Chapter 70

Sebastian’s POV

“What is this?” Sebastian asked as he left Hannah and Liam’s old room.

Alpha Steven was waiting for him in the living room, staring at the picture Sebastian was holding in his hands. There was a moment of confusion that crossed his face.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “A picture. It must have belonged to Hannah and Liam.”

“It says that it was their little paradise. Do you know what that means?” Sebastian demanded to know.

Steven shook his head, but then he thought about it for a moment.

“They didn’t have a lot growing up,” Steven told him. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought of that river as paradise. Like their favorite place or something.”

Before Sebastian had a chance to say anything more, someone knocked on the door. Steven looked even more confused and alert; he glanced over at Sebastian worriedly.

“Expecting more people to search my home?” Steven asked.

He didn’t wait for Sebastian to answer before he opened the door. Arnold and Raya stood before them; Sebastian was surprised they were standing there. He was so focused on his investigation; that he didn’t even sense them approaching.

“Great…” Steven muttered. “Just what I needed. More home invaders.”

Arnold and Raya came into the house; Raya looked a bit freaked out to be in front of Steven, but she kept her eyes locked on the ground as she walked. Sebastian figured Hannah probably caught her up and she knew exactly who Steven was.

“What are you doing here?” Sebastian asked; he initially asked Arnold and Raya to stay with Hannah because he didn’t want her to be alone for long. There’s no telling what that asshole Jack would do to her once he figured out, she was alone. “Is Hannah okay?”

“She’s fine,” Arnold cut him off. “She gave me something to give to you.”

Sebastian frowned and stared around his serious face. He glanced over at Steven who was watching curiously.

“Not here,” Sebastian said, motioning for them to follow him through the house. They walked down the long hallway and back to Hannah and Liam’s old room.

“This is where she grew up?” Raya asked, looking around the room; her face was unreadable. “I feel uneasy here. Like the energy is all wrong. It must have been terrible for her to be here.”

Now that she was mentioning it, the energy did seem a bit off. Like he felt almost weakened in the home; not as strong as he usually is. He brushed the thought out of his mind and focused on Arnold who was holding a piece of paper.

“It’s a note that Liam left for Hannah,” Arnold said, handing the note over. “Dr. Davis found it under his pillow at the hospital and gave it to her. She figured seeming you are the one looking for him, you should have it. It might help you find him.”

Sebastian couldn’t help the growl that escaped the back of his throat at the mention of Dr. Davis. He shouldn’t have been surprised that he would be the first to go see Hannah. But he shouldn’t be too mad if this note really will help find Liam.

Sebastian took the note and read it.

Dear Hannah,

I’m sick of waiting around for you to return. Dad said he was going to take me to see mom, but he hasn’t come back either. I want to see mom. So, I’m going to find her myself. Don’t come looking for me. You said mom was in paradise, so I’m going there to find her.

Love Liam

His handwriting was hard to read, but Sebastian managed.

“Paradise?” Sebastian breathed as he glanced at the picture he had in his hands. “I know where he is.”

…

Sebastian, Arnold, and Raya ran through the forest in their wolf forms. Their senses were heightened, and their strength had returned to them after they exited Alpha Steven’s home. They ran with great speed; it’s not often that Sebastian gets to keep himself in control when he’s in his wolf form. Typically, Eric would take over and make him go into a maddening state. But nothing mattered anymore; he knew exactly where Liam had run off to and they had to get to him before it was too late.

They called the riverbed near that rogued town “paradise”. Hannah must have told Liam that their mother was somewhere in paradise instead of saying that she was dead. He understood that he had the mental compacity of a child and wouldn’t be able to grieve the loss of his mother normally.

She was only trying to protect him. However, it gave him a false sense of hope that she was still alive.

“How much longer?” Arnold asked through the wolf’s mindlink as they continued running.

“Not long,” Sebastian answered. “I can hear the river flowing only a few miles away.”

“And you really think he could be there?” Arnold asked; uncertainty lingered in his tone.

“I don’t have any other idea on where he could be,” Sebastian admitted. “This is a better guess than none.” After a short pause, Sebastian added. “He could be hurt, so we need to hurry.”

They picked up speed; he could smell the scent of the rogues not far away. He knew if the rogues caught onto his scent it would turn into a problem. The rogues didn’t typically like the royal family. They lived outside of the kingdom and away from the packs. They were outcasted; mainly made up of omegas that couldn’t fit in with any of their packs. Omega and criminal wolves were outcasted by their packs and by Sebastian.

They weren’t the type of wolves anyone would want to mess with. However, there was no wolf stronger and bigger than Sebastian, so he wasn’t worried that he wouldn’t be able to take them. He was far too strong and powerful to let a few rogues get in his way.

They broke through the forest and felt the soft breeze of the trees brushing through their thick fur. He felt a few droplets of water spraying at him from the riverbed that sat before them. The aroma of the river enlightened their senses and gave them even more strength.

Even though this was dangerous territory, he had to admit that the river was a beautiful sight. He scanned the area carefully, but he didn’t see Liam anywhere in sight.

Worry started to fill him.

Was he wrong?

Was Liam not here?

He scanned the area, moving closer to the river; the water was foggy and hard to see.

“He’s not here,” Arnold said, also scanning the water.

“Then where else could he have gone?” Sebastian hissed, anger boiling through him.

It wouldn’t be long before Eric lost control and they went on a rampage.

Raya went up a small hill that stood nearby so she could get a better view. She didn’t even know what Liam looked like, but she wanted more than anything to find him. Sebastian stumbled backward as defeat started flooding him.

He had no other plan; he didn’t know what else to do or what to think.

Soon, Raya’s voice cut through his inner dialogue.

“You guys!” She said, panic in her tone. “I think I found him. Somebody hurry!!!”

Sebastian sprung to his feet and ran toward her on the top of the hill. He followed her gaze down towards the end of the riverbed.

It was a floating body.