Too much of a heavy load.

My nerves were a wreck, and I was already going up the walls, when my cell phone beeped. 

“Niall! Did you find him? How is he?” I didn’t even let the man speak, and I bombarded him with questions, as I was worried sick about Teague. He had disappeared and closed himself off, since I told him I found my mate.

“He’s ok, don’t worry.” he’s smooth voice came through, washing away my concerns.

“Is he coming home?”

“Sorry Victoria, but no. I just left him at a cottage he bought a few weeks ago. He didn’t want to go home, and I respected that.” listening to him a heavy weight settled on my heart. He was suffering and it was my fault! 

“I understand. Where was he?”

“Wasting himself in booze across town, but he’ll get over it and be fine. He asked me to take over the district for a few days until he sorts himself out.”

“I didn’t mean for this to happen, Niall!” I choked. .

“I know, Vicky, and he also knows. He’s not blaming you in any matter. Look, I have to go, but don’t worry much, he’ll be fine.”

“Thank you! And please, anything new, let me know, he closed himself off to me.”

“I will. Bye!” 

Gosh! Would I have a minute of peace in my life? Everything seemed to be falling apart. The kidnappings, Bash’s mate disappearance, Reid’s life hanging by a thread and what’s the point of him surviving if Sarah could be dead? His suffering would be even worse. What a bad timing for my mate to show up! Now, I have Tea all broken to deal with on top of everything, and I couldn’t get rid of this guilty feeling burning in my chest.

“Bash? Are you there?” my voice traveled softly, finding his mind.

“I’m here, little sister. What happened to you? You told me, you’d call me almost three days ago?” he was pissed.

“I don’t need you scolding me, brother. I’m sorry! There’s so much going on here, and fate decided it was time for me to meet my fated one,” I started in a sad tone and ended up in a sarcastic one.

“You don’t sound happy. Why?” Bash didn’t sound any better.

“I’m confused. How can I be so excited and broken at the same time? Tea is a mess, brother, and I love him too much to see him suffer, besides Killian is human and married!” 

“Vicky, in time Teague will be fine, believe me. You both knew that one day this could happen. Don’t waste the opportunity fate is giving you to be with your real mate, you may not have another chance, and things will work out fine, you’ll see.”

“Bash! Get your crap together, brother! You sound like you’ve already lost her forever! We’re going to find a way to bring all of them back! We’re on the case here,” I snapped at him, he sounded too defeated to his own good.

“Sorry… But sometimes it’s hard you know. You have that little piece of heaven, you’re finally happy again, and suddenly everything is taken away from you, leaving you bereft,” I’ve never heard my brother so desolated before. Never. It crushed me, and Reid would feel exactly the same once he was awake. Just to think about giving him the bad news, my body chilled.

“We’ll get them back, brother. Dad is out of the way, what means we can join forces to end this shit!”

“Vicky, you’ve ended up with a very dirty mouth,” his sad laughter echoed in my head. 

“Well, that’s the price one pays when you have to deal with a pack full of macho males, and run a bar crowded with drunkards,” a hint of a smile came to my lips. “I miss you so much, brother.”

“I do, too, little sister!” he sighed heavily.

“Anything new, I’ll send over to you. Don’t give up! Tell mom I said hi.”

“I won’t, not a chance in this world. Mom will be happy.”

After talking to him, I felt a little better and managed to get some sleep. The next two days were like hell. Tea closed me off literally, I didn’t know if he was fine, if he would come back to get his belongings or not, I just didn’t know. Reid was still out cold and the warriors were preparing themselves to ambush the perv who was haunting my town by the next moon. I called in sick at the pub these last days, since my mind and body were in totally different places and I couldn’t concentrate on anything. My mind always wandered to Teague, and my body restless, desperate to meet Killian again, and to make things worse he came to my pub these past nights, his scent calling to my wolf, making her go nuts. I had to use all my strength to control her and not set foot out of my flat. It had been so tiring. 

It was about eight in the evening, and the busy sounds from downstairs invaded my apartment, the pub opened for the night and I still didn’t dare to leave my den. I couldn’t neglect my pack, that was the only thought on my mind, both their alpha and beta were a mess at the moment, and it wasn’t fair with them, they needed us to lead them in this freaking nightmare we were going through. Niall had been filling me in with all the news about the case, and I told them I’ll be there when time came. I had been so enthralled in my thoughts I just noticed the alluring scent when the lonely howl of my wolf emerged in my head. The scent was too strong, too close for comfort, and I panicked. Then a knock at the door made me jump in my chair. I made myself as quiet as I could, not even a peep.

“Open the door, Victoria! I know you are there!” the sexy commanding voice boomed in my living room. “I swear, I put this door down if you don’t answer me. We need to talk!” he sounded furious. 

I didn’t want him to make a scene in my bar, and have people gossiping about, no way, I already had a lot on my hands to deal with, and I didn’t need any more load on me. In one big leap I closed the distance and opened the door, and he was there, hands planted on the door frame and totally disheveled staring intently at me.

“You are not supposed to be here!” I hissed at him. My skin heated up just to see the way his gaze danced all over my body.

“We need to talk!” 

“We have nothing to talk about!” I told him, trying to close the door, but his huge, rough hand blocked my intent, and he let himself in, closing the door behind. I stepped back, not taking my eyes from him. His presence took my entire living room, he was taller than Teague at least one or two inches. I felt cornered while my traitor wolf was jumping up and down like a lovesick mutt, chanting mine, mine, mine in my head. I was so focused on her that when I realized he was already on top of me. 

“We have a lot to talk about, little hurricane.”