Chapter 14: The Phone Call

"Is there anyone we could ask to test your DNA or find out what pack you're from?" Zoe asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. Let's talk to Chase and Sonia." Ryder felt better than he had in a long time. It felt good to get everything out that he'd held inside for so long. He looked at Zoe, who was deep in thought. She really was incredible. He'd only known her for a little over a day and changed her whole world, but she never shied away, not once. She caught him staring at her and smiled.

"Are you feeling better?" Zoe wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.

"Yes. I'm glad I told you everything. I hope you're right about me not being related to who I thought I was. Having you change how you felt about me was one of my biggest fears. My other fear was that I would become a monster someday when I had pups." Ryder was starting to understand how important having a strong mate was. No one was stronger than Zoe.

"I could never change how I feel about you. You are too gentle to be a monster. Even if they were your blood relatives, you're nothing like them. I had the same fear. I didn't want to grow up and be like my parents, with alcohol and drugs being the only thing that mattered. When we have pups, they will be the most loved pups in the pack because we have so much love to give them." Zoe pulled his mouth to hers. He was the biggest man she had ever met, but with her, he was soft as a teddy bear.

"You're already an amazing luna. I'm going to ask Chase and Sonia to meet us in my office. I can't wait to mark you later." Ryder said when she pulled away.

"I can't wait either. Will it hurt?" Zoe asked as he pulled her out of bed and toward the bathroom.

"It will hurt for a second, but it will go away quickly. Your body may ache as it transforms into a werewolf. Your bones have to change slightly so you can shift back and forth. You may get a fever and feel sick as you adjust to having my venom inside you." Ryder turned the shower water on, and they got in. Zoe was so lost in thought she didn't realize where she was until he started washing her hair. She smiled up at him.

"That feels amazing. So your venom is what changes me. Does anything else happen?" She asked, fascinated by the transformations that would take place. As a doctor, it seemed unbelievable that it was even possible.

"You'll get faster and stronger. All of your senses will improve, and you should be able to pick up on my scent like I can yours. Your wolf will come before the transition is complete, and she'll help you shift the first time." Ryder finished washing Zoe's hair and moved on to cleanse her body. He was amused at how enthralled she was by what he was saying; she didn't seem to notice him at all. Even when he washed her sensitive areas, she hardly moved. Her mind seemed to be working over time. Zoe was absorbing everything he said like a sponge. He quickly washed himself while she stared off into space. She snapped out of her trance when he shut the water off and wrapped a towel around her.

"I think I understand now, and it makes sense that we need time for everything to change. I'm still curious about the DNA aspect and if we can try and find your family through your DNA. I would imagine, just like humans, a werewolf's genes should be able to be traced to their origin." Zoe quickly braided her hair and threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. She was in work mode now and didn't care if she looked perfect.

Ryder was beaming at how focused she was on the task at hand. He had been ready to throw her on the bed and get her dirty again, but he wouldn't mess with her active mind when it was going a mile a minute.

"I'm sure we can find out. You know I really love this side of you." Zoe smiled, throwing her arms around his neck.

"When I want to know something, I won't rest until I have answers. Let's go talk to Chase and Sonia. If they can't help, I have an idea of who we might be able to ask." She wasn't sure if it was her place to say what she was thinking, but if Chase and Sonia didn't have any insight, she thought it was worth a shot.

They walked to Ryder's office hand in hand, meeting the other two at the door. No one said anything until they got inside. Sonia hugged Zoe excitedly as soon as the door was shut.

"I'm so happy you're getting marked today. We can be sisters." She said. Zoe couldn't help smiling back at her. She'd never had any friends, and she really liked Sonia.

"I can't wait. We have something we need to talk to you both about." Zoe said. Chase and Sonia noticed their somber expressions and worried something had happened.

"What's wrong?" Chase asked, looking between them.

"I told Zoe everything that happened to me at Fire Pack. There was something that they would always scream at me while I was being tortured. We believe the people I thought were my parents aren't my parents. They may have kidnapped me from another pack." Ryder answered, sitting on one of the couches and pulling Zoe onto his lap.

"What? How are you going to find out?" Chase asked as he and Sonia sat on the couch across from Ryder and Zoe.

"We were wondering if either of you would know if there is a way to check his DNA and track what pack he was born into." Zoe looked at the couple across from her, staring blankly back at her.

"I've never heard of such a thing. I guess it's possible. I would say ask the elders, but we can't trust them." Chase answered.

"Who were you thinking about asking?" Ryder asked Zoe, remembering what she had said before they left the bedroom.

"The Lycan King. Would he know if there is a way to track what pack wolves are born into?" Zoe looked between the three of them, who all stared at her in shock.

"The King? I've never met him." Sonia said quietly. Ryder had heard stories about the king from his adoptive parents but had never met him. If anyone would know about finding where he came from, it would be him.

