Enslaved By The Alpha
Chapter 87

There is an uncomfortable silence as everyone waits for Kane to answer Maya. I don't see how that is important. What's so wrong if he knows that I can't swim? And it is evident that we spent time together while he was trapped with Giselle. Couldn't she see for herself that it's possible that he found out during the time we spent together?

Maya seemed like she was looking for any excuse to cause trouble between us.

"Giselle tried to drown her once." Kane finally answers.

Maya crosses her arm over her chest and tilts her head upwards, "and let me guess; you were the one that saved her because you're such a knight in shining armor."

Again, she's saying things that aren't necessary. Gabriella tightens her hold on my hands as if to tell me to stay out of it. But how am I supposed to when this conversation basically involves me.

"Well, aren't you going to answer me?" She asks him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," I say, and Gabriella holds her head, clearly worried about what I'm about to do. "But what did you want him to do. Did you expect him to watch someone drowning and leave them there?" Maya turns to me, and I can see the hatred in her eyes as she glares at me, "does it look like I'm speaking to you?"

I fold my arms over my chest, "you're not speaking to me, but speaking about me. If you're going to discuss anything to do with me, I think I can participate in that discussion. I can't believe you're angry with Kane for saving someone's life. Do you even hear yourself right now?"

Her eyes narrow, "what makes you think I'm angry with him? I was only asking a question. You're the one that assumed I was angry."

"You're not angry?" I ask in a sarcastic tone. "If this isn't anger, I don't want to be near you when you're actually angry."

"If I was angry, would I do this?" She asks.

What the hell did she mean by that? Do what?

I watch as she throws her arms around Kane, and before anyone has a chance to process what she is doing, she presses her lips to his.

My jaw drops, and I don't think I've ever felt pain like this before. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by chains and threatened to burst. I know that I shouldn't be watching her k!ss the man I was crazy about, but I can't seem to look away. It's like my body wants to feel this pain. What the hell was wrong with me? Why can't I look away from them?

Gabriella takes my hand and pulls me towards Hunter's jeep so I don't have to see Maya k!ssing him anymore. She knew by now how much it would hurt me to see something like that.

"I didn't want to say this, but Maya is a bitch." Gabriella tells me when we are away from everyone else. "I don't understand how she could possibly be the same Maya that everyone loves so much."

I tried to calm myself down; I was still in emotional pain from seeing them k!ss. I thought that I would be strong enough. I thought that I would be able to see him with the woman he loved. I thought I could do it because, from the start, all I've ever wanted was for him to be happy.

I just never thought that Maya would turn out to be this type of woman. The fact that she's such a pain in the a-ss doesn't make this any easier on me. I wanted to like her; after everything Kane had said about her, I thought there was a good chance that I would. Now I knew there wasn't a single thing in this world that could possibly make me like that woman.

"Well, it is her," I respond to Gabriella. "She has the same face. Everyone knows she's Maya. But it seems like her attitude has changed since the last time everyone saw her."

Gabriella sighs, "I was hoping we could have a great day today. She just had to spoil all the damn fun."

I take a deep breath and lean against the vehicle.

"Are you okay?" Gabriella asks; there is no mistaking the concern in her voice. "You don't look the best."

"I don't feel the best," I answer. "I don't want to admit it, but seeing her kiss him was extremely painful for me to watch. I didn't expect her to do it."

I knew its something I had to get used to. They were the official couple. It's normal for them to be seen kissing. I didn't think she would intentionally do it in front of me. "Are you two okay?" Arthur asks as he joins us.

I'm sure everyone was concerned after what just happened. I've managed to cause yet another scene when it's the last thing I wanted to do around the people that were so kind to me.

"I'm sorry that I keep causing problems for you. I know everyone just wanted to have a good time today. I didn't mean to spoil it for you." I apologize.

"You weren't at fault," Gabriella assures me. "She was the one that started the argument. She is to blame. Though Kane wasn't exactly helping the situation from how he was looking at you. Maybe Maya saw him, which caused her to react that way. I know I will be upset if I see my mate looking at another woman like he was staring at you."

"I think we both know that will never happen," Arthur assures her.

She grabs his shoulders and pulls him towards her, "of course, that will never happen. If you want to live to see another day, you won't do something that stupid."

"Is that a threat?" he asks her.

"Take it as you want to take it." She smiles as she hugs him.

As I look around me, I realize that I'm the only one here without a mate. Everyone had their partner and was having a great time. I was the only one that didn't have someone by my side. And the only man I wanted by my side already had someone in his heart. A horrible woman. "Is it okay if I take a walk by myself?" I ask them.

