Jade
I sank to my knees sobbing while Helena screamed at me, her face red."You did what? I can't believe you got a threat like that and didn't go to the police! What if you had been attacked? That's it, we're calling them right now." Helena grabbed her purse, rifling for her phone.Just then the house phone rang, startling us both. Helena picked it up cautiously."Hello?"A garbled, robotic voice came through the speakers. "Put it on speakerphone. Now."With shaking hands, Helena hit the speaker button. "Who is this?" she demanded."You may call me Mr. N," the voice said. "And I'd advise against calling the police if you want the children to remain unharmed."Helena and I exchanged horrified looks. This was the kidnapper!"What do you want?" Helena cried. "We'll give you anything, just don't hurt the kids!"The voice laughed coldly. "I'm not speaking to you. Put Jade on, now."I felt sick. This creep knew both of us. How long had he been watching us?"Please," I begged tearfully. "Just name your price. I'll pay anything to get my babies back.""I don't want your money. I just want to...chat," Mr. N purred. "Come to 425 Oak Street. Alone. No police, no friends. If you tell anyone or try to bring backup, I'll know. And you won't like what happens next."The line went dead. I met Helena's frightened gaze. She squeezed my hand. "We have to call the cops, Jade. This guy sounds dangerous—"I cut her off with a sharp look, glancing meaningfully at the phone. We didn't know if he was still listening.Grabbing a pen, I scrawled a quick note. 'I'm going. Look after yourself.'Before she could protest, I shifted into my wolf form and bolted for the door. As an omega, I was small even in wolf form, but I was fast on four legs. And I could handle any human who tried to hurt me.I raced through the dark streets, following the address to a sketchy warehouse. Creeping inside cautiously, I sniffed the air but smelled no one. No sound either. Just dusty old boxes and silence.Suddenly, a dart hit my flank. Tranquilizer, I realized dizzily as my legs gave out. I had walked right into a trap. My vision blurred, shadows creeping in.When I woke up, I was in a small, windowless room. I tensed, expecting restraints, but I was free. The space was clean, even comfortable, with a plush sofa and elegant table bearing fruit and pastries. Confused, I called out angrily."Enough games! Show yourself, coward!"A hidden intercom crackled to life. "Nah, that's no way to speak to your host." It was the synthesized voice from the phone.I glared at the camera in the corner. "Let me see my children. Now!""Of course. Take a look."A section of the wall slid away, revealing a window into...a playroom? My triplets laughed and played with expansive toys. They seemed perfectly content. Relief flooded through me at the sight of their smiling faces."As you can see, no harm has come to them," the voice purred smugly. "And it will remain that way, as long as you cooperate."My relief turned to anger. "You kidnapped my children, drugged me, locked me in a room, and you expect me to cooperate? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip your throat out!"A dark chuckle came through the intercom. "Feisty. I like it. Now open the drawer."Wary, I slid open the small drawer in the end table. Inside was a single photograph that made my blood turn to ice.It was Brad. His handsome face just as I remembered it from six years ago. The photo slipped from my numb fingers."What is this? What does Brad have to do with anything?" I whispered."Everything," purred the voice. "Don't worry. The task I have for you is simple."Dread settled like a stone in my gut. I didn't want anything to do with Brad ever again. "Just name your price," I pleaded. "I have money—""I don't want your money," Mr. N snapped. "You're going to finish what you started six years ago. Seduce Brad, make him fall in love with you again. Have him reject his mate. And then, once he confesses his love, you will publicly humiliate and reject him, just as he did to you."I stared at the speaker in disbelief. "You...you want me to destroy him?""Yes," Mr. N hissed. "Make him feel the pain and humiliation you experienced."I recoiled in disgust. "No! What you're asking is cruel.""Do you want your children back or not?" he growled.I pictured my sweet babies, scared and missing their mother. My heart shattered. I would do anything for them. Even this."How do I know I can trust you?" I asked faintly."You don't have a choice. But know this..." The voice turned ice cold. "If you deviate from the plan or try to warn him, you will never see your precious children again. I will be watching."The speaker clicked off, leaving me in silence. I stared at Brad's photo, my stomach twisting. The boy who had toyed with my heart was now the key to getting my kids back, as much as I hated it. I had no choice but to play this twisted game.But I swore to myself that I would find a way to win this and get my babies home safely. I wouldn't let Brad or anyone else hurt my family again. This time I was in control of the game board.Squaring my shoulders, I turned to the camera. "I'll do it," I declared. "Now take me to Brad."The war for my children's lives had begun. And I refused to lose. The kidnapper had no idea who he was dealing with. Jade Wolfe wasn't a naive girl anymore.I would make Brad fall for my act. I'd have the whole Nightingale Pack wrapped around my little finger. And when Brad least expected it, I would turn the tables and destroy him.Natasha, Nathan, Natalia...Mommy is coming for you. Be strong for just a little longer. I thought fiercely. We will be a family again.Jade The drive to the Nightingale pack lands felt surreal, like I was traveling back in time. The last time I had been here, I was a naive teenager madly in love with the Alpha's son. Now I was a grown woman and mother of three, only returning under ominous circumstances. Helena insisted on coming with me, despite my protests. "You're not doing this alone," she said firmly as she loaded the last of my things into her SUV. "I'll help you get settled, and be right here if that bastard Brad tries anything." I smiled weakly, appreciating her protectiveness even if it complicated things. We rode in tense silence, the weight of what I had to do pressing down on me. Helena kept shooting me worried glances. "I really don't like this, Jade," she finally said as we passed the 'Welcome to Nightingale Territory' sign. "We can still turn around and call the cops." I shook my head, even as my heart tightened. "You heard him. I don't have a choice if I want to see the kids again." Helena curse
