Chapter 4

The Guardian Rogue Chapter 4

Hayden arrived in Springfield well after the sun had risen. It had taken him another two hours to fight through the morning rush-hour traffic to get to the area where Jessica most likely entered the city. He was muttering under his breath as he drove. He would have much preferred to have shifted and followed Jessica. It would have been easier and much faster, but when returning an angry daughter to an Alpha while she is kicking and screaming, he had to have a vehicle to transport her in. 

He pulled into the parking lot of a park that butted up to the forest that bordered the city on one side. Hayden grabbed a backpack from the back seat and got out of his SUV. He locked it as he headed for the hiking trail. If anyone asked questions about why he was there, walking on the trail that circled the park would be a plausible explanation.

"This would be so much easier if she had just taken her phone with her," Hayden lamented as he jogged along the trail until he reached the backside of the park where it met the forest.

Hayden looked around before he darted into the forest and headed in the direction Jessica most likely traveled. Before long, he began to pick up her scent. Since Jessica had been smart enough to leave behind her phone and the credit card her father had given her, Hayden had been concerned that Jessica might have used something to hide her scent. Thankfully, she had not. If anything, her scent was stronger thanks to her run from the pack to the city. 

He followed her trail out of the forest and onto the sidewalk. Hayden sighed as he walked, as her path led straight to the Hardline Club. He did not have to imagine what kind of trouble a fifteen-year-old girl could get into in a place like that. He knew. Hayden had seen it before, and he did not want it to happen to Jessica if he could prevent it. The club was closed, so he had to keep going, hoping that she had not left with someone until he followed her scent toward the hotel a block away.

Hayden stepped into the hotel lobby and looked around. Jessica had definitely been there. Now he only had to find out if she had checked in on her own or with someone.

"Are you looking for a room?" a woman behind the counter asked. 

"I am. I only need it for a night or two," Hayden said as he pulled his credit card from his wallet. 

"Oh yeah? Are you here for business or pleasure?" the woman asked as she slid the guest register to him.

"Business," Hayden replied as he filled in his information. "Isn't it a little odd to still use an old-school book registry?" 

"I don't like computers," the woman shrugged. "Heck, I can barely use our credit machine."

"Would you prefer cash? It's no problem if you do," Hayden said with a smile, hoping to win over the woman.

"Cash works for me," the woman replied happily.

Hayden put his credit card back in his wallet and pulled out several bills to pay for his room. "How much is it?"

"Forty per night for the basic and fifty with full amenities. That'll get you snacks, the wi-fi password, and cable with pay-per-view channels."

Hayden handed her forty dollars and said, "Basic is fine."

The woman scanned up and down what she could see of Hayden's body and said, "Tell you what, handsome, I'll give you a free upgrade." She gave him his key card, then took a bag of snacks from under the counter and handed it to Hayden, saying, "You look like you could use it."

"Thanks," Hayden said with a nod as he took the bag. "Hey, uh, I'm kind of into the whole retro vibe of this place. Would you mind if I look around a little? It's been a long trip, and it will help me unwind."

The woman shrugged and said, "Be my guest. Just don't bother any of the other guests. If anyone complains, I've got to put you out of here."

"I promise to be quiet as a mouse and not to bother anyone," Hayden said with a smile.

He hurried away from the counter, making a point of looking at the architecture and decor of the building while he was still in sight of the desk clerk. From there, Hayden followed his nose. He tracked Jessica's scent and found she was only a couple of doors down from his room. That would make things much easier. He could stay in his room and listen for her to come out, then trail her to a place where he could take her into his custody without causing a scene. After that, he could get her to his SUV still parked at the park beside the club.

Hayden made himself comfortable in his room. If Jessica were planning on going to the Hardline Club, as she had told her sisters, it could be hours before she left her room. Hayden let out a tired sigh and opened the bag the desk clerk had given him. It contained a bag of chips, a package of beef jerky, and a couple of candy bars. Not the types of things he preferred to eat, but he was hungry, and he did not want to risk ordering food. The last thing he wanted was to alert Jessica to his presence and have her bolt. Hayden made the best of the situation, propped himself up on the bed, ate the snacks, and waited for Jessica to leave her room.

