MISSY

The lunchroom buzzed with conversation. Everyone was both excited and sad to be back at school. The extra couple of weeks of the break had really energized everyone. Sol sat next to me, chatting with Julie on her other side. Emmett and Allie sat across from me. Emmett was talking to Sulien about girls or something while Allie had a book open in front of her. I pushed my food around my tray, not interested in school or gossip.

“Earth to Missy,” Sol said, waving a hand in front of my face. I snapped my face to hers. “You have been spacing all day.”

“Sorry,” I said. “Just a bit tired, I guess.”

“I can make you feel energized,” Emmett said with a wink. An empty water bottle flew at his head, and everyone looked at Julie.

“Shut up, you hoe,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You know Maddox is her mate!”

Sol smacked her arm, and her eyes got wide like she didn’t mean to say something. I sighed. They were trying to be sensitive about Maddox being gone, but it didn’t really matter.

I looked back down at my tray, my shoulders slumping. I slept horribly even with Sol in the next room. I held Maddox’s pillow all night, but it wasn’t the same. We hadn’t really been apart for a while now with the exception of when Warwick had me captive. I was so used to him being right there; I didn’t like being alone.

Sulien nudged my arm. “Maddox is a tough dude. You shouldn’t worry so much. He’ll be back, and I bet you guys can get excused from school to make up for lost time,” he joked.

I could almost hear Sol rolling her eyes next to me. “The important thing here is to just focus on school. We can all come stay with you whenever you want. It’s not like we have parents bossing us around,” she said. “We won’t let you be lonely while he’s gone.”

“Thanks, guys,” I said softly. Everyone slowly went back to their various conversations. I looked up and locked gazes with Allie.

“I’m sorry,” she linked me. I just nodded my head and gave her a tight smile.

As lunch continued, everything started to feel suffocating. The energy and excitement of the whole school were just too much. A few minutes before the bell rang, I got up, taking my tray of uneaten food with me.

“Where are you going?” Sol called.

“I’ll see you tonight,” I called back, waving my hand. I dumped my tray in the nearest trashcan and headed to my locker. I wanted out of here. I know I told Lea I would focus on school, but I had enough for the day.

I wrenched my locker open and grabbed my bag, shoving my first couple of period’s books inside before shutting it. I headed for the front door, keeping my head down. No one even looked twice as I walked straight out the front door and down the sidewalk.

The closer I got to home, the more frustrated I grew. Maddox and I were supposed to be at school together. I finally had friends around me, and school was supposed to be a breeze this year. But all I could do was think about Maddox and where he was at right now.

I am not an Alpha, and I am not mated to one. I wasn’t supposed to have to deal with this. I just wanted to meet my mate and live quietly in the pack; I didn’t want my mate running off on dangerous spy missions and torturing vampires.

By the time I got home, I was in a frenzy. I threw the door open angrily and dropped my bag in the doorway. I didn’t know why I was so angry, but I was. I paced around the house in frustration, unsure what to do with myself. How did it all end up like this? Last year I was a nobody, trying to fly under the radar with Vlad.

Vlad. Vlad.

This was all his fault. If he hadn’t led Warwick to us, if he hadn’t gotten me kidnapped, none of this would be happening. He lied to me for so long. He put everyone I love in danger. He kept me from finding my real mate on my birthday!

My frustration was turning into all out rage directed at Vlad. I wanted to get my hands on him. I wanted to hurt him for hurting me. Then it hit me; I could!

I grabbed my phone out of my back pocket and hurriedly scrolled to Austin’s number. He told us so many times that Vlad asked to see me; surely he could help me now. The phone rang and rang until it almost went to voicemail. Finally, Austin picked up.

“Missy?” he said out of breath. “Aren’t you in school? Is something wrong? Did something happen?” he threw questions at me quickly while breathing hard.

“I was at school, but I left,” I told him. “Why are you breathing so hard?” There was a loud thump from the other end of the phone, then a g***n.

“No reason,” he huffed. I thought I heard someone in the background. “Why did you leave school?”

“Bad day,” I said. “But that’s not why I called. I need your help.”

“You can’t just leave school! You know Luna will have my head if I don’t tell you to go back,” he said.

“And you told me. I am politely refusing. Call it a mental health day. Now, are you going to help me or not?” I asked impatiently. I was trying not to let on how angry I was; I didn’t know if he would get me down to see Vlad if he knew I would punch him right in the throat and possibly let Holland take a chunk out of him.

He let out an audible sigh. “Is this like super important right now? I was sort of in the middle of something.”Belongs to - All rights reserved.

“Well, we are both more susceptible to Alpha and Luna wrath if we wait too long….” I said.

“Missy, what exactly are you calling to ask me?”

–

“Kid, I don’t know if this is the best idea anymore,” Austin said as we walked toward the prison.

“You said he kept asking to talk to me. Just let me talk to him,” I said. “I need to do this. I need closure on all this.” I batted my eyelashes at him. Austin threw his head back and g*****d.

“You damn Blackfur kids. Look, if your parents get mad, you’re taking all the blame,” he said. “And to think Abigail was doing the bendy thing,” he muttered. I internally gagged; I did not want to know what the bendy thing was.