JadeI stared up at the hulky man looming over me. Conan was a mountain of muscle and authority, his tall frame casting me in shadow. Golden eyes glinted from behind a black leather mask covering the lower half of his rugged face. Those piercing eyes were fixed on me now, hard and assessing. I suppressed a shudder under that intense gaze. Of all the easygoing wolves in Alpha Bradley's pack, only Conan seemed to exude true menace. He was the enforcer, swift and merciless to any threat. Every instinct warned me to avoid him at all costs. Yet here I was, trapped and exposed."Well?" Conan's voice rumbled deep in his chest. "Explain yourself."I scrambled desperately for some excuse, some logical reason for the suspicious messages he glimpsed on my phone screen. But under pressure, nothing remotely convincing came to mind. After a tense silence, Conan crossed his massive arms. "Since you seem unwilling to explain, I have no choice but to r
JadeTaking a deep, shaky breath, I broke into fresh tears. Conan stared at me dumbfounded for a moment, then cursed under his breath as he scrambled to grab tissues from the box on his desk. I cried loudly and messily, blowing my nose with heart-wrenching sobs. Black streaks of mascara ran down my cheeks as I wept into the tissues, no doubt looking like a distraught mess, but it was necessary for my act. "You see," I started, dabbing my eyes as my voice quivered emotionally, "Brad and I dated about six years ago, back when we were teenagers. He was...my everything."I launched into a bittersweet flashback, wanting to show Conan our supposed history instead of just telling it in boring summary. I described my lonely childhood growing up in the local orphanage after my parents died - shy, bullied and friendless with only books for company. Meanwhile, Brad was the golden boy at our high school - devastatingly handsome, star athlete, crazy popular, and
JadeI let out a heavy sigh as I sank down onto the lumpy mattress in my dingy temporary apartment. What a mess this day had turned into. Reaching for my burner phone, I quickly typed out an update to Mr. N. 'Minor complication. The beta, Conan, saw a suspicious message on my phone. I spun him a story about wanting revenge on Brad for breaking my heart years ago. He seems to buy it for now, but will be keeping close tabs on me. I'll be careful.'I stared at the blinking cursor, hesitating. Should I mention Conan's absurd contract demanding I provide free medical services to the pack? No, best to keep some cards close to my chest. It's better if he doesn't know all about Conan. Yes. I deleted the message and hit the phone in the bedside drawer. Next I called Helena, needing to hear her cheerful voice after the stressful events of the day."Hey girl, how are you holding up?" she asked gently when she picked up.I flopped bac
JadeThe following morning, I woke up with determination that surpassed the doubt and fear that had plagued me the previous night. It was another new day, and I had a mission to focus on, one that meant everything to me: the safety and well-being of my kidnapped children.I got up, performed my morning routine, and tried to ignore the nagging voice inside my head that reminded me of my lies. I had convinced Conan of my intentions, but I knew that my ruse could crumble at any moment, exposing the truth of my plan to use him in my quest for revenge.As I stepped out of my dingy apartment, I noticed a text message from Conan popped up on my burner phone. It read: "Meet me at the pack's infirmary. We need to discuss your role in more detail."I sighed. This was my chance to learn more about my task and, hopefully, gain some information about the pack especially Brad's current relationship with his mate, Trina. I quickly sent a reply agreeing to meet him and headed to the infirmary.The inf
JadeA short while later, as I continued my duties, Conan appeared at the entrance of the infirmary. He leaned casually against the doorframe, his gaze fixed on me. "Everything okay?" he asked, his voice low.I nodded, grateful for his presence. "Yes, just a surprise visit from the alpha. He inquired about our friendship."Conan's lips quirked into a sly smile. "Well, speaking of our friendship, how about we make it more convincing?"I raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "What do you have in mind?"Conan pushed himself off the doorframe and approached me, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "How about we go on a date, right in front of Brad?"My eyes widened in surprise. I hadn't expected such a bold suggestion. "A date? Are you sure that's a good idea?"Conan shrugged nonchalantly. "Why not? It's all part of the act, and it'll drive Brad crazy with jealousy. Plus, we could use some time to relax and have fun, even if it's fake."I considered his proposal. The idea of a date in front of
JadeOur breaths mingled in the cold, dark night as his head bent closer and closer.The space between us collapsed. His body heat was a living, breathing thing, clouding my mind and stealing my focus until my world consisted of nothing except dark eyes, soft wool, and the clean, expensive scent of citrus and wood.Goose bumps rose on my sensitized skin.I took a small step back and bumped against the door at my back. I exhaled, my back flushed against the cold, hard metal of the apartment's door.I cleared my throat. "What…what are we doing?"My voice didn’t sound like mine. It was too thin, too breathless, but Conan had snuffed out the oxygen in the room. I couldn’t breathe fast enough or deeply enough to sustain a clear head.“Jade,” he murmured. “You know exactly what it is we are doing.” Gone was the formalities. In their place were velvet and smoke, whispering silent promises against my skin and compelling me to tilt my face up. Heaviness gathered low in my belly, thick and molt
JadeI couldn't deny the logic in his words, and I nodded in agreement. "All right, let's do it. When and where?"Conan's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Tomorrow night, it's a surprise, but don't worry. It'll be the perfect setting for our next performance."We quickly set the details for our upcoming fake date. I wondered how much more complicated our relationship would become. My determination to find my children and reunite our family kept me moving forward, no matter how treacherous the path.The day of our planned date arrived, and as evening settled over the pack's territory, I couldn't ignore the ecstacy building within me. This time, Conan had chosen a more casual setting for our "date," a quaint cafe nestled on the outskirts of the pack's territory. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the world in a dusky hue as we sat across from each other at a cozy table on the cafe's outdoor patio.I sipped my hot coffee, letting the warmth spread through me as I glanced at Con