Chapter 144: Kidnapped
Olivia’s POV
I woke up with a pounding headache and a foggy mind. Darkness surrounded me, and as I tried to move, I realized my hands were tied behind my back—my legs, too. Panic surged through me. I opened my mouth to scream, but something was shoved between my lips, turning my cry into a muffled, useless sound.
The surface under me was hard, shifting as if I were inside a moving car. And then realization hit me! I was in the trunk of a vehicle. My heart raced as I heard soft crying next to me. Turning as much as I could, I saw three other girls tied up like me. Their scared eyes locked with mine, and I knew they were just as frightened as I was.
I struggled against the ropes, but they held fast. My mind raced, trying to piece together what had happened. I remembered the guards, the cloth pressed to my nose... that sweet scent—and then... nothing. Damn it. I’d been kidnapped.
The car hit a bump, jolting all of us. One of the girls whimpered, looking at me like I might somehow save us. But I couldn’t. I was just as helpless. I didn’t even know how I’d ended up here.
Suddenly, the car stopped, and I heard footsteps outside. Before I could process it, the trunk flew open, flooding the dark space with bright sunlight. I blinked, trying to adjust, but before I could react, four large men began pulling us out. I struggled, trying to break free, but a sharp slap across my face made me freeze.
"If you try that again, I’ll make you regret it," one of the men growled, his voice sending chills down my spine.
We were dragged inside a building, pulled through a large room, and then up some stairs. The men shoved us into a small room, and I hit the cold floor hard. Wincing, I looked up and realized there were other girls here too, their eyes empty, staring at me and the other three girls.
The men untied our hands and legs but left the strange collars around our necks. "Make a sound, and you’re dead," one of them warned before locking the door behind them.
I sat up, my heart racing. The other girls in the room looked broken, like they had already given up. Fear twisted inside me. I reached out to my wolf, hoping she could help me, but... nothing. My wolf was silent.
"My wolf," I whispered in panic, trying to connect with her again, but it was useless.
A quiet laugh broke the silence. It sounded dry and a little angry, coming from the far corner of the room.