Chapter 4 Kidnapped

LORRY SPRINGSTONE'S / KELLY THOMPSON'S POV Mr. Braxton's earlier enthusiasm is shattered. He then becomes nervous and lost in his thoughts. He tries to keep his composure but it seems there's something inside him that is causing him to be agitated. His heartbeat accelerates and its sound resonates across the office. The size of his chest then begins to increase unexplainably. He presses his massive pecs down with his two hands so it gets back to its original dimension but to no avail. "Are you okay, Mr. Braxton?" I ask him with anxiety but his mind is very far away as his body continues its strange mutation. His ears widen while his beautiful brown eyes suddenly redden like blood and his body odor becomes pungent like that of a canid. Now there's no doubt for me, Mr. Braxton is a werewolf and he's about to shapeshift into a wild giant wolf which is something I can not let happen in my school full of humans who mostly have never seen one outside of a book or a movie. Hence, I anticipate what I believe, would surely be a long term trauma for my poor students and teachers. I spontaneously throw on Mr. Braxton a glass of cold water that was on my desk, hoping desperately it would stop his ongoing transformation. To my great astonishment, it works. Mr Braxton is shocked by the unpleasant effect of the cold water on his body and emits the shout of a beaten dog. He comes back almost immediately to his senses and the parts of his body that have already mutated, return to their human form. After he fully recovers his mind, as you can imagine, he isn't happy at all. "What's that kind of demeanor, Miss. Springstone? Is that how you treat your visitors ?" Mr. Braxton blurts out, anger visible on his features. "Oh, sorry Mr. Braxton," I reply before picking up in haste a hand towel from my handbag and directing myself to Mr. Braxton to dry the water on his body. "It's fine Miss Springstone, it's fine. I can deal with this myself," he reacts angrily as he pushes my hand away. I understand his attitude after what I just did to him, however he hurts my feelings since I find his gesture inappropriate. I shyly go back to my seat while Mr. Braxton with the help of my hand towel, dries the water spilled on his finely designed silk suit. Done and now visibly appeased, he finally shifts back his focus on me. He displays a fake smile as if nothing ever happened, also probably believing, me a mere human (in his mind), has no idea of what was underway. Then with a steely resolve to accomplish his mission, he gently speaks to me, his eyes locked on mine, about my rejection of his offer. "Miss Springstone, I have to admit that I'm impressed by your loyalty to your school. Not too many people will not rush to avail this grandiose opportunity. Given the hard times nowadays, who will have the grit to turn down not one but two gold ingots offered by one of the most powerful kings that had ever existed, for a job that isn't even too demanding? Just one or two things to do and hop, two gold bars are sent to your bank account. Nonetheless, Miss Springstone will you mind to reconsider your decision to please my king?" He asks with a calm voice, his face displaying great seriousness. For a messenger, Mr. Braxton was surely a prominent one. He mastered diplomacy and the art of negotiations. His voice was sweet like honey and his sparkling eyes were betwitching and attractive like a magnet. With Mr. Braxton's new approach, I almost succombed and was about to answer by the affirmative. Up to now, I still can't figure it out whether or not it's the moon goddess herself who came to extirpate me from the charm of this enchanter because I found another strength deep down me to firmly but politely deny Mr Braxton's golden invitation. "Mr. Braxton, you're such a nice man. I wished you had met me in a different time or circumstance. Unfortunately, you show up at the wrong moment : a moment of my life I have decided to distance myself from a certain environment. Please don't ask me further explanation! Just take it as it is. You may now take the door, I have a lot of work on my desk," I utter. Mr. Braxton is baffled but this time around, unlike previously, he keeps his cool. However, he ignores my request for him to leave and with even more determination, he plays his last card, hoping I will concede. "Miss Springstone, I'm afraid that you may not be grasping the urgency of the situation. Our king's only son and heir to the throne is terribly sick and his case calls for special attention. We wished we had found within our pack...euh sorry, community (he catches up, hoping I don't know things about werewolves) a doctor who could treat the kid. For several years, we have been so desperate until a friend of the king told him about you and your outstanding medical competence. We have perused the results of your researches on different rare cases of diseases and I must say, we are quite amazed," Mr Braxton doubles down. Nonetheless, as anyone would expect, instead of my heart melting at hearing Mr. Braxton's words, it becomes harder than a rock. I am thus feeling annoyed by someone I first considered as a gentleman but now that he was getting on my nerves. I thus decided to use a language I was sure he was quickly going to understand. That is to say the kicking of butt. "Mr. Braxton, get the f*ck out of my office! And moreover, you can put your sh*tty gold bars where I think," I tell him rudely while extending the middle finger. The tall and massive king's messenger is struck by a sudden thunder. His confident allure shrinks and shamefully, he rises his rear from the chair and leaves my office without greetings. I am relieved and return to my paperwork, hoping having turned the page. Then comes the time to go back to my cosy apartment in the downtown of Liverpool where I live alone but with comfort and have a breathtaking view of the city. Meanwhile, that was without reckoning with kidnappers who came by surprise on my way back and took me away in a black car with tinted windows to a destination I couldn't suspect. I am blindfolded the entire way and warned by one of the raptors to keep my mouth shut if I want to stay alive. I never got the chance, even once, to clearly see their faces but I could tell they were strong and gigantic. Finally, after quite a long ride, the vehicle stops by the side of the road. We get down and two of my kidnappers hold me by each of my arms. Then we enter, I believe, bushes because I could feel the presence of grasses and trees along the way. Suddenly, I hear roars as if I was surrounded by wild animals but not the normal type. I then smell a scent, it was the same strong odor like that of Mr. Braxton. Right after, someone removes my mask and my eyes are wide open in disbelief as I see myself in what used to be my old home. Yes, indeed I was back to the South pack. "Miss Springstone, welcome to the kingdom of Alpha King Jason Bentley," say with a smirk Mr. Braxton in a half-wolf form.