Chapter 6

Hearing Sophia’s voice, Jackson's expression immediately turned into concern. One I couldn't find in his eyes even after we had informed him that his own son had been kidnapped.

“What is going on? What's happening to Lily? She has a fever? How high?" He turned away from me, his voice softening. "Okay, okay. I'll send the pack doctor to the resort. I'll be on my way back soon. Yes, I know it's scary. Just keep her cool and—"

I honestly do not know where the courage came from, but I snatched the phone from his hand and threw it across the garden.

The guards stood in shock, their jaws dropping. Even Raphael was dumbfounded.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Have you lost your freaking mind?" Jackson roared like a mad dog.

"What's wrong with me? Have I lost my mind? Yes! I have completely lost my mind, Jackson!” I snapped back, angrily.

“Our son has been kidnapped, and you're worried about Sophia's daughter having a fever!" I was shaking with rage. "Lily probably has a cold, Jackson! A mere cold! While Jake, your son, OUR son, is out there somewhere, scared and alone!”

“Maybe in danger even! And you stand

here and ask me if I've lost my mind. Yes, I have! Tell me, what kind of parent wouldn't lose their mind when their only child is kidnapped? Huh? Answer me, Jackson!" 

I stepped closer to him, and I could see the rage in his eyes.

“A father like you! A father who is not capable of—” I wasn't done talking when his hand landed on my face, sending me to the ground.

Tears burned in my eyes as I held my hurting cheek. Raphael swiftly rushed forward to help me up, while Jackson glared at me with fire in his eyes.

“Don't push me further, Elena. I do not want to lose my temper.” Jackson warned, his teeth gritted.

“And if you do, what happens? You'll lock me up? Send me to the dungeon?” I asked, refusing to back down, despite Raphael’s attempt to hold me away from Jackson.

"You're hysterical and delusional." He hissed, taking back his phone from one of the guards who had immediately picked it up when I flung it away.

"I don't care! Call me whatever you like, I don't care.” I screamed out my lungs.

I snatched myself out of Raphael's arms, and headed for Jackson again.

“Our son is gone and you don't even care!" I pounded my fists against his chest. "You don't care about him! You never have!"

Jackson grabbed my wrists, holding them still. "That's enough!" His voice thundered through the garden into the night.

I was very sure the pack members who heard him must have taken cover because I could hear doors slamming shut in the distance.

"It'll never be enough! You know what? I'm glad I see you for who you really are now." I wrenched free from his grip. "You're not a father. You're not even a man. You're a coward who can't even protect his own child."

Jackson's eyes flashed dangerously. "Watch your mouth."

"Or what? You'll hit me again? Reject me?" I laughed bitterly. "Go ahead, Jackson. Do your worst. I don't care anymore. You've never accepted me anyway. The only thing I care about is finding Jake."

"The scouts will handle it—"

"The scouts?" I turned to look at Raphael. "How long will it take them to track the perpetrators?"

Raphael hesitated for a split second, "If we're lucky? A few days. If the trail goes cold... it could be weeks."

"A few days? Weeks?" My voice cracked. "Jake could be dead in weeks!"

"Don't say that," Jackson snapped at me.

"Why not? It's true!" I turned away from him, my decision made. "Fine. If you won't look for him, I will."

"Elena, you can't be serious," Raphael shook his head, "It's dangerous out there. You don't even know where to start—"

"I'll start with anything I can find. Maybe boot prints. I'll follow them as far as they go." I said as I headed toward the woods.

Jackson grabbed my arm, spinning me around. "I forbid you to leave this pack house."

"You forbid me?" I jerked free. "You don't get to forbid me to do anything, Jackson. You're not my Alpha. You've never been. You never marked me, remember? You made sure of that."

"If you leave, I won't send anyone after you," he threatened.

"Good. I don't want your help anyway." I met his cold blue eyes. "You've made it very clear where your priorities lie. So stay here with Sophia and Lily. Play your perfect little family. I'll find my son myself."

"Mama always finds me," I remembered Jake saying once during our hide and seek. "You're the best finder."

I had to be the best finder now. I had to find my baby.

"Elena, please," Raphael tried one more time. "At least wait until morning. Let some guards go with you. Take some supplies, some weapons—"

"Every second I waste is another second Jake is with those monsters." I looked at him, then at Jackson. "Tell my parents... tell them I'm sorry. And that I love them."

I turned and headed towards the pack gates before anyone could stop me.

"Elena!" Raphael called after me but I didn't answer.

“You… you.” I heard Raphael calling out to some guards. “Go after her.”

“On whose orders?” I heard Jackson question him angrily.

I stopped in my tracks, and looked back.

“Alpha, she could get lost, fall into a trap or worse still, get killed by rogues.” Raphael voiced his concerns to Jackson.

“Then so be it. She made her choice.” Jackson hissed and turned away.

Right there, he called out to his driver, “Get the car ready, we're going back to the resort. Sophia is waiting.”

I almost collapsed, hearing everything he said, my heart shattering into a million pieces. I spun around, and continued towards the pack gates. I was determined.

“Elena!!!” Raphael tried to call out to me again, but I didn't bother to look back. Instead, I increased my pace and ran out of the pack without a second guess.

*******

The forest swallowed me whole. Darkness pressed in from all sides, broken only by scattered moonlight filtering through the trees. I pulled out my phone, which had been in my pocket, using its flashlight to follow the fading boot prints.

My bare feet bled on the rough ground, while branches scratched my arms and face, but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop because my baby's life was at stake.

"I'm coming, Jake," I whispered into the night. "Mama's coming."

The boot prints led deeper into the forest, away from Red Flare territory. I had no idea where I was going, no plan beyond following the trail but I knew I had to try. 

Even if I died trying, I knew I still had to try. I searched and searched for three full days, wandering deeper and deeper into the forest trying to search for familiar scents even though I knew how weak my senses were.

On the third night, I felt so tired and exhausted. I hadn't eaten for three whole days straight, and it was already feeling like I was going to pass out at any moment out of exhaustion. My mind didn't even care about food, my missing son was more important to me than any food. Besides, I was in the forest at night and I didn't know my way around anymore. I could only rely on what I could see during the day. 

“I need to rest tonight. My search continues tomorrow.” I said to myself.

But as I then tried to search for somewhere to rest for the night, a branch snapped behind me.

I froze, my heart pounding as I carefully but scaredly shouted, "Who is there?"