SAMANTHA POV "Benji, are you sure? I mean, maybe if you went looking for her again," I suggest, and he shakes his head. "No. It was hard enough catching her the first time. If she wanted me, she would have followed me home. I took the easiest route here, and I made sure to leave my scent heavily along the way. I...I have accepted the fact she doesn't want me," he says while trying to hide the pain in his voice. I sigh, and he lifts his gaze from Angelica's sleeping face. "I know you are trying to be strong, but it's okay to show us that you are hurting, Benji. In fact, it might help you feel strong if you start telling us the truth about how you feel," I say just as my phone starts to ring. He looks relieved at the sound of the interruption, and I scowl as I reach for the phone. "You aren't off the hook," I mumble, and he smirks before standing and walking towards the bassinet to lay Angelica down. "Hello," I answer without looking at the caller ID. "Hey, Sam," Andr
ADAM POV RATED R (TRIGGER WARNING) My head screams as I pull at my hair with my left hand. I groan out in frustration before slamming my other hand against the steering wheel. I have driven past my parent's house countless times since dad called me a few days ago, but I still can't think of a solution. Ever since he called, I have been unable to sleep or eat. I haven't been back to work, and I didn't answer when they called my phone. I can't calm myself down. I had no idea dad would care about her not responding to her attorney. I thought he would be happy she was leaving him alone. Now I have to worry about him filing a missing person's report. But I can't get rid of him. He isn't like mom. He works. People expect to see him every day of the week. If he goes missing people will notice, and then they will try to find Margaret. I've dug myself a hole that I don't think I can get out of. I'm going to have to act fast...maybe after I get Sam to accept my apology, we can cross
SAMANTHA POV I check Angelica's breathing one more time as worry plagues me. I don't fully trust this baby carrier. But I like using it. It makes life easier when I am by myself. And I am by myself a lot here lately, it seems. I sigh as I focus back on loading the dishwasher. I miss my friends and my mate, but I understand they are busy. The hay is ready to be baled, so the guys are in the field for long periods of time. Lauren is about ready to pop, so David took her on one last trip to visit his parents. Even Daniel and Stanley are up to their eyeballs in work. Splitting time between the field and the law office in order to search for my long-lost Aunt has kept Dan out until after seven every night. "Angelica, it's just you and me, baby," I say as she sucks peacefully on her pacifier. I smile at how sweet and innocent she looks squished against my chest. My little Angel... "Not exactly," a deep voice says from behind me, and I spin around. My eyes widen in
SAMANTHA POV My head hurts. Why does my head hurt? "Ugh," I groan as I try to reach for my aching head. But I can't move my hands. They are stuck in front of me. Not stuck, more like pinned. I groan again as I force my eyes open. My eyelids struggle to stay open the first few times I try due to the bright light a few feet away from me, but when they finally do stay open, I gasp. I immediately realize as soon as my eyes can focus that I am no longer home. I am in some kind of hotel room. And it's not just me in the room. Adam is here...holding Angelica, and on a bed in front of me is a very naked and bloody-looking Kelly. "Adam," I whisper, and he looks up from our happy daughter to smile at me. "Sam, you finally woke back up. I was worried about you, baby. I thought I went overboard on the knocking out process," Adam says, turning to lay Angelica down on the empty hotel bed next to him. "Knocking out process," I whisper, and Adam grins. "Well yeah...I could te
SAMANTHA POV The ropes break away from my arms and legs as I lunge across the room. Something tells me I am moving on four legs instead of two, but I ignore the thought. The only thing that matters is saving my daughter. Adam spins around to face the new me when he hears the wood splinter and screams as I open my jaw. I sink my teeth into his shoulder, knocking him into the bed that Angelica is lying on. We fall to the floor, and I sink my claws into his body. I tear at him as he continues to scream. He starts to thrash and hit me all over, but the hits feel weak. No real pain comes from his frantic fighting, and the thought makes me feel powerful. "What the fuck," Adam screams as he pokes a finger in my eye, briefly halting my attack. I snarl and claw at his hand. He screams again as my claws cut into his flesh. Angelica begins to cry from right above us, and my concentration breaks. I glance towards my child for a second to make sure she is okay, and a loud bang rings out
ADAM POV"Samantha," a man yells as my eyes close again. Pain is rippling from every area of my body, and the weight of the animal on top of me is crushing. I have no idea what happened to my wife since she has been here, but turning into an animal. I must be going crazy. If I weren't in so much pain, I would think this was a weird dream."Finley, get Angelica home! Boyd call Hurst. Lewis, get the other female," the man's voice barks from right above me. He lifts Samantha's new monstrous form off of me, and I catch a peek of the man who stole my family. He is muscular and lean I will give him that...and well endowed, which I can see because he is naked. As are all the men he has been ordering around.He seems panicked as he picks her up, but not surprised by her new body. He is only panicked over her injuries, which is strange. Why hasn't anyone commented on the fact that my wife is a cougar?"We need to get out of here now. The humans most likely called the cops before the shots
SAMANTHA POV "It's okay, right. I mean, she has been asleep for three days now. I'm worried there is an issue," Daniel says, sounding as if he is underwater. "Her heart rate is perfect, as are her other vitals. I had her on some strong pain medication, so she's probably sleeping that off. Her wounds have healed, Daniel. Stop stressing. Just focus on Angelica. Samantha will be awake before you know it," someone who sounds like Dr. Hurst says, and my mind groggily recalls the hotel with Adam. Panic sets in, and I force my eyes open as I recall Angelica crying in that awful hotel room. I remember Kelly's bruised and battered body on the bed. I remember the gunshots... "Wait...wait," I croak out as best as I can. I look over to where I heard the voices. I see Dr. Hurst smile before beginning to pick up things that are scattered on our kitchenette counter. I breathe in to speak again, and an intoxicating wave of pine and hay hits my nose. All train of thought leaves my mi
BENJI POV Mariah hisses, and Luna's eyes become bright green as her cougar emerges. My inner wolf immediately cowers. "Benji has been asking you if you wanted to be his mate, and you have been beating around the bush! Spill the beans right now, Mariah or my pack will be forced to gain the information in other ways," Alpha growls, and Luna's muscles strain. She is fighting against her animal better than most. Most freshly shifted shifters have problems holding back their inner animal when it's pissed. But Luna is handling it like a professional. Mariah looks at me briefly, and I see regret in her eyes. My heart begins to pound in my chest, and worry replaces all my protective feelings. I knew in my heart something wasn't right, but I was so happy to see her I pushed the feeling away. I should have guessed she hadn't changed her mind. "I'm on a job...we are cousins. That wasnt a lie. And my parents are dead...Look, my parents weren't good people. They were criminals...hired k