I was tired of having to see Kane and Maya together. And after what I just saw, I knew I needed some time alone.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Gabriella asks me.

"No," I answer her. "Please go enjoy yourself with Arthur. Don't let me stop you from having a great time. I think everyone would be at ease if I weren't here."

Gabriella goes to disagree, but I stop her, "please. I will only be gone for about half an hour, and then I will be back to have fun with the rest of you."

Or at least try and have fun.

I finally got her to agree, but only after I promised her that I would be careful and back in half an hour.

~KANE~

I watch as Gabriella returns with Arthur, but the girl is no longer with them. Where did she go?

The last thing I was expecting was for Maya to kiss me in front of her. I couldn't close my eyes during that k!ss. All I could see was the hurt on her face while she stared at us k!ssing.

I felt nothing during that k!ss. If anything, I've never wanted to get as far away from Maya as I did during that k!ss.

The look on Giselle's maid's face will haunt me for the rest of my life. It was clear that I didn't like to hurt her. She has always wanted nothing more than for me to be happy; how could I wish to see pain in someone who always wants what's best for me?

I don't know what's been happening with Maya lately, but she is nothing like the woman I had fallen deeply in love with. I know that I'm the one to blame for her behavior. If I hadn't bruised her heart over and over again, and if I hadn't failed to protect our baby, she wouldn't have changed so much and become this bitter woman.

"Where did she go?" Isabella asks Gabriella.

I'm happy that she asked the question because even I was desperate to know. And I couldn't be the one to ask that question when Maya was right next to me in the water. If I asked, I would only fuel the fire within her. I can see that she's still partly pissed from earlier.

I can barely look at her. I'm reminded of what I did to her that caused the horrible change.

"She said that she wanted to go for a walk to clear her head. And that she will be back in half an hour." She informs everyone.

Maya rolls her eyes, and I don't miss it. Another reminder of how much she has changed. Where was the woman I would do anything for? I wanted her back. I didn't want her to be this way. It wasn't how I remembered her to be at all.

I'm restless now that I know the girl had walked off in the forest independently with no one by her side.

"Isn't that a bit too risky since she isn't familiar with this forest?" Lucy asks. "Someone should have gone with her."

I'm glad that Lucy had said exactly what I was thinking. Why didn't Gabriella and Arthur stop her before doing something so stupid?

Everyone knew how damn dangerous these forests were, especially for someone unfamiliar with it. There were always creepy people around, and besides that, she could easily get lost. And she already wasn't in the right state of mind. Why the f**k hadn't I seen her going? If I did, I would have stopped everything to get to her and asked her not to go.

"We said the same thing to her, but she wouldn't listen to us," Gabriella explained as she joined us in the lake. "I figured that she wouldn't go far. And I've realized that she might need this."

"I'm sure she will be okay," Maya adds. "She's a big girl; she can handle herself. She doesn't need everyone making a fuss over her. I'm sure she is having a great time while leaving everyone worried about her."

"While leaving everyone to worry about her?" Gabriella asks Maya. "She didn't ask for anyone to worry about her. She left to let everyone have a great time. I wish I could say the same for other people."

The last sentence was directed at Maya, but she doesn't care. She seems happy that the girl has left.

"Let's just wait a few minutes," Hunter says. "If she doesn't return by then, I think we should go look for her. To make sure that she doesn't hurt herself in these dangerous woods. We need to remember that she is pregnant."

The reminder sends chills down my back. Just when I thought things couldn't get any f*****g worse. She was pregnant. She could easily slip and fall and hurt both her and her babies.

I'm trying hard to mask my frustration over this entire incident, but it's becoming rather difficult to do when I want nothing more than to leave this lake and rush after her.

I was angry that no one suggested that we get to her now. They were all back to having fun in the lake. Maya tries to engage me in a hug, but I don't return it. I'm too worried about the girl to focus on her right now.

A few minutes passed, and time had never been this slow for me. Each second was torture. When will they decide to pack up their s**t and search for her?

My eyes turn to the skies when I feel a drop of water touch my head.

Ah, f**k.

I push my hair back with my hand.

It was beginning to f*****g rain. Things continued to go from bad to worst.

"She should be back by now," Gabriella says; I can see the worry on her face. "And it doesn't look good that it's beginning to rain."

Her words make everyone look up to the sky like I'd done a minute ago.

