SOMETHING BAD

**Rebecca’s story**

I’d had enough of his jealousy and his stupid impression that he owned me. Nobody owned me. I controlled my own destiny.
All this stuff had to stop here and now.
“What the hell is wrong with you? You think because you had me and marked me, I’m yours forever?” I shouted, hurt and angry because he was treating me just like a puppet.
But nothing prepared me for his incomprehensible reaction.
“All the legends about us as werewolves and their mates are true. Ever since that night I saved you from death, I’ve claimed you. You were mine from before you even knew you were mine” I wish I hadn’t heard that.
“You didn’t just say that! It sounded like that’s what you planned all along. Why didn’t you let them kill me, Dominic? Why did you have to save me? And don’t tell me because you love me, because let me tell you, I can hardly believe you now.” My heart ached hearing him confess this, and I didn’t know what was real and what wasn’t in our relationship. I never thought Dominic would have these thoughts.
We were quite far away from the rest of the party, though. I’d dragged him into a private hallway so we could talk in silence. So much I had to say to him, only his words affected me so badly that mine got stuck. I could barely breathe and felt the need to come out for air.
I barely made it a few steps as his firm hand grabbed my forearm.
“Where are you going? I’m not done talking!” Just thinking that maybe what he said to me wasn’t important to him deepened the wound in my heart.
“I’m totally done with you and with everything, Dominic Stone! Let go of me!” I struggled almost in vain because his grip was stronger. “You know what? I actually don’t even care anymore! I trusted you blindly. God, I thought I could rely on you in any situation and you turn out to be jealous of just one of my friends. A man I knew before I met you. I’ve never given you any reason to doubt me. I’ve given myself to you without regret. The fact that I’m talking to someone proves absolutely nothing. Perhaps only your insecurity and distrust of me.” I almost shouted all that without breathing.
A while ago, he asked me to marry him and everything that’s happening right now completely baffled me. This man didn’t seem to be Dominic. But it was him, standing before my eyes. And precisely because I had witnessed his so painful words, I refused to believe that this was indeed Dominic.
“And why should I do that? Why should I let you go, so you can quickly run into his arms and complain about how I treated you? What business do you have with him? Why do I see you around him all the time? God, I hate these questions when you give me the same answer over and over. That he’s just your friend.”
“Because that’s the truth! Logan is just a friend. Cut the crap and the scenarios, Dominic. I don’t recognize you anymore!”
“And what makes you think I recognize you if, as time goes by, you become more and more...”
I knew exactly where his statement was leading and I would not let him step on my morals just because he was suffering from this sick jealousy.
“Don’t you dare!” I threatened him, fed up with his behavior.
“Why, Rebecca? Are you afraid I might be right?”
Hearing this aberration, and especially coming from him, made me cringe. Not physically, but in my heart and soul. I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me. My screams threatened to come out. A mighty storm was building between my reason and my feelings. It was the reason that prevailed.
I ran as fast as I could away from him, taking advantage of his carelessness but not seeing where I was going because of the tears that were falling on my face. I forgot everything, that I had an event I had to attend, that I had a status I had to keep intact. But I didn’t care anymore. I ran and ran until I found myself in the nearby park. There I was alone, miserable and hopeless. It was only a bench in this unknown park.
I tried my hardest to recover, but I only sank deeper into this cursed sadness. The evening was chilly, and I had my breath in my throat. I wasn’t alone. Someone was there, someone hiding in the darkness.

**Dominic’s story**

After she angrily broke away, I gave her some space of her own. Maybe she needed to be alone to think about our situation.
Just then, Declan approached me.
“Hey, man, what are you doing? Where’s Rebecca? I saw you two rush out...”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I admitted, somehow resigned to what had happened. I frowned and walked back into the ballroom, straight to the bar. “Double whiskey, neat!” I settled for the hard version of the drink, as I needed to forget.
“Then it’s clear, you said something, and she walked away” Declan concluded and again he seemed to be on her side.
“But why do you think I’m to blame? Or that if she left, she did it because of me?” I couldn’t believe what I was saying either. It was clear I’d been harsh. Was I regretting it?
“Please, Dominic, like I don’t know you. I know for a fact that’s what happened. And all because she’s talking to a friend of hers?”
“A friend of hers? A friend who’s around most of the time? Wherever this friend is, there she is. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?” I snapped in one heavy breath.
“Oh, come on man, you don’t think she’s cheating on you with him? This is Rebecca we’re talking about.”
Declan was only doing his job as confidant and best friend, but it wasn’t really working. I was far too blinded by the way they kept talking and meeting and often very withdrawn.
“You think I don’t try to stop myself from thinking like that? Why do their discussions always go down back alleys? Did you ask yourself that question because I ask it all the time and I’ll be damned if I find an answer that satisfies me? Also, I don’t know why, but I can’t explain why lately, this Logan gives me these creepy vibes.”
His face suddenly changed.
“What do you mean, creepy?”
“I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it. It’s like he’s got something to hide. As an actor I haven’t known him for long, but it’s enough just one look to tell he’s not to be trusted.”
“Are you sure you’re not just driven by jealousy?”
“I’m positive. Maybe I’d better see where Rebecca is. I don’t have a very good feeling about this...”
I rushed outside, trying to catch her scent. Especially since our bond had grown stronger.
But as soon as I stepped out into the cool air, my senses took me to a small park near the hotel. Declan was barely keeping up with me.
“Hey, slow down, man!”
“I don’t have time to waste, Declan. I have a feeling something’s up.”
The park wasn’t fully lit except here and there. All it took was a few steps and Rebecca’s scent invaded my nostrils. And not just her perfume, but her fear as well. “Declan, something’s wrong here. Rebecca?” I shouted, hoping maybe she was hiding or sitting on some secluded bench, not wanting to see me. But there was no answer. That’s when Declan shouted her name.
“Rebecca, where are you?” The worry in his voice made my heart pound. There was an eerie, awkward silence.
Although I called out to her with all my energy, no one answered back, only my echo. Going deeper into the darkness, I found her earring. And a couple of steps further, I came across her cracked phone. Now it was time to panic. I picked it up from the ground and turned to Declan.
“I found this! I’m sure Rebecca wouldn’t leave it behind, much less lose it.” A frightening thought had been building in my mind. I was trying to banish it, but the evidence was so overwhelming. In fact, I’d noticed that even that idiot Logan was missing. Jealousy had turned into worry. “That weasel is also missing!” I expressed my thoughts out loud.
“Dominic, I don’t think this is the time for being jealous.” But it wasn’t about that anymore. I was concentrating on being able to pick up her trail. I was even trying to feel what she was feeling, only it was so quiet. It was like she was the one who felt nothing. The wolf inside me was howling with despair. My hands were tied and everything was moving so fast. Every second that passed, it was to her disadvantage. Now I was convinced that it was no longer a game.
“Something’s happened to Rebecca, Declan. Something bad…”

**To be continued…**