You&Me: Book 4

Chapter 57: Spray Down (Archer)

"He's not eating."

"Point a gun at him and that'll change," laughed the scared man.

The woman didn't look impressed. "He's not worth anything if he starves."

The man scoffed. "A couple of days without food won't kill him. If the dog wants to make handling him easier by not eating, then so be it. He can die with whoever buys him."

His eyes traveled to the corner where I was sitting. I stared right back.

"Trying to be tough now?"

Not responding, I kept my gaze locked on him.

He chuckled and walked to the wall. "I think the mutt needs a bath. He's starting to stink since his type tends to shit wherever they like." Unraveling a hose, he grabbed the nob.

I inched up the walls as my ears stood up. This wasn't going to be pleasant. The water surged out and slammed into the side of my head. I held up my arms to block it and turned toward the wall. He aimed the stream at my back. It had enough pressure to flatten me against the cement. It was freezing.

The man wandered around the bars and sprayed me from different angles. My teeth were chattering. It was getting hard to breath as the cold constricted my chest. The pressure died down, and the man handed the hose to the woman.

"Spray off the floor."

Nodding, she did so. I knelt in the corner and hugged my arms around my chest. Water dripped from my fur and joined the streams going into the grating that ran along the wall. I listened to it gather in the gutter and trickle toward the main drain.

It was already cold but this was torture. The urge to shake the water off came to the surface and I heard a scream as I did so. The woman sprayed me.

"You stupid, mutt. I stink like a wet dog now." Throwing the hose, she marched to the exit. The door slammed shut behind her.

I shook off again and moved to a drier section of the cage. The chain around my neck felt extra heavy from the cold metal. I wanted to go home and sit in the hot pools. Everyone said I shouldn't be afraid of humans, they couldn't hurt me, but they were wrong. They were doing one hell of a job of making my life miserable.

***

(Saigon)

I sat in my truck in an empty parking lot. I didn't know where to go next. Every night for hours, I drove around the city looking for Archer. I had expanded the search for the city nearby, but it was only aimless wandering. He was alive. That was all I knew. The connection I shared with Archer hadn't been broken.

I rested my head on the steering wheel as the angry tears fell. My mate was gone. It was my job to protect him. I didn't give a damn if Archer was a dominant, I was supposed to take care of him. They expected me to be the next beta when I couldn't even protect my mate.

Sobs broke through as I squeezed the steering wheel. I had to find him. My sanity depended on me finding him.

***

I entered Cyrus's house to see someone else sitting in the living room. "Jagger?"

He sat up and held out a bottle. "I came to check on my beta. Raven wanted to come, but with the current circumstances, he's not allowed out of the cave." He forced a laugh.

I trudged over and sat by Cyrus. Taking the bottle, I popped off the cap and took a swig of the beer. "Midfield?"

Cyrus nodded. "The occasion calls for the potent stuff. Rupert and Peter are still out looking for Archer. Your parents and grandparents went shopping for food. Miss Karen informed me she will take care of the cooking." He sighed. "I'm not complaining."