Taming the Beast novel Chapter 54

(Keegan’s POV)

I’d been trying to mind-link Caroline for the past two minutes as I sped to the school. She wasn’t answering. Finally, I heard something. Only, it wasn’t the person I wanted it to be.

She’s gone. Natasha had back up and took her, Aiden informed me. I sped up as my jaw clenched and my fist hit the steering wheel.

“Damn it!” I said loudly in my empty car at no one in particular. I mind-linked Gregg and told him what was going on. I also told him to bring the best trackers to the school. I barely even parked and turned off the car before I was running inside. I followed Aiden’s scent to a now empty hallway, but Caroline’s bag was on the floor and her stuff was scattered across the floor.

“How do you know she had help?” I asked Aiden as soon as I saw him. He sighed and looked at the toppled bag.

“Natasha is anorexic. Even as a wolf, she wouldn’t have enough energy to hold Caroline,” he answered. Natasha was anorexic? Why hadn’t I noticed that before? It made a lot of sense and kind of explained why she was so mentally out of it and always craving attention. “My guess is a rogue or a few rogues are helping her,” Aiden continued. I sighed and looked at her bag. I found myself whimpering as I stared at the bag sadly. How could Natasha stoop to something like this? What was she doing to my Caroline? Where were they? I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Gregg trying to comfort me. It didn’t work. I just wished it was Caroline’s hand.

“We’ll find her, he tried to assure me. I looked behind him to see Trevor, Asher, Nick, Cade, Joshua and Kyle. Cade, Joshua, and Kyle were our best trackers. Cade and Kyle were twins. I didn’t feel like talking anymore. I was too depressed over the fact that I couldn’t hear my mate. Her mind-link was off, meaning they must’ve knocked her out somehow. The thought of anyone putting their hands on her made my blood boil. I balled my fists as my jaw clenched and unclenched.

“Alpha Keegan,” I heard from beside me. I snapped my head to the voice to see that it was Aiden. He looked guilty and regretful. His eyes were purple, and I had a feeling that the color wouldn’t change until Caroline was safely home again. I had half a mind to yell at him for letting this happen but thought better of it. I noticed he was holding a rag in his hand. He held it up slightly. “It looks like they used chloroform. We should tell her brother,” he said softly. I glared at him.

“No!” I barked.

“I want my Luna back just as much as you do! Her brother is a police officer and might be able to help,” he snapped back at me. Seeing my face turn red with anger, he sighed and took a step back. “I know that I’ve failed you and this pack. I understand that it was my responsibility to protect her and I couldn’t. I’m the worst Luna protector ever and I know that. I feel terrible and would completely understand if you exiled me. But Caroline is my best friend. I want to do everything we possibly can to find her. Don’t you?” he asked softly. I frozen as my heart squeezed painfully in my chest and my wolf whimpered in pain. I tried mind-linking Caroline one more time. When that failed again, I sighed and nodded to Aiden once.

“Very well then, let’s get going. I think her brother is at work right now. Aiden, you’re coming with me. Gregg, take over here. I want my mate found and I want Natasha dead,” I seethed before I turned on my heels and headed for my car.

Mom, I need you to get the warrior wolves and put Natasha’s dad in custody, now, I mind-linked her.

Why? was her brilliant response. I didn’t have time to give her the full story without getting angry all over again; not that I wasn’t already.

They took Caroline, was all I said before I cut off the connection. I needed Caroline to be okay. I sped to the police station, not even bothering with the wary looks the cops were giving me. I probably looked like I was ready to murder somebody, and frankly, I was. If Caroline were here, she would have calmed me down and told me that everything was going to be okay. That thought nearly killed me before it only made me angrier. I stormed up to the main desk with Aiden hot on my heels. His look screamed murder too.

“Where’s Daniel Holloway,” I ordered more than asked. The receptionist, held a finger up to me as she continued the phone call she was currently on. I growled and ripped the phone from her hand before I threw the whole thing on the ground. She looked at me in fear and shock as a few police officers stepped closer to me ready to detain me. I’d like to see them try. My eyes narrowed at the receptionist as I slammed my hands down on the desk. “I don’t have time for this! Where is Danny?!” my voice boomed throughout the entire station and it instantly got quiet. I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I turned and sighed and relief when I saw Danny. He looked at us confused and shocked.

“What are you guys doing here? Keegan, why do you look like you’re ready to kill somebody?” Danny asked, stepping closer to us. My fists balled tighter, my nails most definitely drawing blood from my hands.

“Because I am,” I snapped back at him as I kept my daze on the floor.

“What happened?” Danny asked softer. I think he was trying not to upset me more that I clearly already was. I sighed as my face dropped in defeat. I ran my hand over my face before my watery eyes met his confused ones.

“Someone kidnapped Caroline,” I said softer. He froze before his whole body tensed.

~

Danny had been pacing for a while as he tried to process what I said. The whole station got quiet as they waited to hear what he was going to say. I guess they were all friends with Danny and knew about his sister and his situation because they all gave us sympathetic looks.

“How do you know this?” Danny asked the venom unmistakable in his voice. I nudged Aiden. I was tired of talking.

“We were at the school and she just got out of volleyball practice. I was going to drive us to Keegan’s house. I was waiting out by the car while she went to go grab a book she forgot in her locker. The next thing I know, she screaming for help and then it all just stops. I was already on my way to her and when I got closer, all I saw was her bag on the floor and I couldn’t hear her anymore. There was a rag with chloroform on the floor too. There had to be more than one of them also; like she was a specific target,” Aiden explained in a panicked rush. Caroline’s disappearance was taking a toll on him as well. I looked around and noticed that the officers weren’t seeing us as a threat anymore. I stood quickly from my seat, suddenly restless. I threw my hands in the air and grunted at Danny’s quietness.

“Danny, we have to do something! My fiancé is out there with, no doubt, very dangerous people who’s intension is to hurt her!” I yelled. Danny’s eyes widened in shock as he looked at me.

“Fiancé? Y-You said fiancé,” Danny said shocked. My cheeks turned red as I scratched my neck nervously and avoided his stare.  

“I don’t think this is how she wanted you to find out,” I said nervously. Danny smiled a little before he was all business again. His jaw locked as he started towards a door.

“Let’s find my sister,” he said with a newfound determination.

~

Danny had put together a search party and had a detective looking for Caroline now. Satisfied with his actions, I went back home. All that was left to do now, was wait. I walked straight past my mother and her insistent questions and went straight upstairs to my room. I slammed the door behind me and closed my eyes as I sighed. I felt my body shake lightly as I let the tears I’d been holding in, roll down my face freely. I slowly got in the bed and hugged the pillow that she always used when she was over. It still faintly smelled like her and that realization had my cries coming in sobs now. This was all my fault. I shouldn’t been paying more attention. I should’ve thought of what exiling Natasha would mean. I should’ve protected Caroline better. I should’ve never led Natasha on in the first place. I should’ve read the obvious signs. Natasha was mentally sick. Who knew what she was capable of? I sighed and tried to get some sleep. I had a feeling it would be a while before we heard anything.

I know I needed to get some rest. Once I got involved in the search, I wouldn’t be able to rest until I found her. I knew that much already. My wolf whimpered and howled in pain but there was nothing I could do until tomorrow. I sighed and closed my eyes. I might as well try and get some sleep, but the bed felt cold without Caroline.