The One The Whole Town Abandoned

Chapter 17 Shopping Suprise

Ashleigh's POV

The four of us decide to just walk. It's easier that way in this town, with it being so small and everything is so close by. So I lock the door behind us as we start our walk down the street. I hold Aurora's hand as she holds Stefanie's as well. We swing Aurora above the ground between us, back and forth as she laughs so loudly... Stef and I have been trying to make small talk with Pauly to make sure he doesn't feel out of place here with us since he is helping us out.

We get to the store, walk around, and throw everything we would need into the cart. After traveling through each aisle, and all around the store, I think we get everything that we need. So we casually headed up to the counter to check out. The cashier scans everything as he puts it all away into bags for us. I go for my wallet to pay as I can tell Pauly is reaching over me. I glance up to see he is handing a card to the cashier paying for our stuff.

"Pauly, what are you doing? You're not going to pay for my groceries." I say to him as if it's just obvious.. giving him a look that shows he is weird for doing this. "The.. boss gave me a card and told me to not let you pay for anything ma'am." He responds so formally. I look at him as the cashier runs the card and then hands it back.

"Well, then I guess I'm going to have to have a talk with Mr.Boss-man about paying for my stuff then," I say back to him as he smiles, letting out a chuckle. I grab the receipt from the cashier as we grab the bags out of the cart before heading back. We leave the store and he is still smiling. So since I'm curious, I decide to ask, "What's so funny?" He clears his throat and says, "I'm sorry if I came off as disrespectful Luna, I just thought it was funny because what you said is almost exactly what Alpha Dominic told me you would say. It was just funny to me."

"So when did he hand you his card and tell you this? because I never heard him tell you any of this." I ask him, confused about when this could have happened without my knowledge.

"Oh um.. ya wolves have what's called mind link. We can talk to anyone in our pack through our minds. He just told me in the mind link right before he left, handing his card to me swiftly and nonchalantly." Pauly explains to me as I smile and nod. "Of course he did," I say still smiling and shaking my head.

We get back to our place and I step forward to unlock the door for everyone. I grab the doorknob and notice it's unlocked.. that's not right. I know I locked the door... I turn around looking at the three of them before I say, "stay out here please."

"What is it, Luna?" Pauly asks instantly. "I know I locked the door and it's not locked. please just stay here with my baby." I say to Pauly as he shakes his head at me. "No Luna I will protect you all if need be, I promised the Alpha just that. So I will go in first, you stay here," he says to me, as I shake my head at him. He decides to go in anyway, putting his hand up for us to stay as he stays quiet. He opens the door slowly creeping in.

I can almost instantly hear him yelling at someone, "Why are you here? This is not your place of residence. You need to go now before we have a big problem." I still haven't looked inside at all because I'm honestly afraid to see who would be in there.

"What do you mean you're not going anywhere?! You need to leave now, you have no idea who you are messing with if you stay here." He yells back but I can't hear what the other person is saying, I just hear mumbling. We then hear a gunshot go off scaring the hell out of us. I push the door open and my heart drops at what I see.

It's the man I have been dreading seeing. The man who took away the one thing precious to me. I just can't let him have my baby. She is mine. Aurora is holding onto my leg as Mr.Stevens and I stare at each other. He has a huge mischievous grin on his face staring at me. I think he finally notices Aurora as he says, "Hey little lady, what's your name? Can you come here?"

I can feel her arms still around me, but it feels like her grip is loosening on me. I wrap my arm around her and tell her, "No baby you don't go to that man.. he is a bad man, stay with auntie Stef." I push Aurora behind me and towards Stefanie.

"Stef take her and go. Do not let her go." I say this to her without breaking eye contact with him. "But Ash I'm not leaving you with this man," Stefanie says to me as she still holds onto Aurora. "Stef he has a gun.. take Aurora and go. We both know why he is here.. so take care of her please." I beg as I look at her with tears in my eyes... We both know what this probably means.

"Yea Stef, I have just missed Ashleigh so much and need her in my life. But.. We could always bring your baby girl with us, my love. She is just as beautiful as you. how old is she?" He says this of me, still smirking as I instantly snap back at him.

"She is not your concern and none of your f*#king business..." I turned to Aurora and bend down so we are face to face, "Aurora baby, you know you are everything to me. So I need to leave now to make sure you are kept safe.. just know I love you so much, with all my heart and I will never stop thinking about you and loving you... ever. You need to go with auntie Stef and be the good girl that I know you are. ok? I love you so much, baby. Don't ever forget that." I stand up, looking at Stefanie as I say to her, "Please take care of her I can't trust anyone else, and know she is being taken care of. Please Stef, please love her with all your heart and remind her every single day how much I love her." I can feel the tears falling from my eyes at this point as she starts to shake her head at me.

