Chapter 68

Shirley

Everything happens so fast. One moment, I’m standing within Keith’s living room, swallowing down terror as we all soak in the truth. But then the next, I’m in Keith’s car, silent as he speeds through the town.

We’re headed to Ralph’s, ready to confront and capture him after everything we’ve finally confirmed. I can tell Keith is pent up with rage, but he’s keeping himself collected despite going ten above the speed limit.

Due to Keith’s swift driving, we reach Ralph’s home in no time, believing he’s inside as he wasn’t reported at any of his other usual locations. Parking, I’m a step behind Keith as he jumps out and leads the way to the door.

Maybe it was foolish to think our crew would merely ring the doorbell or be civil, which causes my eyes to widen as Keith immediately starts slamming against the front door with powerful kicks. Sure enough, within a few tries, the door gives with a crash.

Keith and the other men file in like a Swat team, storming into the house as they’re already searching for Ralph. I’m slower as I follow in behind them, stepping into the home for the first time since Jean and I had made our escape.

It still looks the same - obvious spaces laying bare from where Jean removed pictures, decorations, furniture. I take it all in as commotion continues around me, keeping my other senses high so I can note when they find him.

However, they never do.

“He’s gone,” a wolf calls as he comes down the stairs, gaining everyone’s attention. “His clothes and valuables are missing.”

“Damn,” Keith says as he appears, anything but pleased. “Someone must have tipped him off.”

We all look to him as he’s lost in thought, waiting for orders on how to proceed. Eventually, Keith manages to look up, giving everyone a swift nod.

“Keep searching the house for anything left behind,” Keith says. “Look for anything that ties Ralph to the crimes.”

Nodding in understanding, everyone jumps to follow the new order. They slither off to various rooms once more, searching high and low for anything worthwhile.

I join them, walking down the hall as I try to find a spot of my own. However, it’s hard to know where to start as most of the wolves have everything covered.

Only, as I stop outside one closed door, I get the idea to check the room - even if I assume it’s still empty. Quietly, my hand reaches for the knob, twisting it before I push it open.

I’m left standing in the doorway of what used to be Jean’s personal room. However, her belongings are long gone, though I had been mistaken before - the room is not bare.

Instead, it appears Ralph has made use of the space, a desk now pulled within and a worn chair placed behind it. Meanwhile, pages lay scattered all over and a dim lamp remains on.

Looking toward the papers, I cross to the desk, my fingertips sliding over the documents. It’s mostly rubbish - bank notes and random lists that mean nothing. However, I make sure to look through it all as I go from one side of the desk to the other.

When I still don’t find anything, I take to the drawers, pulling one open to discover it’s empty. Only, when I check the next one, there’s a file sitting inside. I pull it out, putting it on top of the desk as I sweep it open.

And then my eyes grow wide.

“Keith!” I call out, staring down at a photo of Gwen - her information listed below it. When I turn the page, I find notes about her usual whereabouts and then a date added at the bottom. The date she’d gone missing.

“Keith!” I try again, but this time my call doesn’t go unanswered as the Alpha suddenly appears in the doorway.

“What is it?” he asks me, but I don’t reply. Instead, I nod him toward me, too scared to speak as I invite him to come see for himself.

He follows my request, coming to join me. His eyes are down on the file already, scanning the pages as I flip through them.

Picture after picture, all the women who have disappeared are laid out before us. However, we soon pass through them, discovering another collection of documents in the back. These ones don’t have dates of disappearances added, but rather include written plans of when the strike will happen.

I recognize some of them, remembering their faces from grocery stores, bars, or the streets. However, it’s the face on the last page that I recognize most.

I lurch backward, gasping as I see my photo, bile meeting my throat so viciously that I can hardly swallow the burn. Meanwhile, Keith steps closer to the desk, taking my pages in his hands. He’s shaking again, and I’m sure that I am too.

Me. They were planning to take me.

“It was him,” Keith practically whispers, hate dripping from his quiet voice.

“What?” I bring myself to ask, almost breathless.

Once more, Keith’s hands clench, making the papers crumble more as his eyes still read them over.

“The dead rabbits, the fire at the Tudor,” he tells me, adding to my mortification. “It was all him. He was trying to scare you, draw you out.”

