to help find her.

Gavin peeked through the door to check on his girl. He knew that she was having a hard time with Cassidy being gone. “Hey love, how are you doing?” he asked gently.

Natalie turned to look at the man she loved. She knew that he was worried about her and didn’t want to snap at him for asking such a ridiculous question. “Not good. I’m going crazy not knowing where she is or if she’s alright. It’s the car wreck all over again,” she said sadly.

Gavin’s heart ached to see his mate look so sad and hurt. He wished he could take all her pain away and bring Cassidy back just to see her happy again. But he couldn’t.

“Jacob is doing everything he can to find her,” he assured her.

Natalie nodded her head. She knew Jacob understood the pain and heartache that she was going through. “I’m sure he’s not doing well with all this either.”

Gavin looked down. “No, he’s not. But he’s not giving up either. He’s talking with the pack to get them to help. Jacob’s calling in every favor he’s got with all the surrounding packs that he’s allied with. He will find her.”

Natalie pressed her lips into a thin line. Since meeting Cassidy and becoming close friends, she was the closest thing to family for Natalie. She had started to see things more optimistically than negatively. What if he wasn’t able to bring her back? What if she was gone forever? Natalie couldn’t see her future without Cassidy being a part of it. She shook the negative thoughts out of her head. She needed to have positive thoughts.

He walked over and started rubbing his hand along her back, sending soothing energy to her. “Hey, cooking usually makes you happy. Why don’t you try and cook one of your delicious meals,” he suggested.

Natalie chuckled as she shook her head. “Why? Cause you’re hungry, and you would like something to eat?”

Gavin tilted his lips into a frown as he looked at her with sad puppy dog eyes and whined.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, but if it comes out tasting horrible, it’s not my fault,” she warned him before walking out of the study with Gavin following closely behind.

Gavin turned out the light to the study, and the room became dark.

A little lighted emerald gem glittered through the air, making its way toward a map that was laid out in the study. The light grew more prominent as it got closer to the large piece of paper that had outlines of the land. It drifted slowly down until it landed on a specific part of the paper. The little gem continued to shine as brightly as it could, hoping that someone would find it and what it had to share.

***

Cassidy bit her lip as she took another hit from the angry blonde wolf that stood in front of her. To her, it seemed like the woman had been taking hits at her for hours and had no sense of time. She licked her bottom lip and could taste the saltiness of blood from the wound.

Hannah was getting frustrated. The little human girl wasn’t breaking down like she had hoped she would. She was beginning to lose her temper and was tempted to shift into her wolf to give the pathetic girl a real scare.

“You’re a lot stronger than I had anticipated. But that’s alright, I’m just getting started with you.” Hannah taunted.

Hannah lifted her hand back, ready to smack the girl across the face, when she felt a weak hand grip her wrist. She let out a growl as she turned to find her little helper standing behind her.

“You said I would be the one that would get to play with her. I didn’t think you were going to abuse her this much.” Mark questioned.

Hannah narrowed her eyes at the man. He could feel the intensity of her glare and shrunk back while removing his hand from her wrist.

“That’s a good boy. Don’t worry; there will still be plenty of her to play with. I’m just making sure she learns her place. Jacob is mine, not hers.” she yelled before smacking her hand across Cassidy’s face.

Cassidy lowered her head to fight back the pain and then started to laugh.

Hannah let out a growl. “What are you laughing at?”

“It must be killing you, isn’t it.” Cassidy started with.

“What’s killing me?”

“The fact that the moon goddess chose me as Jacob’s mate and not you.” she confided.

Hannah’s body froze, and her chest was filled with rage.

“What did you just say?” Hannah asked as she grabbed Cassidy by the hair and yanked her head back.

“I didn’t stutter. But since you need me to repeat it, I’ll say it a little slower for you. I. am. Jacob’s. mate.”

Hannah let out an ear-piercing scream before backhanding Cassidy, causing her head to whip to the side from the hit.

“You’re lying. That’s impossible. You’re not good enough to be his mate. Only I am. He has needs that only I can fulfill,” she confided.

Cassidy’s heart filled with doubt when she heard what the platinum-blonde wolf told her. She tried to push the negative thoughts out of her head, but there was a part of her that knew what she was saying was true. Cassidy still had some lingering doubts that she could be everything that Jacob needed in a mate. But this wasn’t the time to feed into her negative insecurities. She needed to be strong because sooner or later, she knew that Jacob would find her.

She believed that with all her heart.