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~Flashback~
I stir from my sleep, the room dark and still. Instinctively, I glance to my side, expecting to see Rose sitting engrossed in her video game. But the room is empty.
“Rose?” I sing out, sitting up and scrubbing a hand down my face. An unsettled feeling pricks my skin, and my gut turns as I note the absence of her energetic aura, her usual vibrant presence nowhere to be found. “Rose?” I call out, my voice echoing off the barren walls. But no reply comes.
I jump to my feet, my heart hammering in my chest. “Rose! Vince!” I call again, only to be greeted by a disquieting silence. Panic rises in my chest as I move through the house, checking each room with increasing desperation. Vince's room smells of stale beer and sweat with the faint trace of Rose lingering like a ghost, tugging at my very core.
Why was she in his room? She knows his room is off-limits unless I'm with her. I spot her shirt, which she borrowed from me, carelessly discarded on the floor. Her bathing suit lies crumpled beside it. My blood runs cold as I pick them up, her scent clinging to the fabric.
My heart pounds in my chest as I pull out my phone. I dial Vince's number first; the ringing echoes in my ear before it eventually goes to voicemail. I curse under my breath before trying Rose's number, but it's the same outcome. The house feels oppressively quiet, my worry for Rose filling the space.
Frustration swells within me as I look for my keys, only to remember that I gave them to Alisha, who needed to borrow my car. I storm out of the house, the cool night air doing little to tame my rising panic. I spot Andrei across the yard, his face dark and tense as he approaches.
“Where is she, Casen? She never showed up for training,” he growls. The worry in his voice only heightens my own anxiety, and I clench my jaw.
“I need your keys,” I say, my tone clipped. Andrei clicks his tongue and sighs heavily, his frustration evident.
“Again? For the love of the Moon Goddess, she's been a right brat lately and driving her mother insane, who in turn is driving me insane,” he grumbles, but I can tell his annoyance is masking his own worry. I can't sense her, can't feel her, and it's terrifying.
The bond we share isn't a typical one, it's only one-sided, but the connection is there and it’s undeniable. She isn't close; I can't even sense her, I may not have marked her, but having her grow up around me and spending every day with her, a bond has formed naturally.
At first, I couldn't explain it, but I get dribbles of emotion, the loneliness of being sheltered, her defiance at not being able to live outside being the perfect daughter, but most of all, I feel a desperation to be free.
I may not be able to use the bond to find her, but I can usually at least pick up on her. This leaves me with two options. She’s either with her friend Emma, who is just as wild as Rose. Or she is with her boyfriend. Neither option is a good one because I usually drag her home each time, kicking and screaming or passing out drunk.
“Find her, and tell your brother not to be late for patrol; he missed the afternoon shift,” Andrei tells me, and I stop in my tracks.
“Wait! Vince started at midnight?” I ask him.
Andrei shakes his head. “No, he started an hour ago and never showed up,” Andrei informs me. My thoughts go to Vince, and I turn, looking at the parking lot to find his bike gone.
Gritting my teeth, I jog toward Andrei's car. “Bring her home, Casen,” he warns me, and I nod once. Great, I know I'll be getting a roasting from Sage tomorrow. I begged for my job, to be allowed to be around her, worrying about her constantly through the bond.
His words weigh heavily on me as I slide into the driver's seat and ignite the engine. The car roars to life, the sound reverberating through the silent night.
I circle a nearby town, my eyes scanning every street and alleyway, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rose. The night is alive with the hum of distant chatter and music, the town bustling with life. I try to ignore the sinking feeling in my gut as I pull up outside Emma's house.
As I suspected, Emma confirmed Rose was heading to a party. What I don’t expect to hear is that it was Vince who encouraged this.
The party is in full swing when I arrive, the bass of the music vibrating through the ground beneath my feet.
I wade through the crowd of drunken partygoers, my nostrils filling with the scent of cheap alcohol and sweat. Vince is sprawled on a couch, passed out amongst a pile of empty bottles. I shake him roughly, demanding to know where Rose is. He mutters something unintelligible before drifting back into unconsciousness.
A sickening dread seeps into my bones as I continue my search. I climb the stairs, my footfalls drowned out by the pounding music. Room after room I search, and I find no sign of Rose. But there's one last door, and when I try to open it, I find it locked.
The pit in my stomach deepens as I twist the knob again, a familiar voice stopping me in my tracks. “This room is taken,” comes the slurred voice of her boyfriend, followed by a chorus of snickers. I feel Zyan stir within me, a primal growl rumbling in my throat. The next moment, I kick the door in, my eyes locking on Rose.
ChapterThirty-Nine
Istride into the room, my heart pounding like a drum. The sight before me is enough to make any man sick. Two boys hover over Rose, hands maliciously moving across her unconscious form as they try to remove her clothes. Her germ of a boyfriend watches them with a twisted grin, encouraging their actions. A pit forms in my stomach, and a wave of anger washes over me.
“Enough,” I growl, taking control from Zyan, who has been fighting for dominance. The sound of my voice causes the room to fall into silence. Her boyfriend, seeing the change in me, immediately stands his ground, daring to challenge me. But it doesn't take long for him to falter under the weight of my stare.
“Get away from her,” I command, my voice hard as stone. I close the gap between us in two long strides, my fist connects with his face. He stumbles backward and the crunching sound of his nose breaking echoes in the room. I don't let him recover, my second punch connects with his jaw, and he crumbles to the floor.
The two other boys freeze, their eyes widening in fear. But one of them is bold enough to shift, his body morphing into a massive wolf. He lunges at me, but I quickly duck and punch his stomach hard. His form shifts back into that of a teenage boy, he cries out in pain before losing consciousness when my hand fists his hair, and I slam his face into the floor.
The fourth one, seeing his friend's defeated attempts, makes a run for it. I reach out and grip the back of his shirt, flinging him back into the room. He hits the dresser before slumping onto the floor, and I deliver a swift kick to his head, ensuring he stays down.