I shudder. I feel nauseous as I picture those bloodied rabbits and roaring flames. I’d considered Ralph was behind them - but just like Keith - I led myself to believe that he wasn’t capable of such things. I’d been a fool.

And I could have been taken because of it.

I’m still trying to catch my breath as I consider it all, my body fighting between burning with discomfort or merely becoming numb. And Keith seems to notice my struggle, causing him to soon drop the pages and step toward me.

“Shirley,” he begins, his hand touching my waist. I know he’s trying to console me, comfort me. But slowly, I can feel my mind slipping away from worrying about my own well being.

After all, I’m here. I’m safe. I was fortunate. Those other women - Gwen included - were not.

“We need to find them,” I say, stepping out of Keith’s touch as I go to grab the file again. I hold it up as if I’m able to hold each of those women’s hands, squeezing them gently with reassurance that everything will be okay.

“We have to, Keith,” I say, turning back to him desperately. “Gwen…all of them. We need to make sure they come back home safely.”

Keith stares at me for a moment, his eyes flickering as he registers my panicked gaze. And then he nods.

“We will,” he says gently, as if those two words are the world’s greatest promise. “We’ll find them.”

I swallow, lowering the file before I bring it toward me so I hug it against my chest.

“We have leads now,” Keith tells me. “We can use what we have to gain more info. And we’ll bring them back.”

I soak in his words, let them burn against my skin as I study his features. And when I’m absolutely certain he’s telling the truth, I nod.

“Bring them home.”

~

Once more, I’m left waiting. I have no idea where Keith and the others have gone, but I know they’re investigating the leads that Keith mentioned that afternoon. I’m restless once again, my heart hammering in my chest as I reside in Keith’s kitchen this time.

Only, Ruth is now with me. She’d caught wind of what happened and expressed her own horror at the news of Ralph’s deceit and the disappearances. She’d voiced that she wanted to wait with me and I’d assumed she was likely going to bake her anxieties away. Instead, we’re both seated at the dining table, our shoulders help tight as we wait.

I can’t even bring myself to picture what could be happening. I fear for the women involved, the pack, and especially…Keith.

As always, I know he’s capable. I’d seen perfect examples of that today as he’s tortured Jax or kicked down Ralph’s door with little effort. But even Keith can’t always expect the unexpected - anything could happen.

I can tell Ruth is also worried about her son - and her husband. Arthur had insisted on going with Keith and the others when he’d learned the news, which likely only makes Ruth’s concern a million times worse than mine.

“They’ll be fine,” I whisper then, for both Ruth and my sake. However, the words fled from my mouth when I saw the way her hands began to tremble.

Upon my comment, Ruth looks over at me, her eyes sad and scared as we stare at one another. Only, she’s soon sliding her trembling hands to mine, holding me as she nods.

“They’ll be okay,” she states right back, as if I need to hear the words too.

And maybe I do. Her reassurance makes me breath, notice the pain in my chest from a heavy heart.

But then my heart is leaping, both our heads snapping to the side as we hear the front door open. Together, we stand, rushing toward the front hall as steps enter, but only two sets rather than dozens.

Reaching the hall, Ruth lets out a cry as she spots the two men standing there, beyond herself to see they’re okay. Meanwhile, I stay behind, my expression blank though I feel my body buzzing as I stare at the Alpha and his father.

Arthur hugs Ruth first, holding her tight before she can move on to squeeze Keith next. However, as Keith reciprocates her hug, his eyes slide up, finding mine as he wears my same smooth expression.

I watch as he murmurs something in his mother’s ear, causing them both to release one another. Ruth immediately goes back to Arhur, sharing quiet and swift words. But that’s not my concern.

My concern is Keith. He’s coming closer, walking down the hall to me as his eyes still haven’t left mine. Finally, he comes to a stop in front of me, my lips struggling not to tremble as I stare up at him.

Even without words, Keith knows what I’m trying to ask.

“It’s over,” he says gently, his hand coming up to brush my cheek.

Those are the only words I need to hear. I’m already closing that final step between us, throwing my arms around Keith as I press every part of my body into him. I bury myself in his neck, feel his warm and strong arms come to wrap around me.

And then I breathe, taking in his scent as he draws out two last words.

“They’re safe.”