Chapter 77

Sebastian

The car ride back inside my country’s borders is chaotic. Noah, Ella, and Evan sob, clinging to me as if I am their life preserver now that their mother, my beloved Miranda, is gone.

Even I feel lost without her presence here to guide us. She is the rock that kept us grounded and yet she has been taken from us, leaving her family utterly destroyed in the Rogue King’s wake.

“Is Mommy going to be okay?” Ella asks from my lao. Her tiny fists have balled up the fabric of my shirt, staining it with her tears.

“I want Mommy back!” Evan sobs.

Noah remains silent. He holds onto my hand, squeezing it, but stares outside the car window. He is completely dissociated from reality.

I try my best to answer their questions and pleas but I know the it will do nothing to lessen their emotional turmoil. All I can do is try to salvage the pieces of their broken hearts and stitch them back together, knowing that they will never be the same.

“We have secured an entire floor of a hotel for you, sir, and we have already assessed it for threats and have placed a patrol outside the building and your floor,” a Delta officer chimes from the front seat. My darkened gaze reaches his, a sympathetic expression flashing across his face.

“Thank you,” I force the words out of my mouth. He nods.

The car comes to a slow and exhaustion has taken over Ella and Evan’s bodies, knocking them out and into a deep slumber. I slide out of the car and take them into my arms, watching as Noah exits. He stares at me and sniffles, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. I sigh and turn to the Delta.

“Sir.” He steps to me and takes the cap off of his head, placing it over his heart. “We found the mole. It was your Beta. He was the one that took Miranda and the kids to the Rogue King.”

A pang of betrayal strikes my chest, leaving me breathless. His words sink into my skin. It stings to know that someone so close to you, someone who you entrusted your entire life with, could betray you so easily.

How much was the Beta paid? Or did he act upon any negative feelings he had towards me? Maybe he too has a personal vendetta against my family and I.

“Do you know of any other traitors? He can’t be the only one,” I readjust Ella and Evan in my arms, their quiet snores being the only noise that can calm me down and stop my anger from taking over my body.

“As of now, we have a few leads and are currently acting upon them,” the Detla responds. I nod and move to turn to the hotel’s private elevator when the Delta’s voice stops me, “Sir, if I may?” It turn back to him and raise an eyebrow. “I know this is a hard time for you, but you can trust me and my men. We are loyal to you and you only. We are at your service. Just say the word.”

“Thank you,” I nod at him, “you and your men are the finest of the bunch. Thank you for your dedication.”

Noah helps me open the door to the Presidential suite. He kept the door open while I slipped through, Ella and Evan’s bodies taking a slight toll on me. The young boy looks around the hotel room and I can’t help but smile at the wonder in his eyes.

“How many rooms are there?” He asks, looking up at me. A tired chuckle leaves my mouth and I shrug.

“I don’t know, buddy, why don’t you find one for you and your siblings? Does that sound good?” Noah’s eyes light up at my words. He quickly takes off and I sigh, watching him run throughout the large suite.

I follow him around, watching as he inspects every room closely. Ella stirs every now and then but Noah tells me that she moves around in her sleep and to not worry.

For a boy his age, Noah is very mature and quite knowledgeable. I’m impressed by it but a part of me is concerned that he’s grown up too fast for his age. He deserves to be a kid.

“This one!” He says, pointing to the master bedroom. I chuckle and nod, walking inside the bedroom. Noah throws back the sheets of the bed and kicks his shoes off, hopping inside. I place Ella in the middle of the bed with Evan to the left since Noah lays on the right. I take off their shoes and jackets, pulling the covers over them.

I turn to walk away but Noah grabs my hand, pulling me back to him. I crouch beside the bed and look down at him, brushing his hair out of his face.

“Is everything okay, buddy?” I ask.

“Can you…keep the bathroom light on?” He requests. I nod and make sure that the covers are snugly fit around him.

“Of course. Sleep well.” I kiss the top of his head and keep the door cracked, the bathroom light flowing into the bedroom. I close the door behind me as I leave.

A sigh escapes my lips when I’m alone. I head back into the suite’s common room and fall onto the couch, my head rolling back.

Exhaustion sweeps over my body, my mind going a mile a minute.

What did Miranda mean by her flowers? What does Anna know about them? Is there something she’s not telling me.

I grab my phone and call the Delta officer. He immediately picks up with a, “Yes, sir?”

“Please have Miranda’s friend, Anna, picked up and brought to my hotel. Immediately.”

“Right away, sir!” The call ends.

Minutes later, Anna quietly enters the hotel room. I stand and face her as she walks in. She greets me with a sight bow of the head and shoves her hands into her pockets.

“Your Highness.”

“What does Miranda mean by her ‘flowers’?” The question leaves me before we can entertain any more formalities. Anna raises an eyebrow, inching closer to me.

“Her flowers?” Anna repeats. I nod. “Well…there’s only one thing that comes to mind.”

“Yes? What is it?” I hang onto her words, clinging onto the hope that there is a way for me to save my mate.

“As Healer M, she grew wolfsbane. She used the petals to create a poison deadly enough to kill an Alpha wolf,” her eyes narrow. “She has an antidote as well. It’s fast acting and takes only thirty seconds to kill your average Omega or Gamma. It takes two minutes to kill an Alpha.”

“Can you produce it? How long will it take?” I step towards her. Anna sighs and scratches the back of her head.

“That’s…not really my area of expertise. You should have someone else handle it, not me. But I do know that it only takes a few days to produce. Four tops. The poison has to ferment before the last step,” Anna shrugs. “I can get the wolfsbane for you if you get me someone who can make it.”

“I can do that, yes.” I nod.

The hope of being reunited with Miranda reignites my inner flame to keep fighting, to keep going and to not give up.

I’m coming, Miranda! I’m going to bring you back home!