Chapter Twenty-Three
A child was missing…
It was a 5-year-old boy, called Oscar. He was Alpha Cade’s and Luna Fray’s son. Nobody had seen him since breakfast. And it was almost dinnertime now. They had tried to track his moves, but had been unsuccessful…
We walked into the ball room where everybody had gathered. People were dressed less formal and the air was thick with worry and nervous chatter.
Upon entering, all eyes turned to us.
“It was the Hunter!” A female voice, I instantly recognized as Mindy, hollered. “She took him!”
“Wow! That went south quickly,” I muttered--- but strangely instantly noticed how it wasn’t the mother or father who came with the allegation. Alpha Cade looked – annoyed at best and bored at worst. And while Luna Fray was dissolved in tears, it wasn’t the angry, terrified ones. She was sad, but not the kind of sad you would expect a mother – who was missing a child! – would be.
I frowned, my mind trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I remembered having seen her talk to that rogue the other night. Her mate was abusing her, but he didn’t seem to be effect by it. What if he didn’t stop with his mate? What if…?
“Say what?!” Xyen growled, his dominance rolling into the crowed like a dark fog…
And that’s when everyone started to yell at each other. They circled him, challenging him one after another. Judging him for bringing a Hunter into their mist. I mentally groaned and pushed my way between the angry wolves. God, you’d think with werewolf enhanced hearing there would be no need for shouting! Lucky for me, they were more interested in taking down The Feral Alpha, than the Huntress.
What a girl gotta do for her man…!
I grabbed the microphone that the orchestra brought in with them and held it over the speaker. Volume at max! The screeching sound that of claws-on-blackboard had everyone covering their ears and turn their attention to me.
“Now that I have your attention,” I calmly stated, eyeing them carefully and daring them to protest. I knew I didn’t need a microphone so I dropped it – hiding a smirk, when they all cowered their ears – and walked over to Xyen “Hunters didn’t so this, so you might want to get your head out of your ass and act quickly, if you want to find your son.”
“It’s a distraction…,” someone barked, just as I reached Xyen--- who was eyeing me with a hunger and pride, that I couldn’t quite make out.
“Hunters don’t kidnap unshifted males, they target young, shifted females! Now,” I turned around, choosing to ignore Xyen’s heated gaze and that stupid insolence. “We’re wasting daylight standing here arguing. If he’s been kidnaped, you two,” I turned to his parents, who slightly jumped back, when the attention landed on them. “Should start make a list of people you’ve been in contact with since arriving as well as a list of enemies in close by areas.” Surprising they both nodded. Satisfied I turned to the rest of the wolves. “Everyone else should resides to their rooms until called upon for questioning!”
“Who will…?” someone asked, but I was already ahead of the debate.
“Alpha Xyen is hosting this ball, the security is his responsibility and therefore he will be making the shorts,” I stated, turning back to the man in question. “It would also be wise to get someone to question the Omegas for any information.”
“The Omegas?” he repeated trying not to look so surprised as he sounded.
“They give the kids candy so the children often go there,” I replied rather coyly. Nobody else had noticed that? Hmm, the perks of being a wallflower – or in this case: an omega!
“Get it done,” Xyen boomed, his voice strong and authoritative, before he turned to his men. “And check the borders! I want every vehicle going in and out of the territory today checked out.” Then he turned back to the guest, who still stood around and gaping shellshocked! “What are you waiting for? An invitation?” He barked, shaking them out of their trance. “My mate said you were to resign to your rooms! Fuck off!” He commanded, before turning to me. “And you,” he said lowly, pulling me flush against him. His dark orbs holding specks of black in them. “You got me so hard right there, if a kid wasn’t missing, I’d fuck you right where you stand!”
Was there any time this man wasn’t thinking about sex, I mentally grinned.
“You really have a way with words to make a girl feel special,” I scoffed, although taking the compliment at heart. He just flashed that irresistible smirk of his, before his lips claimed mine. I gasped into the kiss, that demanded my entire being to submit to him. Automatically I leaned in for more, but Xyen denied me, pulling away all too soon. An embarrassed whine left my lips, which I tried to cover up with my hands, hoping none heard that--- in a room full of werewolves…!
“I’ll be right back,” he muttered close to my ear, making me shiver. Ok, so maybe it wasn’t just Xyen… I tried to compose myself and ignore the smug grin on his face. “Go to our room and wait for me there,” he continued--- and my dazed brain instantly came down from its high like someone had thrown a bucket of ice-water on it.
I narrowed my eyes at him, unable to believe what I just heard.
Go to our room?!