Emotional exhaustion was beating me down. Every part of my upper body ached from being in a stiff position for so long. The last coffee I had was barely making a dent in the lethargic speed of my muscles. I still had a bit more to go to finish my projects, but I knew I’d be of no more use tonight. I reached my arms up and back and tried to bring feeling back into my core. I grunted lowly. Better to take a break now than submit subpar work I’d have to correct later, I tried to convince myself. I couldn’t help but still feel guilty. I closed down the open tabs on my computer and started packing away my projects. I tried to ignore the tiny nagging voice echoing in my head and stomach. I debated very briefly on getting another coffee and forcing myself to push through, but the thought of that made me feel even more exasperated. Surely Logan would understand if I took an extra day to complete things…. I knew I was lying to myself - that nagging voice grew a little louder. I could already picture Logan’s disappointed face, but it wasn’t enough to keep me at my desk. I continued to pack up.

I swung my bag over my shoulder and pulled my ponytail through the strap hole on my hat as I headed towards the elevators. Most of the building was already dark, and most people had already submitted to rest and gone home. Still, out of habit, I remained very aware of my surroundings and was prepared for the slightest sign of something out of place. I sighed, wishing I were already asleep in my bed. I contemplated stopping at the Chinese place on the corner, but I wasn’t sure my feet would make it that far. I pulled out my phone instead and looked up delivery.

I headed out of the building onto the street and started walking towards my bus stop. I paused abruptly when the screens of werewolf news started a display in English, rather than French. That had never happened before. My native language flooded the streets and resonated with me as if I had been recalling a lost memory. I felt a waterfall of panic rush through me as I recognized the face instantly. Nik.

“Hello, Fellow Wolf Citizens. I am Nicolas Cole of the Dark Moon Pack in Springfield, Illinois, in the United States of America. I’m desperately searching for my mate. I have searched every corner of the globe to find her. She was taken from me three years ago and has been missing since. If you know anything about her whereabouts or what has happened to her, please contact the Dark Moon Pack. Any information at all would be greatly appreciated.”

A picture of me at the coming-of-age ceremony flashed onto the screen. A combination of panic and sorrow washed over me, making me a bit nauseous. I lowered my hat over my face - now I felt as if my head was on a swivel. Sure, it was five years old, but I didn’t look that different. Anyone at the magazine would surely know it was me. I cursed myself for being so confident and not changing my appearance. I should have known Nik was relentless. I was grateful he at least didn’t give out my name. But I felt so stunned I could barely react, and I knew the bus was no longer a safe option. I had a new surge of energy through my body, a second wind as my fight-or-flight response kicked in. As per my norm: flight won out. I moved to the street corner and raised my hand for a taxi. I started to wave my hand more frantically as cars passed me.

Finally, someone stopped, barely missing the curb. I jumped back. The driver smiled at me apologetically.

“Désolé, Madame.” He looked like he’d had an almost equally late night as me. I hesitated momentarily as I observed the number of Red Bull cans and empty coffee cups littered around the front. But I was too desperate to think about it too much. I got into the cab and kept my face covered with my hat. Nik’s message was playing on repeat and giving out more details of my ‘disappearance’. I shuddered internally.

“Bonsoir, Madame.. Where are you going?” the driver asked with a thick French accent. I gave him my address and hoped he heard the urgency in my voice. I felt desperate to escape and hide away until Nik stopped his obsessively searching. I thought about asking Logan to work from home until I was sure Nik had given up the search. But what story would I give him? I worried that telling him the truth might get me sent back to Nik in a hurry. I felt horrified and sick. I thought I was safe and past this…. I couldn’t believe he hadn’t given up. I squeezed my eyes shut and forced the army of tears to retreat back behind my eyes.

The driver took a left onto Fleur Rue, and I watched as distinct headlights followed us. I started to panic. My nerves now ran light little lightning bolts through my body. How could he have found me here? How could he have known? Pointlessly, I started running through all my last moments before coming here. Had I given him some sort of sign? Had he somehow forced my mother to tell him before she… before she died? Thinking of her brought the tears back with a vengeance.

“Monsieur, please make a right here,” I begged. He looked at me curiously but did as I instructed. The headlights followed. I knew it was Nik. My heart raced, my breath stopped. My vision started to become a little blurry, and my forehead was clammy with sweat. I would not go back to him. If I had to fight to my own death, I would never give in to Nik. “Could you just speed up and keep going, s’il vous plaît? I think someone is following us!”

Again, the driver glanced at me suspiciously, but he also registered the headlights driving a bit too close behind us.

“I’ll double, no triple, whatever the fee is! Just please, Monsieur!”

The driver sped down the road and took off in a random direction. The car behind us followed. Tears forced their way out of my eyes without my permission, and I could feel myself starting to hyperventilate a bit. I glanced behind us again, and the car was still there, almost close enough to tap our bumper. Would Nik go so far as to hurt me or … kill me in order to get me back? I wasn’t certain.

I urged the driver onto the freeway. Surely we could lose them this time of night. The roads would be just busy enough…. The driver obliged and drove onto the on-ramp, moving recklessly between other vehicles. I was shaking and couldn’t keep still in my seat. Motorcycles switched around us, and many cars honked as we brushed past, but none of that concerned me. I was too consumed in escape.

The car seemed to have no trouble keeping up with us. I started to feel anger and irritation growing in me like a cancer. We passed several more video billboards on the freeway, all flashing Nik’s desperate plea for his ‘mate’ or images of me at eighteen. The tears poured out harder now. There had to be a way out.

I looked behind us, and the car was still there. I urged the driver to make a quick exit, and he sliced through the cars, barely making the turn-off. There were several honks and screeches from annoyed drivers. I looked back, and I couldn’t see anyone else exiting behind us. Air rushed back into my lungs.

He drove the roundabout way back towards my apartment. But as we turned through the neighborhood, there was a similar black car stopped ahead of us. The taxi driver skidded to a stop, and I turned to see that the previous car had found its place behind us again. My throat ran dry.

I wanted to scream at the driver. Urge him to find a way around, but there was no use risking his life. There was already a good chance he would die for trying to help me escape. The racing in my veins sped up, but I felt as if my body had gone numb with fear.

Two men were already out of the car in front of us, and they came up to my door instantly. I didn’t recognize them, but I knew they were Nik’s people. I shrank away from the door, covering my face further. There was no way this was really happening. I debated trying to run. I knew this area better than them, and I felt certain that if I could make it to the park, I’d be out of their reach. But my body ached, and my vision was still blurry; I had no faith I could make it. I had no confidence that Nik wouldn’t shoot me in order to keep me.