Sorry about the delay! Hope you haven't given up on STAWP! 

"So you followed us here?" I ask Amaryllis.

Y-yes. Even though she's using the link instead of talking, her voice is so soft I can barely hear her. I wait for her to at least elaborate, but there's only silence, punctuated by her wolf's panting breaths.

"Did you at least call someone?" Jess finally asks. "Please tell me you grabbed a phone?"

N-no. Amaryllis stutters.

"Why the Goddess not?" Jess moans.

"It's not like she knew I was going to get kidnapped," I point out when Amaryllis doesn't defend herself.

"Of course not," Jess scoffs. "I meant an emergency phone-one of the ones hidden in the forest. The ones we're trained to grab... you know, in case of an emergency?" Her voice goes up an octave.

I... Amaryllis trails off.

"You what?" Jess demands.

D-didn't have time.

"Then why didn't you go back?" Jess demands.

"That's not helping, Jess. You're the one who said that if they trackers couldn't find this place in four days, they won't be able to track me—"

"I mean after she got here," Jess shouts. "She should have gone back the moment she knew where we were."

"Jess," I snap in warning. My voice echoes through the cell and Jess starts sobbing.

I'm sorry. Amaryllis's voice quavers. I... I tried to be careful. I swear.

"I know you did," I say soothingly.

Mom will... She keeps talking, but Jess's crying drowns out the rest. It's strange, having my brain hear one thing, while my ears hear another, and somehow having them mix.

"Your mom will what?" I ask, trying to focus on the spot where I think she's sitting while I relocate to the other end of the cell. I start to drop down to the dirt floor, and then hesitate. My saffron dress. I can't believe I'm worried about it, but the thought of getting it dirty makes me cringe. Which is so shallow that I just cringe harder. I should be worrying about more important things, like getting out of here alive.

Find us... s-she'll find us. Amaryllis says a bit more loudly, probably because she thinks I'm still on the other end of the cell, while I plop myself down on the dirt floor.

"W-was your mom..." Jess sniffles, "Was she w-with you? Did she go back for help?"

N-no. But she'll find me.

"I've been down here for four days. Four long, horrible d-days. No one came to get me. The entire pack couldn't track me. Like your hippy Mom could find us, if they didn't. You think she'll just magically appear because she loves you? Grow up."

"Jess," I growl in warning. "I know you've been through a lot, but taking it out on Amaryllis isn't going to help us get out of here."

"I'm sorry." Jess sniffles again.

It's okay, Amaryllis whispers. I-I left clues.

"What kind of clues?"

When I was little, we... we played this game.

"I can't hear you." There are several thumps as something strikes the wall that Jess's cell shares with mine, and I picture her hitting it—or maybe slapping it—in frustration.

Mom and I used to play hide and seek... Amaryllis's voice comes out a little stronger. Except... in the forest, with clues. Like... a scavenger hunt.

"So you left her clues to find us," I conclude.

I did! I followed you here... and I left a trail. She'll come.

"Is she one of the trackers?" I ask hopefully, picturing her out looking for us, coming across a clue, and bringing the pack here to save us.

N-no. Amaryllis's voice shakes. She's an... accountant.

I hold in my sigh and resist the urge to bang the back of my head against the wall.

"She probably doesn't even realize you're missing," Jess adds, which is actually a good point. "By the time she does, they'll all be dead."

Who?

"Logan," Jess chokes and I wrap my arms around my chest at the thought of Logan getting hurt, "and Luna and Alpha." She starts crying harder and I take a few deep breaths so I don't end up joining her. "They're going to kill them all, and then they'll come for us. Not that I even care. I'd rather be dead."

Goddess, no. A wolf's howl echoes from Amaryllis's cell.

"Let us out," Jess shouts, yanking on her cell door. The clang of metal against metal joins the howling, and I'm suddenly surrounded by chaos.

"Stop," I shout, jumping to my feet."Jess. Amaryllis. Stop!"

