Chapter 55 FIFTY-FIVE
Raven stood as Carter entered the office.
"Any news?" Raven asked, his voice filled with anxiety. Carter closed his eyes, bowed his head, and shook it slowly.
Raven slumped back into his chair, frustration and worry evident on his face. It had been twenty-four hours since Brienne went missing. Reporting her disappearance to the police wasn’t an option; the pack feared exposure to the outside world.
"Rave, do you have any idea who could have done it?" Carter asked and sat on the chair.
"Honestly? I don’t have any," Raven admitted, frustration clear in his voice. He racked his brain, trying to figure out who could be responsible, but only one name came to mind: Jasper Maddens. However, that couldn’t be possible—Jasper was dead. The police had confirmed it.
"Fck this, we’re completely in the dark," Carter said, shaking his head in frustration. "The rogue we caught in the prison isn’t making any sense. He’s high out of his mind, rambling and begging for more of those drugs," he added. Raven sighed deeply, the weight of everything pressing down on him.
"What about the funeral?" he asked, his voice quieter now.
"Your father and mother are handling it," Carter replied. Though they had won the battle, the cost had been steep, with many warriors lost to the rogues.
Raven leaned back in his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He hadn’t slept since Brienne disappeared. His mind was consumed by thoughts of her—where she could be, what might be happening to her. The worry and helplessness were eating away at him, but he knew he couldn’t stop now.
Ravena stepped into the office, and Raven immediately looked up, his tired eyes lighting up at the sight of his sister.
"Sis?" he said, his voice filled with hope.
"I’ve reached out to a friend," Ravena said firmly. "She’s going to help us find Brienne," she added. Raven’s shoulders relaxed slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Thank you... thank you so much," he said, his gratitude evident.
"For Brienne," Ravena replied, her tone softening. She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Mielle will update us as soon as she has anything to share. We’ll find her, Raven. I promise," she added.
Raven nodded, clinging to the glimmer of hope her words brought.
Brienne jolted awake as one of Jasper's men yanked her arm roughly. He untied the ropes binding her and handed her a plate of food. Her stomach growled loudly, reminding her how hungry she was. Without hesitation, she grabbed the food and began eating quickly, barely tasting it.
The man leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, silently watching her. His cold gaze made her uneasy, but she forced herself to focus on finishing the meal. Once she was done, Brienne took a deep breath and looked at him.
"I... I need to use the bathroom," she said.
The man walked towards her and grabbed her arm without a word. Brienne flinched but was forced to her feet, wincing as pain shot through her sore limbs. Ignoring her discomfort, the man dragged her across the room and shoved open the bathroom door. He pushed her inside and stood with his back to the door.
"Don’t try anything stupid, lady," he growled, his voice low and threatening.
Brienne swallowed hard and closed the door behind her, her hands trembling. She placed her hand protectively over her stomach for a moment before moving to relieve herself. As her mind raced, she scanned the bathroom for anything that could help her escape.
Her eyes landed on the small window above the toilet. Could she fit through it? She reached up and tried to remove one of the glass panes. Relief flooded her when it came loose. Setting it down carefully on the tiled floor, she climbed onto the toilet and worked on removing another pane.
"Are you done in there?!" the man shouted impatiently from the other side of the door. Brienne’s heart raced in panic, pounding like a drum in her chest.
"N-not yet," she called back, trying to sound convincing. "My stomach hurts!" she added.
Her hands worked quickly despite shaking, and soon the opening was large enough for her small frame to squeeze through. Brienne climbed carefully onto the edge, biting her bottom lip to stifle her fear. Her escape plan had to work—it was her only chance. Brienne jumped out of the bathroom window and quickly scanned her surroundings. Without wasting a moment, she began sprinting into the forest.
Her sandals slipped off as she ran, but she didn’t stop to retrieve them. All around her were towering trees. Gasping for breath, Brienne hid behind a large tree to catch her breath.
She wanted desperately to call Raven for help, but it wasn’t possible. Her kidnappers had taken everything—her phone, her purse, and anything she could use to contact him. All she had now was herself and the will to survive.
"My baby, please be okay," Brienne whispered, clutching her stomach as a sharp pain shot through her. She forced herself to stand, but before she could take a step, a massive gray wolf tackled her to the ground. Its blood-red eyes glared at her, and its sharp fangs glistened. Brienne screamed in terror, curling up protectively around her stomach.
The wolf growled, but then stopped. Jasper stepped out behind the wolf completely naked, his expression a mix of rage and twisted amusement.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, a mocking grin on his face. Brienne whimpered, her tears spilling freely as despair washed over her.
"Please," she sobbed, trembling, "just let me go," she added desperately.
Jasper ignored her plea, tapping the wolf on its side. The wolf released Brienne but stayed close, snarling. Jasper yanked her to her feet, his grip on her waist tight.
"Let you go?" he sneered, his voice cold. "Who said I’d ever let you go? We’re not done yet, Brienne. You have a purpose to fulfill. Run all you want, but I’ll always catch you," he added.
With that, Jasper leaned in and sank his teeth into her shoulder. Brienne screamed in agony, trying to shove him away, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he laughed—a cruel, victorious sound that made her blood run cold.
"Take her back to the house," Jasper ordered the wolf, his tone sharp and commanding. "If she tries to escape again, kill her," he added.
The wolf growled in response and stepped closer to Brienne, its blood-red eyes locked on her as she bled and sobbed in defeat. Brienne started walking towards the direction of the house unable to see another wolf in the distance watching over them.