Chapter 59

Zara

We returned to the Alpha house as quietly as we’d left. The strange she-wolf who Lucian had left in charge met us at the door and reported that all had been quiet while we were gone. Lucian nodded and told her he would like a more thorough debrief in his office.

“You should go unpack your things, Zara,” he said. “I won’t require your services until tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” I said, showing respect because it seemed wrong to cause trouble in front of the new wolf when he’d been so nice to me on the trip.

“I’ll help carry everything up,” Kieran offered.

I accepted because everything except my backpack had been his idea. Well, I had asked for a new pack of socks and underwear from the athletic clothing shop.

Kieran left the packages on my bed, and left me to unpack. While I was putting away the new clothing in my closet, my phone rang. I stared at the device in shock for several moments. Then I recognized Elliot’s phone number and answered.

“Hello?” I said.

“Hi, this is Zara, right?” Elliot said.

“Yes,” I answered. “It hasn’t been a week, is everything okay?”

“Oh, yes, everything’s fine,” Elliot said. “I’ve started my research, and something interesting came up, although it’s somewhat tangential to my investigation.”

“Something about my mother?” I asked.

“Oh, no, I haven’t found anything about her yet,” Elliot said, “I really didn’t expect to find anything this fast. No, I found something about you. Well, it’s a possible lead.”

“About me?” I asked, honestly startled.

“Yes,” Elliot said. “Your name and footprint, from your birth certificate, pinged a missing person’s case.”

“What?” I asked.

“It appears that someone, somewhere, is looking for you,” Elliot explained. “It’s a cold case at the moment, but I can probably find out who filed the original missing person’s report. Do you want me to pursue this, or focus on your mother’s whereabouts?”

“I…” I hesitated. “I’m honestly not certain,” I admitted.

Someone was looking for me? Who? And why? It wasn’t likely to be my mother. She knew where I was; she’d left me here. Hadn’t she? That was the story I’d heard my whole life. What if it was a lie? What if I’d been taken from her?

But why? My father had always resented my existence. He wouldn’t have stolen me.

“I understand,” Elliot said, voice gentle, “These things can be a shock, and emotionally complex.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Can I, um, is it all right if I think about it for a little while?”

“Of course,” Elliot said, “there’s no reason to rush. The file has been there for years, it won’t go anywhere in the next few days, or even weeks if you need that much time. For the moment, I’ll concentrate on locating your mother.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“Just earning that generous retainer,” Elliot said. “Contact me anytime.” He paused, and added, “And remember, regardless of who’s signing the checks, you are my client.”

“Oh. Uh, thank you.” I wasn’t sure what to say to that.

“I’ll leave it at that for now,” Elliot said. “I’ll contact you at the end of the week for my first official update. Hopefully I’ll have something for you by then.”

“I look forward to it,” I said with absolute honesty.

Elliot said his goodbyes and hung up. I stared down at my phone, thinking about the conversation.

Someone, somewhere, had reported me missing. Someone had been looking for me. The case was cold, Elliot had said, so maybe they gave up.

But maybe they hadn’t. Maybe someone, somewhere, wanted me. My whole life, I had always been the unwanted one. My father’s embarrassing little secret, abandoned by my own mother.

I lay back on my bed, and tried to imagine who might have filed that report. Did I have other family out there? Perhaps a grandparent, an aunt or uncle, who didn’t know where my mother had taken me.

But why? Why would she leave me with the wolves if she had other family? Why had my mother been so desperate?

As a child, I imagined ridiculous stories to explain it away. Maybe she was a princess, on the run from an evil sorcerer. Maybe she was my father’s true fated mate, and I was the only thing she could give him. Maybe she was a super spy on the run from enemy agents, and the wolf lands were the only place I’d be safe.

I was an imaginative child.

Should I ask Elliot to look into the missing person’s report, or should I have him concentrate on my mother? I didn’t know. I was desperate to learn who she really was, what had happened to her, and where she was now, if she was even still alive. At the same time, she had abandoned me. I always hoped there was a good reason, but maybe there wasn’t. Maybe she just didn’t want me. Whoever had filed that report did want me. Maybe I should try to find them, instead.

A scream interrupted my indecision. I sat bolt upright, heart hammering in my chest. I ran to my door and peeked outside.

I knew that voice. But why would Kieran be screaming? Had he been attacked? Had a Rogue assassin gotten into the Alpha house?

I ran out into the hall. Whatever was happening, I wasn’t about to hide in my room like a frightened pup. I could fight. I could help.

Lucian was already out in the hall. I skidded to a stop next to him, startled to see that he hadn’t summoned any guards or healers or anyone. Did he intend to face whatever had made Kieran cry out like that alone?

“Go back to your room, Zara,” Lucian ordered, voice every bit as cold as the first day I met him.

“What? Why?” I asked. “Kieran needs help.”

Lucian shook his head sharply. “Not from you.”

“What do you mean?” I demanded. “I can fight! And I’m not a healer, but I know first aid. I…” I trailed off. “There’s no attacker, is there?”

“No,” Lucian said.

If it wasn’t an attack, then what made him scream?

“The voices,” I realized. “They’ve come back.”

Lucian nodded silently. “Go back to your room, Zara. I will deal with Kieran.”

“But I can help,” I protested. “I can soothe his wolf.”

“No,” Lucian said, and paused as Kieran shrieked again. “No, Zara. Not until we know why you collapse any time you help us.”

“It’s not soothing the wolf, it’s when we’re… intimate,” I protested.

“And can you promise me that while soothing Kieran’s wolf you won’t become intimate?” Lucian asked.

“Yes!” I replied.

“I’m not so sure,” Lucian said, “and neither Kieran nor I want to risk your life.”

“But he’s…” I looked at the door as another scream echoed from the room. “It’s nowhere near the full moon,” I said. “It’s too early!”

Lucian looked away.

“I can help him,” I said.

“No,” Lucian said.

“But…” I tried to think of an argument Lucian would accept.

“The longer you stand here and argue, the longer it is before I can go in and try to wake him up,” Lucian growled.

I winced, and backed up a step.

“I’ll tell him you offered to help,” Lucian said, voice softening just slightly. “It will matter to him.”

“Okay,” I whispered.

I returned to my room. The screams stopped after another minute.

I didn’t sleep much that night.