Have No Fear

Assist

Ambrose POV

None stop phone calls were what I'd had to deal with all morning, but I didn't have time to deal with that anymore. Right now I was driving like a complete maniac towards Oscar and Mary's house.

When I get there, I impatiently pound on the door waiting for someone to answer.

"Alpha?" Oscar finally answers the door, surprised to see me there.

"I need to speak to Claire".

"Is this about what happened earlier this morning?"

"Yes. Is she here?"

She's clearly already heard me asking for her, because she comes running down the stairs wanting to know what the hell is going on, just like the rest of us.

"Alpha..."

"We don't have time to talk, Claire. I came here because need your help with something important".

"Help? Help with what?"

"It's probably best if I explain the situation on the way there. Are you with me?"

She looks back to her grandfather, who gives her an approving nod before she turns back towards to me.

"I'm with you".

"Good. Pack a bag and I'll wait for you outside".

I'd already booked our plane tickets and lied to the entire pack that I was going out of state for a meeting with some of the other Alphas to discuss the strange event that had occurred.

Claire is understandably confused and alarmed when I explain Ren's mysterious disappearance on our way to the airport.

She's the only other person that knows where Ren has been living for the past three years, and about my ex wife. That also makes her the only werewolf I can trust right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three hours later, we arrive in Washington and immediately go to rent a car. She only gets more and more nervous the closer we get.

"There!" she yells when we're driving along the dirt road towards the cabin and spot Ren's red car abandoned on the road, just like Conan said he'd found it.

"Wait here, okay?"

I get out of the car and approach cautiously, not wanting to disturb my surroundings too much. I've already picked up Conan's scent, Carol's and an unfamiliar one too.

Only when I'm investigating the car can I smell Ren. Outside in the air there's nothing, just like Conan claimed before, but that's impossible?

Wait, there is something? It's faint and barely there, but it's like nothing I've ever smelt before. There's an unusual coldness in the air surrounding the car too.

"Anything?" Claire shouts from the car.

"I'm not sure".

I get back in the car and continue our drive to the cabin. Although I was anxious to find Ren, I was also nervous about seeing my son for the first time in 10 years.

We pull up outside minutes later and Carol runs out to greet us. She unexpectedly hugs me, but it's understandable that she'd need comfort right now.

"Thank you for coming" she says quietly.

"It's okay. Where is he?"

Conan comes outside seconds later, and he's no longer the scared, scrawny boy, that he was the last time I saw him. He's a grown man now.

"Ambrose" is all he says.

"Conan. I checked out the car and it's just as you said".

"So you couldn't pick anything up either?" Carol asks.

"There was a scent that I didn't recognise at all. It was definitely there, but it's too faint for me to track".

"A friend is already out there searching West. I say our best hope is splitting up to cover more ground".

"I agree".

"Was she okay the last time you saw her? She wasn't upset or anything?" Claire asks worriedly.

"No, she was happy. You must be Claire, right?"

"Yeah".

"Then I'm glad you're here" he shakes her hand.

There's so many things I've been wanting to say to him, but now isn't the right time. For now, we need to focus on the real reason we're all here.

"Claire, you cover the East, I'll take South, and Conan you go North. Is that okay with everyone?"

"Yes, Alpha".

"Sure. Howl if you find anything and we'll meet back here in three hours. Mom, stay by the phone, okay?"

"I will" she smiles weakly.

Claire quickly heads East and Carol goes back inside the cabin, leaving us alone.

"How's your mom handling all of this?"

"Not great, but listen there's something I need to tell you".

"What is it?"

"There's others out there looking for Ren right now. Ever since she was banished, she's had a target on her back and we're not just talking werewolves here".

"Vampires?"

"Or worse. Sure, vampires could've taken her if they caught her off guard, but they'd leave a scent behind so it's unlikely".

"So you're thinking witches were behind this?"

"It makes the most sense. They could've easily masked her scent with magic and we'd be none the wiser".

"In that case, we need to be extra cautious out there. There's a reason we don't mess around with witches".