The Pet🐾 (Completed)

Chapter 44

Ashley

My head throbbed, each pulse making the world seem more distant. When I finally woke up, the first thing I noticed was the unfamiliar surroundings. The bed felt softer than I was used to, but it didn't feel like home. I sat up quickly, my heart racing, and looked around. I was in some sort of cabin, a cozy one at that, but there were bars on the window. My stomach churned with dread.

I swung my feet off the bed and tried to stand. Everything was disorienting. I didn't recognize the room at all, but there was something hauntingly familiar about the feeling. Slowly, I walked toward the door, opening it cautiously. The hallway stretched before me like a quiet maze, and I crept downstairs, hoping for some sign of what was happening.

In the living room, Jared sat casually, sipping on a cup of coffee. He looked completely unfazed, like this was all part of the plan. And when I saw him, it all came rushing back to me. The pain in my neck, the darkness, the sudden loss of control. "You!" I shouted, my voice cracking with the anger and fear that had been bubbling inside me. "What happened?"

Jared looked up at me with a smirk. "I kidnapped you," he said simply, as if it were no big deal.

I grabbed a lamp from the nearby table and hurled it at him, adrenaline flooding my system. He dodged it with ease, of course. "You know that wasn't very nice," he said, standing up slowly, his expression amused. "Well, if you're going to be like that, maybe I should have tied you up."

I wanted to scream, but my throat felt tight. "What do you want? Why did you kidnap me?" I demanded, my voice trembling with frustration and panic.

Jared's smile twisted into something darker as he moved toward me. He grabbed my arm roughly, twisting it behind my back. "For starters," he whispered in my ear, "I'm Alpha of this pack now." His grip tightened, and I winced in pain as he shoved me against the wall. "Roman was too weak. His weakness was you."

I struggled against him, my heart pounding. "What did you do to Roman?" I gasped, my voice barely above a whisper.

He chuckled darkly, the sound sending a chill down my spine. "Oh, don't worry, my dear," he said. "He's alive. For now."

Jared released me, and I stumbled forward, trying to get my bearings. But he was already walking toward the door. "For now," he repeated, locking the door behind him with a finality that made my heart drop.

Sophia

The crisp morning air nipped at my skin as Javiare walked me back toward the pack house. We had just finished our run, and although my muscles ached, there was something oddly refreshing about it. The run had helped clear my head—well, a little.

Javiare stopped outside my door, his usual playful grin plastered on his face. "I need to get home myself," he said, shaking his head. "It was nice talking with you though."

I smiled weakly, nodding. "Yeah, it was. Thanks again," I replied.

Before he left, he asked, "Do you want me to wake you up for training tomorrow morning, or do you not want to do it?"

I was tired, but I needed something to focus on. "I'll do it. I need to get this off my chest."

Javiare nodded. "I'll be here at 6 a.m. sharp. Be ready." Then he said goodnight and left, leaving me to close the door behind me with a sigh.

Coco was lying on the bed, looking at me as if she knew I was struggling. I walked into the bathroom to change into my pajamas and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water soothe my tense muscles. But the whole time, all I could think about was Jasper. Was he okay? Was he safe? My heart ached with uncertainty.

When I finished, I stepped out of the bathroom, my hair wrapped in a towel, only to hear yelling from the hallway. Curious, I opened my door and peeked out. Roman was on the balcony, speaking with someone, but then he made his way downstairs.

I rolled my eyes. "Geez, who does this guy think he is?" I muttered under my breath. People were trying to sleep, after all. But despite the frustration, I couldn't shake the feeling of missing him, even though he wasn't here. The bed felt cold without him.

I quickly shut the door and jumped into bed, pulling his pillow close, trying to imagine that he was here with me. But as I drifted to sleep, I couldn't help but wonder what he was doing right now, if he was feeling the same emptiness that I was.

The next morning, a light pounding at my door jerked me out of my sleep. "Shit," I whispered under my breath, scrambling to get dressed in workout clothes. I opened the door and found Javiare standing there, wearing his usual smug smile.

I rolled my eyes and groaned, "Shut up," walking past him as I headed outside.

Javiare didn't respond, just held up his hands innocently. "I never said anything," he said with a wink.

We made our way outside, where I saw a group of shirtless guys. I was glad Javiare at least had the decency to dress properly. Javiare stepped into the center of the group and shouted, "Listen up, guys!" He paused and added, "And gal!" He smiled at me, and I waved in response. "Let's start with our normal warm-up run, and then we'll meet at the training grounds."

The guys all turned to look at me, and Javiare walked over. "You're fast enough to run with us," he said with a grin. "I could tell last night. But, do me a favor and turn around for a moment."

I blushed, feeling awkward, but did as he asked. I heard clothes shifting and bones cracking for a couple of minutes. I turned around to see a group of wolves, and I couldn't help but stare. "Well, then," I muttered, "That's... unexpected."

Javiare quickly shifted into the pack and stood next to them. He nodded and howled. I joined in, my voice a little hesitant at first. Then we all took off running. At first, I was nervous I might trip, but the wolves kept their distance. I kept pace, though I fell behind slightly. Still, I managed to keep up with most of them.

We ran for about a half-hour before reaching the training grounds. The area was huge, and I saw a large jungle gym/tree house thing off to the side, surrounded by a shed. The wolves shifted back into their human forms as I stared at the jungle gym, completely distracted.

Javiare walked over to me and smiled. "We're starting off with an obstacle course," he said. "Don't feel pressured. You're new to this. They were once too, so just do your best."

I nodded, trying to push the anxiety aside. "Okay," I said, forcing a smile.

Javiare explained the course to everyone and told us the order we'd go in. Of course, I was last.