A New Hope

Chapter 8

It felt like I had been waiting with Adam and Max for the girls to get back for hours. Ever since I first laid eyes on Hope I have only been able to leave her in the mornings while she slept. I forced myself each morning to go to the gym, because I need to keep my ADHD in check, but I also wouldn't be able to resist waking her up at 6 am and f*****g her brains out.

I impatiently let out a sigh making Adam and Max to laugh at me.

"Look man I know this is all new to you and a lot to take in, but just chill all girls take forever when they go to the bathroom together." he laughed patting my back.

"I know, I hope Alice and Cassie don't let the cat out the bag tho" I sigh to them.

"No they should be good, Cassie might slip up, but Alice is used to back peddling for her" Adam shrugged.

All of the sudden my neck felt like I just got stung and I was extremely anxious. Where the f**k was Hope.

"What the f**k?!" Max growled and started walking towards the washrooms with me at his heels.

I heard Adam answer his phone behind us. "Hey ba-.... f**k! Shift but keep your distance and stay safe"

Max and I both bolted towards the girls bathrooms. Something was wrong. Something bad happened to Hope. I easily out ran the other two and stopped outside the girls washroom confused. Somehow I knew Hope wasn't in the bathroom... I walked to the edge of the woods my full body vibrating.

"Max go, but I order you to obey Cassie" Adam barked as he walked over to pick up Cassie's purse.

Max nodded his head, dropped his backpack and stepped into the woods out of view. I heard his foot steps stop then a bunch of snapping, popping and the sound of clothes ripping... then a ferocious growl.

What the f**k just happened to Max? Where the f**k is Hope? I can't f*****g lose her. I was shaking that hard I could feel it in my bones, like they were going to shatter.

