Her once beautiful and fearless eyes lock on mine and all that shines back is pure terror. Her tear stricken cheeks makes my heart constrict as an strangle cry rips through her throat.

Chase's arms hold me tight as I try to go to her, help her out in any way that I can. "They're watching," he whispers into my ear in an almost inaudible voice. He then quickly releases me and I stand firmly above my mother. "Act like you're trying to stop me." He strategically places my hands on his forearms and he leans forward. His face contorted into an indescribable emotion as if he were distraught.

"Alpha!" he cries out and I push him back pressing my long forgotten gun into his chest. My eyes fall upon my mother again I clear my throat and take a deep breath.

"You're the famous Alpha Hunter," my mother's eyes burn into mine, "it is you!" Her mouth opens up and gasping for air and that is when I see the crimson liquid in her mouth. She spits it out and her head slumps to the ground defeated.

I need to get out of here before I go gun crazy and start shooting everyone that comes close to her. I can do a lot of damage but would that be enough to get my mother and Chase out of here safely.

"We should head back," Chase releases a convincing growl, "either walk or be chained up like her," I hiss and Chase starts walking back to the entrance.

Luke is right where we left him. He looks at me as Chase shoves pass him and his whole body stiffens. "He looks livid," Luke smirks at me and the sudden urge for my fist to connect with his face overwhelms me.

"That's his alpha," the words leave my lips through clench teeth.

"So that's her," Luke nods back at my mother and I give him a stiff nod.

"I'm going to go back and report this to my boss," I hiss at him.

"You're coming back, right?" Of course I am!

"Yes I just need to cut all ties with my boss," Luke nods his understanding.

"Then leave the bag here with us that way I know you have a reason to come back." Everything in that bag is replaceable not like my mother.

"I rather not," walking towards Chase I can sense Luke right behind me.

"Then leave the pup," he says as if it was that easy. I'm not leaving him with you!

"No he's my only proof that I actually made it into the pack house," I growl at him.

"I'll go with you!" My annoyance has reached a new level. Stopping right behind Chase I spin on my heels and face Luke.

"I already said no! Thank you for getting me this far but I have everything I need and I am a girl of my word I will be back. So back off!" My glare does not faze him instead he smiles at me.

"God Angel you look so damn hot when you're mad," he bites his lower lip as his eyes are smoldering.

"I have to go," I grind my teeth and turn around, "come on pup." I make my way through the trees towards where we parked the car.

"You know where to find me Angel." Once the last word left his lips a howl erupts close by. "Pack meeting," he surprises me by being by my side. "Mind sparing a couple minutes Angel face."

Should I head deeper into the wolf's den?

"I think I can," I give him a weak smile and Luke places a gentle hand on the small of my back guiding us to where the pack is meeting.

Chase is by my side and has yet to utter a word. The pack is right where we left them. All the people are surrounding Floyd. He stands in the middle if this was an actual pack he undoubtedly would be the alpha. His stature looms over the rest of the males and the way he carries himself reminds me Of my parents.

"What are we going to do with the alpha? You know her pack isn't going to just stand back and let us roam around freely." A man yells at him apparently not happy with the predicament that their in.

"We all know who we're really after and the alpha is a ploy to get her offspring to come out of the shadows. If the blood of one alpha is strong imagine the blood that runs in the child of two alphas." My blood is boiling he wants me. That is why he dragged my mother out of her home, to come after me! Floyd must feel my eyes burning on him because without scanning the crowd his eyes turn and focus on me. "The alpha with be taken care of once we get what we want," his eyes never leave mine.

We need to head back and tell my uncle everything that we know. We need to get everyone in on this.

"Hey," my eyes stay locked on Floyd but Luke turns to look at me, "I'll be back later," with my pack, "but I should really start heading back to my boss."

"No problem I'll walk you to your car," he smiles at making me pull my eyes away from Floyd and look at his genuine smile. Don't fall for his charm he's working with your enemy.

"Okay," I gesture to Chase to start walking and he does we follow behind him.

"Your little prisoner doesn't seem to put up much of a fight does he now." It is not a question.

"Must be because of the wolfs bane and we actually became really good friends before all of this mess. But it is most likely because his wolf is weak," I shrug.

"Is that what you carry in your bag? Wolfs bane." My eyes fall on the duffle bag on my hip.

"You have your claws and fangs and I have wolfs bane."

"True." His eyes seem to darken but before I can really see them he closes his eyes and shakes his head.

"I'll see you later," I nod and then glance over at Chase as he makes his way towards the car.

"Bye," I speed up and jump into the driver side.

We do not speak even through we are in the car alone. My shaky hand tries three times to put the key in the ignition and then we take off. Driving is so much more difficult when all you want to do is break down and cry. My foot slams on the gas jerking us back and my tears flow freely.

"I should have got her out of there," I scream the soreness in my throat forces me to stop as a pounding headache follows.

"We couldn't do that," Chase grabs arm giving me a reassuring squeeze. "You saw how many wolves were there. Pull over Melody," his voice is a mere whisper but I hear him just barely over my erratic breathing. Swerving to the side I slam on the brakes and Chase gives me his most earnest stare, "we will get her back." His soft palm caresses my cheek as he wipes away my tears, "now jump to the back seat."

His statement confuses me, "the back seat?" Narrowing my eyes I wipe away the last of my tears and look at him.

"You need to rest," opening my mouth to object he continues, "if you want to go back to that place I need you well rested and ready because this time they are not going to greet us warmly do you understand," his stare turns menacing. "Don't you go thinking for a minute that if you are not ready for this I will allow you to go."

"I'll rest for a moment," I sigh in defeat and then push myself out of my seat and to the back. Chase drives off more in control than I did earlier. Laying in the backseat my body rocks with the car as my eyes grow heavy.

I will save you mother even if that means us trading places.

Chase's soft voice coaxes me to wake, "Melody, we're here." There are some muttering, my body wants to push away my sleep and get up but my exhaustion wins.

"She looks horrible," a male voice interjects and then suddenly warmth envelopes me causing me to fall into deeper slumber.

"She is a fighter, I'll come back and get her once Ken decides what we should do."

The soft material swallows me whole and my body sighs in content. "Sleep tight," his voice is brings serenity to my tortured mind and body.

The pain in my chest erupts as my chest heaves forward. My eyes shoot open and my scream is caught in my throat. Sweat beads down my forehead and neck. The pain is unbearable it feels as if someone has plunged a knife into my chest and twisted. My moonlit room reveals that there is no one here ─ just me.

My fingers claw at my chest trying to relief some of the pain but nothing is helping. My breathing is becoming labored and my vision is blurring, "Chase," his name comes out a whimper. There is no way that he would be able to hear me.

************

What's happening to Melody?

Next chapter is Chase's POV!

If I don't update tomorrow Happy 4th of July to all my USA readers

☺Happy Reading~JudyQ22