#2 When the Moon Turns Red

Noah

I was kicking myself for not saying yes to Evie and following her to our room. Instead, I’m stuck in my office with Jack and Greyson trying to figure out where Russell was. When I got my hands on this guy, I was going to ring his neck for taking me away from my beautiful mate.

“I don’t know man, I thought for sure he was going to be there.” Greyson sighed, looking over a map that was spread across my desk.

I had just gotten off the phone with Russell’s pack in Massachusetts. They confirmed that he hasn’t been there since he left to visit me. The Beta has been in charge since then and he had some interesting things to say about the mental status of his Alpha.

Greyson was grumbling over the map. He was my best tracker and he had been so convinced that Russell was going to be a few miles outside of the city, deep in the bayou with a group of rogues. The rogues and Russell were nowhere to be found.

“Those rogues have been there for years. I’ve had my eye on them for a while to make sure they weren’t planning a revolt or attack against us, but they just wander around sulking everyday.” Greyson said.

“Do we think that Russell involved the rogues in his plan?” Jack asked.

“I wouldn’t put it past him.” I mumbled.

“It would make sense. His scent was mixed in with the rogues at their base camp. It appeared that they all left at the same time, I just can’t tell where they went.” Greyson growled angrily, smashing his fist into my desk.

“Hey now, let’s not blame my desk.” I shoved Greyson away from what was probably my 6th new desk this year.

“Greyson’s just pissed because he’s being outsmarted by a bunch of rogues and an unhinged Alpha.” Jack was on thin ice with our brother.

“I am not being outsmarted by them. Something else is at play here.” Greyson snapped.

“Could the bloodsuckers be doing something to cover up their tracks?” I asked. Greyson started nodding, seeming to approve of that idea.

“Yeah, that’s likely. Maybe I should go back to the camp and see if I can pick up on any vampire tracks now that I know what I’m looking for.” Greyson dove into Beta mode.

“I’ll go with you.” Jack offered.

“Okay, you two go back to the camp and see what you can find out.” I agreed. It was still early in the evening, so if my brothers left now they should make it there with enough time to search the bayou before it got dark,

“Mindlink me immediately with any news.” I added as Greyson and Jack scurried out of my office.

I plopped down on my desk chair and started looking over the map. I circled the location of the Vampire King’s headquarters, or at least where we estimated it was, in red. Then, I circled the rogues base camp location in blue. I circled our packhouse in green. I measured the distance between the locations to determine if it was conceivable for them to be connected. You could make a round trip to all three places in less than 100 miles; even less if they were using an airboat.

Suddenly, it felt like someone had stabbed me in the chest with a knife. I called out, grabbing my chest in physical pain. I threw open my office door and started sprinting down the hall. Several pack members were calling after me, running into the hallway to see what was going on.

Without question, several off duty members of my patrol followed me. I saw Tatum, Dexter, Lucas, Ferris, and Shawn behind me as I climbed the stairs two at a time towards the top floor. I ripped the door open and ran towards my bedroom. My heart dropped to my stomach when I saw Sawyer laying on the floor in a pool of blood.

“Check on him!” I ordered the wolves behind me without pausing. I crashed through my bedroom door and hit my knees at what I saw. My instincts told me that she wouldn’t be there, but seeing our empty bedroom and the broken window made it all too real.

“We’re taking Sawyer to the infirmary, Alpha, he’s in bad shape.” Dexter came up behind me with Tatum and Lucas. I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t even breathe.

“Permission to search the room, Alpha.” Tatum requested. I could only nod. Tatum and Dexter started pacing the room, sniffing the air and examining the broken window. Lucas remained at my side.

“Should I get Greyson and Jack back here?” Lucas asked. I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the window that was used to take my mate away from me. Once again, I nodded. I heard Lucas in my head as he mindlinked Greyson and Jack to return to the packhouse immediately.

“We’re coming, Alpha.” Greyson’s voice howled in my head,

“We’ll get her back, brother.” Jack promised. I heard the pack howl in unison over the mindlink as the news broke of their missing Luna.

“We lose her scent once she leaves the room, Alpha. We’re going to go outside and see if we can pick it up anywhere.” Dexter said before he and Tatum left the room. I willed myself to get up off the floor. I had work to do.

“Get every member of the patrol who isn’t on the border and every able-bodied wolf to the packhouse now.” I told Lucas as I walked past him.

“Yes, Alpha.” I barely heard his response as I charged towards the stairs. By the time I made it downstairs, the lobby was already full.

“The Luna has been kidnapped,” I addressed the pack. The lobby filled with gasps and threatening growls before silence fell as I continued,

“We have been investigating a plot against the Luna, myself, and the pack for a few days now that involves Alpla Russell Winters of the Masschusettes pack, our former Alpha, and vampires,” No one dared to speak,

“My father has been stripped of his rank and title of Alpha and is being held in the dungeon awaiting sentencing. Winters is on the run but his scent has been located with a group of rogues out in the bayou. The children of the Vampire King paid our pack a visit earlier this week, alerting us of their involvement. I have no doubt they are all involved in the capture of my mate,” I spoke quickly, eager to begin the search,

“All patrol wolves currently on the border will remain. I am looking for volunteers for additional wolves to add to the border and guard the packhouse. All off-duty patrol members will be joining me on a search mission. I am also taking volunteers to aid on this. This is volunteer only as it will be dangerous and involve going against the Council laws by engaging in cross-species conflict,” I explained to my pack,

“Any volunteers can meet us out front.” I finished my speech and pushed my way through the crowd. I wasn’t at all surprised when the entire pack followed me to the front yard. Evie had truly won over everyone in a single week. My heart surged with pride and love for my mate.

“Half of you can go with Shamus, he’ll split you up on the borders,” I pointed out the head of one of my patrol groups. He waved his hands to get their attention and started leading about 150 members around the border,

“The rest of you will split into 10 search groups led by the patrol wolves. We will search the pack property, the bayou, in town, and two locations we have scouted as possible headquarters. I will take two groups with me to where we believe the Vampire King is located. I need the most elite warriors for my groups” I expected my wolves to act quickly and that’s exactly what they did.

Tatum and Dexter formed the two elite groups who would be coming with me to the Vampire King’s location. Lucas, Ferris, Shawn, and the five other members of Patrol Group Delta, Porter, Cole, Mason, Walker, and Zack, created groups of around twenty wolves. By the time the groups were made, Greyson and Jack had returned. I quickly informed them of our plan.

“Jack, I want you to take Ferris’ group to the rogues camp and see what you can find out. Greyson, I want you to go with Cole’s group and see if you can trace Evie’s scent. She was taken from her window out the back of the packhouse.” I ordered.

“Yes, Alpha!” My brothers said in unison. I stopped Greyson before he could leave with his group,

“Once you’re done, bring your group to the Vampire King’s headquarters. I have a feeling we’re going to need the backup there.”

“You got it. Noah,” Greyson grabbed my arm,

“She’s going to be okay.” He promised me but I struggled to believe him. I had to hope for my mate, but the feeling in my chest was so overwhelming that I knew my mate was in pain and calling out to me.