RYDER'S POVI was speechless as she stormed away.Why does she only act like this towards me and not at my wolf?“What’s going on?” Mum asked as she noticed the tense atmosphere.Elder Theo cleared his throat and remained mute.I looked away from Adira’s back. “It’s nothing, Mum,” I replied, my glare now pinned on Elder Theo.“Remember that I gave you a chance to come clean without embarrassment,” I said through gritted teeth, and I walked away.“Jackson…” I reached out through the mindlink.“Yes, Alpha.” His reply came immediately.“Leave the woods and return to the pack; I need a trusted eye by my side.”“What do you want me to do?” he asked immediately, unwavering in his loyalty.“I need you to gather everyone that was in the garden at the time the incident happened and bring them to the office immediately. To avoid wasting time, you can send out the notice through the pack link. But make sure no one is missing,” I instructed.“Yes, Alpha. I will get to it immediately,” he replied.
ADIRA'S POVI didn't sleep a wink. I sat awake until morning. Once it was first light, I picked up my phone and dialed my father's number.I held the phone with shaky hands as I waited for him to pick up.“Hello, Adira. Is everything okay? Why are you calling this early?” he asked, concern laced in his voice.“Dad… Lumina is missing,” I said, my voice tight.“What?!” he yelled.“What happened?” I heard Mother’s voice in the background. Her feet softly crunched against the ground as she rushed to my father.“What's wrong, Adira?” Her soothing voice filtered into the phone.“Lumina is missing,” I sniffled.“What do you mean by that?” she asked in a shaky voice.“She went missing yesterday. Someone took her. We haven't been able to find her. I don't know… I don't know how. I can't explain, I am confused,” I cried.“How can Lumina be missing? How did someone enter the pack and take Lumina and no one saw?” she yelled.Dad took the phone back. “Is there a search party already looking for he
ADIRA'S POVWe found nothing after searching thoroughly. No unfamiliar scent or anything of use. It was as if nothing ever happened in the garden.I sat down, head in my hands. I felt exhausted and tired.“Do not burden yourself too much. We will find her,” Ryder's wolf said gently.“How do you know that? She could be lost forever. I may have failed as her mother,” I muttered in agony.“That will not be her fate. Lumina will be found,” he assured me.I turned to him. “You are so different from Ryder. How do you manage to stay in control of his body for this long?” I asked.He looked away into the horizon. “I was taught by our father, the former Alpha. Ryder was quite a troublesome child growing up, so in order to give him time-outs and control his madness...” He chuckled. “Our father taught me to do this. I rarely use it because it is not the normal way of life, but tonight I could not bear to hear him talking to you like that, so I had no other choice. If there is anyone more broken
ADIRA'S POVI sat down and momentarily closed my eyes. I took a deep breath and steadied my mind. My thoughts were all over the place, and I needed to calm down if I was going to be able to remember anything that had happened.“Take your time,” Ryder’s wolf said gently.“I was sitting in the garden with other pack members. Lumina was playing very close to me with her nanny. She wasn’t far from me; she was by my feet.” I swallowed heavily as I felt my throat closing in. “Everyone was playing, singing, and laughing. But that was until suddenly there was a shift in the atmosphere.” I sighed heavily.“I should have known at that point; I should have picked her up then! I should have carried my baby then, but I didn't! This is all my fault!” I cried, slamming my fist on my chest.“Hey, hey,” Ryder’s wolf grabbed my hand. “Stop blaming yourself. What happened wasn't your fault. How could you have known that there was a dangerous person in the pack? Even the border patrol warriors didn't kno
RYDER'S POV I sighed heavily as they took Adira away. I couldn't imagine what it was like for her right now.I changed back into my wolf and ran back to where we had found traces of Lumina. Jackson and other warriors were still spread out searching for her but hadn't found anything. It was late at night now, but luckily for us as werewolves we could see at night. I joined the search, and the hours stretched on.“Alpha…” Beta Atlas's voice filtered into my head through the mindlink.My wolf stopped. “Yes…” I replied weakly.“Lumina is not in the pack. We have searched everywhere in the pack. She isn't here.” He reported.I sighed heavily. “Okay. Come join the search out here." I ordered.After searching far and wide, we found nothing. “Stop the search for tonight. Let's continue tomorrow when the day is bright.” My wolf said to me.“Why?” I asked, surprised that he would even suggest such.“We see well at night, but we see much better during the day. I am certain that whoever took L
ADIRA'S POVAfter Ryder raised an alarm, warriors trooped out and scattered around. The pack was in total disarray and chaos.Ryder was discussing something with Jackson and Owen, but I couldn't stand still. I couldn't wait… I had to find her.I had to find my baby.I moved without thinking, my feet pushing me fast. My mind was in a haze as I rushed into the forest. I had only one thing in mind… I have to find Lumina.Warriors were scattered around, all looking for Lumina. I joined the search, frantically searching everything as I moved the tall grasses and bushes with my bare hands.The sharp ends of the grass splintered my palms, but I felt no pain.“Adira, let's change…” my wolf urged me, but I wasn't listening.“We will be faster and more effective in wolf form. We can easily sniff her out and trace her,” she pressed.“I will find her; she might be somewhere in these tall bushes, and I need my hands to find her,” I said adamantly.But I was talking without thinking; I was moving w