TWO

RYKER POV

"Do you think he is getting help from someone in the castle?"

"It can't just be in the castle because unless he is working with my cousins then Prince Nathaniel doesn't trust anyone and he never tells anyone where or when he is going somewhere especially if it is to do with Princess Scarlett."

I have a feeling I know how he is staying that one step in front, my father explained to me, Jayce, Opal and River that because Mother is a hybrid she has a special gift. Now no one outside the immediate Royal family knows about it. Father had told us that our mother could see glimpses of the future, some things she could change but some things she couldn't. She probably doesn't have a choice but to share them with him.

I stop talking as we get to Theodore's training office but instead of Theodore like I was expecting we come face to face with my cousin Victoria. "Hey, cuzz! Are you doing the theory today?"

"Yep! Theodore is out on assignment."

"So what are we looking at today?"

"We are looking at the Rogue Raid of the family picnic!"

My face pales a little "Vic must we do that one?"

Maxwell looks at me confused no doubt by the sudden change in me "Why not? It is a good learning raid scenario as it could have gone a few different ways."

"Yes it could have and one of those ways is that my mother is killed and I am not born...."

"WHAT??" I smile for a second as I see the confusion and surprise plain on Maxwell's face,

I sigh and look at Victoria "Do you want to tell him?"

"Okay, the Rogue raid I am referring to is the day our dear Ryker here was born. Shall we go over what happened?"

"Fine, the field was surrounded by patrolling guards, there were guards on the field as well as all the males of the family. Now during the fun and laughter, rogues run out onto the field, there seemed to be two rogues for each male and female that could fight, two of the female princesses are grabbed and held as the leader shows himself holding another one of the females, the Queen. He demands to confront the King, and the King steps forward and listens to the rogue they exchange words and then King allows them to leave with no loss of life to either the rogues or the innocent bystanders at the picnic... What are the other outcomes?"

"Well, I guess the only other option and outcome would have been to fight..."

"Would that have been a good battle? Would the King have been able to justify what the outcome would have been?"

"He..." Maxwell stops and thinks about his answer

"No it would have been a slaughter, the moment the King decided to fight the leader would have given his males the signal to kill the two Princesses and then he would have killed the Queen in his arms. The leader and many if not all of the rogues would have been killed but so would have most if not all of the Royal family and the King would have then become a very powerful rogue himself with no one to stop him." I answer as I have thought about this day, this raid many times.

"Very good Ryker! Is there any other way the King could have handled that Raid?"

"No but then if it had been any other rogue besides the Third's father even that negotiation wouldn't have gone like that, the rogues would have used the females to make the males surrender and then would have killed them all, then they would have raped and killed all the females that could fight and couldn't be subdued, after that they would have taken and sold all the other females maybe even some of the younger males."

"Yes, and the kingdom would have been thrown into chaos and then lost completely."

We discuss a few more different scenarios before Victoria allows us to leave, Maxwell is actually not a bad male and has a good head on his shoulders if he actually wanted to use it, and if he stops picking on others we might have a chance of becoming friends. After having to go over and over the day I was born I make my way slowly to my room, shower, climb into bed and then fall into a restless sleep. Dreaming again of my mother and this mystery female.

I woke up all hot and sweaty, I had the dream again. The dreams I have with this female are always filled with fire and passion but are also surrounded by death and danger. I always see an older female with her and they are both in danger. My vampire Jack says that the females' lives are connected and to save one we need to find the other but we have never seen these two females before so we don't know how to find them. The only thing my father would tell us about how mother looked was that she was the most beautiful female he had ever met, so I think I might go and see Grandmother.

It didn't take me long to find her in the training field, I can see why Grandfather is still head over heels for her. Queen Seraphina is a very beautiful female, it is as I am standing there watching Grandmother sparring that I notice that one of the females in my dreams is a very close resemblance to her. I make my way down towards her and stop at a distance so she doesn't hit me, not that I wouldn't be able to defend myself against her.

