Chapter 5

"I need to use the bathroom," Jessica huffed from the passenger seat.

"I'll find a place to pull over that has some privacy for you," Hayden replied, slowing the SUV to look for a side road that would allow Jessica to do her business behind a tree or bush.

"Um, excuse me? I am not an animal. You will find a gas station or convenience store, or something," Jessica said, folding her arms over her chest. "I am not peeing in the woods."

"You are a werewolf. It should be second nature to do things in the woods," Hayden said, trying not to roll his eyes at the girl.

"Not for me. I refuse to relieve myself outside," Jessica said hotly. 

"Well, in that case it looks like you will have to hold it until you get home because we are in the middle of nowhere," Hayden said with a shrug as he picked up the pace once more.

"But that's like two hours!" Jessica shrieked. "I can't do that!"

It's either that or you go beside the road," Hayden told her. The only other option is wetting yourself, and if you do that, I will hogtie you and strap you to the luggage rack for the rest of the trip."

"You wouldn't dare!" Jessica seethed. "I am the daughter of an Alpha. It would be a death sentence."

"No, it wouldn't," Hayden said as he slowed and turned onto an access road for the forest they were traveling through. He pulled back from the road, parked, and shut off the engine. "If you need to go, you need to do it. You know what will happen if you can't hold it, so I suggest you don't try." He reached past her and took something out of the glove compartment. In one quick move, he snapped a bracelet onto her wrist. "And that will keep you from shifting. Don't try to take it off because it looked when I closed it, and I have one of two keys for it."

"I hate you," Jessica spat as she got out of the SUV, slamming the door behind her.

Hayden rolled down her window and yelled after her, "Good! Think of that the next time you want to run off, because there is no place I can't find you."

Hayden watched her pick her way through the trees until she found a large one that she seemed to feel was suitable to hide her. Even if it did not hide her completely, Hayden was enough of a gentleman to look away while she did what she needed to do. He, however, was also there to ensure she was returned home safely, so he listened to everything she said to ensure she did not try to run. Hearing her finish and rezip her jeans, he turned to see where Jessica would step out from behind the tree. Instead, he heard bipedal footsteps as she tried to run deeper into the woods.

"I should have charged more," Hayden grumbled as he got out of the SUV and took off after her.

The bracelet Jessica wore kept her from shifting or even calling on her wolf to give her added speed. That made it easy for Hayden to catch up with her. He stuck out his arm, catching her across the shoulder blades, and taking them both down to the ground with a thud. Hayden was caught off guard when she turned and sank her teeth into his arm, causing it to bleed.

"That is enough!" Hayden roared as he stood, yanking Jessica to her feet.

"Don't hit me!" Jessica cried.

"I won't hit you," Hayden said as he yanked her back to the vehicle. "Although, I must say, you deserve it right now."

"What are you doing?" Jessica asked as Hayden opened the back of the SUV. 

"I tried to be nice to you, and that did not work, so you now get restrained, and the rest of the trip will be back here."

"You… you can't be serious," Jessica stammered. "What if you crash? I'll get killed."

"No, you won't," Hayden said nonchalantly as he secured her hands behind her with handcuffs. He turned her, nudging her back until she sat in the back of the SUV. He fastened soft restraints around her ankles so she would be a little more comfortable as he explained. "If you look, you will see that I have multiple utility bolts built into the back. That is what the cargo net that will hold you in place will attach to. You will be nice and secure for the rest of the trip."

"You can't do this!"

"Yes, I can," Hayden said as he turned her and slid her into the back so she was lying on her side. He secured her into the back as he continued, "And if you had not tried to run and then bit me, you would be nice and comfortable in the front seat. Your bad decisions caused this. It is called consequences for your actions."

Hayden adjusted the last strap holding the mess cargo net and Jessica in place. She was yelling profanities at him that could have made a sailor blush. Hayden made a mental note of it on the growing list of things he needed to tell her parents, especially her father. 

As he backed out of the forest service road and onto the street, he shook his head. Hayden had tried to be nice, but since that had not worked, he was going to make Jessica hate this trip so much that she would never think of running away from home again. With some luck, she would change her ways. Jessica had no idea what kind of danger she had put herself in, and hopefully she would never do it again.

-

When Hayden was a few miles from the Silver Moon pack, he called Alpha Tate. They had spoken after Jessica was in Hayden's custody, but he wanted to ensure there were no issues when he arrived, especially at the main gate. He kept the call short and was pleased that Tate would be waiting for them when they arrived at the pack house.

Hayden sighed deeply as he approached the front gate. His headlights hit the guards at the gate, and he saw that it was the same two men who had been there the night before. Hayden was tired and not in the mood to deal with their stupidity again.

"Welcome back," the more amicable guard said as he pulled up.

"Where's the Alpha's daughter?" the brutish, sullen guard with dark hair asked.

