*James's POV*
About two hours later, Amira came back into the room. She looked completely drained. Samuel and I helped her take a seat, and Sofia brought her a glass of water, Amira gave us all a weak smile and took a sip of the water, positioning herself comfortably on the couch. We all sat in silence, waiting for her to speak.
She took another sip of water and turned towards me. “I'm sorry James. I tried my best.”
“Its fine Amira. That's all anyone could possibly ask for. Thank you.” I smiled at her and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“I told you it was a bad idea. You're exhausted and you didn't even get to speak to Selene. You shouldn't have bothered.” Samuel grumbled.
Amira sat up straight and turned to him, scowling. “Oh, shut up! I didn't say I didn't get a hold of Selene, and even if I hadn't, I still had to try. Its our daughter and grandchildren.”
Samuel gave a horrified look. I guess he wasn't used to Amira taking that tone of voice, especially with him. “So, you did speak to Selene?” I asked, feeling slightly confused.
She gave me a beautiful smile that made my heart ache. Lilly gave me the exact same smile quite often. “Yes dear. I did speak to the Moon Goddess. It took all my power and my wolf's stubborness and determination, but we finally got through. But, Selene couldn't find her either. She said that she couldn't get a good lock on Sadie.” My face visibly paled, and Amira must've noticed because she gave my hand the same squeeze that I had just given hers. “Don't panic dear. She said it was because Lilly and Sadie were exposed to too much silver, and it was weakening them. So, they may not be at 110%, but at least they're still alive. We'll find them. I'm sure of it.” She smiled again.
A small smile of my own formed. “You just may be right.” My smile got a little bigger. “Or, knowing Lilly, she'll make her way back to me, just like she did last time.”
*Lilly's POV*
I tried to get in touch with Selene, but the intense silver contact had made it impossible to do so. I guess since I couldn't get in touch with Sadie, I couldn't contact Selene etiher. So, I had to figure out another plan.
I sat my children down back in the pack and play and brought it as close to my cot as I possibly could. They were still healing from the burms of the silver, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was before.
After I was sure they were all still asleep, and as safe as they possibly could be given the situation I sat back down on my bed. I let the emotions that I had bottled up out. I cried, and I screamed at myself on the inside. How could I have been so stupid? Now, because of me, everyone that I love is in danger once again. I seem to be a magnet for trouble.
I didn't get to wallow in my self pity for too long before I heard that loud creaking of the door opening. The same rogue walked back in, only this time, he was accompanied by two others. Their scents told me it was aman and a woman, but they stayed too far back in the shadows for me to determine anything else.
As the rogue stepped forward toward the cell, I stepped in front of the pack and play, blocking his veiw of the children. e stopped at my cell door and smiled. “I'm sorry Lillian. We seemed to have got off on the wrong foot. Please, allow me to introduce myself.” His gravelly voice boomed through the room.
“I don't care who you are. You'll never get my pups.” I snapped.
“Tsk, tsk. Don't be rude.” He paused. “As I was saying, I feel a proper introduction is in order. My name is Warren Oakenshield. I believe you may have heard of me.”
I puzzled the thought. Warren? That name did sound familiar to me, but why?
Suddenly, it dawned on me. Warren. That's the name of the rogue Amira said her sister Ophelia fell in love with.
“I have heard of you, but only very little. The only thing I know is that you and my mother's sister fell in love. She ran off to be with you, and no one has seen her since.”
“Then, you know enough to know why we have brought you here.” He answered.
“Not really.”
He motioned for someone to step forward. The woman's scent drew stronger with every step she took. The smell of vanilla and roses overpowered my sense, and then I saw her. There was no doubt that the woman standing before me was Ophelia. She was a mirror ijmage of my sister, though slightly aged.
“Hello Lillian.” Her voice was soft and graceful. “I'm so sorry things have happened this way. It was never my intent, but I knew you wouldn't come here on your own free will.”
“That's where you're wrong. I would have. We were actually in the process of trying to find you. Your sister has been dying to see you, and I'm sure my sister has too.” I spat. I didn't like this sudden change of conversations. Being held was bad enough, yet when your captors were standing in front of you trying to be nice to you, it only seemed to make things worse.
