Chapter 47
Chapter Forty-seven
Phoenix
I knew I had to go on my own, and I told Simeon to simply warn the Gathering.
“I’m going with you,” Matthew said stubbornly, and I looked around at everyone in frustration. They all wanted to. I’d called a meeting. Even though I wanted to go immediately since it was important, I made arrangements for if I didn’t come back.
And I knew if it wasn’t with Em, then I didn’t want to come back at all.
“If it’s just me, it’s not violating the treaty,” I argued. “If it’s pack, then that’s a different matter.”
Matthew stood from where he’d been perched on the couch.
“Phoenix, my alpha,” he corrected, although I could have told one of my oldest friends the correction wasn’t necessary.
“You’ve given me more than I ever expected.
I have a mate and a family, and Ben is just as an important part of that family as Isla and Callie.
” He glanced at Isla, and I could see the approving look on her face.
“We said only yesterday that we wanted to talk to him about legally adopting both of them. I know shifters don’t tend to bother, but they’re human.
” He shrugged. “Mostly, anyway. The thing is, you’re going for your mate. Well, I’m going for my son.”
I glanced at my dad. I didn’t need his approval, even though it would mean a lot.
Draven was leaning against the wall, but he straightened when I met his gaze. “If Matthew hadn’t offered, I would have. You need back-up. I wish I’d had the courage to do this all those years ago.” He sent Esther an apologetic look, and she teared up.
“It wasn’t your fault, Draven. Your father told you if you went, the elders would cast you out. You were betrothed to Phoenix’s mom, and your own mom begged you to stay. The alternative alpha for the pack wasn’t good… you know that.”
I glanced at Dad. He’d never told me any of that.
“Okay, Matthew,” I agreed, and then focused my attention on Simeon, and noticing my look, he stood, as well. “While I’m gone, I wish you to act as Sentinel Alpha.”
His eyes widened. “Alpha, I’m honored, but—” He glanced at Isla.
Sentinel Alpha was an old position, very old.
It meant if the beta commander couldn’t stand in if the alpha was hurt or absent, then the sentinel would.
So called because he stood sentinel over the pack and protected it from harm.
I looked at Isla. “I made the decision because now with Matthew’s absence, the new bears, and Callie, I think you have your hands full. ”
Isla nodded. “A wise decision, my alpha.”
Good. I glanced back at Simeon, who still looked stunned. “I know the pack is in capable hands while I’m gone. You stood with my father every day. But you need to prepare in case the silver-skins retaliate.”
Simeon shot me a rueful smile. “And thanks to the alpha-mate, we now have an emergency system.”
I turned my attention to Gemma and Danny. “Bayer, can you make sure Gemma and Danny get home safely?” Emery would never forgive me if anything happened to either of them.
Gemma looked up from where she was rocking Tia and shook her head.
She’d claimed Tia from me nearly as soon as I came into the room.
Danny jumped up, hands on his hips. “No. You’re not the boss of me, Alpha, whatever.
We’re staying. Besides”—he gestured to Gemma and Tia—“we’re on babysitting duty until my bestie comes back.
” He shot a look at Bayer. “Bayer will keep us safe.” I caught the way Bayer puffed up and knew Em would have loved to see that reaction.
Okay then. Fight the fights you can win. Except I wasn’t sure I could. “You all know what to do.”
I looked at Matthew, who walked over to Isla, bent, and planted a kiss on her mouth. “Be good.”
She nodded, swallowing. “Bring our boy home.”
I walked over to where Gemma cradled Tia and brushed a kiss on her forehead, then turned, and Matthew followed me out of the door. I got in Matthew’s Jeep, letting him drive. He knew we were heading to the motel. Gemma had told us that was where they’d taken Em.
“What’s the plan, Alpha?”
I still didn’t bother asking him to call me Phoenix. Another day, yes, but not right at this moment. “I’m going to follow Em’s scent trail.”
