JASMINE’S P. O. V.
I slept, but it wasn’t good. My baby is still missing. Gabe doesn’t sleep much either. When I am shuffling around this morning, I mean I still have other children I have to take care of. I can’t fall apart. David especially needs me. He is too little to understand what is going on. Anyway, when I am shuffling around this morning I get a link from Hunter, it still feels weird to have him back in my head. “Hey, baby, have you heard anything about Lila?”
“I understand that you are feeling bad right now but you really need to stop calling me that. No I haven’t, I have wolves checking every pack, still nothing.”
“Every pack.”
“Yes, Hunter, every pack, even Moonridge. I talked to their Alpha. He seemed quite understanding. Ok, not Shatter rock, Christian is going to be here soon.”
“How could you talk to Moodridge, those guys are crazy. He could find this as a vulnerability and attack us?”
“Don’t be paranoid, Hunter. He was really reasonable. He said that I can send wolves to his lands too, they just can’t enter the compound. I am starting to think that maybe he has been misjudged a little. He’s a father too, so he gets it. Now leave me alone.”
“Baby, I need to talk to you.”
“Not happening. I am busy. Help Jay with something to help find Lila. That should keep you busy enough.”
I close down the link, there is no way I can give that man an inch. I learned from my mistakes. Gabe wraps me up in his arms. “We’re going to find her beautiful.”
“I know. I just hate not knowing where she is.” I lean into him.
“Is Hunter bothering you?”
I nod. “A little more than usual. He’s anxious about Lila. He cried yesterday. He doesn’t know what he’s going to do if something happens to her.”
He kisses my neck. “Nothing is going to happen to her. By extension Hunter will be fine.”
“I know, but he’s worried. It’s understandable with everything that happened. I just don’t know how to help him.”
He holds me closer. “He hardly deserves your concern, but I know your heart isn’t going to let you just brush it off. Hunter will be fine. Let him help Jay out and that should give him something to do.”
I smile. “Great minds think alike. I already did.” I turn around in his arms. “You know I love you right?”
“MMM, my Luna.”
I barely get out “My Alpha.” Before his lips descend on mine. I know it doesn’t exactly seem like a good time, but it is comforting. Somehow, even as worried as I am, I know that Lila is ok. Not just because I want it to be either. I just have this feeling. Maybe Gabe is right and she was just taken by her mate. He is waiting for her birthday to claim her. It would be nice if they did things differently but it is what it is. Nothing else makes sense. There was no call, no body. It doesn’t make sense to take her for no reason. It isn’t a slave thing, because she is far more valuable as ransom than a slave. She couldn’t be broken like that.
For once I am glad I have a strong willed daughter. Someone who won’t take shit from anyone. I guess raising her with a lot of brothers helped with that. Still she is my little girl and I want her home.
After breakfast we make our way down to the packhouse. Christian and his family are due to arrive soon and I know my sons are looking forward to seeing his again. I have missed Zoe terribly and I am so glad that she is going to be here for me right now. Jace is somber next to me. He is worried about his sister I can tell.
“We are going to find her Jace.”
He nods. “I asked the manager of the club to send over what he could of the security footage. See if maybe we can identify his men. He was a high ranking wolf right. So maybe we can see if he interacts with any others at the club and then we can pinpoint what pack he is from that way. He agreed. I’m going to see if Andrew will help me comb through that. I just need to feel like I am doing something to find her.”
“I know. I even called Moonridge yesterday out of desperation. Nothing panned out but I still called.”
“Mom, what if we don’t find her?”
“Your dad has a theory and it is starting to make sense. He thinks it was her mate that took her. He thinks maybe he is waiting for her birthday to claim her. He thinks we will hear something then.”
“What if Dad is wrong?”
“Jace, I don’t care what happens we are going to find her.”
He nods to me but his expression isn’t any better. I am glad that he loves his sister this much. I always worried that things would be strained since she has a different dad, but Jace and her have been the closest of any of my children. Jace has always thought he needed to protect his little sister as he calls her. Hell he was always bigger than her. At least since he was two and surpassed her in size.
I hear the SUV’s pull up out front and run out the door to be greeted by Zoe running into my arms. That is why I love Zoe, she knows exactly what I need. “Have you found out anything?”
“No, no word.” I cling to my friend like my life depends on it.
Christian puts his arm around us both. “We are going to find her. Eli is the best tracker there is. He can sniff her out.”
Eli comes forward with a woman clinging to his arm. “Aunt Jas, anything I can do to help.”
I nod. “Can you and Andrew look over the footage from the club with Jace? He’s trying to see if the one who took her interacts with any other wolves, so that maybe we can track him that way.”
Eli nods and looks towards Jace. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Andrew comes around too. “Anything to find little sis.”
Jace motions for them to follow him. “We’re going to go pick up the footage now. You can smell the area where we last caught her scent and see if you smell anything better. Lila always said you were the best at that.” Both boys follow mine.
“If anyone can help find her it’s them.” I sigh looking at the boys leave.
Zoe hugs me tighter. “Come on girl. Let’s see what we can do to find our princess. Plus I know she is going to be back for this birthday, come hell or high water that girl is not going to miss her party. If there is one thing that Lila likes, it’s a party.”
“Zoe, really?” I can’t help but chuckle a little, because it’s true.
“Hey, you and I both know it’s true. Lila will come back.”
“I know.”
I hear Christian and Gabe talking. “What are you thinking? I know you have some ideas over who took her.”
I hear Gabe sigh. “I think it was her mate. You and I both know how strong the bond is. I just don’t understand why he didn’t wait until her birthday.”
“Maybe he wasn’t invited. Did you look into the wolves that weren’t invited?”
“That’s a good idea. You and I can look over the lists. It has to be a high ranking wolf that we already established. But that is all that we have found out.”
“Sounds like we have some leads.” Christian sounds chipper. At least the mood is lighter. We have leads and I am hoping that soon it leads to my daughter home safe and sound.