The Beta's Proposal

Camille

“No. No. It can’t be” I whimper, holding a hand over my chest. I need to get her back. I need to bring her back. I can’t fail her again. 

Once I’m on my feet again, I head to the police station. I can report him for being on this side of the city unlawfully, and they would give her back to me. 

I quickly open up my phone and track Elosie’s location. Thankful that I had a tracking device installed in her bracelet. 

“Good afternoon,” I say once I reach the reception area. The officer looks up from the computer. “Can I help you, Miss?”

I look around the reception area. The walls look too familiar. “I would like to report a crime.” 

“What kind of crime?” She seems interested now that I have mentioned crime. 

“Kidnapping. My sister was taken from my house today,” I say, turning the phone to her, and she stares blankly at the picture of Eloise.

“How do you know this?” she asks.

My heart beats fast. “I saw the people who took her. I just couldn’t get to her in time.”

“Okay. I’m gonna need your name and details of everything,” she says, picking up a clipboard and pen.

“Camille James. My sister was taken away by—” 

The woman cut in before I could say anything. “Camille James? Does this involve an Eloise James, eight-year-old?” She asks, and I furrow my eyebrows.

“Yes. How do you—”

“Miss Camille James, you are under arrest for the kidnapping and—”

“No!” I scream before she can touch me. “I didn’t kidnap her. She’s my sister. I was just trying to protect her from her father. Please!” I plead, but she gets behind me, reading my Miranda rights.

“No! Please!” I plead. She leads into a cell. “He will hurt her,” I struggle against her. 

She barks some instructions to an officer so they can process my arrest. Everything is happening so fast that I fail to process everything.

“Please. I just need to make a call. I...I...” I stutter. I don’t even have anyone to call. I have no friends or family to call. My heart is beating so fast, I can hear it drumming in my ears. 

“No. No.” I cry as she shoves me into the holding cell. I refuse to break down right now.

“Kidnapping a wolf kid? You have some guts, girl,” the woman says before turning on her heel. Wolf. 

My mind wanders to the Wolf Prince. Would he help me? I shake my head. I can’t trust him.

I sink to the cold floor, pulling my knees to my chest as I think of Eloise. She must be so scared. So scared to be alone and in pain.

I blink, hoping my tears won’t fall, but they fall effortlessly. I drop my head on my knees, thinking of how I’m going to get her back. The last time he did this, she was in a freaking hospital where they wanted to harvest her organs to see if they would grow back.

“Hey, you!” Someone rattles the iron bars, but I don’t bother looking up. They must be talking to the woman who is sleeping on the bench.

“Camille James?” She rattles the iron bars again, and I snap my head towards her. “Come on. You’re leaving,” she announces. I arch a brow, not sure what is happening because no one can come to help me.

“Unless of course you want—” She is about to say, but I’m already on my feet, rushing towards the dobro.

“What happened? Did you find her? Did she tell you the truth?” I ask her, following her behind, but she doesn’t respond; instead, she continues walking. I follow her but stop in my tracks when my eyes meet a raven-haired man staring at me, his dark brown eyes boring into me, hands in the pockets of his black cargo pants.

“Hello Spitfire,” a smile curves on his lips. 

“You.” 

“Expecting someone else?” He smiles, walking towards me as the officer puts the things on the desk. I want to say yes, but let’s be real, I have no one in my life. No one to call.

Chris just broke my heart and rejected me.

I grab my things from the desk. “Why are you here, Prince Salvatore?” I ask, grabbing my things, ready to walk away. 

He smiles, slinging an arm around my neck. “Oh, little one, you didn’t think I would leave you here, did you?” He leans in, his warm breath against my ear. He is taller than I, so when he leans in, he slightly bends down. I want to pull away, but he whispers. “Play along. I told them You’re mine.” 

I snap my eyes to him, mouth ajar. I don’t know what to say about that. “Thank you, officers. I’ll take it from here,” he says, then turns me towards the door.

Immediately we step out of the police station, I shove him back, on his stomach. “Don’t you ever touch me again!” I growl, my chest rising and falling.

He looks at me with soft eyes, a smile on his lips. He finds this amusing. “If anyone ever did that, they would lose their life,” he whispers, and my heart thunders. Did he just threaten me?

“And if someone touched me without my consent, I would have their eyes,” I snap back, slinging my bag and opening my tracking app. 

“I hear your sister was taken away,” he says, coming closer. Checking my phone, I pull away, raising my brow. “Never heard of the word privacy?” I ask. “How the hell do you know about my sister?”

“I have ears everywhere,” he smiles.

I sigh heavily, nodding my head. “Great. If you’re done showing off. I’ll be on my way.” I want to walk past him, but he grabs my wrist.

“What the fu—”

“No Cursing. Spitfire,” he cuts in, dragging me away. I struggle against his grip. When he has had enough, he tosses me over his shoulder and throws me into the car.

“Let go of me! Help!” I shout, but the door is slammed shut as soon as he gets in.

“Let’s go, Paul,” he orders the man in the driver’s seat. Paul chuckles before continuing to drive. 

I try to open the door, but it’s locked. “Let me out. Please. I promise I’ll —”

He cuts in, “I  won’t hurt you. And I don’t plan to. So will you just listen to what I have to say, then you can decide?” He asks me, and I swallow hard. I knew it. Mum was right. Wolves are not to be trusted.

“What do you want? I don’t have all day.” 

“Paul, take us to her house,” he says, then shifts his attention to me. “You’re not getting into my house.”

“Oh, I don’t plan to. Unless you want me there,” his lips curve up and his cheeks punctate, looking so devilishly handsome. It should be a crime to look this handsome. My heart thunders when my phone rings, and I pull it out. Chris.

I lock it. My heart is thundering. I had forgotten about him. I lick my lips, looking out the window. But my phone rings again. I cut the call, and within minutes, we’re in front of my apartment.

Paul gets out of the car, leaving me with Salvatore. “What do you want?” I ask.

“I have a way to get back your sister,” he says.

That has me shifting my attention to him. I would do anything to get El back. I can see in his eyes. He knows it too.

“I’ll help you get back your sister. Treatment, a pack to belong and a secure future for you and her.” He says. It sounds too good to be true. I know that when people offer you so much, they want something in return. He adds. “In return, you’ll be my wife for three years.” He says.

“Wife?”

“Yes, marry me, and I’ll give you everything that you have been looking for. Security, money, treatment, and a home for your sister.” He stares blankly at me, waiting for a response from me.

It sounds too good to be true. Never trust a wolf. My mother had said.