“Ahh, yes, my sister. How is she?”
“Fine.. And, so is your daughter.”
Her face visibly paled. “My daughter is dead.”
“No, she isn't. She's very much alive. She has been raised as my sister our entire lives.”
“That's impossible!”
“Obviously it isn't. Her name is Sofia, and she looks identical to you. She is 23, just like me. She has been raised as my twin. We never knew any differently until a few weeks ago.”
“But, that can't be! I only ever had one litter of pups, two girls and a boy, and they were all born dead.” She choked out.
“Then, how do I know your hair falls in natural brown curls, or that you have hazel eyes, and when you smile, you have the same dimples as she does. It is too dark to see such things here, but the spike in your heartbeat tells me I'm right.”
Ophelia started to cry. “I cleaned them all as they came out. I did everything I possibly could, yet I never found a pulse in any of the three. How can this be?”
“My guess is they were born dead, so you left them. And, the man that I thought was my father, found your pups on his way back to his pack from stealing me from Amira. I would think he did something to make sure they were ok, then he took your pups as well.” I answered her, but it was heartbreaking even for me.
“Do you have any other brothers or sisters?”
“No,”
Ophelia turned to face Warren. “We must go. We must see if the girl speaks the truth. what if she's right? What if we really do have a daughter out there?”
“We will not!” He yelled. “You can not listen to her. She's just trying to use your emotions against you, Ophelia.”
“I am not! You saw Sofia in the ice cream parlor. Think about it Warren. Did she not resemble Ophelia to you?” I quipped.
He seemed to ponder it over for a minute before he bowed his head. “Indeed. She did.”
“That's because she is her daughter, and yours.” I chided.
“Please Warren. I have to know. Do not deny me this.” Ophelia begged.
“And, what if the girl is lying?” He asked.
“What if she's telling the truth?” She countered.
“If we let her go now, we may never get this chance again Ophelia. Think about it. Its all you've ever dreamed of since we lost our children. You have always wanted a red wolf child to raise as your own.” He cooed.
“I would rather have my own child then to raise someone elses.” She sobbed.
“Are you sure?” He asked again.
“I am.” She answered.
Warren turned to face me again,but this time he didn't seem quite so guarded, “I'm not doing this for you Mrs.Mitchell. I want to make that clear right now. However, if you speak the truth, and you can reunite my mate with her daughter, then that's good enough for me.”
I nodded in response.
Warren stuck his hand in his pocket and fished for the keys to unlock the cell.
“You cannot be serious! You're not really going to let the bitch go after everything I did to help you get her here?!” A man's voice rumbled through the room. He didn't need to step closer or speak another word for me to know exactly who it was.
“I can , and I am. The decision is made.” Warren said, as he pulled the keys out of his pocket.
“No. You aren't.” The man growled and lunged at Warren.
I watched as Soren and Warren began to fight. It was hard to keep up with though, as the two moved rather quickly, even without taking on their wolf forms.
Warren threw the keys to Ophelia as he stood on Soren's back, stretching his arms behind him. If Soren tried to escape the hold, he would break his arms in the process. Ophelia hurriedly opened the cage, and ushered me out, I grabbed the pack and play and pulled it with me as fast as I could. As soon as my children and I were safely out the cage, Warren threw Soren into it.
“How could you betray me like that?” I asked Soren when he was fully restrained in the prison.
“I didn't betray you bitch. I don't owe you anything1” He growled and spat at me.
“But you did betray James.” I growled back.
Soren laughed maniacally. 'Ask your precious lover boy why when you get back.”
“Tell me, now!” I ordered, putting as much strength into the command as I possibly could.
“Your orders don't work on me bitch. You're not my Luna.” He laughed again. “But, I'll play your silly little game. You want to know why I could betray your mate so easily?” He asked, using the word mate as if the thought alone was gut wrenching. “Because of him, my mate is dead. He stole her from me.” He growled.
