Stay For Me

Chapter 9

DECLAN

Declan woke up, naked in bed next to a woman. “Rani?”

The girl rolled over. “No, it’s Mariah.” She smiled and ran her hand down his chest.

“Why are you in my bed?” Declan asked, growing increasingly horrified.

“Don’t you remember last night?” Mariah asked, a wide, evil grin spreading across her face. Declan groaned as the memories came flooding back to him.

“No, no, no!” He screamed, launching himself out of bed, throwing his clothing on, and running out of his room, Mariah’s screams trailing him.

He rushed outside, a feeling of dread growing in his stomach. Declan moved towards a crowd of people who were gathered in a circle, whispering about something.

“Let me through!” Declan cried. He burst through them, into a clearing made by his pack. There, a girl, violet-eyed, red haired. But her hair was duller than he remembered, her eyes lifeless and empty. Her hand was clamped over her shoulder, but blood leaked from it to gather in pools on the ground.  

“Ranielle?” Declan’s heart grew heavy and sick as he realized who this young lady was. “I’m so sorry…” He reached out to touch her, but when he touched her, she shrieked in pain. Declan snatched his hand back. “Rani?” She turned to him, tears pooling in her drained eyes. “Rani, I’m sorry.”

“Declan….” Her voice cracked, it was the most painful thing he’d ever heard.

“Rani…” He stared at her.

“Declan, please….don’t come after me.” Ranielle said, tears falling softly down her cheeks.

“Rani, please-”

“I, Ranielle Masters-”

“Ranielle, please don’t do this!” Declan began panicking for the first time in his life. “Don’t do this!” He pleaded.

“-reject you, Declan Avers, as my Alpha-”

“Rani, please!”

“-and my mate.” With those words, the girl dressed in rags turned and bolted towards the forest.

RAINELLE

Ranielle felt her heart break in two as she dug her feet into the dirt, running away. She felt nothing, anymore. The mark on her neck, once throbbing in pain, simply sat there, fading with every passing moment.

*You did what you had to, Ranielle. He cheated on us.*

*I know, it still hurts, Miley. I thought, I thought he loved me, I thought I loved him…*

*Stay strong. I sense shelter up ahead.*

Ranielle slowed her pace, her breath shallow and ragged. Miley had been right. Just ahead, a small cottage, abandoned and derelict, stood, nearly ready to fall. Ranielle entered softly, the floorboards creaking under her bare feet.

“Hello?” She called quietly. Her voice echoed in the empty space. It was dark, almost to the point of her not being able to see two inches in front of her. Then, out of the darkness, came a voice, low and menacing.

“Hello, little Omega.”

BLAZE

Blaze stalked out, grinning at his prey. He hadn’t seen this traitor since he’d had his men kill her back in the woods months ago.

“Awe, is the little omega afraid?” He sneered, looking directly into her terrified eyes. “Look at me, slut. You don’t deserve to be alive right now. But now that you are here, you are reinstated as the pack punching back. Also, you are now my personal toy.” Blaze glared at her.

“Blaze, are you sure that’s wise?” Jackson’s voice appeared out of the darkness. He came in, his usually pristine suit rumpled and stained. “Cause I want some of that sweet, sweet body.” He licked his lips as he looked at her.

Blaze easily reached out and caught her as she tried to run out of the room. “Oh, dear Ranielle, we are going to have so much fun.”

DECLAN

Declan stood dumbfounded in the courtyard. He felt nothing, his thick hair falling over his eyes. Mattias came out. “Declan?”

The boy said nothing, looking the way his beautiful love had run. “Dad, I never…..I didn’t….Mariah….”

Mattias sighed heavily. “Son, you hurt her, in a way she probably never expected.”

Declan turned to his father. “I need her, Dad. I need my mate, I need my Luna, my world.”

He turned back to the forest.

“Go find her, Dec.” Declan, astonished at his father’s words, whirled around.

“What?”

“Go find Ranielle. Matt can take over the Alpha duties for a while. Go find her, and tell her the truth.”

*Let’s get mate back, Declan. Please, I want Miley…* Colton whined. Declan agreed. In moments, he had shifted into his large, solid black wolf. He raised his muzzle and howled at the sky.

*We’re coming, Rani. If you can hear me, we’re coming.*

RANIELLE

Rainelle cowered beneath her old Alpha.

“You cost me EVERYTHING! My position, my life, my best friend!” Blaze roared as he roundhouse kicked her. She went flying. Her body slammed into the wall. She crumpled to the ground like a piece of crushed paper.

Her eyes filled with tears. No one wanted her. No one ever had, nor would ever. No one wanted a pathetic excuse for a shewolf.

That realization, gave her motive to stop the one thing that had gotten her into this mess in the first place.

Ranielle was going mute.