The lost mate
Chapter 46: Trapped

Chapter 46: Trapped

Emily sat on the couch, clutching a pillow to her chest as if it were a lifeline. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, her breath hitching with every sob. The house felt unbearably empty without Heather’s reassuring presence. She could still see the image of her mother being led away in handcuffs, a look of resignation on her face.

Annie kneeled in front of Emily, her hands gently holding Emily’s trembling ones. "Emily, listen to me," she said softly, trying to keep her voice calm despite the storm brewing inside her. "I’m going to the police station. I’m going to talk to Fred and get this sorted out."

Emily looked up, her tear-filled eyes pleading. "But what if they don’t let her go? What if—"

Annie shook her head firmly. "I’m not going to let that happen. Heather didn’t do anything wrong, and I’m going to make sure Fred understands that. But I need you to stay here with Ryan. He needs you, Emily. You’re the only one who can keep him calm right now."

Emily wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded slowly. "Okay, I’ll stay with him. But please, Annie, bring her back."

Annie squeezed Emily’s hands reassuringly. "I will. I promise."

Annie grabbed her keys and hurried out the door, her mind racing with what she was about to do. The drive to the police station was a blur, her thoughts consumed with worry and fear. But beneath it all, there was a growing determination. She had to protect Heather, no matter the cost.

As soon as she arrived at the station, Annie marched to the front desk, her heart pounding. "I need to speak to Detective Fred Monroe," she said, her voice laced with urgency.

The officer at the desk gave her a wary look. "Is this about Heather Mills?"

"Yes," Annie replied, her voice firm. "Tell him it’s Annie Grant. It’s urgent."

The officer made a quick call, then nodded towards the hallway. "He’s on his way. You can wait in the interview room down the hall."

Annie walked into the small, sterile room and sat at the table, her mind racing. The walls felt like they were closing in on her as she waited. It wasn’t long before the door opened, and Fred Monroe stepped inside. His sharp eyes studied her, his expression unreadable.

"Annie Grant," he greeted her with a nod, closing the door behind him. "What can I do for you?"

As soon as the door clicked shut, Annie’s senses sharpened, and she felt a tingle down her spine. The scent—faint but unmistakable. Fred wasn’t just any cop. He was a wolf.

Fred caught the subtle shift in her posture and raised an eyebrow. "You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Everything okay?"

Annie took a deep breath, steadying herself. "You’re a wolf," she said, her voice low but steady. "I should have known."

Fred’s eyes flickered with surprise, but he quickly masked it. "That’s not something I usually advertise," he replied carefully. "But yes, I am. And I’m here to do my job. So why don’t you tell me what’s really going on?"

Annie’s heart raced, but she knew what she had to do. She couldn’t let Heather take the fall for something she didn’t do. "Fred, I’m here to confess," she said, her voice firm.

Fred frowned, leaning forward slightly. "Confess? To what?"

"To Ronald Kray’s death," Annie said, meeting his gaze head-on. "Heather didn’t kill him. I did."

The room fell into a heavy silence as Fred stared at her, disbelief written across his face. "You?" he asked, his voice low. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes," Annie replied, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides. "Heather had nothing to do with it. Ronald was... he was a monster. He hurt her, and he would have kept hurting her if I hadn’t stopped him. So I did what I had to do."

Fred leant back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he processed her words. "And you’re just coming forward now? After all this time?"

Annie nodded, her hands clenched into fists on the table. "I didn’t want to involve anyone else. But I can’t let Heather go down for something she didn’t do. She’s been through enough."

Fred studied her in silence for a long moment, the weight of her confession hanging in the air. "You realise what this means, don’t you?" he asked finally. "If you’re telling the truth, then you’re looking at serious consequences."

Annie swallowed hard but nodded. "I know. But I’m willing to accept that. Just let Heather go. She doesn’t deserve this."

For a moment, silence hung in the air between them, heavy and oppressive. Then, to Annie’s surprise, Fred smiled—a slow, calculated grin that sent a chill down her spine.

"Your confession," Fred began, his voice eerily calm, "means nothing in the human world, Annie. Here, it’s just a story. But in our world—in the werewolf realm—you’re already wanted for much more."

Annie’s blood ran cold. "What do you mean?"

Fred’s smile widened, his eyes glinting with a predatory gleam. "You broke several laws, Annie. Turning rogue? That’s a death sentence on its own. But killing a human? And worse—divulging our secret to two humans? The council won’t take kindly to that."

Annie’s breath hitched as the full weight of his words sank in. "I had no choice," she stammered, her voice trembling.

"Don’t waste your breath," Fred interrupted, his voice cold and unyielding. "The council doesn’t care about your reasons. They care about the laws you broke. And for that, they’ll sentence you to death. And Heather would still be in jail."

Annie felt the world closing in around her, the walls of the room seeming to shrink with each passing second. The reality of her situation crashed over her like a tidal wave. She had thought she could save Heather, that she could protect the people she loved. But now, it seemed she had only doomed herself.

"What happens now?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Fred stood, his expression hard as stone. "Now, I take you in," he said simply. "You’ll face the council, and they’ll decide your fate."

Annie’s mind raced, desperate for a way out, but she knew there was none. The weight of her actions and of the choices she had made bore down on her. She had tried to protect Heather, to keep Emily safe, but in doing so, she had sealed her own fate.