"She's in the back," Hayden replied. "And her father is waiting for us, so if you would open the gate, it would be greatly appreciated."

The second guard rolled his eyes at his fellow guard and said, "I'll get it for you. We're glad you found Jessica and brought her home."

"We all are," Hayden agreed.

"I need to lay eyes on her, which means I need to search your vehicle," the dark-haired man said.

"No, you don't. You need to let your partner open the gate," Hayden said in a menacing tone both guards understood.

"Go on through. I will have a chat with my associate after you are on your way to the pack house," the second guard said with a tired smile as he opened the gate for Hayden. "Have a good night, sir."

Hayden said nothing as he drove through the gate. He looked back to see the guard he liked poking the other one in the chest as he yelled at him. Hayden chuckled and needed to remember to tell the Alpha about the brutish guard and his condescending attitude. He had no doubt that Alpha Tate did not want someone like him to be the first impression people were given of Silver Moon.

Alpha Tate was waiting on the porch as Hayden parked in front of the pack house and got out of the SUV. Tate was already running down the steps to greet Hayden.

"Where is she? Is she alright?" Tate asked as he followed Hayden toward the back of the SUV.

"Jessica is in the back, and she is fine," Hayden said.

"Why were you bleeding?" Tate asked as Hayden opened the back hatch, revealing Jessica secured under the cargo net.

"Because she bit me after she tried to run when I stopped to let her use the restroom," Hayden said, pointing at Jessica before he began to remove the restraints and help her sit. 

"Look at what he did to me! Punish him, Daddy! He had no right to treat me like this," Jessica screeched as Hayden removed the handcuffs and she rubbed her wrists.

"Considering he has already told where he found you and what you were doing when he found you, on top of you trying to run and biting him, I think he did exactly what he should have done with you," Tate said as Hayden removed the soft restraints on her ankles.

"But he blocked my wolf so I couldn't even talk to her because of this thing!" Jessica huffed as he waved her wrist, showing the bracelet, until Hayden grabbed her arm and unlocked the cuff.

"You attacked him without having your wolf. If you had your wolf, you probably would have killed him, which would have landed you in even more trouble than you are in now. Get inside. I will deal with you after I speak with Hayden," Tate told his daughter.

Jessica scowled at Hayden one last time before she stomped into the pack house. Squeals of joy could be heard from inside as the door closed. It was easy to see how loved Jessica was, even if she had made her family worry. 

"Thank you for bringing my daughter home safely. I can have the pack doctor come and tend to your wounds if you would like," Tate said with a sigh.

"I'm fine. She barely broke the skin, but she did manage to hit a vein when she did it, so it bled until my wolf could take care of it," Hayden said as he put away the bracelet and restraints. "I am sorry I had to resort to this, but to be honest, it might have done her some good. At least I hope it did. What I did not tell you on the call was that when I followed her out of the club, she was taking the bartender back to her hotel room. I'm just glad I found her in time to stop her from making a huge mistake and ruining multiple lives."

"Thank you," Tate said as he took something from his pocket. He held out a stack of bills to Hayden and continued, "Consider this a bonus for bringing her home quickly and safely."

"Thank you, but that isn't necessary. I have had far worse jobs than this, and if you don't count the angry teenager, this one had a happy ending," Hayden said with a crooked grin.

"I still owe you this and more," Alpha Tate said, looking down to avoid eye contact with Hayden as he took the money.

"Why? I don't understand," Hayden said, confused as he counted the bills to find $2,500.

"Because I know who you are, Hayden. You look very much like your father did before he met you, mother. Some of the other Alphas and I were aware of what was happening behind closed doors, and we did nothing. We thought it would work itself out. You have no idea how much I wish I could go back and change things so you did not have to kill Jonathan. If I had known how bad things were, I would have done it for you and saved you from feeling as if you had to leave your pack," Tate said, looking down as he spoke. "Just know that if you need a place to stay, you are always welcome here."

"Thank you, but I prefer not to align with any pack right now," Hayden said as he took in what Tate said. "I might be welcome by you, but one of your guards, a large, brutish man who is working tonight, is far from welcoming to me, and it makes me question what he is like to others."

"That would be Chuck. I will have him pulled off all gate duty from now on. You are not the first to have issues with him." Voices growing louder inside made the Alpha Tate sigh. "It sounds like I'm needed inside. Safe travels, Hayden, and remember what I said."

"I will, Tate, and thanks for the bonus," Hayden said, looking down at his blood-stained shirt. "It looks like I might need to use part of it for a new wardrobe or at least a new shirt."

Tate chuckled at that before turning and going inside to deal with his youngest daughter and the drama she was creating. Hayden was shaking his head as he got into his SUV. He had heard rumors that other Alphas knew about his father, but this was the first time it had been confirmed, and it came with an apology. Hayden had been hoping to find a nice, quiet place to set up camp for the night and sleep, but after this, he doubted sleep was in his near future.