Chapter 197 197
Damien POV
My wolf prowls just beneath the surface, restless and sharp-edged, agitated by the silence. If we can’t reach the Alpha, then we should at least be able to reach the Beta.
That’s not good enough, he snarls inside my head.
“I know it’s not good enough,” I snap back at him internally. Shut up. Bloody werewolf.
I try Aurélie’s number again. Straight to voicemail again. The sound of it twists something ugly in my chest. I don’t stop there. I dial the Darkvale Alpha House line, clinging to the faint hope that they lost their phones, or the batteries died, or anything. I know it’s a long shot, but I need something to hold onto.
I whisper a prayer to the Moon Goddess as the call rings, begging her to let Aurélie answer.
Of course, she doesn’t.
It rings out. I redial. It’s the early hours of the morning no one expects a call at this time.
“Hello?” Miss Lambert’s voice croaks down the line, thick with sleep.
“Miss Lambert, it’s Alpha Damien.” Relief washes through me at hearing her voice at all. I’m grateful she stayed behind to keep Aurélie updated about Émilie and Théo. Missing the ceremony because of the broken pack link had eaten at Aurélie more than she let on.
“Alpha Damien?” she murmurs. “It’s very early”
“Did they come home last night?” I cut in, blunt and impatient.
“Who, dear?”
“Aurélie. The children.”
“No,” she replies slowly. “They’re still at the Saint Wolf pack.”
“No. They left,” I say sharply. “They came to my pack last night and departed again. They should have been back hours ago.”
“Hold on, dear,” she says gently, trying to soothe the tension climbing my spine. “I’ll mind-link Head Warrior Théo. He may know something. Perhaps they returned to Saint Wolf ”
They didn’t.
I know they didn’t. Fabrice understood how critical it was to get them back onto Darkvale land. He wouldn’t have taken them elsewhere.
I stay on the line, every second dragging like a blade against my nerves as Miss Lambert reaches out to Théo no easy feat at this hour.
“Alpha Damien?” Théo’s voice comes through, breathless, as if he’s already running toward the Alpha House.
“Théo,” I say tightly. “Please tell me you know where Aurélie and the children are. Fabrice. Florence.”
Silence.
“They’re not here,” he finally admits. “I wasn’t aware they were returning. Last I knew, they were with you at the Saint Wolf pack. What’s happened?”
“New information surfaced,” I reply. “I ordered them to return immediately.”
“When did they leave?”
“I don’t know.” Frustration claws at my chest. “I’ve been working all night. Maybe nine, ten? I can’t give you an exact time but I know for a damn fact they should’ve been home by now.”
My palm is slick with sweat as I press the phone harder to my ear. The anxiety is spiralling, uncontrollable.
“Give me five minutes,” Théo says. “I’ve got trackers on their phones. I’ll find them.”
“Théo?” I growl. The idea of waiting five minutes feels unbearable.
“Alpha, I’ll call you straight back. Five minutes.” He disconnects before I can argue.
“Any news?” Lucas asks as he re-enters, my Head of IT trailing behind him with yet another folder tucked under his arm.
Perfect. More information for the walls. My patience is threadbare. I don’t want files I want my family.
“We’ve identified multiple sites Alpha Gaston owns but kept off official records,” Lucas says. “He also controls land where shipping containers are stored out of public view. One of those containers is the same one Dominique was traced to during his kidnapping.”
My blood turns to ice.
“What are you implying?” I ask coldly. “That my father kidnapped my son?”
“No,” Lucas answers quickly. “I don’t believe Gaston knew of Dominique back then. Geneviève didn’t not until he was moved to the pub. But she used Gaston’s land as a hiding place. Which means she knew it belonged to him and likely sought him out.”
“We need to tread carefully, Alpha.”
No shit.
I start pacing, dragging my hands through my hair until it’s a mess. I don’t care anymore. I fish out a cigarette and light it. Quitting was never realistic an Alpha’s life is nothing but pressure.
Or maybe it’s fatherhood.
Probably both.
If he’s laid a single hand on them if even one hair on their heads is harmed I’ll tear his heart out before ripping his head from his shoulders.
My phone vibrates.
I answer on the first ring.
“Théo?”
“Alpha,” he says urgently. “I’ve located their last known mobile signal.”
“Send it to me,” I demand, not bothering to soften my tone. He’ll understand. He’s a warrior.
Time is everything.
And I’m done waiting.