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Logan
"Why would Saffie run away?" Kaitlyn whines. "Is it because you, like, grounded her?"
"What?" Father looks at her like she's crazy.
"Jess said that Zara said that you said," Kaitlyn starts, and I have a sudden urge to rub my temples, "that she's grounded."
"Saffron didn't run away because she's grounded, Kaitlyn." Father growls.
"She didn't run away, period," I add. "She's still here, somewhere. We just haven't looked in the right place."
"She's not here," Father snaps. "You just can't see things clearly because she's your mate."
"What?" Kaitlyn gasps and her eyes widen in shock.
"She's my mate," I tell her, then turn to Father, "which is why she would never betray us."
"Mate?" Kaitlyn whispers in surprise.
Father doesn't pay her any attention. "You need to grow up and see things for what they are," he lectures me. "Mates betray each other every day. Just because you haven't seen that in our pack doesn't mean it doesn't happen. History's full of stories like that." Father shakes his head. "You can't trust anyone."
"How can you say that?" I demand. "Look at you and Mother!"
"What's this about Mother?" her voice rings out as she comes downstairs. She's still in her black, silk pajamas and her messy, obviously unbrushed hair frames her face.
"You're mates," I gesture between my parents, "and you'd never betray each other."
"Of course we wouldn't." She yawns and gives us an affectionate smile. "Now will someone tell me what's going on?"
"I thought you were going to get some sleep, Anna." Father smiles at her fondly.
"You didn't answer my question, James," Mother shakes her head as she makes the rest of the way downstairs. "And I was, until Nicki showed up in tears and begged me to help Saffron."
"What?" Father snaps. "Where is she?"
"In the library. I finally got her and the rest of Alivia's class to settle down." Mother walks over to us and leans against Father.
"I don't mean Nicki. Where's Saffron?"
"That's what I came down here to ask you." Mother looks from me to Father. "Someone tell me what's going on."
"We can't find her," I whisper. "We searched the house top to bottom."
"Except the boy's floor," Kaitlyn chimes in.
"But she wouldn't be up there," I add.
"She didn't leave the house, would she?" Mother's eyes fill with worry. "Not with the Rogues still out there?"
"Unless she's working with them." Father scowls.
"Which she's not," I snap.
"Why the Goddess would she work with the Rogues?" Mother looks at Father like he's suddenly grown a second head.
"I discovered some things while I was in Oakburg," Father says, quickly recaping what he told me, from Saf's house being wiped clean, to her missing Father, and finally what happened to her friends.
"And why am I only just hearing about this now?" Mother demands.
"I wanted to tell you this as soon as I got back, but I thought I should let you sleep."
"We'll talk about that later." Mother sighs. "Right now, we need to find Saffron so we can figure out what's going on."
"There's nothing to figure out," Father snaps. "She's working with them."
"Don't you think you're letting the past cloud your judgment, James?"
"Then explain to me why Saffron run away."
"Do you know that for a fact, James?"
"Yes, I do."
"No, he doesn't." I argue.
"We searched the house and she's not here," Father points out.
"Have you looked everywhere?" Mother glances pointedly at Kaitlyn, reminding us of what she'd said earlier.
"We didn't search the boys' floor," Father admits.
"And..." Mother presses.
"And the kitchen," he adds, raising his hands in surrender.
"If you'd just gotten her a phone like I told..." Mother shakes her head, "oh, never mind. Alright, who was the last person to see Saffron?"
"Me." Kaitlyn raises her hand nervously.
"And where did you last see her?"
"Outside." Kaitlyn stares down at her sparkly sandals. "We, like, went for a walk."
"I thought you were giving her a tour of the house." I frown.
"I did." Kaitlyn nods. "Then, we went outside."
"And is there something you're not telling me?" Mother stares at Kaitlyn suspiciously.
"N-no, Luna."
"Except for the fact that the girls were in the dungeon," Jasper's dad adds, his footsteps echoing through the foyer as he joins us.
"What?" Father shouts, turning away from his Beta to glare at Kaitlyn.
