Imprinted (Progress), Sara Imes [essential reading txt] 📗

There was a man sitting opposite of Hayden. He was clean-shaven. He had the same color hair Hayden had. The color of a raven’s wing, black and glossy. His skin was slightly the same shade of Hayden’s, but slightly darker. He had sharp cheekbones that stuck out sharply, rich dark brown eyes, and big full lips. He was wearing a navy blue tailored suit. He smiled at her, showing gleaming white teeth, then nodded down.

Hayden looked down. She wasn’t in her usually tank top and skinny jeans and Converse. Now she was wearing a red strapless dress, and black heels. The hem stopping right above her knees. Something bright caught her eyes. There were diamonds in the bodice of the dress. Real diamonds. Hayden hand involuntarily shot to her hair. Her hair was still in it’s regular hairstyle, but it was curled. She felt something cold on her throat. She looked down and saw a pearl necklace around her neck.

Suddenly Hayden felt as if she couldn’t breath. The dress felt like it was squeezing her, as if the dress didn’t want her wearing it anymore. She looked up to the man again. He was still smiling, his eyes gleaming with an evil darkness. But instead of regular teeth, there were fangs poking into his bottom lip. Suddenly Hayden felt a rush of fear go through her. She opened her mouth to let out a scream, but no sound came out.

Hayden shot up in the bed. She was drenched in a cold sweat, her chest rising up and down rapidly. Hayden ran her hand across her brow, wiping the sweat away. She let out a deep breath and looked around. The room she was in was neither her’s at Jake’s or the spare bedroom at the pack’s cabin. It was one Hayden had never seen before. The room was painted a brilliant red color. The paint looked freshly painted, as if it was just painted days ago. Hayden swung her legs off the bed, and winced.

The wood tile floor were freezing cold. Standing up, she took a closer look around the room. The walls were bare. There were no pictures, no paintings. Nothing. There was one window, but it was blocked off by a piece of steel, causing Hayden to wonder if it was day or night outside. There was also a small black leather couch on her left.

To her left, was a bathroom. Hayden tried to remember how she got here. Then she remembered. She was leaving the pack’s cabin after Seth told her that he had a new mate and wanted her to leave. She heard a twig or branch snap, but didn’t see anybody or anything. Then she felt something hard come down onto her head. Then everything went black. Panic started to surge through Hayden’s veins, making her breathing start to quicken. Who kidnapped me? Why?

And as if on cue, the door swung open, bathing the room in a bright golden light. Eyes not having adjusted to the light yet, she covered her eyes with her hand. She felt someone walk over to her and she removed her hand from her eyes. She then sucked in a breath. The person standing in front of her was the man from her dream, his fangs winking dangerously at her in the golden light.  

 Seth felt as if his heart was lodged in his throat, he couldn’t get enough air into his system. The news he just got from the Head Councilman couldn’t be true. He had Hayden? But why? How? This made no sense at all. Well I guess I just have to find out, Seth thought. Seth shoved his phone back into his pocket and opened his door, storming down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. Once Seth was down stairs, he grabbed his jacket from the coat rack and opened the door calling back to his pack, “i'll be back in a few.”

But before Seth could get out of the door, the pack was behind him, Dylan in front of him, shutting the door. Seth sighed and turned around to face his pack. He didn’t have time for this, he needed to save Hayden. “What do you mean, ‘you'll be back in a few?’, Dylan asked. Seth looked over his pack, everybody stared at him with angry gazes. They were still mad at him for using Kristen and hurting Hayden, as they should be. “Look guys”, Seth started. “I know you guys are mad, as you all should be. I’m pack leader and caused pain to one of our members, our family. And I'm deeply sorry for what I did.”

Seth met everyone eye’s, hoping that they'll know that he was telling the truth and not just lying to get them off his back. Seth’s eyes landed on Dylan. Dylan gave Seth a nod, which Seth returned. Seth took in a deep breath, “I only did what I did because I was to much of a coward to confess my love for Hayden. I didn’t want to admit that I imprinted on someone I was born to hate..” The pack looked from one another, trying to figure out if this was for show or if he actually was telling truth.

Seth groaned inwardly and ran a hand through his hair, then nodded. “Okay, i'll go and try to talk to her.” Seth then turned and started to walk back upstairs, but was stopped by October’s voice. “Wait, before we stopped you, where were you going?” Seth turned back to the pack and looked to Dylan, then switched his eyes to his pack. “I got a call from the Head Councilman. Dylan and Ashley both took an anxious step forward. “And? What did he say?”, Ashley asked. “He kidnapped Hayden and he's doing who knows what to her right now as we speak.” Seth then turned and quickly walked up the stairs to Kristen’s room, leaving the rest of the pack staring after him, shocked and open-mouthed.

