Pulling into her parking lot, Annie didn’t see the vehicle coming. It hit hard and fast, and the car door caved in on her side as her small Volvo spun around in her lot. When the air bag deployed, she heard the explosion of air along with the sound of screeching tires and breaking glass.
Her head flew toward the door and then bounced sideways like a whip. The momentum of the vehicle had her careening to the side and back as she hit the parked truck beside her. Her head smashed into the window and she felt just a few seconds of blinding pain before everything went blissfully black.
* * *
Bill was prepping the salad for that evening’s dinner when his iPhone started to ring. He didn’t recognize the number, but answered it anyway and was glad he did.
A nurse from Bayfront Regional Hospital quickly informed him that Annie had been in a car accident. Without hesitation, he quickly locked up and rushed out the door.
The nurse had said she was okay although she had been unconscious when she arrived. When she woke up, she gave the nurse his phone number as the person to contact. As he rushed towards the hospital, he realized how precious this woman was to him. He was glad she was awake, but he hadn’t taken the time to ask any questions and prayed she wasn’t hurt badly.
The moment after he got to the hospital and parked in the emergency parking, he was out the door and heading past the sliding glass doors. “I’m here to see Annie Ostipwko.” He spelled the difficult last name for her.
The nurse took a few moments to tap on her computer and looking up she told him to go through the doors and he would find her in bay three.
The moment the buzzer sounded on the security door, he pulled the handle and rushed in. He saw her right away and relief swept through him. She was sitting up on her hospital bed with a small bandage over her left eye. She was also talking to two police officers when he entered the room. Quickly he made his way to her side. “What happened?”
“I was just telling the police officers that I was pulling into the parking lot of my condominium when out of the blue someone T-boned me.”
“Are you okay?” he asked, still concerned there might be something he wasn’t seeing.
A nurse who was also standing in the room answered for her. “Yes, she’s fine now. Lucky, but fine. We did a CT scan and she does have a slight concussion. A few cuts from the broken glass and three small stitches on her forehead.”
One of the police officers spoke next. “The vehicle didn’t stop although there had to be severe damage. Luckily the condominium complex had cameras in the parking lot and we were able to get a partial ID of the driver’s license plate.” He showed Bill and Annie a grainy image from his phone.
“We’re running the plate now. But we were wondering if you recognized the passenger in the other vehicle.” Annie looked at the photo and shook her head. The woman with long hair was unfamiliar to her.
Bill glanced at the photograph and his blood ran cold. He recognized the woman. It was Danielle, and that could only mean one thing. She had followed him to Florida determined to get him to go along with her crazy plan. He had hoped she would have given up on her idea of forming a triad to lead the pack. Though he couldn’t see the driver of the vehicle, his heart sank to think that Dwayne might have driven the car that hit his life mate. Dwayne had been his best friend, had planned to marry his sister.
He didn’t know if he should tell the police what he knew. But because of his background, he thought he should handle this in-house. He would have to take Annie with him to Cazenovia and present her to the pack. Darryl would have to deal with Danielle, and Dwayne.
He wondered what to do. They might be able to identify her from the partial license plate, and so it might be a moot point. But he would try to keep it under wraps and bring this to the pack first.
“No, I don’t recognize it either,” he lied. “But could you send that image to my phone so that we can keep a lookout in case she comes around again?”
“Sure,” the officer stated. “Let me have your number and I’ll send it to you.” Bill rattled off his phone number while the policeman typed it in. He sent it and then turned back to Annie. “Is there someone who might be out to harm you? From the video this looked deliberate.”
“I don’t think so,” Annie stated and looked up at Bill with a blank expression on her face. She’d never done anything to anyone to provoke this kind of malicious attack. In a moment she knew that something was wrong. Bill wasn’t looking at her. Her spine tingled. What was he not saying, she wondered.
Annie didn’t let on to the police officers though the expression on Bill’s face was grim.
Luckily, the police made their departure after handing her a card and asking her to call them if she remembered anything else. She promised to do so.
Bill was speaking to the nurse. “Is she staying overnight?”
“No. She can go home this evening. Just be sure to keep an eye on her. Her discharge papers should be ready soon. And I’ll give you a prescription to fill for her, as well as those discharge instructions in just a few minutes.”
Bill was relieved to hear that. He would better be able to keep an eye on her if she were with him.
The moment the door closed behind the departing nurse, Annie pounced.
“Who was that in the photograph? I know you recognized the woman.”
Bill nodded solemnly. “It’s Danielle.”
Holy shit. His ex-girlfriend had tried to kill her. “Why?” she asked, demanding an answer. In that moment, she was too angry to feel scared.
“She wants me back, still, and she also wants Dwayne.”
“Both of you? I don’t understand. Like polygamy?”
He shook his head in the negative. “In our pack and in many packs, sometimes the leader can be a triad. A triad is made up of an alpha, an omega, and a female wolf. The men in the relationship share the female and make love to her, at the same time, sometimes apart, but the three lead together. And that’s what she wants.”
Annie was having a hard time wrapping her head around that. But one thing was for sure, and that was Bill. He was hers. “Well, she can’t have you. You’re mine,” Annie stated adamantly. “So, what are we going to do about this? Why didn’t you tell the police?”
“Because we are shifters, we need to handle this within the pack. If she is caught by the authorities, she may reveal our secret. I’m going to have to go back to Cazenovia. I’ll need to report this to the Alpha. To Darryl. Only he can stand in judgment over her. The pack will follow his command.”
“But won’t he protect his son?”
“He’s always been just and fair.” He had always respected Darryl. The man was strong and wise, but Bill just did not know how he would deal with this situation. For two and a half years, Danielle had sunk her paws into Dwayne. He just hoped now that she had done something so reckless, Darryl would have to intervene. For the good of the pack, he must; Dwayne’s alpha image be damned.
“Well, I’m going with you. When do we leave?” Annie announced. She wasn’t about to be left alone. And she wanted to confront the woman who attempted to kill her.
Bill was relieved that he wouldn’t have to convince her. She needed to meet the pack and tell her side of the story before Darryl would pronounce judgement. With his father and mother by his side, they could keep her safe. “In a couple of days, but until then you’re staying with me. We will run over to your apartment, get Buddy, and some things for the trip. I don’t want you out of my sight.” The fear and adrenaline finally began to subside as he pulled Annie off of the gurney and held her.
He wouldn’t risk his life mate by leaving her behind. But he also hoped he wasn’t putting her in dire straits by bringing her into the wolf’s lair, either. His heart beat a rapid tattoo as he felt her arms encircle him. She was too precious to lose.