Chapter 201

“You took away my mate and I’m going to keep yours. If Chelsea dies I will make sure that you spend eternity without Ames.” I grit my teeth. “Why Scarlet? Why would you go along with anything that Madeline said?” I saw looking at her, wondering what the hell happened. Who cares why she helped Gabriel Max harrumphed in my head. I didn’t understand why my entire family was selfish, from my mother to my father and each of my siblings, not a single one of them wanted to be held accountable for anything. Maybe Scarlet would be different, maybe she had accepted fault since my blow up in class. “She needed this… that’s why – you have no idea what our pack has turned into Gabriel. You turned your back on us, and it’s all falling apart, Maggie dies and Jay doesn’t blame Chelsea; and he should. She set us – Maggie up. She knew that she could – she was a white wolf. You think she’s perfect but if you weren’t her mate you’d see just how much of a manipulator she really is brother,” I couldn’t hide my shock and disbelief, but Scarlet continued. “She took you away, she’s taken Maggie and Audrey as well,” since when did she – anyone but Jay and Maggie care about Audrey Max thought, “Now she’s taken Jay from his family, she shot Leo… we were all happy before she turned up. Now? You’re torturing my mate, your best friend and brother. She makes you forget all the memories-” Why would I justify that statement with my own words, I just left, heading back to Madeline putting my arm on her shoulder, the other guys come closer placing a hand on me. . . . The minute we arrived, Nonno turned his glare onto Madeline, my Nona  looking at her in complete and utter disgust. Taking a seat I see Casey has a sleeping Ava nestled against his chest “Will never get used to you doing that,” Victor said, speaking of my gift. Bringing it to the forefront of my mind once again, I had shown everyone my gifts at the Summit. . . . It had been over five or six hours and I had no leads, just a man that was trained to hunt, kill and then disappear. There were too many variables,. Too many bad guys, too many possibilities. On one hand there were leads but on the other there was nothing. My mind was a jumbled mess, but it made sense. Leo had been after Chelsea since she was a little girl, not just age nine, but since her birth, he thought they were mates because she changed him, so this situation now, could be about different things. Two or three different endgames. If I looked at Chelsea as a witness of a crime or wanted criminal, I knew that more heads would butt. Leo might have wanted her as his mate, then while looking came across the man that sent him with the reinforcement, Robert. Robert could have been after her for a whole other reason, equally detrimental to her but working separately. I couldn’t narrow down just one thing, one person, but it was time consuming to look at all options. Time I didn’t know if Chelsea even had. I heaved a heavy sigh, pulling Nonno’s attention. “Take her. You tell George he will get Scarlet and Ames back when I get Chelsea back. His pack is responsible. Let him know, he’s seen how I travel Nonno… grabbing a few more will – could be nothing,” my voice grave but steady, “I want his pack searching for my mate.” He gave one sharp nod. Ignored all looks of sympathy from my Nona, I couldn’t, wouldn’t break apart. Chelsea was alive; I knew that even if I couldn’t reach her our mate bond link. The bond was still there. I would hold onto that. “The cuff?” Sabastian asked pointing to the one around Madelines neck, “Will protect Chelsea as well as your pack. Her mate cannot contact her and she cannot reach him,” he nodded pulling her up and dragging her behind him, I could hear her already telling lies. “I – I had to help him, he wanted to attack our pack, to protect us all I had to do was give him Chelsea. I did it for the…” he didn’t hear the rest. Marx came up to me, but his face only held disappointment. “I’m sorry Gabriel, the ones that traveled north went all the way up near Shasta Mountains, even checked Redwood, up in Humboldt, and a few others ran tracking out near San Bernardino. No one could catch her scent,” his voice filled with indignation and disappointment. I wanted to be angry that he found nothing, but I was happy, no – I was thankful that he even troubled. “T – Thank you for even bothering,” I whispered, not really there. It was finally hitting me. Chelsea was out there on her own and – and what was the goddamned point of everything?  All her gifts? She was still taken… I should have taken her with me, like my father had done with my mom. She wasn’t even his mate, and he was taking better care of her than I was with my actual mate. This couldn’t be or turn into the scenario with Katie, Chelsea couldn’t die, but if someone took her, and they found out… Max whined, I’d never get her back…