"Just the stairs," she cries.
"The girls gave me a story about some grand tour." Beta shakes his head. "I don't understand kids these days—well, except you and Jasper, of course," he adds for my benefit. "So I went down there after you girls left, just to be sure," Beta looks at Kaitlyn. "Your scent was down there. Wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't looking for it, but it was definitely there."
"I-I," Kaitlyn pales. "I'm s-sorry, Beta. Saffie just wanted to see it, and I... I didn't think..." Kaitlyn covers her face with her hands.
"Why would Saf even want to see the dungeon?" I shout, and Kaitlyn whimpers.
"You know you're not allowed down there," Father snaps. "That's why that door is locked."
"I know," Kaitlyn wails, "b-but she begged me and someone forgot to lock it, so..."
"You went down there?" Father demands.
"I'm sorry, Alpha. But s-she was, like, so scared, and she said if she saw the Rogues all locked up she'd feel better."
I frown. Saf wasn't scared earlier. She couldn't even remember the Rogue attack, and I know she wasn't lying about that, no matter what Father says. Does that mean Kaitlyn's the one not telling the truth? Or did Saf have some other reason for being down there? Did she think seeing the Rogues would jog her memory?
"What happened when you were down there?" I ask.
"N-nothing, I swear. W-we were just leaving when Beta found us."
"And then you went outside?" Father demands.
"Y-yeah." Kaitlyn nods.
"I thought you went to the kitchen?" Beta frowns.
"Yeah, I mean no." Kaitlyn shakes her head. "I wanted to, but Saffie wanted to run. So we went outside, but then she was tired, and she like went upstairs."
"Except you didn't actually see her do that?" Father asks.
"N-no." Kaitlyn shakes her head.
"Then where was the last place you saw her?" Mother asks.
"Outside."
"Where, exactly, did you last see her, Kaitlyn?" Father snaps.
"Don't yell at her, James," Mother scowls, "Can't you see she's upset enough already?"
"Anna, you don't understand—"
"Yes, I do. Now, Kaitlyn dear, why don't you show me exactly where you were?"
"Just by the trees." Kaitlyn leads us out the front door and down the driveway. We cross the lawn, and when we get to the trees, Kaitlyn stops. "We were standing right here, Luna, and then she walked that way."
Kaitlyn points back toward the house, and we all turn to stare. Then we look around, if expecting Saffron to suddenly materialize.
"Sam?" Father turns to Beta.
"Yes, Alpha." Beta disappears into the trees and reappears in Wolf form. He's got a much keener sense of smell than the rest of us—something Jasper has too—and he circles the clearing before leading us further into the trees.
"That's where we were before, Luna," Kaitlyn tells Mother. "We went into the trees to shift so we could run, but Saffie, like, changed her mind."
I am picking up both your scents, Sam agrees over the link. He keeps walking until he gets to a small clearing. He circles it, then heads into the trees. Now it's just Saffron's.
We continue walking for a short distance, and then Beta stops in front of a bush. Some white fabric peeks out and when I step closer, I realize it's underwear.
1. Rate this chapter on a scale from ♥ (1) to ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (10). What did you like? What did you hate? Etc. Etc. Etc.
2. Underwear...
3. Think Beta will be able to track Saf?
4. Wolf Pack Game: What's the absolute weirdest thing in your bag right now? (I'll get up and go check mine in a second)
5. In case you missed the STAWP chat, here is the agenda for the rest of theSTAWP 6M Party:
1:00 pm (EST) : Prize Draw on Instagram (@miameade) and Facebook (facebook.com/groups/STAWP) *I'm giving away a book editing/critiquing session on Insta & writing someone into a short story on FB*
2:30 pm (EST) : a new short story (see: Dragon's Hoard)
4:30 pm (EST) :Jess POV of Logan's Birthday (see: STAWP Bonus Stories)
6:30 pm (EST) : another new short story (see: Dragon's Hoard)
8:30 pm (EST) : mermaid update (see: mermaid's kiss)
10:30 pm (EST) : STAWP Update!