“How is that James's fault?” I asked, legitimately curious.
“Your dearly beloved is not the man you think he is.” He snapped at me. “And, even if he has changed now, that doesn't change the things he has already done.”
“Cut to the point!” I growled out.
“Before you came along, he was nothing more than a tyrant. He didn't give a damn about anything or anybody. Well, we were out doing border patrol, and a few rogues attacked our lands. There was only 6 or 7 males, and two females. The females did not participate in the fight. They only cowered behind the trees, tryiing to avoid the action. After we had killed the males, James ordered us to kill the women as well, since they were guilty by association..” He seemed to get lost in the thought. Several moments passed by in silence.
“And? Any Alpha male would do the same.” I probed.
Soren growled and shook his head. “Maybe, but when Silas and I pushed the females into the center of the three of us, I knew something was different. This wasn't like all the other rogue attacks. I took one look at the small brown wolf, and I was in love. That little brown wolf was my mate. I told James, and he told me to take her to the pack prison instead. As I was escorting her, they executed the other female. When I got her to the prison and in the cell, the vast amount of silver pushed the change upon her. She shifted back into her human form, and she was the definition of perfection. She had long strawberry blonde hair, dazzling blue eyes, full pink lips, and a gorgeous body. I was in love with her. I shifted into my human form, and she had the same look of awe on her face.” Again, he got lost in the moment. This time I only cleared my throat, and he continued. “We talked for a few minutes, Charlotte and me. I was relishing her angelic voice when James came. He asked her a dozen questions. When she wouldn't tell him why the rogues had came, he ordered her death. I begged and pleaded with her to tell him, but she insisted she didn't know. She said she had only caught up with the group the day before and was simply following them for the protection that a group can bring. The answer wasn't enough for James though. Even knowing she was my mate, hearing my cries of protest, and having to put me in silver chains to restrain me, he still murdered her. He killed her right before my very eyes.” Soren said, and then he started to cry.
Tears spilled down my own cheeks as the information he told me was sinking in. I didn't want to think that his story could possibly be true, yet hearing the raw pain in his voice, I knew it was. It was hard to think that James could ever be that man. He had been nothing but perfect since I met him, but I know now that things weren't always so.
“I'm so sorry, Soren.” I managed to get the words out, but they were barely audible.
“So, now do you see why I can betray him? Do you get it now? I wanted him to know my pain, to feel the anguish that I've felt every day since then. And, what better way to do that then to take away his wife and kids.” He tried to make it sound menacing, but the hurt he felt was still to evident to make his words convincing.
“Come on Lilly. We can deal with him later. We must be going.” Ophelia ushered, slightly pulling on the back of my shirt.
I turned to face her, knowing she was right. I needed to get out of here now before they changed their minds.
“You can't just leave me here!” Soren yelled after us.
“You made your own choice.” Warren answered in return.
I carried two of my children, and Ophelia and Warren each carried one as well. They lead me to a big, black Navigator and started buckling in the kids. I put Autumn and Aubrey in the car seats and buckled them in as well. And, somehow the little gesture made me fee so much better. They at least had cared about the children's safety enough to buy them car seats. I climbed in the space between the seats, with a small smile on my face. Ophelia took the passenger seat and Warren drove.
“It'll be a few hours before we make it to your pack house. You might want to try to get some rest in the mean time.” Ophelia said, smiling at me.
My stomach growled loud enough to wake up Aubrey, who screamed.
“Or perhaps some food first.” Ophelia laughed.
I laughed as well and nodded. “That would be great.”
Warren grumbled and nodded his head..
I soothed Aubrey back to sleep and stared at her. She was beautiful. I looked at Shiloh, Dustin, and Autumn as well. They all were, and regardless of everything thats happened to me, I knew I was blessed to have them.
Warren stoppped at a grocery store and picked up a few bags of rotisserie chicken and some potatoe salad and drinks. We all ate in silence, and when I was through, I decided Ophelia was probably right. A nap would probably do my body a lot of good right now.
“I'll wake you up when we get close,” She cooed, right as the sleep overtook me.