"I'm really f*****g sorry about this Gabriel" Adam said then jabbed me in the arm with a needle. The shaking stopped and I slumped down into his arms.

~~~~

Ugh where the f**k am I, what happened... where is Hope?

My eyes shot open and I went to sit up but my arms were held down with heavy duty hospital restraints. I'm in a small bedroom with out dated furniture. There's black out curtains over the window so I have no idea what time it is.

I start fighting the restraints figuring out how I'm going to get out, I have to find Hope.

"Hey hey, it's okay. Sorry Adam had to knock you out to stop you from doing anything stupid" Cassie coos to me as she walks into the room turning on the light.

"Where the f**k is Hope, what happened? I demanded.

Adam and Max walked into the room and I glared at them both.

"Somebody kidnapped Hope and Alice" Adam stated, "Cassie and Max followed the trail until they got to the highway headed north. There was a stolen car abandoned by a dock where they took the girls on a boat. Thats all we know so far"

"And that they are still alive and not in pain" Max added while pacing the room.

"And how the f**k do you know that?!" I barked at Max making him stop pacing.

"Alice is my mate, her pain is my pain. If she were dead... I would be too or damn near close to it if I didn't lose control." he spat then continued to pace.

'Alright that's enough Max go wait outside... and do not leave the property." Adam ordered him.

"What are the cops doing about this? Let me out of my restraints I need to make some phone calls" I growled at Adam. "And what did you give me that I'm still weak and groggy?"

"Cops are f*****g useless, they are aware and there has been several other kidnappings. Cassie lied to them and told them she was kidnapped as well but escaped at the dock, so they'll at least be pointed in the right direction. David Campbell has already been contacted and is working on it. I gave you a custom cocktail of sedatives."

I blinked at him a couple times in disbelief.

"How did you know to call David?" I asked him.

"David is... well David is like us and his family has worked for your father and his family for a long time" Adam said slowly.

"What do you mean like us?! I think its about time you share all the details"

"Well first things first, we take care of eachother. Now you have been out for some time so if I un due the restraints will you stay here and eat while we explain?" Cassie spoke softly to me with kindness is her eyes.

"Yes if you give me my phone so I can hear from David himself that he's doing everything he can." I begrudgingly agreed.

Cassie nodded her head and undid my restraints, then passed me my phone.

I had one new voice-mail, "Hello Mr. Dayton its David. I'm catching the next flight to Phucket and currently have men working around the clock to find Hope Clowe. I have personally met and trust your four new friends and have emailed you their files so you can see for yourself that they are who they say they are. Do not worry about anything work related, Marshal is taking care of everything until further notice. Please sir listen to them they only want whats best for you and Hope."

I shook my head, I've known David since I was a baby, he's eleven years older than me and has even babysat me. I trusted him with my life and felt betrayed that he kept the fact that my father was alive a secret from me. He was the one that I got to search for him again before I finally gave up.

I checked my email and sure enough, Adam, Cassie, Max, and Alice were who they said they were.

Cassie came back into the room with a tray full of food and a Gatorade for me.

"Thanks, but I'd rather not have breakfast in bed with you two" I grunted.

"Oh right" Cassie walked away with the food, I could hear her placing it on a table and pulling out a chair.

I went to stand up, but sat right back down waiting for my head to stop spinning. I stood up again and took a moment to get my balance.

"Here man take my arm" Adam said walking over to me. "I'm surprised you can actually stand, when I got that shot Cassie had to tend to me in bed for three days" he was sincere, but I was still pissed off at him for doing that to me.

I ignored his arm and took a step feeling my energy draining quick. My second step my knees started to buckle and he put his arm around me before I could fall and walked me to the table.

I chugged down the Gatorade and Cassie placed another in front of me. Looking around it looked like I was in a fair sized house, outdated, clean, and cozy. I looked out a window and it was dark, how long was I out for?

"You were out for six hours, its 10pm" Cassie informed me. "The concoction you were given was created for our kind in their other form, so we have no idea how your coherent or up."

"What do you mean by our kind and our other form?" I asked her skeptically.

She pointed at my food and I sighed, a deals a deal. I picked up the fork and took a mouth full waving my hand at them to continue.

"Alright your father sent Hudson to speak to you, but he won't be here until tomorrow, but after today's events we got the go ahead to tell you if you woke up before that." Adam looked wearily at me as I waved him on to continue.

"So earlier today I told you Cassie is my mate and Alice is Max's mate. The reason why we have mates and get all animal like around them is because we kind of are animals... and not just any animals but wolves." he fumbled for his words and was watching my reaction very closely.

"So your saying Hope and I are werewolves and somehow have gone through life this far without knowing it or being effected by the full moon?" I asked him in a mocking tone.

"No it doesn't work that way. So Adam and I are full werewolves, both our parents were werewolves. Your father is a werewolf, but your mother wasn't. If you were raised in the pack knowing you were a werewolf you would have been taught how to shift to a wolf when you came of age, but since you didn't the changes started to take place when you met your mate." Cassie took over explaining. Speaking gently and calmly trying to soften the blow.

"So what does that make Hope and am I going to shift and howl at the next full moon?"

"Come on man just drop the whole full moon thing. We can shift anywhere, anytime." Adam sighed pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Annd this is why Hudson does this not us!" Cassie snapped at Adam.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself before looking at me, "Hope is human and she is your mate. The fact that you marked each other before you shifted and that a human has such strong feelings for you is remarkable."

