Wayward Wolf

Fear and Frustration

Evelyn

After what happened with Ray, I'm a little shaken up. Now I just want to get this over with and get back to him before he busts his knuckles on that punching bag. I'm not sure how well Frankie will fair with keeping him out of the garage. Ray is one stubborn mule and doesn't do well with anyone trying to tell him what to do. The only person I know that comes even close to being as stubborn as him is Trav. Val admitted at a girl's night last year that all she does to talk him into anything is flash him while she asks and he immediately agrees. Unfortunately, that won't work for me. Also thinking about Trav looking at Val's boobs is gross.

Jared is still standing at the front door, watching us as we walk up the driveway and to the front door. For some reason, it feels strange to see him look exactly the same. We still can't be sure that Mark is the one stalking me, but it's like I'm expecting a big sign to be hanging from around Jared's neck that says, "Sorry my brother is stalking you."

"Why are you here?" Jared asks, not moving from the doorway.

"We're here to spread the message of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ," Trev says with a big smile. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was serious.

Rolling my eyes, I smack big brother two on the back of his head. He rubs it, glaring at me, while I tell Jared, "We need to know where your brother is."

With a sigh, Jared moves to the side and with a sweep of his arm, invites us inside. It still smells the same, minus the stench of sweat, but Mark's scent is growing stale. Oh no, he obviously hasn't been here in a while. It doesn't tell us if it's him or not, but it does throw a wrench in the works. Even if we know Mark is the one doing this, he's still running around somewhere watching me, following me. When we make it to the living room, I sit heavily on the couch while Trevor goes poking around like the nosy child he is. Jared just leans against the wall in front of me.

"He isn't here, is he?"

"No, hasn't been for a few days. Why, what's going on?"

Instead of answering, I reach into my purse and pull out the letter. He takes it from me with confusion in his eyes but reads it quietly. While he does, I look around the living room. It's just as bare as I remember, the TV sitting on the floor, no coffee table or end tables. Even Ray has a bookshelf in his living room.

"You think Mark wrote this?" Jared asks, handing the letter back to me.

"I started getting gifts at work a few weeks ago," I explain, trying to be gentle because I don't want to anger him with accusations. "Just after my partner and I finalized our bond, this letter came. It could be anyone, but bond withdrawal is brutal on the brain and Mark was the first person we could think of."

Jared sighs and runs a hand over his face. "I want to say it can't be him, but he hasn't been right since he was sick. He's quieter and he'll be gone all day, not telling me where he was. When I asked him about the girl he was bonded to, he said he was over it and found someone better. Then a few days ago, he just disappeared."

"What day did he disappear?"

"Saturday. He left that morning but didn't come back like he had been. I've been calling, but it just goes to voicemail."

That was the day Ray and I finalized the bond. It can't have been a coincidence that that was the day he broke routine. How could he have known? I expected that he'd smelt it on me when I went into work, but maybe that just confirmed it. Oh god, does he know where Ray lives? What about Trev or Carry or my parents? Did he know where everyone lives? I'm starting to panic and I wish this hadn't been Ray's childhood home so he'd be here so I can hold his hand. We still can't be certain that Mark is indeed stalking me, but it's looking more and more likely.