Chapter 3
Tracey
I stared down at Jade’s phone and braced myself for the call I knew was coming. Jade’s parents had been in an area that had spotty service for the last two weeks since Jade’s disappearance. It was easy to pretend that Jade was still here.Eventually they would have better service and I couldn’t pretend any longer. Jade’s cottage that she had gotten in exchange for her job sat in front of me.
The silver key was cold in my other hand. I had been avoiding this for too long. I had told myself every single day that I could do this, but something inside of me shied away.
Everyone else was in an uproar around the pack. No one else would be able to do this. No one but me, even though I wanted to be out there with them, searching for my best friend.
For the fifth time this week, I swiped at the tears streaking down my face. I hadn’t been able to stop crying, especially after my body had healed and Jade hadn’t come back. It was a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. Every time I closed my eyes I saw Jade being pulled from my wrecked car. No matter how hard I had fought against the seat belt, it had held me into place. My wolf hadn’t risen up to help either. This was all my fault.
My fingers trembled as I pushed the key into the lock. The day before I had spent several hours trying to get all the weeds and trees away from the front of the house. Rafe had found me there, collapsed beside the house, covered in sweat. His face was a mask of indifference but I could see it in his eyes. He unclenched his jaw to speak but no words had come out. After a few seconds he sunk down on the ground beside me and we stayed like that until the moon was high in the sky. Oh, how the mighty had fallen.