Amaryllis immediately goes quiet, but Jess doesn't listen. "We have to do something," she shouts as she continues to try and break down the door.

"Jess, I have a plan."

The rattling stops, and then Amaryllis hesitantly whispers, W-what is it?

"When the guards bring food, we keep them talking, get them to relax, act nice. Make sure they don't suspect a thing."

And then? Amaryllis sounds breathless.

"Then, we just need to get one of them to open the cell door."

How? she whispers, her question echoing my own thoughts.

"We can... ask to go to the bathroom?"

"That's what the bucket's for." Jess groans.

"What bucket?"

"The one in your cell."

"I don't have a bucket."

Me neither.

I picture Jess having to go in a bucket in her cell for four days straight and suddenly feel a little sick. I'm surprised the smell hasn't permeated my own cell and wonder if the stink is all over hers. It's an awful thought, which instantly leads to more. If they're making her go in a bucket, have they let her shower? Does she have clothes? Has she had anything to eat? I feel a little nauseous and force myself to focus. I have to find a way to get out of here—right now, that's all that matters.

"So what's the plan?" Jess presses.

"They'll have to open the cell door," I say confidently. "Either they let us go to the bathroom or they bring a bucket, right?"

They have guns. Amaryllis adds, her words so soft I barely catch them. It's a relief, because a second later, two sets of footsteps ring down the hall. The guards.

"They're coming," I hiss. I want to say something else, something reassuring, but there's no time.

The three of us go quiet as we listen to the footsteps get closer and closer. My heart hammers in my chest, and I hold my breath as I wait for the guards to come into view and prepare to act nice.

I smell them before I see them. The smell of cooked grease wafts down the hall, and I inhale the aroma of burgers and fries. My stomach growls in response, and in the cell to my left, Jess lets out a whimper full of longing.

"Look, girls. We brought food." The tall, skinny guard grins as he comes into view. He holds up two large brown paper bags, their bottoms darkened by splashes of what could only be grease.

"For everyone?" Jess whimpers and her voice shakes. I try not to think about them starving her these last few days as I give the guards a shy Omega-like smile.

"Of course." The stocky guard nods, taking one of the bags from his companion. He takes out a burger, squats down in front of me, and reaches his hand through the cell bar to hand it to me.

When half his arm is in my cell, I weigh my options. I could take the burger, act all innocent, and hope an opportunity presents itself. Or, I could yank him head first into the cell door, break his arm, and hope that if I hurt him enough, the other guard lets me out.

Rate this chapter on a scale from ♥ (1) to ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (10). What did you like? What did you hate? 

1. If you were Saffron, would you: (a) break the guard's arm (b) convince him to open the cell door and then break the guard's arm, or (c) do something else entirely? 

2. Jess: do you (a) like her, (b) hate her, or (c) don't care.  What about Amaryllis? 

3. I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long. I was writing every day in June, and then July hit and... I don't know what happened. For a week, I couldn't write anything. Like, anything... then, I started writing a little bit, but no matter what I tried to  type for STAWP, it just didn't work. Everything was utter garbage and I kept deleting it and it was so frustrating you don't even know! Then, on Thursday, my friends (who also write!) and I drove down to the beach and stopped by this gorgeous Cafe to write... and STAWP just flowed! So, I'm back! And I'm really sorry I took forever to get this chapter up!  

4. Help the judges select a STAWP art contest winner: vote on your favorite STAWP art (votes count toward final score!). The judges are darblegook, Hollygirl0413, stiles24stilinskiXD, and mistandfuryy. The contest is closed, but if your entry isn't in the "STAWP art" story, or you forgot to send it in, you have until the end of the weekend to send it to me so I can post it and make sure it gets judged!

5. Wolf Pack Game: Comment something you do that's unusual or unique! (Example: "The only music I listen to is reggaeton"). If you find something you also do, reply "Same!" (you can also play on Insta or FB) 

ALMOST FORGOT: THERE IS NOW A STAWP AMINO! (aminoapps.com/c/STAWP)