hapter 0239 +25 BONUS âSo weâll be extra careful not to get caught,â I said, a plan already forming in my mind. I stood, holding my hand out to him.
âCome on, Noah. Donât you want to see her one last time?â
As the memory faded, I found myself back in the present, staring at Jake as he hung up the phone. The rushing waterfall practically drowned out my thoughts, the constant droning serving as a reminder that soon, whether Noah sent the money or not, I would wind up falling down that very waterfall and being impaled on the rocks below.
âWell done,â Jake sneered as he pocketed the burner phone. âYour husband seems willing to pay. Now we just have to wait.â
I swallowed hard, my throat dry from fear and thirst. âSo, what now? Will you kill me now?â I muttered.
Jake laughed, the sound echoing off the rocks around us. âNot yet, sweetheart. We need you alive for the next call. But after that...â He drew a finger across his throat, his eyes glinting with malice.
I felt sick, my stomach churning. Thirty minutes. That was all the time I had left in this second chance at life. The Moon Goddess wouldnât give me and my baby a third chance.
âI need to use the bathroom,â I said suddenly, feeling like I might throw up from the fear.
Jake eyed me suspiciously for a few moments, then nodded to one of his men. âTake her. And watch her closely. No funny business.â
The guard roughly pulled me to my feet, his grip painfully tight on my arm. As he led me toward a cluster of trees, I scanned the forest, looking for any sign of what? Hope? Escape?
The woods were dark and dense, shadows dancing between the trees in the moonlight. Even in the distance, I could still hear the roar of the waterfall, although now it was mixed with the sound of owls hooting and leaves rustling.
âHurry up,â the guard growled, shoving me forward so roughly that I almost fell. âAnd donât try anything stupid.â
I stumbled, pretending to squat behind a nearby bush. In reality, I was focusing on my senses, trying to awaken my wolf. To my surprise, I felt a stirring inside of me, a faint echo of my power returning I could shift and run, I thought to myself, my eyes sharpening as I scanned the forest.
But even if I could shift, I knew I wouldnât get far. My head was still fuzzy from the chloroform, and my body ached from the beating Iâd taken. Besides, it had been years since I had fully transformed into my wolf form. I wasnât sure I could do it quickly enough to escape.
As I pretended to finish, a breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the scents of the forest-pine, damp earth....
And something else. Something familiar.
My heart skipped a beat, my head jerking up as I realized what it was. Noah He was close Chapter 0239 +25 BONUS âTimeâs up,â the guard barked, circling back around the bush and yanking me back to my feet.
âHey!â I sputtered, struggling against his grip. âI still could have been peeing, creep.â
âBut you werenât. Now move,â he growled, shoving me forward.
As we walked back to the group, I had to fight to keep a small smile off my face. Maybe, just maybe, Noah was coming for me after all.
Jake looked up as we approached, his eyes narrowing. âEverything good?â
The guard nodded. âNo problems.â
I settled back onto the hard ground, my mind racing. Noah was close, I was sure of it. But how close? And would he be able to find us in time?
âTwenty minutes until the next call,â Jake announced, checking his watch. âAnd then...â He whistled, pointing over the edge of the waterfall in an exaggerated manner before making a soft explosion noise.
I bit my lip, trying to keep my expression neutral. Yeah, right, I thought to myself.
Weâd see who would really be going over that cliff tonight.
Chapter 0240