Chapter 92

Aiden’s POV

I wasted no time; I ran back inside with all my speed, bursting through the stadium doors and running down the steps and towards the rink, taking the steps two at a time. Coach was getting the team ready for the second half of the game, and I could see that his eyes were flashing wildly around the stadium, looking for me no doubt. As I passed through the audience, the cheers were ear-bleeding.

I ignored them though. My focus was on getting Carol and bringing her back safely. I couldn’t think of anything else other than that.

When Coach saw me, I could see the relief on his face.

“About time you returned,” Coach Bower said, narrowing his eyes at me.

I shook my head.

“Not for long, I have to go,” I told him with urgency in my tone.

His nose flared at my words.

“The hell you do! It’s the championships!” Coach said, folding his arms across his chest. “Whatever your issue is, it can wait until after the game.”

“No, it’s Carol. She’s missing,” I said through my teeth. “I need to leave and find her.”

Coach Bower scrunched his face as he stared at me.

“What the hell are you talking about, Cruz?” Coach asked, irritation clear in his voice. “She was at her seat for most of the first half. How is suddenly missing?”

“She left to take a phone call 30 minutes ago and she never returned. I went to look for her but all I found was this in the parking lot,” I explained, lifting Carol’s shoe for him to see.

His eyes narrowed at it, and I could see the wheels turning.

“Shit,” he muttered. “Give me a second.”

He hurried over to Mr. Whitlock and the two of them talked for a moment. I stood in place, impatiently. It took everything I had not to run from this stadium right now and find my woman. My hands were trembling as I balled them into fists. Whoever took Carol was going to pay for this.

Mr. Whitlock’s eyes flashed over to me and I could see the concern behind them. He walked over to me with Coach Bower hot on his trail.

“Are you positive she’s missing?” Mr. Whitlock asked.

I nodded.

“She wouldn’t just leave, and she certainly wouldn’t leave her shoe in the middle of the parking lot like that,” I told him, holding up her shoe for him to see as well.

He nodded and then looked out at the rink where the teams were already warming up for the next half of the game.

“Okay, go,” he said, motioning for the stadium doors. “We can hold it down here.”

“I’m sorry for having to bail. But Carol is more important to me than any game,” I told them both with sincerity.

They both nodded.

“We’ll be fine,” Coach Bower finally agreed in an aggravated sigh. “I’ll let the team know that you won’t be here for the next half.”

“Tell them that they can do this without me and that they got this,” I said. “I have faith in them.”

Coach Bower nodded and Mr. Whitlock put a firm hand on my shoulder.

“Just bring Carol back safe and sound.”

“That’s the plan,” I said before turning and running towards the locker room. I burst through the doors and went straight to my locker. I grabbed my phone and immediately called Oliver who answered on the third ring.

“What’s up, man? Shouldn’t you be starting the next half of your game?” Oliver asked and I could hear the crowd through the TV in the background.

I should have known that Oliver was watching the game. I would have smiled if I wasn’t so urgent in getting to Carol.

“Carol is missing,” I blurted; I put the phone on speaker and placed it on the bench while I stripped out of my hockey uniform and put on my day clothes.

“What do you mean she’s missing?” I heard Oliver ask through the speaker.

“She went out to take a phone call about 30 minutes ago, but she never returned. I went out to look for her during halftime and all I found was her shoe in the middle of the parking lot.”

“Fuck,” Oliver said through his teeth. “Any idea where she could have gone? Or where they could have been taken.”

“Nope,” I said through a tightened jaw. “But it wasn’t by choice. She wouldn’t have left her shoe in the middle of the parking lot like that.”

“You’re right about that,” Oliver said, deep in thought. “Okay, hold tight. I’m on my way with the werewolf police. We are going to find her.”

“Thanks, man,” I said. “I’m going to search for her while I wait. Just let me know when you’re close.”

“Will do.”

Without another word, he hung up.

…..