"No Ash, you can't sacrifice yourself to this monster for us. No, I won't let you!" Stef says sounding so mad, but I know it's just because she loves me. "I have to Stef I won't let him have her.. you have to take care of her, please just go before something bad happens. Please." I say again and now we are both crying.

"So can we just get this show on the road or do I need to take her with us? because like I said, I can bring your beautiful baby girl with me too, that would make my life a whole lot easier to get you to not fight me." he says from behind me as I suck a big breath in than letting it out, "You will never touch her or have her she is not yours. You touch her and I will murder you." I say back to him with so much spite in my voice.

"Go Stef just go!" I say pushing the girls away as they are crying. I can hear my baby Aurora calling my name and begging me to come with her and all I can do is cry, seeing them walk away. I look forward, making eye contact with the demon that's plagued my nightmares for so many years. He is waving a gun with the smug smirk on his face knowing he won this.

Dominic's POV

I get back to the pack territory as my Beta and Gamma meet up with me in my room. Wesley my Gamma has brought his laptop to my room. We have set everything up to do some research on the phone I found. I hand Wes the phone as he checks it out trying to open it but of course, it's locked. He plays around with it for a little bit as I try to concentrate on anything but Ash.

Something doesn't feel right... I don't like being away from Ashleigh and Aurora.

Miles says to me sounding so concerned.

You just don't like being away from her, but we have to try to take care of this and hopefully figure out what girl they are trying to get rid of so we can get this done and over with.

I retort back to him as he huffed back at me before responding.

No Dom, it's not that. I don't know what it is, but something is not right.. so hurry up already so we can get back to her.

I scoff at this as I turned back to the guys.

"Is everything alright man?" Nate asks standing next to me as we watched Wes trying to get into the phone. "Honestly, Miles is feeling antsy and wants to be back with the girls but I told him we have to figure this out first so we can just take her with us. To make sure they are safe with me, by my side, where they should be." I say to him as he smiles at me.

"I'm happy for you man. I can't wait to find my mate.. especially after seeing you with yours." Nate says to me, sounding a little sad.

I pat his shoulder in reassurance saying, "You will find her man. You saw how long it took me to get her." He nods back as we hear Wes saying, "Ok guys I'm in.. but it looks pretty cleaned out. I'm sure this is not a personal phone just used for business but it's probably cleared for situations such as this.. but I know a couple of tricks that hopefully he doesn't know." He keeps typing and typing and we wait with anticipation.

"Here we go... Oh... Um... Dom, you need to see this. The last messages are about Luna..." Wes says to me. "Yes that's what I figured because we have suspected her the whole time.. what do they say?" I say back to him as if it's obvious. "No your not understanding, this is about Ashleigh OUR LUNA," he says back to me as I walk to his side with so much haste.

"These are the last messages about her.." He says to me turning the laptop to face me. I see a picture of Ashleigh and Aurora from afar, so I start to read the messages.

-Unknown number: This is her. We need to take care of her. She works at the bar 4 days out the week. Thursday through Sunday, all nights, and always walks home alone. I need her gone as soon as possible.

-This phone's response: We will need more compensation if it's a two-for-one deal. Do you want us to exterminate them or just sell them?

-Unknown number: I don't care. Just get rid of her.

-This phone: OK we will get rid of both then, as soon as we can, but we need access to the lands.

-Unknown number: Of course, you will have access.

----- 1 day later-----

-Unknown number: She is an Alpha's mate, so she is becoming a problem now. You need to get rid of her.. now.

-This phone's response: We will take care of her and the Alpha for double the promised amount.

-Unknown number: Fine! just take care of her!

-Unknown number: Did you take care of them?

- Unknown number: Are they gone?

"That's where the messages end and we are assuming that's when you killed the rogues."

But I'm so confused about what Ashleigh has to do with any of this.

"That makes no sense. Why would they care about Ashleigh? She didn't even know werewolves existed until last night, so what would she have to do with their pack, did you notice that he asked if he should kill her or sell her.. that means there is some sort of trafficking going on here."

I'm completely confused about all of this. The guys are shrugging at me just as confused as I am. "Well, let me run this number and see if we can get any hits on it," Wes says to me as he continues typing on his computer. He keeps typing and typing when I hear my phone ringing. I look at it to see it's Stefanie's number.

"Stef what's up?" I ask casually as I hear screaming and crying. Aurora is yelling mommy is in the background crying. "Stef what's going on?!"I yell into the phone. "Dom! Dom! He is here!" Stef yells into the phone hysterically. "Who is there?" I ask.

