Chapter 19

Raphael reached Alpha Spruce's mansion and could smell that Amelia had been here. Her strange scent was present in air, but she wasn't. He ran and followed the scent but it faded quickly, and soon her tracks were gone as well.

She'd disappeared.

He went back to camp disappointed and still in his wolf form. He walked to his tent and shifted, then collapsed on his bed exhausted. His thoughts a mess of worry and paranoia. It was now midnight.

'I should get some sleep.' He thought, but try as he might he couldn't shut his mind off. It swirled with thoughts of his mate and if she was in pain right now. Amelia and if she was alright. The Elves and what information they had wanted from Spruce. Why did Amelia claim to be his daughter?

At last exhaustion won over and he fell into a deep, troubled sleep. All the time picturing Brooke's dark, brown eyes.

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Raphael was woken suddenly at eight in the morning by what sounded like yowling and yelling. He walked out of his tent and saw a cheetah, a snake, and two shapeshifters in human form, one naked the other not. They were being herded by Lycans in their wolf form. The snake would lash out with his fangs and the cheetah was yowling at his captors. The human form ones just stood defensively.

"What's going on here?" He asked Louis tiredly. Louis was standing surrounded by the Lycans.

"We caught these four last night from the retreating enemy." He replied.

"Hmm. Well bring them to the mansion." It was the only place Raphael could think of that could hold these creatures. Louis nodded and ordered one of their vans be ready to carry the prisoners. Raphael turned and heard the tranquilizer gun fire at the four Shapeshifters. He glanced back and saw the cheetah fall to the ground.

He went to the hospital tent and found Lilla and James kissing. Raphael cleared his throat.

"Oh! Beta, uh s-sorry sir." Lilla exclaimed. James just looked at Raph angrily. Which he could understand, if someone interrupted him while he was kissing Brooke, he would be angry. His wolf whimpered remembering their mate, and chirped at the thought of kissing her again.

"It's alright Lilla." He said with a smile, "I just came to see if you had any information regarding Amelia."

"Yes." She said her cheeks still red with embarrassment, "I took a blood sample, I didn't get much because she panicked after that." She walked over to a table and picked up a vile of blood. "She is a hybrid I ran some tests, and I could tell as much from her scent. I don't have the equipment here to do a DNA test, to see if Alpha Spruce was really her father." Lilla was the most highly skilled of the healer Lycans. Most healers have the gift to heal and can mend small scrapes and bruises, which Lilla could do. But she'd gone to medical school and had an MD and a Phd in biology.

"But James told me about how her scent had disappeared." She seemed hesitant, "Alpha Spruce was a stealth Lycan, it's possible she may have inherited his gift." She said looking at the ground.

"Yes, that's true. It's most likely the reason. James." He looked at the huge Lycan. He and his mate looked like polar opposites; he was tall with tanned skin and black eyes and dark brown hair, while his mate had long blonde hair and ice blue eyes with clear fair skin, and she only came to his shoulder and was slim.

He returned his thoughts to his question, "No sign of her?"

James shook his head.

Raph nodded thinking about what to do about Amelia.

"Send another team to the mansion and have them fan out from there." He ordered. James nodded then his eyes fogged over indicating he was mind linking someone.

After that he went to get some food. He returned to his tent and laid down. His thoughts were still on Amelia, he remembered when Tom said that he saw a girl he didn't even know being tortured. Had it been Amelia? But why was he shown that? He tried to think of something else.

He supposed he should check on the Shapeshifters they'd captured, but they wouldn't be awake for another hour or two. So he opted for sleep. Craving her cinnamon scent.

~~~~~~~~~~

He woke up around noon, still feeling exhausted but he didn't think he could sleep anymore.

He called Mark and his brother Nathan answered, "Hi Raph." He sounded beat.

"Hey, how's it going over there?" He was anxious for the answer.

"Ummmm… I know you like straightforwardness so I'll just tell you." He took a deep breath, "She slept the whole night and woke up at seven a.m. Luna came over to see what was happening because her screams were hurting the entire pack. Luna sent the children and a couple adults on a museum day, and park day, and a pool day. Right now your mate has a fever and chills."

Raphael just stood there frozen. Overwhelmed with the information. He was partly grateful that Nathan didn't withhold any information, but he couldn't really do anything with it.

He was angry that he could do nothing for his mate. He felt unworthy as her mate.

He hopped in a car and drove to the mansion. He would take his anger out on those prisoners.

He arrived and noticed that a couple lights were on inside. He walked in and saw Louis.

"Follow me." His voice was so dark and threatening Louis followed without question.

He walked down to the cells, where he could smell the Shapeshifters. Louis walked ahead of him and opened a door to reveal a naked man tied to the wall, his snake eyes half closed. The tranquilizer was still wearing off.

The Shapeshifter looked around twenty, but he was most likely much older. Shapeshifters, like Lycans, had prolonged life.

The prisoner attempted to lift his head but it slumped back down. Raph walked forward and pulled his head up by his hair, "What did the Elves want with Alpha Spruce?!" He asked, watching as the prisoner winced in pain.

The Shapeshifter laughed showing his fangs dripping with poison, "Now why would I tell you?" His voice had a strange accent to it, Australian.

"You will if you want to live." Raphael held up his hand showing his claws, the snake just smirked. It angered Raph that he wasn't frightened, he raked his claws across the snakes chest but they didn't pierce his skin, they slid on top of it.

The Shapeshifter looked down at his unharmed chest, "Oh, well would you look at that." He said not even surprised.

Instead of getting frustrated with the prisoner he smiled, a terrifying smile. And a flicker of fear appeared in the snake's eyes.

-Louis?-

-Yes sir.-

-Get some water, a car battery and some cables.- Raphael ordered.

Louis nodded grimly, knowing what his Beta had planned.