The Designated Mate novel Chapter 79

"It appears that it does. Well, you see, he came to me with some rather helpful information just yesterday morning. Can you believe that? How convenient, isn't it? I don't think the timing could've been more perfect. He told me all about your mating with my nephew. To be quite frank, I don't give a fuck about that. What I do give a fuck about, however, is how wonderfully you're going to work in forcing my nephew to finally show his face to me after all this time I've wasted chasing after him," he sneered. "Now, I think it's time to make a few introductions, shall we? Boys, throw the other bitch across the borderline. Let her run and tattle about what's happened to her precious best friend," he chuckled before dragging my body in what I thought was an unknown direction.

I cried out as his grip on me grew harsher with each step towards what I realized was the pack prison. I tried digging my feet into the dirt to slow his pace, but he was so much stronger than me. Tears welled up in my eyes as I got to witness first-hand just how dandy Travis's little prison system was. I squirmed in Alpha Carmichael's hold as he carried me through the maze of hallways and down the flight of stairs to the basement level as if I weighed nothing.

"Oh, brother dearest!" He shouted with amusement as we reached the end of the rows of cells. "I have a special delivery for you!"

I watched as one of his men stepped forward and pressed a few buttons on the electronic panel. Seconds later, the high-tech door slid open with a whir of air. Alpha Carmichael threw me into the small space before slapping his hand over the controls. I felt my last sliver of hope shrivel up and die as the door slid shut and locked with a loud clunk.

"This is just temporary, sweetheart. I'll be back once I've dealt with things," he taunted, clearly referring to Knox. "Then you and I can have lots of fun," he suggested with a joyful laugh. The way he was carrying himself, even as he spoke about the most horrific things, had me convinced that he was totally, absolutely, completely batshit crazy. "For now, have fun with your in-laws," he snarled. I examined the metal bars in front of me as he walked away, quickly determining that they weren't made of silver to my surprise. I grasped them tightly and pressed my face against them as I watched his retreating back.

My tears came fast and furious as my heart ached for Knox. I knew for a fact he would be losing his mind right now, probably sick with worry. I should've already been across the border, in the getaway car, contacting him with reassurances that I was safe and enroute towards home. Even worse was the fact that something about this building made it impossible for me to try and mind-link him. I said a silent prayer that he would channel the anger I knew was imminent from my absence towards taking his screwed up uncle out once and for all, not the other way around.

I sagged against the cold metal, trying to get myself to stop crying but coming out utterly unsuccessful.

"Hello?" A scratchy voice echoed, bouncing off the bare walls. I shot up to my knees, staring into the cell across from my own. With the position of the lights, only the front half of all the cells were lit up so my heart leaped in my chest at having company.

I nodded. "I-I'm his m-mate," I hiccuped out, finally pulling my hair away from my mark for the first time since Grace and I stepped over the border. Wanting to further prove the fact, I channeled my wolf long enough to overpower the scent-masker I was coated in; it didn't matter what I smelled like now, Grace and I had already been caught red-handed. My scent enveloped my body, though I could barely catch even a hint of my own as Knox's was so heavy it nearly drowned mine out. I brushed off the odd potency, pegging it down to being all in my head - after all, I hadn't been able to scent myself for almost twenty-four hours.

As Knox and I's conjoined scent permeated the room, I heard a feminine voice cry out. There was more shuffling in the cell before a small, worn down woman came to kneel next to the man. Knox's mother and father.

"All this time I thought we were crazy whenever I was convinced I'd caught a hint of his scent," she cried, grasping onto her mate's arm and holding tight. I found myself becoming worked up once again. They never stopped looking for him, either. I couldn't help the soft, short laugh that escaped through the thick lump of emotion in my throat. I couldn't figure out how it was possible that they were all three looking so adamantly for each other, but still managed to evade one another for such a long time.