"Mr. Steven's the teacher that raped her! He shot your guard! He tried to take Ash and Aurora, but Ashleigh said no and sent me away with Aurora! He is going to take her! Dom, you have to get her!" Stef yells into the phone.

"Stef I'll be there! Stay close by and I'll send my Beta to come to get you and Aurora!" I say back hanging up the phone. I strip down as I look at the guys saying, "Wes, keep the research going, we need to know who is behind this, and Nate, you grab an escalade and bring it to Ashleigh's address. The girls should be around there. Get them, take them and protect them. I have to get to my Luna. They are trying to take her away! I have to go now!"I yell this as I shift and Nate opens my bedroom window for me as I jump out and bolt to save my lady.

I run with so much haste through the territory, jumping over rocks, and weaving around trees, moving so swiftly across the land.

I make it to her apartment in no time at all. I see Stefanie holding Aurora under the window that I lay under with Ashleigh the other night.

"Daddy!" Aurora tells as she cries more. "Miles! She is inside save her!" Stefanie yells as she holds Aurora tighter into her hold. not letting her run to her mother like she is trying to do. I nod running to the side but slowing down as I get closer to the front door. I smell around and I can smell blood. I hear something from behind me and I see Nate getting to the girls trying to calm them down.

I peek into the room. I hear Ashleigh spitefully talking to this guy, "You can't have her. She is mine and none of your f*#king business. You can have me but you can't have her.. if you touch my baby I will murder you!"

"Oooo feisty now are we? This should be fun now... but your baby. She is just as beautiful as you. Man, you have gotten more beautiful the older you got Ash... I can't wait to have you again to myself. But I think I'm going to take Stef and what did you say her name was? Aurora? I'll pay extra for that package deal for sure." The guy says, but I can't see his face because his back is turned to me.. but he somehow is familiar to me.

I creep into the room and neither one of them has noticed me yet. "Don't you f*#king touch me you disgusting piece of sh*t!" Ashleigh spats as she tries to knee him. I see one hand quickly go to her throat holding her against the wall. She swipes across at him as he touches up the outside of her thigh underneath her dress.

"I can touch whatever I want. I paid for you! You're mine!" The guy snaps back at her. "I'm not yours! I don't care what you paid. I'm not for sale! I'm a human being!" She yells back as she struggles in his hold. "Everyone has a price and we will say I paid off your parent's debt and got you in return. You're mine and I will have you." the guy says back to her as his hand trails higher and I can't hold back the deep growl that comes out of my mouth, getting their attention.

"Miles! He has a gun be careful!" Ashleigh yells at me as I creep up behind him, blocking the only exit for him to leave with her.

I jump and shift instantly behind him, grabbing him by the back of the neck and throwing him back through the front room window as he flies outside. I grab Ashleigh, pulling her to me as she cries into my chest. She breaks our hug to run to the side. I see it's Pauly, he was shot in the shoulder and knocked out by the lamp that fell over on top of him.

Ashleigh is scrambling to get the lamp off of him. "Ash baby we can take him to the doctor, those wounds are not fatal, he will be fine he is just knocked out." I grab her hand, lifting her off the floor and leading her across the front room. I shift back into Miles. As I look outside, I see all the broken glass but no guy. Ashleigh is right behind me peeking her head out. "Mommy!" is all we hear as Aurora runs towards us, with Stefanie swiping to try to stop her, but this girl is just too fast. But before we even know what's happening, the guy comes off of the roof, jumping to the ground and grabbing her. He puts the gun to Aurora's head as I hear Ashleigh gasp. "No not my baby, please not my baby!"

I see Stefanie fighting Nate trying to get to Aurora. But Nate is holding her back against the wall for her safety as she yells for Aurora. "Oh Ashy, don't make a move or I will shoot her. I want you and only you.. so you will know where to find me to get your baby back... Alone." He states backing away as I see Ashleigh crying hysterically before she collapses onto the ground. I held her to me as she cried into my chest, saying over again on repeat, "Not my baby, not my baby.. why her? She did nothing wrong."

"We will get her back," I say to try to console her thoughts, Stefanie runs up to Ash as they hold each other crying about the situation.

"Stefanie, why didn't you go when I told you to go? Why couldn't you just leave me?! I needed you both safe!" Ashleigh yells and cries as Stefanie holds her saying back, "I couldn't let him torture you again. I couldn't let him do that to you... I'm so sorry he took Aurora and it's all my fault. I'm so sorry, but I couldn't leave you with that monster Phoenix!"

"No, it's not your fault and I'm sorry for getting mad... it's not your fault Stef, no matter what happens it's not your fault. I know what he wants from me and I'll give it to him to get her out." Ashleigh says with a look of determination on her face.