When we got to the entrance, the guards let him through while giving me skeptical looks. I kept my head down and walked close to Austin. Half the reason I never went to see Vlad was not wanting to come here. It also never felt right with Maddox.

It felt like forever before Austin stopped in the middle of a hallway and turned to me. “Okay, I will open the door and let you talk to him only because I know you too well to think he could hurt you,” he said. “But I am staying close by, okay? Make it quick.” I nodded my head.

My heart was thundering in my chest. I hadn’t seen Vlad since he came to my cell in Warwick’s mansion. I felt my anger-fueled confidence slipping a bit. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea.

We walked to the end of the hallway, where Austin unlocked one of the doors. He turned to me and stepped back, letting me step inside. My gaze was on the floor, and I slowly brought it up to see Vlad sitting on the bed with a look of shock on his face.

“Missy?” he said in disbelief.

I nodded curtly. “Vlad.”

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said, scrambling to his feet. “I was losing hope.”

Austin walked away, leaving us alone. I looked away from Vlad, emotion clouding my vision. I took a steadying breath. “I thought it was about time to clear the air,” I said.

“I’m so glad you came. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since….” he trailed off. He took a step toward me, and I took one back. “I don’t know where to start,” he said quietly.

I couldn’t look at him. My anger and frustration were now mixed with hurt and sadness. Vlad had been my rock for so long; I thought he would be my mate. I was so wrong, and I let him hurt me in the worst way.

“Missy, say something,” he whispered.

“I came here on a mission,” I said as I looked around his tiny cell. “I wanted to hurt you. I wanted to give you back even a little of the pain you caused me.” My eyes landed back on him, and I really looked at him this time. He was paler if that was even possible, but he was thinner too. He looked sad. “I was going to hurt you so I could walk away and never look back.”

I reached up and touched the mark on my neck. Vlad’s eyes followed my hand, and I could see the hurt flash across them. “Now, I just don’t get it. I don’t get how you could be so cold, so heartless but at the same time, be the best thing in my life? Am I that stupid? Or just entirely blind?” My voice was rising. I hadn’t planned on any of this. I just wanted to hit him and get it out of my system.

“Missy, I-”

“You did this!” I pointed at him. “You messed it all up. You brought that stupid vampire to us, endangered my mom and baby sister. Got my brothers kidnapped! And almost got me killed! Now my mate is off tracking down the bastard so my dad can kill him! How can you cause so much calamity with no remorse?”

“I do-”

“And then you are just going to ask me to come here repeatedly? Why? Haven’t you hurt me enough? Haven’t you done enough? How did I not see it all that time? For two years, you were just spying on our whole pack behind my pack, and I never knew.” My body was shaking now. I couldn’t tell if I was mad or upset; it was all coming out at once.

“Missy, please, calm down,” he said, raising his hands and stepping forward.

“No!” I shouted, stepping back. “You don’t touch me!” Vlad stopped.

“Okay, but I need you to know that I regret everything I did,” he said. “I hated every minute of what I was forced to do. I never thought there was a way out. I never wanted you to be hurt, and that is why I did it.”

I looked away from him. “I don’t know who is the bigger i***t at this point, you or me.”

“It’s me, and it always will be. I should have gone to your father in the beginning, and none of this could have happened. Missy, I am so sorry I hurt you and your family. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness; all I wanted was the chance to apologize now that you’re safe.”

I crossed my arms and tried to blink away the tears that were threatening to form. Vlad continued, “I can’t say I am glad that Maddox is your mate, but I am happy that he makes you happy. You deserve the world, Missy. Anyone who can’t see that is an i***t; I was an i***t. I hope Maddox gives you everything you want in life.”

“If he survives this mess we’re in now,” I shot at Vlad angrily.

“I hope he does,” Vlad said. I looked back at him, and his expression was sincere. “You don’t deserve to lose your mate.”

I was wrong about coming here. I should have stayed home and eaten a pint of ice cream. I looked back at Vlad. I closed the distance between us and watched as his eyes grew impossibly wide. Then I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. The sound echoed off the walls of his cell into the hallway.

Vlad didn’t move. He just stared at me, and I stared back. Then my hand moved again; I hit him again. I kept hitting him, and he took it. Then hands closed around my wrists.

“Missy, that’s enough,” Austin said loudly behind me. I froze, gasping. “That’s enough.”

Austin gently let go of me and stepped back. Vlad reached up and cupped his reddened face. I turned to leave.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, making me pause. “I will never be able to make up for everything, but I am so sorry. Your mom asked for my help, and she offered to help me get out of here. I helped her but told her I deserved to stay. They can keep me locked up the rest of my life, and I wouldn’t fight them. I deserve it. I’m sorry, Missy.”

I didn’t look back before I left his cell and strode down the hall. I didn’t bother to wait for Austin; I wanted out of that place. I quickened my pace and almost ran from the prison. When I hit the outside, I didn’t stop. I went straight for the trees, shifting into my wolf.

I needed to run. I need to clear my head and get myself under control. Maddox had been gone for 48 hours, and I felt so lost.