126

Rain's POV. 

I turn to the next page of the book I've been reading since morning, huffing as I bask in the captivating scenes. Gosh, I've been waiting for so long for the main characters to share their first kiss. 

Now that it's about to happen, my interest piques and I settle deeper into the chair and cross my legs. 

Then I savor the words. His possessive words and touch. I don't know when I giggle so loud that the student beside me in the library curses and barks. 

"Can you keep it down? You ain't the only one reading!" 

"Oops, apologies," I chatter out and briskly pin my eyes back on the pages of the book. 

Ohh, the chemistry between them is so powerful, it makes me bite down on my lip. 

Ahh, I practically shrieked when his lips finally met with hers. The kiss started out slow before turning into a frenzy. And the girl's moan is the perfect sound in such a quiet environment. I don't understand how I can hear it go off in my head. 

Unknowingly, my shrieks became loud again. It must have pissed the girl off again. I didn't even know she had reported me to the librarian until I felt the older woman standing beside me. 

"Ms. Rain Hanks," 

I splutter in shock, flipping the book close and turning to look at the woman. 

"Ma'am?" 

"Words have it you're making noise," She growls. My face turns a shade of crimson. 

"I'm...sorry," 

"You broke the library rules today, Ms. Rain, and for that, I'll have to send you packing earlier than intended..." 

Hearing that, my face shrivels. I cut a sharp look at the girl and wince at how hard she's glaring at me. 

"Alright. I'm sorry for the noise," is all I manage to say as I gather my books and tuck them away into my duffle bag. Greedily, I clutch the novel to my chest and begin to strut away. 

I was supposed to meet with Kylie at the bar she newly started working in but it's not yet time. 

When I step outside the library, I shoot her a text. 

"Kylie, I'm going to head home for now. Then in the next hour, I'll be visiting you at the bar. I was sent out of the library..." 

The moment I hit send, Kylie reads the text and then starts calling me. 

"Seriously? You were kicked out? What the hell did you do?" She blurts breathlessly. 

Kylie has recently learned how to talk fast, I hardly ever catch up on most of her words. 

While spilling the whole story to her, I head to the parking lot in search of Mr. Clint. 

A grateful sigh vibrates from my lips knowing he's already waiting for me. 

"That's...gross,"  Kylie's words echo. 

"What I did was gross or what the girl did?" I ask, lengthening my stride so I can reach the car. The sun is particularly harsh this afternoon and it sears my skin. 

Thank goddess I'm wearing my sunscreen, else my skin must have tanned by now. 

"Both. I mean you're reading a smut book in the school library?" Her shriek has me recoiling, my face squeezes even though she can't see it.  "Who reads smut in the library? A school library?" 

"No one but me," I say with humor and I smile when Kylie cackles in the background. 

"Just thank your goddess you didn't have an orgasm there..."  She sputters and we both laugh. 

By the time I reach the car and push the back passenger seat open, I yelp to Kylie. "I'm heading home already, just give me..."  I trail off the moment I notice it isn't Mr. Clint sitting behind the wheel. 

The strange man is in a black leather jacket. I was still trying to decipher if I was in the wrong car when a fluid movement caught my eye in the front passenger seat. 

Another man. 

"Rain...?" Kylie's voice resounds when I ask the men in the car, 

"Who are...you?" 

"What's going on, Rain?" Kylie's voice. 

I try to give a response but one of the men rips the phone from my hand and crushes it into pieces. 

"We're here to take you," the one in the passenger seat responds. I look into his eyes and find nothing but ice in his gaze. 

My heart begins to throb in utmost fear. I pant harshly, looking between them and my chance at escape. 

"Now relax while we take you with us,"

"Where are you...taking me? Where's my driver...?" 

I feel it in my bones, terror. It's unfurling its hold around my insides, flaring across my body in a shade of red. 

"Someplace peaceful..." 

That reply is all I need to know it won't end well if I'm to stay with these men. 

Instantly, I lunge for the door. Flipping it open in haste and running off. My legs are charged to tear off in a dead race when I feel something rip through the air and bash into my leg, connecting with my veins. 

It stings, its power knocking me off my feet and I crumple into a heap on the ground. Tossing around as I fight the fog slowly creeping into my vision, I moan. 

Footsteps echo before I see one of the men's blurred frames as he towers over me with something like a tranquilizer gun in his hand. 

"I told you to relax and not run." He tsks, leaning down to grab me. 

"What do you...want...from...me...?" I slur as the man clasps me into his arms and edges back into the car where he drops me. 

Faintly, I recorded him slamming the door close and ordering his partner, "Now, head to the tarmac. They're already waiting..." 

They? 

Who are they? These are the last questions I ask myself before blackness envelops my vision. 

___

Voices, that's the first thing I hear when my consciousness crawls back. Several male voices. The only problem is that my mind is too messed up to know if they're familiar voices or not. 

My body rocks against a hard surface when I feel the vehicle we're in gallop. 

Wait, is it a vehicle I'm in? I ask myself, forcing my eyes open only to notice my eyes are open yet the darkness doesn't want to clear off. 

Is it so dark that I can't see or is my face covered with some sort of bag? 

I wince and flutter my eyes again. Then I notice it clearly. A hessian bag is enveloping my face. It makes breathing impossible. 

When I buck against my hands, it dawns on me that my hands are shackled. 

Fucking shackled like that of a slave. 

A whimper builds at the back of my throat and the first thought that crosses my mind is Logan. 

How do I reach him? 

How do I tell him some men have me hostage? 

Panic shoots through me like a bullet, rousing chills on my body. 

I need to call Logan...

I need to tell him I've been taken. 

I buck hard against the bindings only for my body to crash against the hard surface again. 

I don't know where we're going or who these men are. 

My eyes sting with tears but I force them back, not wanting to cry. 

I've got to be strong. Stronger than I look. 

Riot stirs in my head, growling but her growls are that of pains...

"Oh, she's awake!" Echoes a man's voice. 

"She shouldn't be allowed to be awake," Another voice blares, tinged with hatred and bitterness. 

"Ahhh. What should we do?" The first voice asks, curious. 

"Knock her out again until we reach our destination," 

I buck against the bindings harder, wanting to be freed. What are they injecting in me that makes my lycan weak? 

Just as instructed, the man pricks my skin with a syringe, knocking me out again. 

I have questions on my lips but none make it out as that oblivion returns, clamping me in its hold.

\---

I'm awake...again. 

However, there's something different this time. It's like I'm being dragged down a flight of stairs. 

I confirm my suspicion when a man rips the hessian bag from my face. Sudden brightness assaults my vision, making me shutter my eyes close.

I take a moment to breathe and slowly open my eyes and then I take in my environment as my eyes adjust. 

Then I see the plane I just got pushed down from. 

Water, endless water surrounds us and my heart leaps at the sight. 

I struggle against the man's hold, wanting to break free. 

"Stay put," He hisses, holding me against him. 

I don't listen. I fight harder, wanting to prove my strength but all my attempts cease when I see the people walking down from the plane. 

The four mayors. The Slayers. 

And behind them was none other than Mrs. Sinai. Another guard stepped down behind her carrying an unconscious wolf in his arms. 

My eyes go saucer wide at the sight of Logan's father. 

Oh, no. I look back at the ocean and at the forest ahead and break down knowing there's no chance of escape. 

I'm doomed. 

I felt this coming. 

Now it's no longer just a feeling, it's happening real. 

"Rain Imegro Wilfred..." Mr. Hanks reads out as he steps towards me. "How wonderful it is to finally get to know the real you...the monster side of you..." A dark sneer curls up his lips as he pierces me with a look. 

TBC.