Chapter 61 – Kidnapped by My Mate Series II: His Lost Queen

Filed To Story: Kidnapped by My Mate Novel (Belle & Grayson) Online Free by Annie Whipple

I had first felt it back on the bus leaving Minnesota; the pain had been sudden and piercing, making me double over due to its intensity.

It felt like a wild animal was thrashing around in my brain, tearing at the walls of my skull with its claws, trying to get free.

I had been tempted to stab something sharp into my head just to relieve the pressure. It had to be the worst migraine in the history of the world.

The pain in my head came in waves, never leaving but occasionally getting more intense, making my eyesight go blurry and the mark on my neck burn as if it were on fire.

The only thing to do was grit my teeth and try to get through it.

I couldn’t help but wonder if this was Grayson’s way of punishing me.

Because although he had mated with someone else, although I had felt the pain that had almost killed me, indicating he had officially given me up, I still felt this strange connection to him.

But here’s the thing: I had let him go. I had blocked him out of my mind and had done everything I could to ensure he was no longer connected.

So it wasn’t me that was keeping us bonded together. It was Grayson.

This made me furious. He didn’t want me. He’d made that perfectly clear.

During the time I’d lived with him, he’d only spoken to me to tell me what an inconvenience I was or when he was trying to force me into having sex with him.

I was nothing more than a tool to him, a way for him to gain more power. He had never actually cared for me.

And, yet, he was trying to break into my mind. It reminded me of the feeling I felt when we were in Paris, and I had run away from him to see my mother. He had found me so quickly.

It had to have been because of this connection we shared between us. And when I had left him back in Minnesota, I made sure he couldn’t see into my mind as he had before.

I honestly didn’t think he would care. But I had this strange feeling that this overwhelming, horrible, intense headache I was experiencing was Grayson trying to keep tabs on me.

Was that what this was? He wanted to know where I was and what I was doing just in case he decided he did actually want me?

Yeah, well, fuck that. Under no circumstances was I going to let him back into my mind.

The worst part in all of this was… I loved him. He had made me love him. He had used false compliments and empty promises of a life with him that had seemed like something out of a fairy tale.

It was that love that made me want to look past his flaws and the way he had treated me and… go running back to him. Yep, that’s right, despite all the horrible things he had done to me, I still wanted to be with him.

I kept wondering if I had made the right decision in leaving him, trying to convince myself that he hadn’t treated me that badly.

That staying in that freezing cold room in the basement and being shunned by everyone around me, even my own soulmate, would be worth it if I got to be even a little bit closer to him.

I wanted to forgive him.

But I couldn’t— wouldn’t do that. Although it made me feel like I was going against my very nature, I knew I had to be done with him.

I deserved better. When it came down to it, we both did. Grayson deserved better than staying with someone he didn’t actually like being around, who he only wanted so he could become more powerful.

And me—I deserved better than pining after a man who would never see me as anything more than a body to warm his bed.

He made me question my worth. He made me question if I was deserving of love.

And I hated that. I hated that he made me think of all the people in my life who I had pushed away, who had left me.

My mother had left me to go create a new family in a fantastic new country, far, far away from my father and me. She had never liked being my mom. She resented me for some reason.

My father had died of cancer, leaving me all on my own.

And even though I knew it wasn’t anyone’s fault, some part of me still wondered if I had just worked a little bit harder to buy him the medicine he needed…

If I had just spent a little bit more time with him in the hospital instead of hanging out with friends after school, would he still be alive today? Would I still have my dad?

Even Kyle and Elijah—two people who had come to mean a lot to me over the past few months—had left me in the end.

I had tried reminding myself that it wasn’t their fault. I knew they would have stayed with me if given the choice. But still, when it came down to it, they had chosen their alpha over me.

And, finally, there was Grayson. I wasn’t even good enough for my own soulmate.

God, if he couldn’t see past my flaws enough to love me, who would?

As much as I tried to stop myself from thinking this way, tried convincing myself that all of those people left for their own reasons and that it had nothing to do with me, I just couldn’t.

It was hard not to dig through my memories and analyze every possible thing I could have done wrong.

It made me want to scream. And cry. The last few days had, admittedly, been one gigantic pity party.

Why hadn’t I been good enough? Why did everyone I cared about leave me? What did I do to make Grayson hate me so much?

I hated that Grayson had caused me to think this way.

He made me feel like all of my self-worth was dependent on what other people thought of me when, in reality, the only person’s love that I needed was my own.

