Chapter 18

Zayne's POV

Home was barely two hours away. All this time, Marissa and my children had been close to me. Almost under my nose. The thought weighed heavily on my mind as the car sped towards the conclave.

My Gamma, Kimara, and two top soldiers stood at the entrance of the mansion waiting for me. They bowed in unison with choruses of “Alpha" as I stepped out of the vehicle.

Kimara wore a scowl but it wasn't out of place. She was always wearing one. Just like I knew she was always wearing at least ten throwing knives hidden in various parts of her black soldier attire. Her purple hair was cropped short and an earring glinted from only one ear.

“Has Diana been found?" I asked, walking briskly straight to my quarters.

“Not yet. We searched all night and still are.” Kimara responded.

" How hard can it be to find one wolf?” I growled in annoyance.

" We will find her. We've put out word to neighboring packs and allies for news of her whereabouts.” Kimara responded quickly.

On getting to my suite, the first thing I noticed was the door pulled almost completely off its hinges. When I walked in, my eyes widened in shock. I had greatly underestimated the damage Kimara had been talking about.

Every furniture in the room that could be broken, had been broken. The mattress was shredded to pieces, sheets ruined by claw marks. There were numerous deep gouges along the walls from those same claws. The curtains were strewn about along with some of my clothes which she had also shredded to pieces.

I stood there looking around in confusion. Behind me, I could feel Kimara squirming in her leather jacket. As rightly she should. I whirled on her in fury.

“How did you let this happen? How could she have not only gotten access to the room, but also had enough time to destroy the place to this extent!" I roared, my eyes flashing red.

Kimara bowed her head, averting her gaze from mine, “We tried to stop her. We really did. I have never seen her so strong and so enraged before."

" Strong?! One she-wolf against how many of you?” I asked as I paced the room.

" Only three of us. Levi, Hannah and I. We didn't want to involve any more people so we can contain the spread of rumors about this…. development.”

That made sense. A lot of sense. I pinched the top of my nose and tried to get my anger under control.

"So three highly trained werewolves against one. And you couldn't contain her.”

Kimara bowed again, contrite, " She went berserk, Alpha. And we were cautious about harming her since she is…was your…”

“Luna. I know. Shit!" I muttered in annoyance.

I walked over to the set of drawers which Diana had upturned. The contents were spilled everywhere. Papers mostly. Documents.

“You said she took some papers.” I said squatting down and examining the mess.

" Yes. We couldn't see which ones they were but they were in a green file.” Kimara replied

Green file? I searched among the contents on the floor, already knowing what I would not find. The DNA test results.

She'd taken it for what? To eliminate proof of her paternity fraud? I groaned and turned to Kimara.

“Get cleaners to put this place back in order. I want the furniture replaced and the door changed. Reinforced steel if possible. No one gains access into these quarters except me from now on. Am I clear?"

" Yes, Alpha.”

" Increase your search for Diana. Track down Ruby if that will lead us to her.”

" We already did. She's with a relative in Oregon.” Kimara replied.

My brows furrowed in confusion. I couldn't remember anything about any of Diana's relatives in Oregon.

“I want to know who this relative is and if they can lead us to Diana. Increase security on the grounds in case she tried to sneak back in. If she does, I want her captured and kept locked up securely till I get back." I said commandingly as I walked out with Kimara close on my heels.

“You're leaving again, Alpha?" She asked in surprise.

“Yes. I have important things to attend to for the next few weeks. Till then, you and Levi are in charge."

She nodded, " Yes , Alpha. The servants have prepared a temporary room for you to spend the night.”

" I won't be staying the night.” I said, stopping at a door.

Kimara paused and looked from me to the door and back, " Understood, Alpha. I'll be waiting downstairs when you're ready to leave.” She bowed again and walked away.

I sighed, my heart as heavy as lead. My daughter, My real daughter, had been with me for the past ten months. One part of a trio. Elias still hadn't told me how she had gotten separated from her mother and siblings.

It wondered if it was time for a reunion with them.

I knocked gently and an adult voice answered from inside.

“Who is it?"

I was confused at first but remembered i had asked that Jane be put under constant surveillance to protect her from Diana.

I didn't need to answer back, the guard behind the door perceived my scent and opened up straight away.

She was tall, blonde and had an athletic build. Hannah, one of my most trusted soldiers.

“Welcome back, Alpha." She said with a bow and stepped aside for me to enter.

" Thank you, Hannah. You may leave."

Jane sat Cross legged on the floor, her black long hair falling forward, partly covering her face as she bit her bottom lip in concentration. There were coloured pencils strewn all over the floor and her hands scribbled furiously across the paper.

“Hello, darling." I called softly and she raised her head to look at me. Her Golden eyes blinked twice as if she couldn't recognize me for a few seconds but then she smiled.

“Hello, Daddy."

I felt my heart lift with joy. She rarely addressed me as Daddy. It had taken months to get her to say it and even then, she would only say it after gentle prompting.

“Hello dove," I squatted down, “What are you doing?"

She picked up the paper and showed it to me. It was a drawing of a farm with different animals. Some of the animals looked crooked and the sky was painted an unnatural shade of blue but for a five year old, it looked pretty impressive.

“This looks great. Have you ever been on a farm before?"

She shook her head and snatched the paper back. She continued her drawing without another word.

Everytime I tried to ask about anything from where she came from or who she'd lived with, she got closed off. The therapist said it was likely she couldn't recall anything at all.

I watched her for a while, the only sound in the room, the scratching of coloured pencils on paper.

Maybe a change of environment would help. It wasn't doing her any good keeping her locked up in here. Maybe seeing her real siblings would help her learn to socialize.

“Jane?" I called and she paused in her drawing to look at me. I took her small hand gently in mine, “How would you like to go on a holiday?"