Lucy and Austin rush out of the water to place Roman in the vehicle, and I don't waste any time; I use that opportunity to get out of the water as well. I was waiting for the chance to do that. I couldn't stand being in there with Maya. "I think we should start looking for her now," Arthur says to Gabriella, and she readily agrees with him.

"Should we split up?" Hunter asks. "It doesn't make any sense that we all go in the same direction. This forest is big, and she can be anywhere. We need to follow her scent."

Her f*****g scent. I couldn't get that f*****g thing out of my head. If anyone were to find her quickly, it would be me since I was most familiar with her heavenly scent. What was I going to do if I couldn't find her? And it's not like I could tell anyone here that her scent was branded on my body. No one would be able to understand me.

"I think everyone pregnant should stay behind," James says as he looks at the women. "We will constantly have to worry about you as well. For this search to go by faster, the best thing is for all of you to stay here in case she returns." "No!" Gabriella exclaims. "She's like a sister to me. And she's missing because I didn't stop her when I should have. I want to join the search. I want to look for her as well."

Arthur kisses her cheek, "if you want to go that badly, you can. Just stick by my side so that I can make sure you don't slip and hurt yourself."

"I will not slip," she assures him. "I can look for her and move fast enough."

Arthur pulls me to the side suddenly. He ensures no one can hear us when he says, "I think we both know that you're the most familiar with her scent. You will have to be the one to find her. No one will be able to get to her as fast as you would. Somehow or the other, you'll have to let Maya agree to join the search."

How did he know? Who would have told him?

"She told us everything. You don't have to worry. Your secret is safe with us." He assures me.

She told them? She must have trusted them entirely for her to confide in them. I'm not about to be angry with her for telling them what happened between us. I believed Arthur when he said he would keep our secret.

As far as convincing Maya went, I wasn't worried about that. This was one thing that I wouldn't let Maya stop me from doing.

A pregnant woman's life was in danger. I don't care what she has to say. I will be joining that search because, as Arthur had pointed out, I have the best chance of finding her.

"I'll stay back with Roman and Emma," Isabella says. "Someone needs to look after the children."

Hunter looks pleased with that. I'm sure he didn't want her to be in that search with how pregnant she was.

"I'll stay back to keep you company, just in case anything crazy happens. You know how many enemies we have. They're always waiting for the right opportunity to attack us at our weakest points." Eden tells her.

She was right. There were always people waiting to attack. It wasn't good to leave Isabella alone with the children, no matter how good she was at fighting.

"Kane and I can stay back to help watch as well." Maya offers.

My jaw clenches, "I don't think so, Maya. I have to join the search with everyone else."

"He's right, Maya," Austin tells her. "We need as many of us out there searching for her. I think you can understand that more than anyone else here. She's pregnant. She needs all of our help right now." Maya doesn't look happy that her brother and mate both went against her wishes, but she doesn't try and stop us again.

Good. The last thing I wanted was to deal with her attitude at a time like this.

Every second would count.

The rain was pouring heavily now, and we could barely see or hear each other. It would also make it harder for me to track her scent.

What made it worse was that none of us even knew her name. How did we call out to her? We didn't have a name to shout.

f**k.

This wasn't good. It wasn't about to be an easy search; I was damn sure about that. We hoped that she would somehow find her way back, but chances were slim since half an hour had already passed since we last saw her. "CAN YOU HEAR ME?" I shout; it's not loud enough in this rain.

I can barely see or hear anyone. I'm not sure what directions the rest of the men had gone off into. I was trying my best to pick up on her scent. It wasn't solid because of the rain, but I could still sense it. That at least was a good sign.

If I couldn't smell her at all, I would have been a bit more worried than I already was.

I shout once more, and still, there isn't a response.

My heart is pounding against my chest, and it feels louder than the damn rain.

I'm terrified, actually terrified, that something has happened to her.

I pull at my hair and let out a frustrated roar. How long again before I can see her? How long before I can find her and pull her safely into my arms?

I can hear howls throughout the woods, and I know that some of the men had switched to their wolves. They must have realized that we had to hurry if we wanted to get to her before any harm could come to her. That is, if she hadn't already been harmed. Another howl rocks the forest. I'm not sure who it belongs to, but they were trying their best to find her.

I couldn't let her down. She's been nothing but loving towards me. I can't let anything happen to her. I would never be able to forgive myself.

Wherever you are, I swear to you that I will find you. I will protect you. I won't let anything hurt you.

I know that she can't hear me, but I meant every single one of those promises. No matter what happened today, I would make sure to bring her to safety. I would have her in my arms again if it's the last thing I do.