Caught Between Them

We decided to leave for New York that night. The urgency of Reagan’s situation weighed heavily on me, and the fear of what could happen if we didn’t act fast was like a constant, gnawing presence in the back of my mind. Logan, Brock, and I piled into a black SUV, the kind that would blend in anywhere without drawing too much attention.

Logan glanced at me from the driver’s seat. “You sure you’re up for this, Amelia? Going in alone is dangerous.”

I nodded, trying to muster as much confidence as I could. “I don’t have a choice. If they see you two, they might kill Reagan on the spot.”

Brock, sitting next to me, reached over and squeezed my hand. “We’ll be close by, ready to jump in if anything goes wrong. Just get Reagan out safely. That’s the priority.”

“I know,” I said, giving him a small, grateful smile. “Thanks, both of you.”

The drive to New York was tense and quiet. We went over the plan a few more times, making sure we were ready for anything. Logan and Brock would stay nearby, hidden, while I went in to get Reagan. It was risky, but it was the best chance we had.

We reached the outskirts of the city just before dawn. The warehouse where I was supposed to meet them was in a rundown part of town, the kind of place no one would think to look for trouble. Perfect for an ambush.

Logan parked the SUV a few blocks away, hidden behind some abandoned buildings. “This is it,” he said, turning to face me. “You sure about this, Amelia?”

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. “I’ll be fine. Just be ready.”

“We will be,” Brock said, his eyes full of concern. “Be careful.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

With one last look at them, I slipped out of the car and made my way to the warehouse. The streets were eerily quiet, and every shadow seemed to hold a threat. I kept my senses sharp, trying to detect any sign of danger.

The warehouse loomed ahead, its broken windows and faded paint giving it a sinister appearance. I took a deep breath and stepped inside. The air was thick with dust, and the faint smell of decay hung in the air.

“Hello?” I called out, my voice echoing in the vast, empty space.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, from the shadows, a voice responded. “Over here.”

I followed the sound, my heart racing. There, in the dim light, I saw Reagan. She was tied to a chair, her face pale and streaked with dirt. Relief and fear surged through me in equal measure.

“Reagan!” I rushed over to her, my hands shaking as I tried to untie her. “It’s okay, I’m here to get you out.”

She looked up at me, her eyes wide with fear. “Amelia, it’s a trap…”

I barely had time to process her words before something hard slammed into the back of my head. Pain exploded through my skull, and the world went dark.

—

When I came to, my head was throbbing and my vision was blurry. I tried to move, but my hands were tied behind me, and I was sitting on the cold, hard floor. Reagan was still tied to the chair next to me, her face twisted with worry.

“Amelia,” she whispered urgently. “Are you okay?”

I blinked, trying to clear my head. “Yeah, I think so. What happened?”

Before she could answer, a figure stepped out of the shadows. A tall, imposing man with a cruel smile. “Welcome back, Amelia. I hope you didn’t think it would be that easy.”

“You!” I snarled, struggling against my bonds. “What do you want?”

He chuckled, a sound that sent chills down my spine. “You can call me Vincent. And what I want is simple: your cooperation. Or your friend here suffers the consequences.”

“I know your name psycho” I growled and he grinned and licked his lips.

Reagan’s eyes filled with tears. “Don’t listen to him, Amelia. Just get out of here.”

Vincent’s smile widened. “I wouldn’t advise that. My men are all around this place. One wrong move and she dies.”

I glared at him, fury boiling inside me. “What do you want from me?”

“Information,” he said casually, as if we were discussing the weather. “Your pack’s defenses, their plans, everything. And in return, I might consider letting you both live.”

I spat at him, my anger overriding my fear. “I’d never betray my pack.”

Vincent’s expression hardened. “We’ll see about that. Take your time to reconsider. I’ll be back.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving us alone in the dimly lit warehouse. I could hear the distant sounds of the city waking up outside, but inside, it felt like we were a world away from help.

“Amelia,” Reagan said softly. “What are we going to do?”

I looked at her, my mind racing. We had to find a way out of this. And quickly. Brock and Logan would be looking for me, but I had no idea how long it would take them to find us.

“We’re going to get out of here,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “I promise.”

Reagan nodded, she looked at me for a long while. Then she shook her head.

“You look different, what happened in Portland?” She asked and I shook my head, she wouldn’t believe if I told her I was a badass werewolf.

“A lot happened” I said and she sighed guiltily.

“I should have visited but my life here was so fucked up. Been with a guy and he dumped me. Couldn’t think straight for months. Didn’t want you to see me as a mess” she said and I smiled.

“You are a mess” I said and she grinned.