The Howling Moon

Chapter Seventeen

Nick.

Where are they? I've been pacing the living room for the past two hours, asking myself the same question over and over, waiting for Ashley to get home. Anthony, Jenna, James and Rick are here waiting with me, all of them were sitting, casually waiting, not worried at all.

"They're fine Nick, why are you worrying?" Jenna asked me, I gave her a 'seriously?' look.

"Do you guys not remember that someone out there, a rogue, wants to take Ashley." Jenna looked sorry and I let out an exasperated sigh. This entire day has been shitty, I wanted it to be a special day for Ashley and me but my stubbornness has to ruin everything? Why couldn't I have just gone with her?

"She's with Natasha." Anthony said, standing up. "She'll be fine, if something dangerous happens Natasha can protect her or mind link us." His words seemed to calm my wolf down a little but I continued with my worry.

"I need her home, my wolf and I cant deal with her not being here." Anthony put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm such an asshole, if I hadn't gotten her so angry, she would be answering my calls, she probably wouldn't even have left."

"What'd you do?" Jenna stood up from Ricks lap, when James heard what I had said, he also stood up, with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"She asked if I would let her go see her parents, I refused since that rogue is still out there, so she took Natasha and left. If she's not here in the next fifteen minu-" The door burst open and Natasha collapsed to the ground. Just by looking at her, I knew. I knew Ashley is gone. They had taken her.

"Natasha?" Anthony yelled, running to her side and dropping to the ground so he can hold her.

Natasha's face had fresh tears on it, she was completely naked, Anthony took his shirt off and wrapped her in it. She had her eyes glued to me, there was sadness, guilt, regret, and anger in her eyes.

"Wh-where-where is s-she?" I stammered. My heart was pulsating and i was starting to feel light headed.

"It was Cade." She whispered hoarsely. At her words, my heart stopped, Cade had her? He was going to kill her. Your father had killed his mate, now he has Ashley and he won't stop until we suffer. "He took her, it was an ambush." She cried, stopping from further telling me where I can find Ashley. I was getting impatient, I can see she's very tired and scared but I needed her to speak.

"Where is she?!" I screamed using my alpha-tone. Everyone flinched and Jenna put her hand on my back. I looked at all their faces, Jenna was crying, Rick was emotionless but was gritting his teeth in anger, James had angry tears rolling down his cheeks, he looked ready to kill.

"They used chloroform, we were unconscious for a while, I couldn't reach you through mind link, because of the chloroform." She sat up a little, Anthony still holding her. "We were west of the unmarked territory, where all the rogues are." Her eyes searched around the room frantically until they landed on me.

"Why did you leave her?" My voice broke at the thought of Ashley. My wolf was howling in pain and my heart was shattering with every second that passed by.

"He gave us a minute to run, to try to escape. Ashley, she said she couldn't make it in time, she said she'd slow me down, she needed to protect this baby, so she made sure I got away." Natasha's hand wrapped around her belly and Anthony looked shocked, just as we all did. She's pregnant? Ashley sacrificed herself to save her best friend and the baby? Natasha sighed deeply and wiped her eyes, then continued. "She told me to get away and find you, Nick. She asked me to tell you that's she's sorry and that she loves you, that you're the best thing to happen to her and that she doesn't regret anything that's happened." Right then, my heart broke into a million pieces. Just thinking about the person I love the most, being in danger and sacrificing herself.