"It's worth a try. I've never spoken to him, but my parents always said he was a fair king. He was the one responsible for getting me out of Fire Pack." Ryder kissed Zoe's forehead. He would have never thought about reaching out to the king. She hadn't been in their world for long but was already learning the hierarchy of the werewolf world. He was fascinated with his luna.

"Good. If nothing can be done with DNA, I would think the king would have information on the packs in the area. For him to rule properly, he needs to know the different packs and who leads them. So maybe we can get information on packs with pups reported missing when you were three or younger. I know that might be a long shot, but it would be a place to start. If we have a list to go off of, we could interview the packs and see if anything matches the timeline." Zoe stopped talking and looked at Ryder, Sonia, and Chase. They were all gaping at her like she had three heads.

"Is she even real?" Chase asked before everyone started laughing. Zoe felt heat rising in her cheeks. Her mind was always working, and she looked at things like a puzzle to solve. Sometimes she forgot others didn't think the way she did.

"She's incredible, isn't she?" Ryder smiled proudly at Zoe.

"Okay, you can stop talking as if I'm not here. I just want to get to the bottom of this. Am I overstepping?" She asked. She sometimes spoke out of turn before she could stop herself.

"You're the luna; you can say what you want. None of us would have considered anything you just said. It's impressive." Sonia answered her with a smile.

"Thanks. So how do we get in touch with the king?" Zoe asked.

"Let's call him." Ryder lifted her off his lap and went to his desk. Pulling out his father's old Rolodex, he found the number for King Nickolas. He figured it should still be the same. He took out his cell phone and dialed the number. Sitting back on the couch next to Zoe, he placed the call on speakerphone.

"Hello?" A booming voice answered on the other end.

"This is Alpha Ryder of The Dark Moon Guardians. May I speak to King Nickolas?" Ryder asked, trying to keep the nerves out of his voice.

"Alpha Ryder? My goodness, I haven't heard from your pack in years. How are you doing?" Ryder relaxed at the king's friendly tone.

"I'm afraid we're having some trouble here, King Nickolas. Many of the pack members are trying to have me removed as alpha. They don't want me because I wasn't born into the pack. That's not the reason for my call, though." Ryder paused when he heard the king sigh into the phone.

"Please call me Nick. I'm sorry the pack feels that way. I know your dad had a lot of faith that you were the perfect one to lead. I still believe that. If they continue to give you trouble, let me know. Now what were you calling me about?" Nick asked.

"I have met my mate, who is here with my beta and his mate. I remembered something from Fire Pack and the things that were said to me. I believe there's a chance that I wasn't born into that pack, and the people I thought were my parents kidnapped me. My mate was wondering if there was any way to check my DNA or track my heritage to know what pack I was born into." Ryder squeezed Zoe's hand as they waited.

"What's your mate's name?" Nick asked, smiling into his phone.

"Her name is Zoe, and she's human. I plan on marking her tonight." Ryder smiled down at her as he slipped his arm around her shoulders.

"It's nice to meet you, Zoe. I have to say I'm impressed by what you've asked. Not many know this, but I have a database with the DNA for all the wolf packs. I would be happy to send one of my men to you so he can test your DNA, Ryder. Then we can match it to the pack you're from. I'll start with Fire Pack and then look at the surrounding packs. It shouldn't take long; my people work fast. Zoe, what kind of work do you do in the human world?" Nick asked, interested in the young woman.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, king. I am the chief cardiac surgeon at one of the local hospitals." Zoe noticed everyone was grinning at her. She was used to the attention, but not positive attention. It made her self-conscious.

"Well, well, well, that's quite an accomplishment. I have a better idea. How about I send my man to pick the two of you up and bring you to the palace? Could your beta handle things for a few days?" Nick asked, anxious to meet the couple.

"I don't think that's a good idea with all our problems with the pack. If I'm gone, it will give them an opportunity to plan a takeover." Ryder answered. He would love to take Zoe to the palace, but that wasn't conceivable right now.

"I agree you should stay there. I haven't been on a trip in a while. Do you think you could accommodate me and the queen for a few days?" Nick asked, already planning the trip in his head.

"You want to come here? Of course, we can accommodate you. When should we expect you?" Ryder asked as they all looked at the phone in surprise.

"We'll plan to be there tomorrow afternoon. I'll have my best lab technician check your DNA while we're there. He has a mobile device he uses when he travels. We'll see you soon." Nick disconnected the call, but no one made a sound until Zoe giggled softly.

"I guess we should get ready for the king." She said as everyone began laughing excitedly. Ryder knew the king had his own agenda, but he thought showing the pack they had the king's support would be good. This might be just what they needed to deter any thoughts of an uprising.