Salena
Ipacethelivingroom of Kai's house, waiting for my pack to arrive. Everyone’s here except for Rose and Felix. A restless feeling buzzes through me. The note has put me on edge. I don’t think it had fully sunk in until I left the police station.
I whip my head up as the back door slides open and Rose slips inside. “It’s bound to snow any day now,” she says, taking off her jacket, a smile on her face. She’s always loved winter here. Her smile drops when she sees everyone’s grim expressions. Quietly, she makes her way over to the sofa and takes a seat next to Lola, who has, for once, been quiet while watching me wear a hole in the floor.
Rose looks around warily. “What’s going on?” she asks softly.
I don’t answer, just continue to pace, shaking my hands out at my sides to hide the tremble in them. I want to break something, scream, howl, and fight. Every cell in my body is driving to hunt. Hunt this killer and deal with him once and for all. I am beginning to feel threatened, as if being backed into a corner, and that is far from ideal. As I pace, the tension in the air is palpable, my negative mood reflecting onto my pack.
“Where is he?” I yell.
Panic threatens to overcome me as I stare at each member of my pack. Felix hasn’t been seen or heard from all day, and it has me nervous as fuck. Mercy stands by the door, arms crossed, watching me. Her long blonde hair is wind tousled, and her blue eyes sharper than ever as she observes me. Grady stands with Lucy at the back of the room, his light green eyes grim, his face a mask of rage. Kai stands at my back, his presence growing more agitated by the second. Declan and Tyler quietly walk in from the kitchen, their gazes averted as they go to stand with Mercy.
My phone dings, and I grab it from my back pocket, swiping my thumb over the screen to open the message.
Unknown: You could save them from this. Just leave.
I let out a throaty rumble, my phone cracking in my hands. When I hear the car pull up, my attention immediately snaps to the driveway, and I take off running toward the door. I feel a wave of release, like a balloon deflating, in my chest, as a sudden sense of relief floods me. I double over, my hands braced on my knees as I gasp for breath. Thank god he’s okay. Felix is alive and okay.
Felix steps out of Sander’s rental truck and they both make their way to the house. The second Felix enters the door, I punch him hard in the shoulder.
“What the hell, Felix? I’ve been worried sick!” I snap. “Don’t you ever do that again!”
Felix’s wide eyes dart to Kai.
“She found a note,” he says.
“I’m sorry. My phone went dead, and I was helping Sander. I didn’t think–”
“Keep in contact, Felix. If anything happened–” I choke on the words and spin on my heels, putting my back to them. Tears sting my eyes, and I cover my face, taking several long, deep breaths. Maybe my anger isn’t just anger. A sob works its way up my throat, but I force the emotions down to the bottom of my stomach. I will not break down in front of my pack. Not now, not ever.
Felix’s powerful arms wrap around me, turning me into his chest.
“I’m sorry, Salena,” he murmurs, resting his chin on the top of my head.
My arms wrap around his middle, and I hold on to him tight. If anything ever happened to them because of me, I wouldn’t survive. If anything happened to any of them because of something I did . . . I pull away and clear my throat.
“As you all know, there have been several messages left warning me to leave.”
A chorus of growls erupts around the room, and it warms me that they don’t like the idea of me leaving.
“Then there are the girls, the two who looked like me.” I take a shaky breath before continuing. “I think we have two people behind this. The stalker is more interested in scaring me away and leaving warnings. Whereas the killer is actually targeting girls who look like me and killing them in ways to show me what he has planned for me.” I shiver and wrap my arms around my middle.
“So we have a stalker and a serial killer after you?” Declan says, pushing from the wall.
I nod and throw him my phone. He catches it and reads the message.
“Why were you in my bar two nights ago?”
Declan’s eyes lift from my phone and widen. Hebacks up slightly from the look on my face, and fidgets as all eyes turn to him.
“What do you mean? I’m always at the bar,” he replies, but there’s an underlying nervousness there.
Kai stalks toward Declan, a growl rumbling up his throat. “Don’t lie right now.”
Declan looks to the side and then back at me, ignoring Kai’s bulking form in front of him.
“I’ve been sleeping in the basement.”
