Jenna ended the call to her father with a smile. Tyler and her had just landed a bit ago, and after grabbing their luggage, they were now in Tyler's truck on their way home. Jenna couldn't wait to see Noelle. She'd missed her baby girl so much, she couldn't wait to get home and hold her again.
She hadn't told Daniel about Noelle yet. She wanted privacy when she spoke to him about his daughter, and she wanted to do it in person. Jenna already felt bad that Talia and Ben knew about Noelle before Daniel did, but then, she hadn't expected to ever reconnect with him, and even when she had seen him, she hadn't been sure he'd remembered her.
He'd texted her again this morning. He said he wanted to call, but he'd been tied up in business meetings and would be flying back home at some point today. Jenna had hoped Daniel would be on her flight, but she supposed if he owned his own business, more than likely he would be flying first class, and she hadn't seen him.
Jenna rubbed at the mark on her neck. She'd completely forgotten to ask Talia what it meant. She pulled her phone back out, and sent her friend a text. A moment later, her phone binged, and Jenna opened the text, smiling when she saw it was from Daniel.
Are you back in PA yet, Love?
Yes, we're driving home now. Are you? She texted back.
Just boarded. Should be back shortly. I'll call you later. I want to see you again soon. I miss you.
Jenna felt her heart melt. I still have tomorrow off. Can we get together then? I miss you too.
That sounds good. I'll call you later, Love.
Okay. Can't wait
"Texting Noelle's father?" Tyler asked.
Jenna smiled. "Yes. He is flying back today too. He doesn't live very far away from us I don't think."
"What's his name?"
"Daniel," She smiled again to herself.
The ride home took forty-five minutes. As soon as Tyler put the truck into park, Jenna wanted to run upstairs and see Noelle, but she reminded herself that the baby was sleeping. She took her bag from Tyler, and they headed inside.
The house was quiet, and something was off. She stopped, looking around.
"What's wrong?" Tyler asked, coming to a stop behind her.
"I don't know, but something is."
She stepped into her father's office, and was shocked to see him lying on the floor. "Daddy!" She quickly rushed over, and kneeled down next to him, noticing the blood on the carpet.
He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "Jenna," he whispered.
"Daddy, what happened? Tyler!" She yelled, not caring at this point if she did wake up Noelle.
Her father looked confused, as he started to get up. Tyler rushed in and pushed his father back down. "What happened? Dad, let me check you over before you get up." Tyler took his father's wrist for a pulse.
"I found him lying here unconscious. He's bleeding, Tyler," Jenna murmured, watching her father's eyes start to clear.
They helped him up slowly, and Jenna noticed the cut on the back of his head. "Tyler, look!"
Her brother eyed the wound, then hurried out, coming back a moment later with a kitchen towel, which he applied to his father's head.
Mitch winced. "Someone hit me."
"Did you see who?" Jenna asked.
Mitch shook his head. "Jenna," he grabbed her arm. "Go check on Noelle."
She nodded, and stood, leaving the room. She ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and rushed into her room. The crib was empty. Jenna felt her heart drop as panic set in. She frantically began looking around the room and the en suite bathroom. Logically, she knew there was no way Noelle could haven't gotten out of her crib, but it didn't stop her from looking
Tyler and Mitch both walked in the room a moment later, Tyler watching Mitch carefully.
"She's gone," Jenna sobbed, as she kept looking, stripping the blankets off of her bed.
"The diaper bag is gone, too," Mitch said. "I left it sitting here by the rocker. I was looking for her favorite pacifier"
Jenna collapsed to the ground as tears started streaming down her cheeks. Her baby had been kidnapped! What kind of mother was she? She should have never gone to New York City.
"Tyler, call the police," Mitch said quietly, as he sat down on the bed, and pulled Jenna to him.
"NO!" Jenna shouted, pulling away from her father.
They both looked at her in surprise. "Why not?" Tyler asked.