Matthew gaped, glanced over, then back to the road. “You can do that? At the speeds they travel?”
“As a blood-bonded alpha, I think so, but there’s only one way to find out.”
“And then what?”
“Then we find them both and take them back. Rhys, as well.” I refused to let him remain. He was a child, and I’d made a promise.
“There’s no way Alessandro’s going to let you do that,” Matthew said grimly.
“Yeah, I know,” I agreed. “Which is why I’m going to kill him first.”
Emery
Ben had fallen into an exhausted sleep when I heard the noise, and I looked up to see Rhys staring at me in shock. “Emery, why are you here? Did my sire take you?”
I smiled, really glad to see him. “No, I was an idiot. I came because they took Ben, and I hoped to stop a war.” I paused. “They took a human male, as well.”
Rhys shook his head. “I didn’t know.” He looked down at my stomach, the question in his eyes.
“We have a daughter. She’s gorgeous, and she’s going to be an alpha one day.
” Except I wasn’t going to be there to see it, and for a moment, despair flooded me.
I looked at Rhys and saw the same despair in his eyes and well, manned up, even though I detested that expression.
I’d worked under plenty of women that could eat their male colleagues for breakfast.
No, I was Emery Valentine, kick-ass kindergarten teacher, mate to the most amazing man in the entire world, loyal bestie to two fantastic friends, and a daddy to the most beautiful baby girl that was going to grow up kicking her own share of asses and taking names.
The pack thought Phoenix was a scary alpha?
Wait till they had Ashtani. And I wasn’t just going to sit here and wait to be rescued.
I knew Phoenix would come for me. Absolutely knew it, and I knew Alessandro would know that, too.
Which meant Phoenix was walking into a trap. Well, that wasn’t happening. Not while I was here.
Ben stirred and opened his eyes. Rhys produced some water, and Ben, who didn’t look at all surprised to see him, opened his mouth because he couldn’t free his hands.
They’d clearly done this before. Which was why Alessandro was so confident of Rhys. But it had sounded like he was talking about someone else Ben’s presence would affect, which made zero sense.
“Don’t get caught,” Ben said. But I had a feeling Alessandro knew Rhys came here. Rhys glanced at us, then left the water bottle on the floor so I could reach.
“I’m doing my best to contact your alpha, but the coven isn’t letting me out of their sight.” He flushed. “My tutor thinks I’m in the bathroom.”
Ben chuckled weakly. “So, you’re an Edward?”
Rhys frowned, and I had to smile, even though it was all a pile of camel dung. There, that was quite inventive, but too long. I needed something short and snappy, and fudge or even peanuts just wasn’t cutting it.
“He means a vampire,” I supplied.
Rhys nodded warily, as if he was afraid Ben would hate him.
“And your brother,” I added softly. But both boys seemed to know.
“I’m going to do my best—” And Ben reached out his hand but was brought up short by the chain, so Rhys reached over and took his instead.
“I always wanted a brother,” Ben said. “We have a little sister, too.”
Rhys’s eyes lit up. “You never mentioned her.”
“She’s only a baby.”
Rhys’s face fell. “Then she’s not my sister.”
“Family is family,” I decreed. “And Callie will need both her big brothers to protect her.” Rhys smiled, then looked up as if he heard something.
“I have to go.” And then he was gone.
“Can they just do that? Vanish?”
“I don’t think so,” I mused. “Alessandro can definitely throw up illusions, maybe, but it’s their speed. It’s faster than we can follow.”
“All I can see is a shadow,” Ben said.
Which is more than I can. And might’ve been one of the things his bloodline was responsible for.
“He appeared with the others after I first got taken. He didn’t say a word, but then he visits me quite a lot.” Ben paused. “I think he’s as trapped as we are.”
I didn’t think Ben knew the half of it, but I didn’t have time to explain either. “Okay, we need a plan.”
Ben looked at me and lifted his arms. “And a bolt cutter.” Then he smiled. “If you can go, you should. You have a daughter.”
