\[Serenity’s POV\]
The next day, I stand in my room, staring at my open suitcase and the clothes that I have already packed in it. It was still surreal to think that after being open for so many years, this place was actually closing its doors, and it was all my fault.
Plopping down on the ground, I bury my face in my hands, cursing the ominous mark that marred my skin and what followed behind it. If only I wasn’t born with this, then this wouldn’t be happening.
‘Wouldn’t it?’ Mahogany huffs. ‘Even if it wasn’t you, it would be someone else. But since it was you who was chosen, you shouldn’t sit here and play the pity card.’
‘Shut up.’ I snap, bristling. ‘No one asked for your opinion.’
It wasn’t only the fact that I was responsible for The Academy closing that I was upset, it was also the trouble that I was bringing those around me, Maverick included.
It was because I was so stubborn and danger prone that he felt like a complete failure. Even if he did everything he could, there was no way he would be able to protect me from what was happening.
“Fuck.” I sigh, flopping onto my back just as the door to my room opens.
“Serenity!” Maverick gasps, his voice filled with a panic that was so unusual for him that it immediately puts me on alert.
Jumping up, I watch as he works to catch his breath.
“Did you just run…”
“She’s missing!” He gasps before I can finish.
She. What was she he referring to? And what woman would make him this fucking panicked?
“Who?” I demand, trying to ignore the jealousy that I suddenly feel. “Who is missing?”
“Your aunt!”
At his words, my eyes grow wide, and my heart drops to my stomach as many different scenarios begin to play out in my head.
Aunt Elise was missing. She was missing right after an attack like that. Was she taken by the rogues and their leader?
“How do you know she is missing?” I demand, unwilling to believe such things. “Who said?”
“Your uncle.” He responds, frustration appearing in his eyes. “They took count of all the students and staff overnight, and your aunt and one other weren’t accounted for.”
“One other,” I repeat, frowning. “Who was the other?”
“That delinquent who has a hippy name.” Maverick responds, furrowing his brows. “The one with blue hair we met in the disciplinary committee. I forgot his name.”
“Forrest.” I gasp, more panic rushing through me. “He’s missing too?”
“Yeah,” he nods. “Aside from that, everyone is alive and well, well… mostly.”
“Mostly. Could you be a bit more articulate in what you mean?”
Dammit. This was going from bad to worse. If Aunt Elise and Forrest were missing, I was certain that their families and packs would certainly come for my parents and Emerald Moon. Not that that was the most important issue here, but it would just complicate things further.
“About twenty were bitten by the rogues.” Maverick explains, running a hand through his hair. “And if our assumption of how the rogues come to be is correct, then that means...”
“They’re about to grow in number by twenty.” I finish for him. “Fuck.”
Once again I collapse, staring up at my ceiling while my head spins with everything that is happening.
“What’s the plan?” Maverick asks, taking a seat beside me. “Since I know you won’t just sit back and wait for someone else to do things.”
“I don’t know.” I admit, rolling over and gingerly slinking to his side until I can lay my head in his lap. Closing my eyes, I allow his warmth to sink into me, calming my raging emotions. “We don’t even know where Aunt Elise and Forrest were taken.”
“Do you know of anyone who can track them?” He asks, running his fingers through my hair.
“I…” I begin and then shoot up, causing a growl of annoyance to escape Maverick after such an intimate moment. “I may.”
Scrambling to my feet, I rush out of my room and into the living room, where my parents sit talking silently with William.”
“Uncle Jose!” I announce as their eyes come to rest on me.
“What about him?” My father asks, giving me a look of confusion.
“He can help us find Aunt Elise and Forrest!” I explain, my determination growing. “With his tracking skills, he most certainly can...”
“Stay out of this.” My father warns, stopping me dead in my tracks. “Things have taken a dangerous turn, and I won’t have you involved in this shit any longer.”
“But…”
“No, buts,” he snaps. “Now go and finish packing your things so that we can head home.”
Eyes widening, I look to my mother, who simply shakes her head, indicating that now just wasn’t the time to be arguing. However, I was my father’s daughter, and I wasn’t willing to back down that easily.
“If you don’t want to bother him, then I’ll personally go and find him.”
“Like hell you will!” My father snaps. “You aren’t going to go anywhere except Emerald Moon, and you’re going to stay your ass there until we have all this settled.”
“No!” I snap. “I’m a future alpha, and as such, I can’t just sit around and...”
“Serenity,” my father growls, his voice dangerous. “If you don’t want to listen to what I have to say, I will not hesitate to throw you in solitary confinement where I’m certain you’ll be safe and out of danger.”
“Sir,” Maverick says as I open my mouth to unleash my rage over his threat. “What if Charlie accompanies us? As your beta, he is more than capable of protecting your daughter, correct?”
Biting back the laugh that wants to escape over Maverick using my father’s beta against him, I wait as my father glares.
“No,” he responds, his stubbornness showing. “Your mother or I are more than capable of contacting Jose ourselves.”
“What if I went?” Uncle William asks. “Would it be fine then? With Charlie and I protecting them, they’ll be fine, right?”
Letting out a huff of frustration, my father shoots Uncle William a glare before turning his attention back to me.
“Are all of you really going to gang up on me like this?” He demands. “Anyway, why would anyone need to go and find Jose when we can simply call him?”
“We don’t know if the lines are being hacked to listen to our next move.” Uncle William easily responds. “We’re in the middle of a devious plot, and we can’t be too careful with our next move.”
“More like you want a reason to stay away from Crystal Fang a bit longer.” My father mutters under his breath. “And with that logic, wouldn’t someone be following our every move? They’ll easily spot you and the kids going to Jose.”
At his words, I feel myself deflate as I realize that his logic is just as solid as Uncle William’s. But I couldn’t give up, not when I knew the minute I returned to Emerald Moon I would be locked around like a freaking prisoner.
“We create a diversion,” Uncle William snaps. “If three cars leave at the same time, then they won’t know for sure which is the one we are in.”
“Are they blind?” My father huffs. “Your logic just isn’t logicing, William.”
“We just have to make sure that everyone looks the same.”
I had to admit, I appreciated Uncle William’s determination, but I feared that if he pushed too much, it would cause a rift between him and my father.
“Forget it.” I sigh, knowing that this just wasn’t the time to convince. “I shouldn’t have suggested such a thing. Please excuse me.”