-

Hayden awoke with a start. His room was completely dark except for light shining under the door from the hallway. 

"Son of a…!" Hayden hissed as he jumped to his feet and grabbed his bag before hurrying out the door.

He stopped in front of his door to regain his composure as he sniffed the air. Jessica's scent was strong in the hallway, meaning she had passed through recently. Haden fought the urge to growl as he stormed down the hallway, through the lobby, and out the main door of the hotel. Before his foot even hit the sidewalk, he could hear the music from the Hardline Club. Jessica had to be there.

Hayden went straight to the club and was admitted without issue. He scanned the crowd and, to his relief, he saw Jessica chatting up one of the bartenders. He was still kicking himself for falling asleep the way he had, but Jessica was in sight and with some luck, it would be relatively easy to get her out of the club, especially if she had some drinks, thanks to the bartender believing she was Vanessa.

He made his way over to the bar on the opposite end from where Jessica sat. Hayden ordered a beer and disappeared into the crowd as soon as he had it in his hand. He wanted to be where he could keep an eye on Jessica without looking like he was watching her.  

To Hayden's relief, the bartender slipped from behind the bar and draped his arm around Jessica's neck. He maneuvered Jessica toward a side exit and left without anyone noticing, except Hayden. He pushed his way through the crowd and followed them out the door. He was several yards behind them when he decided to put an end to Jessica's fun.

"Jessica!" Hayden yelled, seeing the young woman flinch at the sound of her name.

"Sorry, dude. You've got the wrong girl," the bartender called over his shoulder as they walked toward the hotel and most likely Jessica's room. 

"No. I have the right girl, but she is definitely wrong for you," Hayden smirked as the bartender turned around to face him, dragging Jessica with him. 

"Look, I don't know if she's your ex or what, but you need to leave her alone. She can make her own decisions on who she wants to be with," the bartender said.

"I don't know you…" Hayden trailed off.

"Sam. The name's Sam," he spat.

"Alright, Sam, I don't know you, but I do know her. I highly recommend that you leave her where she is and walk back into the club unless you want to go to jail and have your place of employment shut down for serving alcohol to minors who have stolen their older sister's driver's license," Hayden said calmly.

"I know how old Vanessa is!" Sam insisted. "And you can either leave us alone, or I'm calling the cops."

"Go ahead and call them because the young lady you have your arm around is Jessica. Vanessa is her twenty-two-year-old sister. Jessica is fifteen. That makes what you are planning or doing with her a felony. That's on top of serving her enough alcohol to make someone three times her size be three sheets to the wind," Hayden said.

Sam's eyes were bulging when he asked Jessica, "Is he telling the truth? Are you really fifteen?"

Jessica rolled her eyes, let out an exasperated sigh, and said, "Yes."

"Oh, my God! You could have put me in jail! What is wrong with you?" Sam yelled at her. "I'm out of here. Dude, I don't know who you are, but you can have her."

"I'm the man her family hired to bring her home," Hayden said.

"Whatever they are paying you, they need to pay more. This one is trouble," Sam huffed before stomping back toward the club.

"Why did you have to ruin things?" Jessica demanded. "I just wanted to have some fun."

"No, what you were doing would have put your new friend in prison, potentially for years," Hayden said as he took Jessica's arm. He began leading her toward his SUV and asked, "Do you have all your stuff, or do you need to go back to the hotel?"

"I have everything," Jessica muttered as she pouted. 

"Good, that will save time," Hayden said as they walked. "I'm parked near the walking trail at the park up ahead. After we get on the road, you should call your father. If you don't, I will call him. As it stands, I will leave it up to you to tell him what happened here. If you misbehave on the way home, I will be sure to tell him everything I witnessed and what you were planning to do with Sam. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Jessica muttered as they reached the SUV.

"Good," Hayden said as he opened the passenger door for her. "Get in. If you try to run, I will put you in chains. Understood?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Jessica gasped.

"Try me, and you will find out that I most certainly would," Hayden said before closing her door.

Hayden got in and started the engine. He pulled onto the street and turned toward Jessica's pack. If things went well, she would be delivered to her father by midnight, and he could get a good night's sleep for a change.