It isn't long before she stops and looks over at me,

"Ryker? What brings you here?' She grabs her towel and walks over to stand in front of me, I place my hands onto the tops of her arms and lean in giving her a soft kiss on the cheek

"Hi Grandmother, I was looking for you.."

"Really... What can I help you with?"

"I have been having this dream about a female..."

"Really... Ryker is she anyone we know?"

"Grandmother!!! I think it is my mother and I was actually hoping you would tell me about her and what she looked like, father will only tell me she looked beautiful and that Opal and River look a little like her."

"Here come with me.."

I move with Grandmother as she hooks her arm into my elbow and we head back to the castle. She takes me into a part of the castle that I have never been in and has always been off-limits to everyone. Grandmother takes us to this really big room, she turns on the light as we enter and stops. I however keep stepping into the room awe-struck as the walls are covered with paintings and photos of the female in my dreams.

"Grandmother?? Is this?? Is this my mother??"

"Yes, we had all her pictures moved into this room as it was the only way to keep your father from going insane and losing him and Soren to becoming a rogue. By removing the pictures the only thing that reminded him of her were you and Jayce, well until Opal and River turned up, then he had the four of you which grounded him even better. He still looked for her when he could but like your uncle Nathaniel she always slipped through his fingers, the closest he has gotten to her in the last twenty years is a chance sighting in one of the outer clans but when he went to look closer for her she had gone again."

"She is in trouble Grandmother and I think she is trying to tell me to come, find her... Do you think that is possible?"

"Your mother was special and I wouldn't put it past her to get a message to one of you and with you being her firstborn and a Royal Alpha you have a slightly stronger connection to her than all of us and that other male can not break it."

"Do you think uncle Nat will allow me to meet up with him and help look for her?"

"Because of who took her Nat is very secretive as to where he is and who is with him..."

"Please Grandmother, Jack is adamant that we need to find her and there is a chance I might even find our mate.."

"Okay, come see me again later and I will let you know what he says."

"Thank you, Grandmother!" I pull her into a hug and give her another kiss on the cheek as she lets out a little giggle.

On my way back to my room I decided that even if uncle Nathaniel doesn't help me I am going to go and find mother anyway. As I am packing my duffel bag, Father knocks and then leans on my doorframe

"What you up to son?"

"Not much was thinking of going and seeing uncle Noah"

"Are you sure that is where you are going?"

"Yes to start with, from there I might travel a little..."

"There is a rumour going around that you are going to look for your mother, is this true?"

"Well... Yes! Father I was going to do that too, I need to find her"

"No Ryker, you don't need to find her as Nathaniel is looking for her..."

"But I'm old enough now I want a chance to look..."

"You won't be able to find her..."

"I will, I won't give up on her, as you have..."

"I have not given up on her..." I hear Soren coming to the front for the first time in a long while

"YES, YOU HAVE!! YOU GAVE UP ON HER WHEN YOU STOPPED LOOKING FOR HER!" both Christopher and Jack fight to take control, and not wanting to fight with him I turn my back on him.

"RYKER DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!" I don't answer him and start to walk away.

"RYKER KING! COME BACK HERE NOW!"

"NO!! FATHER, I AM GOING!"

"RYKER! STOP! YOU ARE NOT!" I hesitate, stopping for just a second at the slight command in his tone

"I'M GOING TO FIND MOTHER... I AM NOT GIVING UP ON HER AS YOU HAVE..." Christopher growls

"I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP ON HER!" Soren hisses back

"YOU HAVE!! AND YOU CAN NOT STOP ME!!" I walk out of the room slamming the door behind me.

Once I am outside I shift and finally give Christopher full control, I run as I can feel Ryker's anger at our father and I don't want to get into a physical fight with him. We never got to meet our mother and for some reason, Ryker and I are still getting a very strong pull from Jack to go and find her and this mystery female. Jack is normally very quiet but whenever he feels like this both Ryker and I know to trust and follow what he wants us to do and right now he wants us to find our mother saying she needs our help. Jack keeps whispering that this mystery female in our dreams is ours but we won't find her until we find our mother. I run off Ryker's anger and then head back into the castle to meet up with Grandmother and find out if uncle Nathaniel will help.