It was raining and she was running through the mud. The sky was dark and gray and stretched over head like a blanket. Megan couldn't see where she was going, it was too dark.
The howling started again and it seemed that it was surrounding her. She kept moving, her feet sticking in the mud and slowing her down. All at once she felt herself falling and a tall dark stranger caught her in his arms, he had golden eyes that looked deep into her soul.
The earth began to move beneath them, but he didn't let her go. The quaking wouldn't stop and it made her right side tingle from the vibrations it caused.
"What the hell!" Megan opened her eyes the vibrations were real. It was her phone. The clock on her night stand showed one O'clock in the morning. She turned on her lamp and looked at the text.
"Damn!" She said and opened it completely to look at the picture. Remy had her grandmother by the neck. She had never seen him in wolf form but it could only be him. No one else would dare harm Mama Louisa.
She should have known that it wouldn't be that easy to get away from Remy. It seems that Mama Louisa had let her guard down and now she was in danger.
Looking at the picture again, she could still see Remy's features which meant that he had not completed his transformation. He must really be a monster.
He was seated beside her grandmother and still towered over her. His dark gray fur covered the tops of his arms and hands. But the scariest things were his claws, and they were wrapped around Mama Louisa's neck.
What she noticed the most was the look in Mama Louisa's eyes. There was no fear. She knew Mama Louisa would put on a brave face, just to keep Megan where she was.
Megan wasn't falling for it, the text said 48 hours. Yes she knew what that meant; she would be on the next plane back to New Orleans. Megan couldn't let Remy hurt her grandmother.
Pulling out her suitcase she packed her clothes that she had just unpacked a few weeks ago. Maddie was going to be so pissed! She was going to have to go solo on her date. It was for the best. Megan didn't want to taint Maddie's life with her troubles.
She quickly wrote Maddie a note and called a taxi. She quietly left the apartment and hoped Maddie wasn't a light sleeper. She didn't want any drama.
*****
Maddie was so excited she'd hardly slept the night before. She couldn't wait for her date tonight with Sullivan. He had haunted her dreams. His blue eyes had caressed her face, and she had wanted him to caress much more.
Maddie blushed at her thoughts. In her dreams he had kissed her and she had wantonly opened her mouth and kissed him back. She shook her head to get back to reality and walked into the kitchen. "
"Hey Megan where's the coffee?" she called. Megan always got up before she did and had coffee made before Maddie went to work.
"Megan!" she yelled again. When she didn't get a response, she went into Megan's bedroom. It was empty and her suitcase was missing as well. Feeling herself begin to panic, Maddie looked around the room and found a note taped to the mirror.
"Maddie, first off please don't panic. Remy has Mama Louisa hostage, and I am the ransom. I'm sure Remy will harm her if I don't go back home. If anything happens to Mama Louisa; it will be my fault. Please forgive me for not waking you up, this is something I have to take care of myself. Love you Cuz. Megan."
She slowly sat on the bed and tried to stop shaking. This man was crazy and her cousin was running right to him. She had to get help and fast. She knew her grandmother wouldn't allow anything to happen to Megan, even if it meant her own death.
Maddie saw the two letters that she had read last night on the nightstand. She looked at the small slip of paper again and it came to her; Jackson's last name was Clarion and he was from North Dakota.
Maddie grabbed the letters and Megan's note, before running out of the apartment. She had to find out if there was a connection. If Jackson and his friends were what she suspected; they would be of great help to Megan and her grandmother.
**********
Maddie banged on the door of the Penthouse suite of Jackson Clarion.
"What's the hell is going on!" a voice yelled as the door was pulled open. It was Sullivan and he was shocked to see Maddie standing there completely out of breath.
"Where is Jackson? I need to see Jackson." She said running into the suite. Sullivan bristled at her request, she was his mate, what did she want with Jackson?
"Maddie what's wrong, you look like the hounds of hell are chasing you?" Jackson inquired as he came into the room.
"Please Jackson I need your help." Megan cried desperately. "Look at this picture and tell me if you know these people."
Maddie showed him the picture of Katelyn and Joseph O'Hara. Jackson recognized them right away. "Where did you get this picture Maddie?"
"My cousin just found out that she is their daughter. She was raised by her godparents and never knew her real parents were still alive." Maddie held the letter out to Jackson and he read it.
"What do you want me to tell you Maddie?" Jackson asked calmly.
"Is this true, are you from the Clarion Ranch?" Megan asked again. "Do you know these people?"
"Have a seat Maddie." Jackson said, trying to compose his thoughts. "Yes I know Kate and Joe. They are some of the best members of my pack. They would be very happy to see their daughter if she wants to meet them."
Jackson held the letter closer to his face and caught its scent. There was the glorious smell of orchids and the musky scent of vanilla. His wolf shook it's head and wandered closer to the forefront of his senses.
Jackson held the letter closer to his nose and breathed in deeply. His wolf began to run in circles and the howling in his head made him grimace to keep his control.
Sullivan tried to take the letter from Jackson's hand and was met with a rough shove.
"Mine" Jackson growled and inhaled the paper before him once again.
"Maddie where is your cousin, Megan is her name right?" Sullivan asked.
"She ran away back to New Orleans. She left a note saying our grandmother was in trouble and only she could save her."
"Why would she think that?"
"Mama Louisa helped her escape from a very bad man in New Orleans. His name is Remy Sandorian and he is also a werewolf." Maddie looked at Sullivan and waited for him to call her crazy.
Sullivan just sat back on the sofa and sighed, "How long have you known what we are Maddie?"
"I wasn't sure until Jackson told me that he knew Megan's parents." Maddie looked at Jackson and noticed he had calmed himself somewhat. She saw that he was still inhaling the letters and asked. "What's wrong Jackson, why are you sniffing the letters?"
"I am attracted to the scent of your cousin. Her essence calls to me, as yours does to Sullivan."
Jackson was in full Alpha mode now. He had pushed back his wolf, only because now they knew where their mate was. The fact that she may be in trouble had helped him regain control, and he had to stay that way if he was going to help her. He only knew her scent, but that was enough, the scent didn't lie.
"I am sorry but I need to call my Parents." Jackson said. "They will have to be told what has happened here."