Chapter 31

Izabella’s POV*

"Time for breakfast, sweetheart." I kept my eyes shut, "I know you're awake, Izabella," he chuckled. I still didn't open my eyes. I was hoping if I just laid there for long enough, the voice I was hearing would suddenly mould into my father's, and when I opened my eyes I would be back in my room at Galaxy before any of this happened, before I found out I was an Amarelo and my blood made other wolves stronger, before Sean's mother, my mother, and Adan died. "Don't hold your breath about that little fantasy." Edgar chuckled again. Why couldn't I block him out of my head? "Now come on, eat your breakfast before I decide to use another one of your pack members as a host." He added.

I opened my eyes to glare at him. He smirked and held the bowl of what I assumed was cereal out above me, his skinny, powdery fingers almost the same white as the bowel.

"Nah," I said. He raised his eyebrows, "You eat it, you obviously need it a lot more than I do."

He chuckled, unfazed. "That's a cute little joke, Izabella. Eat." I felt my body lift into a sitting position before I shifted back and my back was against the headboard of the bed. He held out a spoon of what looked like oats to me. I reluctantly let him feed me. "You're going to be here a while, Izabella, might as well get comfy and start enjoying it. I might even get you some doggie treats if you behave." Edgar said. I rolled my eyes. If he was going to make fun of wolves, he could at least try to be more creative.

"I might be here long, but apparently you won't," I said. His eyes lifted from the bowl into which he had just stuck the spoon.

"Apparently I won't?" He asked, his eyebrows raised as his blue, almost white eyes searched my face. I smiled and he frowned. "What do you mean?" I shrugged. "Don't mess with me, Izabella. I'm not in the mood for games." He warned.

"Are your wolves here?" I asked.

"The tick magnets? No, they're all out doing whatever it is your kind do when they aren't sleeping. Chasing rabbits in the forest maybe?" Klay, the doctor, said as he walked in. Edgar chuckled as I frowned at him.

"So how's your plan of using them going?" I asked before I frowned at Edgar, "Really, there are two of you, and I'm not a witch, why do you need a paralysis spell?" I asked.

"Magic is fun." Edgar smiled, "Besides," he added, "it keeps the wolves out of this room." Oh... Because if they dared come into the room, they would be paralyzed too.

"Smart," I mumbled.

"I am." Edgar smiled, almost like a child that was really proud of himself, "What were you saying about my not being around that much longer?"

"I didn't say anything of the sort," I said.

He frowned at me. "What is it that you're hiding?" He asked. "...That the wolves shouldn't hear?" He added narrowing his eyes.

I shrugged.

"Izabella," he warned.

"Nothing, really. I just overheard them talking – apparently, this room paralyzes my senses?" I raised my brows at Edgar. He chuckled.

"They believe anything," he said, Klay chuckled, "What is it that you heard?" He asked.

"Why would I tell you?" I asked, I actually wanted to tell him; it would ruin their partnership, and that would make it easier for Dad to find me or me to find a way out of there. Besides, the Travellers might move, and as soon as I was out of this room, Sean would be able to feel the pull. If he was actually looking for me, he would notice that immediately. I knew he was still looking for me.

"Because Clara's sick, Izzy." I clenched my jaw at his reason.

"It's nothing, really. They just hate you and plan to get rid of you 'pests', that's all I heard." I said.

"Get rid of us?" Klay asked.

"They called us pests?" Edgar frowned. Klay gave him a flat look and he shook his head, "It's very offensive if you think about it, Klay. Anyway, get rid of us? How do they plan to do that?" He asked.

"This, maybe?" I heard a woman. I looked to the door to see someone that looked as pale as Edgar and Klay did, but her cheeks were pink. She had long, blond hair, eyes that matched the other two Travellers’ and she was holding a tin. How many Travellers were in the building we were in?

Edgar and Klay seemed to gasp simultaneously. "That can't be..." Klay whispered.

I glanced at his face before my eyes fell back on the silver box. These Travellers had a weakness... If I could just find out what was in that box, get some of it and use it I would get out of there myself. But how could I do that if I was paralyzed?

"We're leaving," Edgar announced.

"What?" Klay looked at him, "We can't just leave; who knows how much more of it they have? They would obviously seek us out because of our betrayal, and we would be done for because they are so much more than we are." He said.

Edgar had said there were thousands of Travellers... Had he lied or were there tens of thousands of these wolves? There couldn't be because then we would have seen them before. He must have been bluffing.

"Klay, it would be rude to leave them without a few of our special gifts," Edgar smirked.

