Bloodline and Kin (Gifted Werewolf Series: Book 2)

22: Reed

I'm panicking and pissed...

Simone has shifted and ran off away from the hospital. Corey blames himself, but I shake my head and try to figure out where she might have gone. I figured the forest, because I knew we all felt comfortable there, but did she know the way back to the pack? Would she get lost? Why in the world would she do that?

I couldn't even feel her emotions or sense her. It was like the bond didn't even exist! When she woke up at the house after Corey saved her, the bond brightened again and I felt everything, but now it was as dim as a night sky with no stars or moon. All I felt was an emptiness when I tried to find it again. I didn't think she was dead, but I also didn't know what could have happened.

"...I'm fairly sure. No, it is a black wolf, but the girl is blonde. Her eyes are amber... Thank you." The doctor got off the phone call he had been on since Simone left five minutes ago and turned to me. "I have people searching for her. They will contact me when they catch sight of her."

"I should be able to find her, though."

He shakes his head. "No, you shouldn't."

I look at him with a glare. "Yes, I should!"

"She has silver in her blood, Alpha. It keeps you and her unconnected until it is out of her system completely and she is healed. Most likely, the scent you recognize her with will also be changed, distorted into something distasteful."

"What do I do about it then?"

He looks pleased by this question. "Why don't you tell me how you found her?"

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"Because, my Alpha and Luna have been searching for her ever since she disappeared when she was a toddler, ever since she was taken."

I pause and think. "Are you saying Melanie is not her mother?"

"On the contrary, Melanie is certainly her mother. But she was never allowed to care for her after everyone found out who she was. Simone was supposed to stay with someone else to be cared for and raised."

I sit down in a chair and put my head in my hands. "I'm so confused."

"My Alpha and Luna will be arriving here soon. They can explain it much better than I can," he said and put a hand on my shoulder. "There are five packs nearby looking for her. They're allies with mine. She can't have gone far. We'll find her, help her, and get her home."

"Dr. Truent?" a nurse says.

"What is it?"

"Beta Vuk is on the phone for you."

Nodding, the doctor walks away and into a nearby office. Corey slides in next to me and sighs. "Let me go out and search for her," he hissed.

I shake my head. "If you go, it is possible you'll be hurt trying to rescue her. I don't want you going alone."

"Then send someone with me!" he snarls. "She won't recognize anyone else these people have sent out. She'll at least recognize me!"

Glancing at him, I again shake my head. "I said no."

The hospital doors open and before he can snarl a retort, a man and woman walk straight towards us. "Alpha Reed?" the male says.

I stand. "Depends on who's asking and why."

"I am Alpha Lykaon and this is my mate and Luna, Opaline." The female smiles up at me with piercing blue eyes. "We have been informed that you are the mate of a beautiful girl named Simone."

"I am. Why do you care?"

Behind me, Dr. Truent answers. "Because, Luna Opaline is the one who carried out the orders for someone else to take care of Simone. She is the one who knows the girl from when she was born, besides the mother."

I narrow my eyes. "You're the Luna who was tricked?"

She gives a sad smile. "Unfortunately."

"You can use this room to talk," Truent says gesturing to an office.

"Shall we?" the Alpha says.

I look over at Corey. He stands and walks behind me as we follow the two into the office and sit in a couple of chairs. The Luna sits in the office chair while her mate stands behind her, his hands on her shoulders protectively. My stomach turns over and I miss my mate. "What do you know of the story?" the Luna asks softly.

"Bits and pieces. I don't know much except that Simone's mother has done some major crimes."

A knock on the door and a man with dreadlocks pokes his head in. "May I join?"

The Luna smiles and nods. She waits until he's inside and the door is shut before introducing me. "Beta, this is Alpha Reed. Reed, this is Beta Vuk. Melanie's mate."

I look him over and nod to him. Vuk bows his head in return and says, "So, I am guessing the bitch isn't dead?"

"No, but she did fake it." All three of them look at me with shocked expressions. "Simone watched them bury her. When she saw her mother this morning, I think it nearly scared her to death...literally."

"I think anyone would be scared of their dead psychotic mother," Vuk said.

"Do you know how Simone was before you met? Where she lived after her mother took her away?" the Alpha asked, giving Vuk a glare.

"Alpha Roniston's pack. He and Melanie worked hard to hide Simone, fed her lies, kept her isolated in the top floors of the pack house, let the pack prey on her fears and weaknesses."

"When did you two meets?" Opaline asked.

"A few weeks ago."

"Have you seen Melanie in person?" Vuk asked.

"No—"

"But I have," Corey spoke up. "I saw her today. She was getting into their house to get to Simone while she also had York waiting on the outside."

"York?" all three asked.

"He's her ally and one of the top three people I'm willing to kill on sight," I growl. Everyone was silent for a moment, letting me calm down, but I only saw red. I realized they didn't know why I wanted to kill him, so I said through gritted teeth, "Damn bastard raped her!"

Vuk stiffened, Opaline's eyes glazed over and Lykaon's hands tightened on her shoulders. The female's hand went up to touch her mate's, shaking slightly, but Vuk shook his head and clenched his fists. "Damn it!" He stormed out of the office, slamming the door shut.

I blinked and Opaline said with a shaky voice, "Do you know how many times or why?"

"Just once just after we met, but he's tried in the past when she was younger. The only that stopped him was her best friend, who is unfortunately dead, or I'd have him here. My Beta and I think it is because of her escaping her old pack that he finally did so."

"Why do you say that?"

"She got a note that I did not let her read. It said she was going to have consequences. As I was trying to figure out what it meant with my beta, she was attacked. Corey, who is probably the best runner in our pack, didn't catch him."

Corey bowed his head, but the alpha asked, "What happened to Simone today?"

"She went upstairs for something while I was in the living room. Everything was fine and she was in a great mood. Then, I heard her scream and something crash. I ran upstairs and she came out of the bedroom terrified, then her heart slowed down so much, Corey had to get it going again. She said she saw her mother, and Corey had said the same, so he sent us to the pack house while he went after her.

"Simone was barely in the right state of mind and could barely hold a cup of water when he came back and made us look at her back. She said she didn't feel anything, but there was a scar. When I talked to Corey later, he said she had been cut by a knife coated in silver."

"Oh Goddess!" Opaline gasped and turned around.

"We weren't completely sure, but then after she woke up, my Beta was with her and had the pack doctor bring her medication for a headache she had. She was able to know it wasn't the right pills and Corey told us she was right. It was poison. So, we looked at her back and it was worse. We brought her here, and just as she was falling asleep, she shifted and ran away."

We were quiet for a long time afterwards until a male came in. "Alpha. Luna. We have a problem."