Unlock the Past

Chapter 6

She's gone. My entire life is gone. 

I take a ragged breath to calm myself and my wolf. It's been two years and no one has seen Chloe. Everyone is at a loss. No evidence, no smells, nothing. 

"Alpha." My beta Andrew breaks me out of my thoughts, I look up giving him the blank face I adopted since my love was taken.

"Yes?" My voice is hoarse and emotionless as I look at my best friend. 

"Brandon found her" Without a second thought I jump up making my way out the door. "Wait! You can't go, she's in the hospital. Her parents are there."

"So?" I growl. 

"Ashton, it's really bad. She won't let anyone near her, you have to let her acclimate. Too much and she might lose it." Andrew tries to hold me back and compete with my strength as I try to get through the door. "Brandon just came over, he found her on the side of a road on his way to Brenda's last night" Brenda and Brandon are mates, Brandon isn't a werewolf but Brenda is. They found each other a few weeks after Chloe's disappearance when he came over to help find her. He knows about all of us and that Chloe is my mate. 

"Why hasn't he told me? This was last night? Why am I just hearing about this now?" I continue to push against him. I have to see my mate. 

"Ashton, you can't see her right now. Trust me. You don't want to lose your shit in front of her, her mental state is extremely fragile right now. Please believe me when I say, you have to give her some time." Andrew pleads to me. "You will end up making her worse if you storm in there"

"What happened to her?" My voice is quieter, more controlled. I can feel my heart beat begin to accelerate. What happened to my poor mate?

"Ashton you can't lose it okay?" I nod in response. "From what the doctors and Brandon can assume is she was kidnapped and kept somewhere in the forest" I nod again for him to continue, there has to be more he's not telling me. "She was hurt really bad Ashton. Dr. Mudstone said it was the worst abuse he has ever seen. This monster did so much to her while she was there, when Brandon brought her in they didn't know where to start. She has bruises and scars all over her, and..." I look at him expectantly as he gulps. What could be worse than this? My wolf whines and growls in my head, causing me to feel sick to my stomach. 

"no..." I choke out.

"There was evidence that he not only abused her emotionally and physically...but also sexually"

I immediately shift into my wolf and run out of the pack house. I have to see her. Trees blur around me as run faster than I ever have. I finally stop in the forest next to the hospital. I shift and grab some clothes that are stuffed in a hollow tree and make my way into the front door. I'm taken aback as I see Chloe's parents standing outside of a door holding each other has they cry. 

"Ashton, what are you doing here?" I look at Chloe's mom.

"Is it true?" I can barely form the words. The sentence held so many questions, is she really here and was everything I heard true?

Chloe's mom nods her head and holds onto her husband tighter. I walk past them and into the room. 

There she is. My light, my life. There are wires and tubes connected to her small fragile body. She looks so small and so delicate. Her skin is littered with marks, some new and some old. A tear leaks from my eye as I realize that she is finally here. After all of this time, she's finally home. I take a deep breath and inhale her pine and vanilla scent and I am instantly calm and furious. Who would do this to the most amazing person? As thoughts of her time away flit through my mind I become more and more agitated. I quickly leave the room and pass by Chloe's parents. 

Its been three days since Chloe has left the hospital. Every day I am stationed outside of her house, hoping to hear her voice or see her pass the windows. Nothing happens. Chloe's family has assured me that she is safe and becoming slightly more acclimated. I know they are trying to reassure me, but her not leaving her room, not eating, sleeping, or talking does not calm me at all. 

As I approach my spot right below her window I hear her scream. My wolf and heart push me to go inside and check on her, knowing it was a nightmare, but I hold my ground and watch as the light turns on and I hear Brandon and Chloe's mom try to talk to her. After a few hours, her light is still on and I can faintly hear the sound of a pencil meeting a page. Was she writing? Drawing? My thoughts are interrupted as I see her walk towards the window and look out. Her face is blank and holds no emotion as she looks at the sunrise. 

Surprisingly, as if she felt me, she looks down. I see her hand go to her chest as both of our mouths part almost not believing what we're seeing. We blatantly stare at each other for what feels like eternity, until she quickly backs away from the window. I hear her fall and I begin to make my way to the front door. 

I have to see her.