Carol’s POV

“Your destiny awaits! The truth will soon be revealed!”

That familiar voice rang through my head as darkness consumed me. I had dreamt about this voice for so long this past year, and it always seemed so familiar to me. Whoever the voice belonged to felt so close that I could reach out and just grab her. But I couldn’t feel my arms enough to actually move them.

Pain shot through my head for the second time this evening and I winced as I moved my neck. I was starting to come through; I was being pulled out of the darkness and brought back to reality. Unfortunately for me, that included a lot of pain.

I opened my eyes and saw that I was in some kind of jail cell, or a dungeon maybe. It didn’t make any sense as to why they would bring me here, but the first thing I noticed was the dim lights and the terrible smell of mildew.

I crinkled my nose in disgust. I looked down and saw that my arms and legs were chained to the ground like I was some kind of wild beast. Fury rose through me at the sight of myself and I quickly stood to my feet, only to crash back down to the ground from dizziness.

Whatever they drugged me with made my body not work properly; it also made me incredibly tired.

No windows or anything were indicating what time it was. I’m not sure how far away from the stadium I was or how long ago I was taken.

Does Aiden know I’m gone? Or is he still in the middle of his game?

My stomach clenched at the thought of him never finding me.

The sounds of footsteps nearby made my entire body freeze, and I adjusted my eyes to the doorway across the dark and damp room. One of the men who had taken me walked in. He was the taller of the bunch and the one who drugged me in the first place.

When his eyes found mine, a hint of a smile appeared on my lips.

“I see you’re finally awake,” he said, walking towards my cell. “She will be quite pleased by this.”

“Who?” I asked through my clenched teeth.

“You’ll see soon enough,” he said as he pulled a pair of black latex gloves out of his pocket. As he put them on, I felt an icy chill running up my spine and making me shiver.

“What do you want with me?” I asked, my voice coming out weaker than I intended.

“Right now? I must examine you and make sure you are in pristine shape for her,” he informed me, making my stomach turn.

He pulled out a set of keys and unlocked my cell. I struggled against the chains, but it was no use, there was no getting free from them. He knelt before me, and I could smell his foul breath as he flashed a light in my eyes. His face was so close to mine that I thought maybe if I could headbutt him, then there would be a little satisfaction at least. I could break his nose or something.

Not that it would matter; I’d still be chained here. Or maybe I could knock him out and get the keys from his pocket. Just as the thought filtered through my mind, he grabbed my face with his hands and squeezed tightly. It was as if he could read my thoughts and I could see the anger flashing in his eyes.

“Don’t you dare try to escape here; not that you could anyway,” he said, the stench of his breath making me queasy.

He continued to shine that bright light on my face, making it difficult for me to see him. He kept his firm grip on my face, and it seemed like it was only getting tighter. He was going to leave a bruise on my cheeks no doubt.

He examined my whole face and then he finally released his hold on my jaw. But the relief only lasted a second because then he grabbed my hair and yanked my head to expose my neck. After he finished his examination, he stood and left the cell, locking it in place afterward.

“Wait!” I yelled before he could leave the room. “Tell me why you are doing this! What do you want with me?”

He only paused a moment and then he decided to say nothing as he left the room, leaving me helpless and vulnerable.

I’m not sure how long I had been sitting in the cell like a waiting duck, but it felt as if hours had gone by while I was in a state of grogginess, in and out of sleep. I found it difficult to keep my eyes open and I often fell asleep, waiting for something to happen. I was startled awake when I heard voices on the other side of the door though and when I opened my eyes, I saw the door opening and some men walking in.

I immediately recognized them as the stalkers who took me. I balled my fists, anger fueling me as I glared at them. But they paid me no attention; their attention was fixed on the fourth person who had walked through the door.

An aged woman with fair skin and dark curls that crowned her round face. Her piercing blue eyes were fixed in my direction and my breathing hitched when I noticed who she was.