"And why is that remarkable?"

"Well half werewolves usually mate with full werewolves, we don't know why. And full werewolves only mark their human mates if they are going to turn them into a werewolf. A lot of werewolves won't mark their human mates though, because they aren't guaranteed to survive." Cassie tried to explain.

"Don't worry you can't turn any humans until you shift into a wolf, becoming a full werewolf." Adam jumped in seeing my concern. "Its just crazy to see a half werewolf have a bond that strong before he's shifted and I've never heard of a human marking a werewolf."

I looked at the two or them like they were crazy. On the phone my dad didn't say much just asked if I was losing control to lust with Hope, or losing control to protect her or out of jealousy, about being stronger and hungrier. When I said yes to all of the above he said he'd send out Hudson to explain everything to me. He also warned me to control my lust and stay in control because I might hurt Hope.

The bastard didn't explain why he wasn't coming, where he'd been my whole life, or what the f**k was going on with me. I didn't expect to be joining a wolf pack.

"Look I'm having a hard time believing all of this, but all I know is I need to go and start looking for Hope" I told them while pushing my chair back.

I stood up, still feeling weak and started walking to the door. Adam and Cassie watched me in shock that I was walking on my own.

"Is my car here? Where's my keys?"

"Alright I'll shift for you and if you still don't believe us and want to go you can" Adam said to me as he walked past me and went outside.

I slowly followed and saw Adam standing on the lawn but naked, he turned his head to make sure I was watching. I started to hear snapping and popping sounds and I realized it was coming from him as I watched his skin rip away from his body as it changed form.

In five seconds I was staring at a giant wolf as it shook the blood and guts of its previous form off its fur.

"What in the actual f**k?" I stared in disbelief, grabbing the door frame for support.

Cassie calmly walked over to the thing that just exploded out of Adam. The wolfs shoulder blades almost came past her head. It was easily three or five times bigger than any natural wolf. She gently wrapped her fingers through the thick grey fur, making the giant lean into her lovingly.

"So thats what we call shifting. Adam is in complete control right now, but that takes practice. When you've been losing control its because your wolf wants to come out."

"Still want your keys?" Max asked from the porch swing he was sitting on, "or do you believe we know what the f**k were talking about?"

I stared at Max in disbelief then back to the wolf and Cassie. My head felt like it was going to explode from all this information and whatever was in that cocktail. My vision started to go in and out making me grab the door frame harder for support. Max ran to me putting my arm over his shoulder and walking me back to bed.

"Alright big guy, let's get ya laying down again" Max half ignored me as I weakly tried to walk on my own.

Once in bed he grabbed my Gatorade off the table and passed it to me with a quizzical and concerned look.

"How the f**k are you even awake right now? That tranq was designed to knock us out in wolf form... Most people are out cold for at least twelve hours and bed rest for days. You got it before shifting and your not even a full werewolf "

I just shrugged and chugged back my drink. I felt completely drained and everything was aort of spinning.

Adam walked into the room, dressed and did not look like he was a wolf a few minutes ago. Cassie tailing behind him, holding his hand.

"Well?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

"f*****g seeing is believing" I shook my head before meeting his gaze. "You gave a tranq meant for a giant f*****g wolf? Did you even know if I'd ever wake up?!" I growled at him.

"Yes we knew you would wake up, but we expected you'd be in a coma for a week. I didn't have a choice, if you shifted there, you could have killed innocent people and exposed our kind." Adam explained.

"I don't even know how to shift so I think that was over kill and now you made me lose hours on looking for Hope." I hissed at him pissed off with this whole situation.

"Usually someone like Hudson teaches newborns or half werewolves how to control their shift back and forth and how to control their wolf, but that doesn't mean you can't shift on instinct. When I gave you the needle you were already starting to shift."

Was that why my bones felt like they were shattering?

"If you would have shifted in that state of mind there's a good chance you wouldn't shift back either." Cassie softly told me. "And you didn't lose time looking for Hope, David contacted anyone you would have, we involved the cops, and when we found the abandoned car with Alice and Hopes scent all over it leading to the water."

"Your mate isn't the only one missing. If there was more to do, I wouldn't be here" Max reminded me and I nodded at him.

"Unless you were ordered to stay" Adam told him, making Max lower his head and me furrow my brows.

"We have a chain of command and we are sort of hard wired to obey. Our human side might disagree or try to fight an order but our wolf side physically can't." Cassie told me and looked at me concerned.

"Okay Gabriel, you really need some rest. There's nothing more any us can do tonight for the girls and Hudson will be here tomorrow to do a much better job at answering your questions." I shook my head at her words.

"I can't sleep until I know where Hope is" I weakly told them.

"Dude you look like s**t and if we did get news in the next few hours you'd be useless to us in this state" Max frowned down at me. "Look I'm worried sick about Alice but I can feel that she isn't in pain or dead. Plus I know she's smart and strong, she'll wait for an opportunity to shift and escape with Hope."

I sighed he was right, even if I did get news of Hope right now I wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

"Fine, but wake me if there's any updates" all three of them nodded and left my room, turning off the light and closing the door behind them.