Klay smiled back. "Right, Julie, would you and some of the others find a new place to crash and take Miss Webb with you while the rest of us... Redecorate for our lovely wolf friends?" He asked.

Edgar chuckled while the lady at the door grinned. "Of course." She said looking at me.

"Can I just say, if there are so many of you, you can't seriously think of me as a threat," I said.

"We don't. It's your little mind linking, mate sensing, and your compelling we don't like." Klay said.

"What if I promise not to compel you?" I smiled. They all frowned at me.

"You're getting a little too comfortable here, Izabella. Be careful." Edgar frowned at me.

"How's that my fault?" I asked. They're the ones who insisted on keeping me there, and if I remember correctly from a few minutes ago, he did tell me to 'get comfy and start enjoying it.'

"Don't feed her, maybe that will shut her up. Get her out of here, Julie." Alright, maybe I went too far, I should have kept my mouth shut.

Sean’s POV

"What's wrong with her?" Joe asked softly.

I looked down and clenched my teeth as I pushed Clara's curls out of her face. She looked up at me.

"My tummy hurts..." She whispered.

"Would Bugs and a glass of milk make it better?" I asked softly. She shook her head.

"I want Izzy and my Mommy." She mumbled.

"I'm right here, baby," Gail said.

"I want Izzy." She groaned. I nodded leaning my head down onto the pillow bed her head.

"Me too," I mumbled, "Don't worry, she'll be back soon," I added.

"What do you mean you don't know what's wrong with her?!" I heard Joe hiss from the hallway. He was currently speaking to a doctor. Clara just began vomiting earlier, and no one seemed to be able to figure out why.

"Joe, calm down, Marcus?" I heard Ian.

"I can't help. She seems perfectly fine even with magic. I don't know what's wrong with her." Marcus's voice sounded.

I heard Joe suck in a breath. I knew both Alphas were completely stressed; everyone was. First the attacks, the deaths, and then Izzy, and now Clara's getting mysteriously sick, and no one could figure out the cause of it. They had so much on their plates.

I got up.

"Where are you going?" Tyler looked at me.

"Find a warlock or witch, see if they've found anything, try to link to Izzy," I said as I walked out.

"No, Sean, you're not doing that again. We agreed." My father said as I walked into the hall.

"No, we didn't," I said as I walked by Joe. He told me I wouldn't do it again. I never agreed not to.

"I don't think you understand. I never suggested it; I told you that was the last time, and it was. You are not doing that again, Sean." He said.

"Yes, I am –” I was saying.

"No, you are not!" He cut me off loudly, I was stunned for a second as he rarely yelled at me. "As your father and Beta I am telling you that the future Alpha of this pack will not put his life in danger because his pack needs him." My father said.

"So does she! And you would have done anything for mom! Why not let me do the same for her?!" I was angry. Why didn't he understand?

"Because I would not have done it." He said. I stared at him shocked. What? "The pack comes before anything, Sean, and it's time that you realise that. One life is nothing compared to many or one as important as an Alpha's." He said.

I looked at him in disbelief before I gave a dry chuckle.

"Maybe to you, Dad. But if I lose her, this pack will mean nothing to me. I'm not Alpha, you are," I said to Ian, "I can always be replaced. I care about every single wolf in our pack, but Izabella comes first." I said.

"That's funny, a year ago you hated her." Dad said. I looked down.

"A year ago, I didn’t understand what I felt for her. A year ago, I thought mom was your life. A year ago, I was a fucking stupid." I said, turned and began to leave.

"Sean," Ian's voice stopped me. "I know you're worried. I know you're scared. I know you need her, but we need you too. You don't have to choose. She's part of our pack, and we will protect everyone in it. She is, of course, my daughter and your Luna. But if you're gone, the pack has no replacement. You were chosen, not anyone else, and you and I both know that if you abandon this pack, Izabella will hate you, even if you save her." He said.

I sucked in my breath, frustrated. I knew he was right.

"Sean, Izabella means a lot to everyone, but you don't see Corey leaving, and he's basically her brother. We have to work together here. We'll find her, I promise, but until we do, could you wire your brain back together and realize that this is your pack to take care of?" Jason said.

I gave a soft chuckle. "Only in two years," I said.

"Two years? And then I'm stuck with you? God help me." I heard Corey groan. I laughed.

"Let's find our future Luna, but you're not going to link. I have a better idea." Eric said.

I turned to him and smiled. Of course he did. He was our play-making nerd.

My eyes met my father's for a brief second before I walked by him as I motioned for Corey and the others to follow me so we could hatch a plan.