Traitor

Seth
Something was wrong. Ember’s fear hit our mate link like a tidal wave.
“Where the fuck is she?”, I heard Carter growl, shoving Jordan against the wall. Jordan growled at him.
“She was in the room. I went to sleep and woke up. She was gone. Now fucking release, me”, he demanded Carter. The aura in the whole mansion was thick. Ever since we had gotten home and realized she had disappeared; Carter had almost become feral. Even I could feel the beast inside ready to come out and cause chaos, but I had to keep it controlled. I gripped Carter’s shoulder and pulled him away from Jordan. We are fully bonded with Ember now. We could link her. She, however, had chosen to close us out. If she was in danger, she would have told us, or even screamed for Jordan.
“You need to relax and think, Carter. She has been blocking our link on purpose. It is possible she is somewhere and intentionally does not want to be found.”, I told him. He looked at me with his black eyes with the blue swirls.
“Are you saying to just let her stay gone? After what we all just felt? ” He demanded to know. I shook my head.
“Of course, fucking not. All I’m saying is the events of the last few weeks have not been easy on her. Even more so with her finding out who and what she is. Even humans need time to process. That does not mean we won’t fucking look for her. I refuse to let her be anywhere we don’t deem safe for her”, I said back, and he nodded before growling and punching a hole clean through the nearest wall.
“Damien isn’t responding either”, Jordan said. I tried linking Damien but got no response.
“They could be together”, Jordan said, but I shook my head.
“Ember has not yet forgiven Damien. She would not allow him to take her from here at night. ” I told him, as we went to the camera room. I tried linking Damien as well but got no response.
We all ended up working in different places checking the cameras. One of the cameras outside the pack showed her getting into a limo. We called our pack members at the Miami PD to put out an app to find the limo that she had gotten into, and a hit came back. They sent us the last known location of the car. It was spotted headed near our packhouse. The three of us rushed outside only to see that same limo parked outside of the pack entrance with mom standing in frustration on the outside of the entrance. She couldn’t pass. What the hell was she doing with the limo Ember got into? A bad feeling came to me.
“Seth, Carter, Jordan. What the hell is going on? I can’t cross over. I’ve been trying to link you but it’s like I’m blocked or something “, she said in annoyance. Dad pulled up in his car.
“Finally, you’re here.”, she snapped at him.
“I was held up. What do you mean you can’t cross over?” he asked. He walked across the entrance just fine but when she tried to, her skin started to sizzle as if she was being burned by an invisible force.
“We don’t have time for this. We have to find our mate. Where is she?” I asked mom.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about” she said, and I almost shifted on the spot. My patience for her was coming to a close. I walked up to her and gripped her throat. Dad growled but Carter and Jordan stepped in his way, blocking him from us.
“Ember got into your limo a few hours ago. Don’t bother lying. We traced the vehicle. She told none of us where she was going and that’s something she would never do. We all felt pure fear of her. Where is she?” I demanded to know.
“Ruby, what is this mess? What have you done? Franklin said, pushing past Carter and Jordan.
“So, you’re on their side now. I only did what I had to. To protect our family”, she whimpered in his presence. I released her as I knew dad would take over and get out of her what we wanted to know. Killing her would not be out of the question if I had found she had done something bad to my mate, mother or not.
“What did you do with the girl, Ruby?”, he demanded to know, backing Ruby against the nearest tree. He growled and she cowered under him, but she didn’t say anything.
“Agatha told me our pack was protected by Selene now. The only people who could not cross over the pack entrances would be traitors and enemies”, Jordan said with his eyes narrowed. He walked over and gripped the driver of the limo with his jacket.
“Where did you take our mate?”, he growled at him. The driver looked like he wanted to shit himself as he looked at Ruby for instructions, but Carter cut off his sight.
“Don’t bother. She can’t help you now. Tell us where she is right now and I’ll spare you, or so help me, I will toss you across that fucking pack line”, Carter said to him. He gulped.
“She is with Ryder, sir. Miss Ruby put a call to him through a contact of hers in his pack and spoke with Ryder. They came to the agreement that your mate was never to step foot back here. I am sorry”, he said. The air was thick with hostility.
“Ryder, Ruby. Our fucking enemy. You fucking bitch”, Dad growled. She looked up at him and slapped him across the face with tears running down her face.
“I did what I did for us. For our future and our family. I would do it again if I had to.
“Enough, Ruby. You did what you did for you. For fear that Ember is more powerful than you. More powerful than all of us combined. Your fear has now put our mate’s life on the line and now we have got to find a fucking way to save her. ” I spat at her. She looked at me wide-eyed.
“Please, Son. I’ve only had all of your best interests at heart.” She pleaded.
“If something happens to Ember and she is killed, don’t ever let me hear you call any of us family. You are dead to us” I told her, before heading to Agatha’s. Strangely though, Agatha was already out of her house and headed our way.
“We need your help”, I told her.
“Yes. you do, but first. You must deal with your mother”, she said. She walked up to Ruby and blew some dust-like substance from her hand, causing Ruby to blackout.
“What did you give her?” Dad asked as she slumped unconscious in his arms.
“Essence of Valerian root. She will be out of it for a few hours.”. She then touched Ruby’s forehead. “Bring her to my home. I have made it so she can cross the line. She will be secure and held there” she told Franklin, who nodded and left with her. I turned to the driver, who Jordan was still holding by the jacket.
“Please, Sir Carter. You said you would spare me”, the driver pleaded, and Jordan growled at him. Carter looked at Jordan before looking at the man.
“I am sparing you”, he simply stated.
“I, however, made no such promise” Jordan said, and he threw the man across the pack line. He was burned as soon as he crossed, bursting into a small flame like a vampire in the sun before nothing but ash was falling down, and the fire was out.
We turned to Agatha.
“What can you tell us?”, I asked her.
“I have been sent a vision from Selene. You won’t like what I am about to tell you, but you must respect her word.
“Do not go after Ember. She is exactly where Selene needs her to be. Pieces are falling into place. If you three go and collect Ember right now, not only will you die, but she will also die.” Agatha told us.
“We can’t just sit here and do nothing”, Carter growled at her.
“That is exactly what you boys will do. And another thing, do not contact Damien. He had been tasked with a mission of utmost importance by Selene herself. He needs his focus, and if it goes as planned, you will all have what you seek by dawn. Go back to the mansion, and wait, ” she said, before turning around and going back to her home.
“We can’t just wait here, Seth, ” Jordan said. The same thought crossed my mind too, but another did as well.
” If we intervene with Ember, and whatever she has planned, she will die. If we intervene with Damien, and whatever Selene has tasked him with, he too, will die. I don’t like this shit any more than you do, but we are NOT losing them both. We will respect Selene’s wishes”, I told him. He growled at me, punching one of the trees and causing it to snap from its roots before shifting and running into the forest. Carter and I watched him go.
“Are you thinking what I am thinking”, Carter said, and I nodded and spoke.
“Damien’s mission is Ember.”