I would be the one to see past my flaws.  I would be the one to love myself…even when memories of Grayson telling me I wasn’t good enough made it feel nearly impossible.

So, yeah, he could pound on the inside of my skull as much as he wanted. I was never going to let him in. I was on my own now. And that’s the way I wanted it.

BELLE

“I’m a really fast learner, and I never get sick,” I told the woman behind the front counter of the cute little boutique. “And I could start as soon as possible, even right now, if you wanted.”

The nice-looking shopkeeper—Loretta, her name tag said—was studying me with a sympathetic gaze.

I could feel her eyes sweep over my dirty clothes and unkempt hair before finally settling on the bruise spanning the left side of my face.

I knew I must have looked extremely out of place in the pristine boutique. Loretta was dressed head to toe in name brands, with red, manicured nails.

There wasn’t a single piece of hair out of place on her blonde head, which framed her heart-shaped face perfectly. She looked expensive. Mature. Beautiful. She looked like she actually belonged in this town.

I was nervous when I first entered the shop. I wasn’t expecting to get a job. I’m sure all of Loretta’s employees were just like her—well dressed, with their lives together.

I wasn’t any of those things. But I was desperate.

Loretta hesitated a moment before replying and smiling regretfully. “I’m so sorry, darling. I would love to interview you, but we’re just not looking to hire anyone new right now.”

I glanced behind me at the front door, and the “Now Hiring” sign it was sporting. It was the only reason I had come into the small boutique.

Loretta followed my gaze. “We filled the position this morning,” she explained hurriedly.

The hope that had been swirling around in my chest quickly dissolved.

“But I would be happy to take your information and let you know if anything opens up,” Loretta continued. She tried smiling again.

I appreciated her kindness and the fact that she was trying to offer me some comfort even though we both knew I didn’t stand a chance.

I nodded. “Okay. I would appreciate that. Thank you.”

This had to have been the fourth or fifth business I had gone into today, seeking employment. I needed a job, and I needed one as soon as possible.

At least Loretta was kind to me instead of quickly hurrying me back onto the streets as the other shopkeepers had done.

I could tell she was a good person. She seemed genuinely sad she couldn’t help me.

“I’m gonna be very honest with you, honey,” she continued right before I was about to head for the exit.

She glanced around quickly as if to ensure no one could hear what she was about to say.

The only other person that had been in the shop with us, an older woman with a very expensive-looking bag thrown over her shoulder, had just left. So we were completely alone now.

“I would love to hire you,” Loretta rushed to say. “I want to help you. I can tell that you could use a break. But I can’t.”

She hesitated, her hands fidgeting in front of her. “You’re not going to be able to get a job in this town. We’re not allowed to hire outsiders.”

My brows shot up. “Outsiders?”

She nodded. “It’s hard to explain, but… This is a tight-knit community. And the head of our community needs to approve of everyone who is allowed in.”

“The head of the community? Like the mayor or something?”

“I suppose, yes. Our mayor.”

“So I have to go talk to the mayor before I can get a job here?”

She sighed. “Well, no, not exactly. I’m afraid you won’t be able to get any job anywhere in Evergreen. No one will hire you.”

I didn’t understand what she meant. I had never heard of a city only allowing business owners to hire locals.

All I knew was that I was tired. And overwhelmed. And in a lot of pain. I didn’t have the mental capacity to understand what she was telling me. I didn’t even want to try.

I was glad she told me, though. This way, I wouldn’t continue to make a fool out of myself by interviewing for jobs that I didn’t have a chance of getting.

“Okay,” I said slowly. “Do you know if the next town over has the same crazy rules?”

“Woodhurst?” Loretta asked. “No. They don’t. But I wouldn’t go there if I were you.”

“Why not?”

“It’s run down. And there’s a lot of crime. It’s just not a nice place to be.”

The corners of my lips turned up. “I grew up in Minneapolis. I think I can handle a small town in Maine.”

Loretta looked concerned. She studied me, her brows tugging together in worry. But she didn’t say anything else.

“Thank you for your help. And for telling me about the whole job thing.” I gripped the strap of my backpack and grabbed the handle of my suitcase.

I started to make my way over to the door. “I’ll get out of your hair now.”

Loretta stopped me right before I left. “Hold on, darling,” she called out.

I paused and turned to look at her. She rounded the counter, approaching me with hesitancy in her steps.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” she asked.

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

---