"Jenna, we need to get them here to start looking," Mitch was looking at her like she was crazy.
Jenna breathed out a small sigh. Her heart felt as though it was pounding out of her chest, and she forced herself to stop crying so she could speak. Somewhere, she could hear her cell ringing. "Tyler, call Dr. Ben. Tell him Noelle is missing."
"Jenna.."
"Do It NOW!" She shouted at him.
Tyler's eyes widened in surprise and he left the room.
"Jenna.." Mitch started.
"Daddy, I know you love me, and you love Noelle, but trust me on this one. I need to find my phone," Jenna murmured, standing to her feet. She pushed past him, hearing her phone ringing again, and headed downstairs to find her purse. Her mind felt numb now. She needed to call Daniel. How would he react when he found out she'd lost his baby? Tears still ran down her cheeks.
"Jenna, Ben is on his way here," Tyler said, as he walked up to her and pulled her into his arms.
She gave him a hug, and then headed to her purse and pulled out her phone. Three missed calls from Daniel. She pressed the call button to call him back.
"Jenna, what's wrong?"
How did he know? The thought disappeared the next second as she began crying uncontrollably into the phone. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," She sobbed. "I lost her."
"Jenna? Where are you? Who did you lose? Are you alone? Is your brother there? Let me talk to him," Daniel demanded. He was scared out of his mind for her. Daniel had been relaxed the whole flight back, basking in the glow of her happiness until first worry had set in followed by panic and fear. His plane still hadn't landed but Daniel knew if it didn't soon, he was going to lose control. Rafe was trying to take over because he knew something was seriously wrong.
A few seconds later, he heard a man's voice. "Daniel? This is Tyler, Jenna's brother."
"Tyler, hi. Please tell me what's going on," Daniel forced himself to calm down. 'Rafe!! Get a hold of yourself. We need to find out what's going on, and get this tin can on the ground safely.'
'Not soon enough. Must go to Mate. Something is wrong,' Rafe calmed a bit, but was still pacing in Daniel's mind.
Tyler took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I'm the one telling you this, but circumstances dictate that I do. Jenna gave birth to your child at Christmas and ..."
What? Daniel lost the conversation after that. Jenna had given birth? To his child? He was a father! He could feel Rafe howling in his head in excitement. Why hadn't she told him? A pang from Jenna washed over him again, shocking him back into reality before his thoughts could go any further, and he realized Tyler had stopped talking.
"Tyler?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry, I zoned out the moment you said Jenna gave birth to my child." Daniel said ruefully.
"Yeah, I'm sorry you had to find out this way. We came home from the airport to find my father laying on the floor unconscious in his office and Noelle missing from her crib. We tried to call the cops, but Jenna asked us to call Noelle's doctor instead, which makes no sense to me"
Daniel was in shock. His heir was a girl. Not that he cared in the least, but it was definitely going to shock those stodgy old Alphas when they found out their new reigning Alpha would be a woman. But something else caught Daniel's attention. "Who is Noelle's doctor?"
"Dr. Ben Gray. I work with him," Tyler said.
Daniel's eyes widened in surprise and a sense of pride filled him. Somehow, Jenna had figured out that Ben was a werewolf and that he would know what to do. "She made the right call. My plane is landing now. Can you text me your address? I'll be there as quickly as I can."
Daniel had never been more thankful in his life that he had his own private plane and a landing strip on pack lands.
The moment Daniel was off the plane, he ran over to the SUV he'd left parked nearby and threw his bag on the passenger seat. He started the vehicle and floored it to the pack house. He mind linked his father.
Dad, I'm headed to the pack house right now. I need you, Mom and Ragnar to get ready to go. Your granddaughter has been kidnapped.
Our what? Yeah that was a bit of a shock
I'll tell you on the way. Get Charity ready as well.
Charity just left a little bit ago with Risa. She said they needed to help Ben with something.
Good. I'll see you in a few. Daniel cut the link and pushed the SUV even faster.