“And you have a family. We’re both going to get out.”
Ben bit his lip and looked down at the floor. “I never had a family. Just Callie, but I had no say with her.”
I squeezed his arm and tried to come up with clever ideas, and I was still trying to think of one when Alessandro, Valentin, and, surprisingly, Rhys appeared.
I sighed. I wish they’d knock. “What can we do for you?” I asked brightly, as if we were in a parent-teacher consultation.
Alessandro moved, and the manacles fell from Ben’s wrists.
Valentin bent over and yanked Ben to his feet, and naturally, his knees gave way.
“For goodness’ sake,” I groused. “What is it with you?” And I stood and slowly helped Ben up.
He wavered a little, but he was on his feet.
Rhys pushed past Valentin and took Ben’s other arm, and I saw the flash of satisfaction on Alessandro’s face.
Yep, he knew Rhys had been down here. It was all part of getting Rhys attached to him.
“I have someone for you to meet.”
I glanced over at Rhys. He looked as confused as I was, so Alessandro hadn’t shared with him. “Come.” Then he stepped toward the door at normal speed, which was just as well because Ben was slow at first, even though Rhys was taking most of his weight while he found his feet.
I had no idea why I’d been invited to the party, but I wasn’t staying here, so I just stuck with Ben. We didn’t ascend as I hoped. I imagined because of the cold and damp we were in a cellar, but I didn’t know how good Alessandro’s illusions were.
We finally got to a large oak door, and with a wave of his hand, it opened, and we stepped through.
But I’d been watching. He showboated, for want of a better word.
Was his speed responsible for everything?
But he added dramatic flair to make it look like the door just obeyed him and opened on its own.
How much else was just for show? The bedroom was as ornate as the one I’d been in.
No windows, but I wasn’t surprised. An empty four-poster bed dominated the space.
Soft rugs were on the stone floor, tapestries hung from the walls, and on a small table was an untouched plate of food.
I frowned at that, and as I stood there wondering why we were in an empty room, we all heard a small whimper from the other side of the bed.
I glanced at Rhys and let go of Ben who looked better, walking around the foot of the bed until I could see the pile of rags on the floor.
I knew Alessandro had followed me. Then the rags moved, and I gasped as a pair of bloodshot eyes peered out at me.
Alessandro sighed and bent. He picked the…
woman up and laid her none too gently on the bed.
She immediately scrambled up against the headboard in fear, but she didn’t say a word.
She had on a large collar attached to a very long chain, and I could see the dried blood and the numerous old scars from where it had rubbed her raw.
She was thin, too thin, and the dress she wore hung off her.
Alessandro waved an idle hand at her. “Ben, meet your mother.”
And in the stunned silence that followed, she started laughing. A horrible, high-pitched hysterical sound that seemed to reach in and claw at all of us. I couldn’t imagine how Ben felt.
“No,” Ben whispered. “That’s impossible. I knew my mom.”
Alessandro scoffed. “One of my human slaves—now dead—betrayed me. Your dam gave birth to you while I was away, and the idiot promised to take you to safety. I never knew where.”
“But you told me she hadn’t survived,” Rhys said in a choked whisper. “Like all the rest.”
Alessandro shrugged. “She hasn’t. Look at her.”
Rhys took a step forward, but Valentin moved to block him.
Alessandro sneered. “As you can see, she lost her wits some time ago.” Ben’s jaw hardened, and he sent Alessandro such a look of stone-cold hatred I could even feel the chill on my arms.
I stared back at her, knowing she reminded me of someone that I knew, but how… then clarity hit me so hard I nearly stumbled.
Of course.
And I remembered what I knew about vampire females. That there hadn’t been one born in thousands of years, and that human females often died because of the immense need for blood from a vampire fetus. And I knew I wasn’t looking at a human female. I was looking at a wolf shifter.
Esther’s twin. The girl who Alessandro had captured all those years ago and held prisoner.
Estrelle.