Finding Love Ch. 05

"Of course, why?"

"We don't... we don't have any brakes." Kiara shifted down a gear at a time until she was into low gear.

"W-what? What do you mean we don't have brakes?"

"We can't stop. Make sure you're buckled in! Oh god, there are cars at the stop sign," Kiara said, turning on her hazards, and blowing her horn frantically.

"Oh lord, Kiara!" Ivy yelled, grabbing a hold of the door. "What a-are we gonna do?"

"Pray." Kiara veered into the gravel that lined the side of the road, hoping that the friction from the gravel would slow her. She knew this was a risk. Sudden terrain changes – especially if only under the wheels on one side of the car – could cause the car to flip.

"It's coming up," Ivy whispered. "Oh... shit..."

Kiara slowly applied the emergency brake slowing the car down a bit, but not enough.

"Get out of the way," Kiara hissed under her breath at the other cars. "Don't pull out in front me, please!"

Kiara blew through the intersection, sending several cars skidding out of the way. Ivy stared out of the window, eyes wide and terrified as she watched a car just barely miss them. The other driver's face looked equally terrified.

* * * *

Daylon sat on the Inner Chambers going over papers when icy fingers danced up his spine. He stiffened, trying to figure out what was going on. Dread filled him, and for a moment sheer terror clogged his throat.

Danger.

For second he was frozen, unable to act. With a loud snarl, he snapped out of it. He yelled for Sam, the worry and... fear in his voice brought Sam running.

"What! What's wrong?" Sam moved around the desk, worried. His Alpha was clutching the desk, his knuckles turning white. Every muscle in Daylon's body was straining with tension.

"Something is... I don't know, but there's danger! Oh god, Sam, this is like that first time I felt Ivy when she was in trouble!"

Sam turned pale.

* * * *

After the four-way stop was a hairpin curve.

"Hold on, Ivy!" Kiara yelled, getting ready. "We're... we're going too fast..."

Tires screeched on the asphalt as the car screamed around the corner, slamming into the guard rail. Ivy was thrown into the passenger window, hitting her head hard, then jerked back as the car slid across the road into oncoming traffic. Luckily there was no one on the other side of the road. They hit the guard rail on the opposite side of the road and shot back into their right lane. The car hit the guard rail once again and flipped over it. Ivy watched her world spin around as the car tumbled down the shallow embankment.

Sounds assaulted Ivy from every direction: the harsh scream of metal twisting, glass shattering, someone yelling... Ivy's stomach shoved up into her throat from the constant flipping. Kiara's arms flew out as the car turned over and over, slapping Ivy. Little things in the car, like spare change from the cup holder, hit both of them as they tumbled down the embankment.

Finally the car came to rest on its side. Ivy's side of the car was on the ground, and Kiara was above her still strapped to the driver's seat. Blood dripped down Ivy's face into her eyes as she tried to focus. The lady from Central Alliance of Packs, or CAP, was frantically calling out to them, trying to get an answer.

"We've had a wreck," Ivy said to the lady. "We need help... it's bad, very bad. Send someone, please!"

"I'm sending help. Is anyone hurt? Do you need an ambulance?" The lady from CAP asked.

"Yes. Oh god, yes, my mother-in-law is unconscious."

There, above them on the street, a truck had pulled over. It was covered in mud, and Ivy couldn't tell if the color of the truck was white, silver, or gray for all the mud. The windows were blacked out, too.

"Help us," Ivy whispered, staring up the embankment to whoever was in the truck. "Please, help us."

"Who are you talking to, Miss?" The lady asked. "What's your name?"

"It's Ivy. There's a truck on the street that has stopped... but no one is getting out."

No one stepped from the truck.

The smell of gas flooded the car, choking Ivy.

"Oh shit, I smell gas."

"Ivy? Listen to me, you need to get out of that car... now! Help is on the way!"

