“I’ve got to go and help mum with something. I will be back home in about an hour, alright?” Chase says as we get to the house, and we pause outside.
“Okay. Rogue is watching television for the first time in a while. I think I am just going to watch it with him,” I reply, leaning up and kissing him gently before walking back into the house. I look down at Chase’s shirt I’m wearing because my clothes have a bad case of being ripped around this pack. Not that I am complaining.
“Rogue?” I shout when I walk in. The television is still on as I walk over, but no sign of Rogue anywhere. I pause when I see the dark, red, folded piece of paper on the sofa seat next to a small, clear bottle of something. I pick the note up, feeling sick when I see the black royal symbol pressed in wax on the other side. I rip it open, and read the words written in white ink.
We have one of your pack’s children and your mate. Come to the castle, bring both the Shifter stone from your pack and the Forest Pack. Two stones, for two lives. If you tell anyone, do anything we don’t like…we will kill them. Take the drink on the table so your mates cannot find you. You are being watched.
I almost drop the note in shock, looking around the room and swallowing the fear in my throat. I know straight away that I do not have a single chance of winning this without losing the stones or Rogue and the child. I don’t even need to think on it before I am running out the house as I drink the bottle of clear liquid and getting in Chase’s car. I leave the note on the seat as I start his car, thankful he left the keys in it and drive around the house, going to the road where the old house is. I pull up outside it and run inside, pressing the button on the fireplace and going down the stairs. I don’t bother closing the doors above me as I know I only need to get the stone. I look around the room, seeing a blanket on a desk on the other side of the room and run to it. I rip the blanket up, getting a small bit to wrap the crystal in. I pick up the heavy book off the desktop and turn, throwing it at the glass. It smashes into pieces, the crystal slamming onto the wood floor. I run over, picking it up with the cloth and feeling how warm it is. I run back out the room, knowing I might not have long before one of my mates pick up on my emotions or find out the crystal is missing. I try to pick up on Rogues feelings, or where he is, but there is nothing but a little feeling he is north. Where the castle is. I run back to the car, putting the crystal on the side seat and thinking for a moment. I need to get out of here, and hopefully without anyone suspecting anything. I figure the best way is to drive out of the front doors and tell them a story. No one would suspect I was running away with a priceless crystal if I just drive out the front gate. I turn the car around and drive back towards the house, slowly driving past and taking a deep breath when no one follows me. I drive down the main part of the pack and around the water fountain, hating how empty and quiet it is here.
“You can do this, Gold. You have to fight for them,” I keep telling myself the same thing as I get to the gates of the pack and one of the beta’s walks over to me. I throw the stone inside the glove compartment before he gets to me and I smile at him.
“Hey, it’s George, right?” I ask.
“Yes, alpha female. Can I help you? Do you want me to call the alphas?” he asks, and I shake my head.
“Nope. See I need to go to town really quick to get my Rogue a birthday present for tomorrow. Only I don’t want him knowing so the alphas are distracting him as I go,” I explain, and he frowns.
“I have orders no one leaves the pack. If I just call them to check-“
“-I am your alpha female, your orders come from me too. I will be back soon, please don’t ruin this for me, George,” I say, flashing him a sad smile.
“I guess we know you can handle yourself when you hunted that wolf down. Still be careful out there,” he warns me, and I smile tightly.
“I will be. Thanks, George,” I smile at him before he raises a hand and the gates are opened. I feel guilty for using George but I’m sure he will understand when I explain this to everyone later and return with the child. I drive out the pack, straight towards the Forest Pack and knowing Nikoli is not going to be happy when I get there.
* * *
“Gold?” Nikoli says as he steps out the house after I pull up at his. He looks like I just woke him up, and five betas step out with him, looking for danger. I flash my eyes at the betas, letting Nikoli know I can’t talk while they are here. Nikoli waves them away and they go back inside the house without question.
“I need the Shifter stone. I can’t tell you why, but in all the years I’ve known you…I have never asked for anything. I am begging you now,” I say, my voice catching. Nikoli comes to me, pulling me into a hug and whispering.
“You are being watched I guess,” he says and all I do is nod, not wanting to say anything else and risk the child, and my Rogue. Nikoli pulls away as his phone rings in his pocket and he pulls it out, answering it.
“Cain?” he answers the phone saying, and I place my hand on my mouth, shaking my head at Nikoli as tears stream down my cheeks. “I haven’t seen Gold. I will keep my eye out. Good luck finding her, did you check downtown?” Nikoli puts the phone down and reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small red box as I try not to think of my mates searching the local town for me and not finding me. He opens it slowly, revealing a glowing green gemstone inside. Its smaller than our purple one, but equally as stunning.
“I trust you with my life. I always have, Gold. Here,” Nikoli closes the box and hands it to me. I nod, wiping my tears and getting back into my car. I undo the window and look back over at Nikoli.
“I love you like a brother, like a father almost. Thank you for everything you have done for me over the years. I would have been lost and never found happiness without your guidance,” I tell him because if this goes wrong I won’t ever be able to tell him that. I close the window as he watches me drive out his pack. I open the glove compartment and shove the box inside next to the other stone. I steel my back and make myself stop crying. I have to be strong to win this. My pack and my mate need me.