The rogue wolf shifted back into his human form. He then swiftly hoisted Zoey over his shoulder and headed deeper inside the mouth of the cave, where he had cached his supplies and a silver knife.
After pulling on his clothes, he retrieved a burner phone from the dusty cave floor and imdiately dialed a number.
In the lavish living room, William Nightshade jolted as his phone rang with an unknown number. He didn’t hesitate; he snatched it up and answered. His wife, Blythe, and his elder daughter, Naomi, rushed to his side, their faces pale with terror.
"Hello?" William answered.
"William Nightshade," the cold voice ca from the other side. "If you want your daughter to be alive, ask your wolves to stop chasing . I have a silver knife and can slit her throat any mont."
"No, don’t!" William roared, his control snapping. "I’ll do whatever you want! But don’t harm my daughter! Tell what you want. Just return my daughter back safely," he pleaded, the Alpha authority giving way to the terrified father.
"You should punish your wife for the cris she committed against my family," the man pronounced. "Also, ask Sage Nightshade to call for the pack’s council. I will bring your daughter there in exactly one hour. Keep in mind, do not play gas with , because your daughter’s life is in my hands."
Before William could utter another word, the line went dead. "Hello! Hello!" William lowered the phone, staring at the disconnected call.
In a surge of imdiate action, he mindlinked his son, Sage, delivering an urgent command: ’Return to the mansion. Now! Also, stop the chase. Tell the sa to the other wolves.’
’But why?’ Sage questioned.
’Because the one who kidnapped Zoey will kill her if we don’t do exactly what he wants. He will bring Zoey to the pack’s council in an hour. Just hurry ho, son,’ William ordered, breaking the mindlink before further argunt could ensue.
Turning to his wife, he asked, his teeth gritted, "What happened? Why did you cut the call?" :
William glared at her before snapping, "The rogue blad you for committing so cris against his family."
"No, I never did anything, honey! He must be lying," Blythe insisted though a flicker of uncertainty crossed her eyes.
"Mom, why would he lie?" Naomi interrupted with sudden suspicion. "If anything happens to Zoey because of you, I won’t forgive you!" With that emotional outburst, Naomi turned and ran out of the room, tears streaming down her face.
"Did he tell his na?" Blythe pressed, ignoring her elder daughter’s exit.
"No, nothing. We will find out at the council. But it certainly seems like you are the reason for this incident," William stated, his gaze fixed on her with a deep frown of mistrust.
Blythe’s heart hamred against her ribs in fear. She had no idea who this rogue was or what past ’cri’ he could be holding her responsible for, but the connection to her kidnapped daughter was terrifyingly.
~~~~
"Why did you stop the wolves from going ahead?" Katelyn demanded as she and Sage transford back into their human forms, their lungs heaving.
"Because Dad got a call from the kidnapper," Sage pronounced, running a hand through his damp, disheveled hair. "He wants ho, and a pack council has been called. I think sothing big has happened. This isn’t just a kidnapping; the kidnapper’s motive is clearly sothing else." He paused, his gaze softening as he gently brushed the loose hair strands from Katelyn’s cheek and tucked them behind her ear.
Katelyn frowned, thoughtfully considering the cryptic demand.
"Let’s go to the mansion first. The rest of the patrol is already heading back to the pack lands as well," Sage suggested.
Katelyn humd in agreent, already turning to leave.
"We have to run back in our wolves’ forms," she pointed out, wasting no ti. She shifted instantly and sped off, Sage following closely. They ran until they reached the location of his car. Returning to their human forms, Sage quickly took the wheel, driving them at breakneck speed toward his parental ho.
As they entered the living room, William imdiately rose to his feet. He offered a quick nod of greeting to Katelyn before his intense gaze settled on Sage. "Only fifteen minutes are left for the council to start."
"But what exactly did the kidnapper say to you, Dad?" Sage questioned, his mind racing.
William hesitated, unable to recount the accusation against his wife, but before he could formulate an answer, Naomi, her eyes red and swollen, stepped in and narrated the entire, devastating incident to Sage.
"What?" Sage spun from Naomi to his father, his eyes instantly blazing golden, giving his alpha command. "Dad, you will bring your wife to the council!"
"But why should I be dragged into the council?" Blythe cried, her voice high-pitched, laced with indignation rather than maternal fear.
"Are you serious?" Sage roared. "Your own daughter is kidnapped, and it is a direct result of the atrocities you supposedly unleashed on this rogue’s family! You are the pri suspect in this catastrophe! Think about your daughter’s life first, for once!"
Katelyn watched the exchange between them. Blythe cared more about protecting her own reputation than she did about Zoey’s imdiate safety.
"Blythe, you have to co to the council," William stated, his voice now a desperate, heavy plea. "He won’t hand Zoey over without you. He has a silver knife, Blythe, and Zoey... she’s still unconscious. I can’t even mindlink with her. We have no choice."
"I’ll join you as well, Mr. Nightshade," Katelyn opined.
"Your Highness, it won’t be good if you co to the council. Your relationship with Sage, it’s not–"
"We are dating," Katelyn interrupted him. "And I plan to beco the future Luna of this pack," she pronounced.
Sage was shocked to hear that confession, so were the others. A smile ford on his lips, but then it imdiately faded since he was concerned for Zoey too.
"Let’s go then," Sage said, holding Katelyn’s hand and walking straight to the pack’s council center.
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