Seth knocked on the door again. Nothing. This was Seth’s tenth time knocking on the door and he still didn’t hear anything from the other side of the door. Tired of being ignored, Seth slowly opened the door, putting his head through to see into the room. “Kristen, are you in here?”, Seth asked. Still no answer. Seth opened the door fully, closing it behind him. Seth looked around the room. The curtains to Kristen’s room were fluttering in the wind from the open window. Seth walked over to the open window, Kristen scent was there.

It wasn’t fresh but it lingered there. Seth looked out the window, panic rising in his throat. In the slowly drying mud, were footsteps, leading away from the cabin. Seth then ran out of the room, rushing back down the stairs. The pack was waiting in the living room, everybody wearing their hunting clothes. Seth ran a puzzled look over his pack. When the pack noticed Seth, everybody stood up, Dylan and Ashley walking up Seth to stand in front of him. “Where do think you guys are going? You guys are not coming with me to get Hayden”.

“Yes we are.” It was October and Jessica. “We know that we all hated Hayden in the beginning but that's changed. We consider her a part of the pack. Apart of the family. And family don't leave family behind, no matter what.”, said Jessica. The rest of the pack stepped forward and gave a chorused “yeah”. It looks there was no sense in arguing about this one. The pack was coming whether he liked it or not. And Seth definitely didn’t like it. “What about Kristen? Did you talk to her?”, Snow asked.

Seth shook his head, “No I didn’t. She's not in her room. Her window is open and footsteps leading away from the cabin. When I went to the window, I smelt her scent.” Snow’s face dropped. Seth’s heart squeezed and he put his hand on Snow’s shoulder. “It'll be alright. She probably just went out for a run to clear her thoughts. Im sure she'll be back soon. And we can probably catch her scent when we're looking for Hayden.” Snow looked up to Seth with tear-filled eyes and shook her head, making a tear slide down her cheek. Seth wiped the tear away with his thumb and ruffled Snow’s hair. “Don’t worry, she can’t be far. We'll find her, I promise.” Snow smiled and shook her head, “Thank you, Seth.” Seth nodded, feeling a warmness spread through his heart.

Seth looked over his pack. They all wore determined expressions on their faces. Determined to get Hayden back. Seth smiled. “Now, let's go. We’ve got a vampire to save!”, Seth said. Everybody yelled “yes sir!” and started to follow Seth out the door.

Just by looking at the man, Hayden could tell that he was powerful. It seemed to slide off him like dark waves, telling Hayden that she better know her place, or else. But that still didn’t answer the question of who this man was, what he wanted with Hayden, and where in the world was she. As if reading her mind, the man said, “I am the Head Councilman of the Crestfallen Society and you're currently at my home.” Hayden felt her heart squeeze painfully, thinking that Seth told him to kidnap her after telling her to leave the cabin and never come back. Replaying the scene in her head again, tears started to sting the back of Hayden’s eyes. No, Hayden thought bitterly, I need to keep a straight face. I can't show my true emotions in front if this guy. 

The Head Councilman then laughed, shaking Hayden out of her thoughts. “If you are thinking Seth told me to kidnap you, you're horribly mistaken, my child. But I will tell you everything you want to know if you just do a small favor for me in return.” After saying that, the Head Councilman walked out of the room, not looking back to see if Hayden was following him. Hayden hesitated, if this was the Head Councilman of the Crestfallen Society, then why wasn’t she locked up in some dungeon being tortured for answers?

Pushing the thought aside to the back of her mind, Hayden rushed out of the room, remembering that the Head Councilman left, and also determined not to be left alone in his house. As Hayden started walking to catch up with the mysterious man, Hayden looked around at the scene around her. She was walking down a long corridor only lit by torches and lanterns, the flames blazing furiously, making their shadows bounce wildly off the walls. The walls were completely black brick, jutting out of the wall dangerously. Finally catching up to the Head Councilman, Hayden asked, “So why aren’t you torturing me right now for answers?”

Even though his back was turned to her, Hayden could still sense his smirk. “Just be patient my child”, was his only response. Hayden sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, but didn’t ask any more questions. And why does he keep calling me his child?, Hayden thought. After what felt like walking an eternity down