Kiara moaned next to her. Ivy again looked up the embankment at the truck, and shivered. Whoever that was didn't intend to offer help, and a sense of foreboding crept over Ivy. That looked like the truck from the flea market. Just then the passenger window rolled down, and a lighted cigarette sailed out the window landing near them. The interior was dark and Ivy couldn't see who was in the cab of that truck.

"No!" Ivy snatched at her seat belt. "What the hell are they thinking?"

"What?" The person for CAP asked. "Are you out of the vehicle yet?"

"Kiara's seat belt won't let go! Whoever is in that truck that stopped just threw a lighted cigarette out near us!"

"Oh my god! You must get out of there!"

There was a gas leak and someone had thrown a lit cigarette towards... Ivy eyes began to change as the implications' dawned on her. Kiara moaned again and struggled towards consciousness. Ivy watched as the truck drove off, and took note that the license plate was obscured by mud, too. Whoever was in that truck had planned this.

"Ivy?" Kiara tugged at the seatbelt. "I can't – it won't come... oh my god! Is that gas I smell?"

The fear in Kiara's voice triggered Ivy's wolf... the other wolf.

"Don't shift, Kiara," Ivy growled, the sound low and harsh.

Kiara watched as Ivy started the transformation process. The loud popping sounds echoed in car as her clothes fell in shreds around her. The wolf struggled against the seatbelt, finally using her long deadly canines to demolish the harness. Ivy's weight broke the car seat, and Ivy used her hind legs to kick against the dash, giving her more room.

The she-wolf saw that Kiara couldn't get the seatbelt undone. Using her sharp teeth and powerful jaws she again ripped the belt, freeing Kiara. Ivy held her huge body still while Kiara wrapped her arm around Ivy's shoulders to lower herself down to the ground. Ivy gently pulled Kiara out of the demolished car and away from the wreckage.

"Ivy, can you understand me? Honey, you need to shift back." Kiara petted Ivy's head, hearing the ambulance. "They won't come near us with you still in wolf form."

Kiara watched as the big she-wolf lay down and whimpered. Thank god Rigor had told her about this form, because she was just as scary as Sam. Moments later the shift started and Ivy sat there, naked.

"Oh my... god," Ivy said, realizing her clothes were now shredded.

"See that bag over there," Kiara said. "I think that's the swimsuit cover-up you bought at the flea market."

Ivy grabbed the bag, and pulled the cover-up out. "Well, it's better than nothing."

Moments later the fire department, cops and an ambulance that CAP had called pulled up. Ivy immediately asked to use one of the police officers' phones to call Daylon.

* * * *

The ringing of Daylon's cell caused both he and Sam to flinch. Daylon, hands trembling, answered. He turned completely white and Sam's stomach dropped. Daylon listened to whoever was on the phone without saying a word, then hung up. Slowly he reached out to Sam. Sam's whole world stopped for a second.

"Ivy and my mom... they had a wreck a short time ago. Listen to me, Sam!" Daylon squeezed his hand when Sam's eyes began to change. "Don't! She's fine... they are both fine."

"You... are you... sure?"

"Yes. That was one of the paramedics. Ivy and mom are bruised up, bleeding a bit, but okay. They are going to the hospital to run a few tests and check mom out. She lost consciousness for a short time. But they are alive and okay. We need to call my dad and Mary, then get to the hospital."

"There's something else, isn't there?" Sam asked as he fished his cell out. This was not a call he looked forward to making.

"I sensed danger, then I get a call that mom had a wreck? And Ivy just happened to be with her? Contact Holland, too, after you call Mary. I want to know what the findings are the second they establish what caused this. Call in a few favors if you have to. Also, tell Mary that we'll come get her, then pick up my dad. I want us all together."

"You think someone tampered with your mom's car?" Sam asked.

"Dad just had that car serviced, Sam. This should not have happened," Daylon said, then looked at Sam.

"Fuck, you are saying this wasn't accident?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Daylon said.

To be continued...