Hunter, with his penetrating golden eyes, stared at me, revealing determination in his words. “Any problem with the idea, Fierce?” he asked, his tone challenging. I wanted to confront him, and express my opposition, but without my wolf, I was temporarily powerless to do so.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips before I replied, “Will it make any difference?”
“It won't make the slightest difference,” Hunter asserted without hesitation. “The word of the Alpha King will always prevail, Fierce. That includes you and anyone else. Now, you better take me to the boys' room.” I snorted, feeling my blood boil, but knowing that arguing with Hunter at that moment would only make things worse. I decided to lead him to the boys' room, pointing the way with a hand gesture. “It's here. Sniff around as much as you want.”
Hunter nodded with a simple “thank you” and entered the room. I followed, watching as he began to sniff, absorbing the scent of Cassian, Dorian, and Kane for the first time. His senses captured the aroma of my children for the first time. It was a peculiar moment, seeing him connect in such an intimate way with the children who, until that moment, had remained distant in his life.
Hunter's expression subtly changed as he absorbed the information—a mix of curiosity, recognition, and something else I couldn't decipher.
I remained by the door, observing every move of Hunter. Conflicting emotions, from unconditional love to fear of the unknown, danced within me. The fate of our children seemed to hang in the balance of a decision I couldn't control.
Hunter turned to me, and our eyes met. “They are strong. They can be part of something great. That's what matters, Fierce,” he said, as if his words were enough to dispel my concerns.
“What's the next step?” I asked Hunter, aware that each of his decisions would directly affect the fate of our children.
He turned to me, his golden eyes shining with an intensity that made me shiver. “I'll do what I do best: find who kidnapped the children and bring them back.”
I nodded. “Then, we better leave now. Whoever did this is three days ahead of us.”
Hunter agreed. “Alright. Let's go,” he said, ready to act. However, at that moment, my phone in my pocket began to ring. I looked at the screen, an unknown number flashing, and decided to answer. “Hello?” I greeted, my voice conveying the anxiety I was trying to contain. On the other end of the line, a male voice identified himself as Officer Andrew Moore and asked me to come to the police station. The information caught me off guard, but I knew I couldn't ignore a call from an officer. “I'll be there,” I responded, ending the call.
I hung up the phone and informed Hunter about the call. “Officer Moore wants me to go to the police station. It seems he has updates about the boys.”
Hunter frowned. “Who is he?”
“The officer in charge of the boys' case. I'll go there. They might have some clues that could help us.”
Hunter nodded. “Let's go. It's good to know where humans stand in the investigations.”
We agreed to head to the police station, knowing that, despite Hunter's supernatural abilities, cooperation with human authorities was still necessary. On the way, a sense of urgency and determination drove us, as every minute counted in the search for our missing children.
***
I stared at the entrance of the police station, tension increasing with every step closer to the door. Hunter was by my side, and I could feel his silent concern. When we were about to enter, he stopped me.
“I'll wait for you at the corner diner,” Hunter said, averting his gaze from the police station. I furrowed my brow, confused. “Why?”
“I don't get along well with humans in uniform,” Hunter explained, his serious golden eyes. I nodded, understanding. “Alright, I'll meet you there when I'm done.”
He walked away, leaving me in front of the police station. I took a deep breath before entering, preparing for what was to come. As I crossed the door, I was greeted by a serious and bustling environment, with police officers busy with their tasks. I headed to the reception, where a policewoman looked at me with curiosity.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
“I'm Fierce Silver. Officer Moore asked me to come here regarding my children's case,” I explained to the policewoman behind the counter.
She nodded, politely. “Understood, Mrs. Silver. I'll inform the officer that you're here.”
While waiting, I observed the movement in the police station. Officers rushed back and forth, phones rang incessantly, and the atmosphere was filled with tension and urgency.
A few minutes later, Officer Moore appeared, greeting me with a firm handshake. He was a middle-aged man with a serious and dedicated expression.
“Mrs. Silver, thank you for coming. I have some important updates about your children's case,” Officer Moore said as he led me to a meeting room.
We entered the room, where there was a conference table and some chairs. Officer Moore indicated that I should sit, and he began to share the information they had gathered so far.
“It seems we've found something significant. We have images of a suspicious van near your house on the night of the disappearance. We managed to trace the vehicle to a certain point, but we lost the trail. Nevertheless, this gives us a solid lead to continue the investigations,” he explained.
I felt a mix of hope and anxiety upon hearing the news. At least, it seemed that the authorities were making progress in the case. I asked what else they had discovered.
“We are analyzing security cameras in the area to try to identify who was in the van. We are also checking property records and any suspicious activity in the region. However, it's a time-consuming process,” he explained.
I thanked him for his transparency and dedication to solving the case. Then, I asked if there was anything else I could do to help.
“If you can provide any additional information you find relevant or remember anything unusual in the days leading up to the disappearance, that would be helpful for us. Also, keep us informed if you receive any contact or demands from the kidnappers,” the officer suggested.
I agreed with the instructions, and after a few more minutes of discussion, the meeting came to an end. Officer Moore assured me that they would continue doing their utmost to find my children. I thanked him once again and left the room, heading to the diner where Hunter was waiting.
***
I walked to the corner diner, my heart still pulsating with the news from the police station. Upon entering, I spotted Hunter at a table, engrossed in a newspaper while the waitress served a mug of coffee in front of him. The scene was intriguing, considering Hunter had claimed not to be a fan of breakfast.
“For someone who doesn't like breakfast, that mug says otherwise,” I commented, approaching the table.
Hunter looked up from the newspaper and smiled. “Well, maybe I'm changing my habits. So, how was it at the police station?”
“They got some images of a van near my house on the night of the disappearance, but they still need to investigate more,” I replied, taking the seat across from Hunter.
He took a deep breath and summarized the situation with a disheartened expression. “So, in summary, they have nothing.”
Before I could respond, a voice at the table behind Hunter interrupted the conversation. “The police have nothing and will never have anything on this case.”
A bald man with tattoos, whom I immediately identified, was sitting with his back to us. Hunter glanced over his shoulder, assessing the newcomer. “Are you talking to us?”
“Of course, I'm talking to you,” the bald man said, turning to face us. “Fierce, Hunter, it's a pleasure to see you again.”
My eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. “Caleb?”