Chapter 16

Claire's POV

Everything went silent except for a high pitch ringing in my ear. I could see Ian's mouth moving as he shouted orders, but I couldn't hear his voice. All I could focus on was the fact that Gideon had just told me that our son was missing. The son I had just left behind…again.

“Raven! Raven! RAVEN!”

I was jolted out of my shock when Ivan forcefully took me by the shoulders and shook me. My head flopped back and forth from the strength behind it and I looked at him with wide eyes. But I wasn't really seeing him. His face was blurry and way too bright.

I felt him take the phone from my hand and then, “I'm sorry about this,” before his open palm collided with my cheek.

The pain was instant and brought tears to my eyes, but it also helped clear my head.

Sounds rushed back in surround sound. Wolves were running around here and there in a frenzy. I couldn't see Nova anywhere and assumed that she had been taken into the house.

I turned my attention back to Ivan and, without a word, reached for my phone. “Gideon, I'm on my way back. I'll find him. I promise.”

When I hung up, Ivan was instantly in front of me. “I'm so sorry, Claire. Are you okay? I couldn't think of anything else to do to bring you back.”

I waved him off. I was perfectly fine. I'd never had an episode like that before and I wasn't sure what I would have done if the roles were reversed. No, that's a lie. I definitely would have done the same thing.

“I'm fine, Ivan. Can you tell Nova that there was an emergency? Don't tell her her brother is missing. I don't want her to worry. I'll be back as soon as I find him,” I told him, already walking away to begin my search.

“Of course. I'll have a few members of the pack go with you. That way you can have more manpower. I don't trust the Silver Crescent pack to do their due diligence,” Ivan said, keeping in step with me without even trying.

I huffed out a laugh. I didn't trust the Silver Crescent pack either. How could they have lost a six year old child? How could they have lost the Alpha Heir? What the hell was going on with Gideon's pack?

I was just about to get into the car when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ivan's beta, Daniel, rush up to meet us.

“Claire, Ivan. I just got a report from one of the patrol teams. They've found a small child at the border. He said he's looking for a Miss Warrior. From their description, it sounds a lot like Leo,” Daniel said and the relief that I felt almost brought me to my knees.

It was definitely Leo. He was the only one who called me ‘Miss Warrior’.

“Take us to him,” Ivan ordered and we all piled into the car with Daniel in the driver's seat. The ten minutes to the border felt like an eternity. And all I could think of is what could have happened to him.

The path to the Night Mountain packlands from the Silver Crescent pack lands was the same path I had taken six years ago. A child would have been no match for the rogues.

When I could see the patrol team, I didn't even wait for Daniel to stop the car. I rolled out, ignoring their shouts of surprise. I barely registered the shock of hitting the ground. I was already up and running by the time my body caught up to what had just happened.

The patrol team parted without me telling them to and there was Leo, smack dab in the middle of them, looking at me with a huge grin on his face.

“Miss Warrior, I found you!” he shouted before I scooped him up into my arms, burying my face into his blonde curls. I took a deep breath, inhaling as much as him as I could. And while his scent wasn't that of a healthy six year old, I could not smell any injuries. He seemed perfectly fine.

I pulled back and visually scanned him over. I still couldn't see any outward signs of hurt, but just to make sure I asked, ‘Leo, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

He shook his head. “I'm okay. But Miss Warrior, you're pretty.” He giggled as he said it and I realized then that in my rush to find him, I hadn't put my mask back on. It didn't matter though. I was pretty sure that no one had ever shown Leo a picture of me. I was still a stranger to him, even without the mask.

The patrol team snapped to attention around us and I knew that Ivan and Daniel had finally caught up to me. “Status report!” he barked without preamble.

While they gave him the rundown of what happened, I turned my attention back to Leo. “So, why don't you tell me why you came all the way out here to find me? I promise not to get mad.”

For the first time since I saw him, Leo's smile vanished. He ducked his head and began to wring his little hands in front of him. “You really promise you won't be mad?”

I gave him a small smile and ruffled his hair playfully. “I really promise.”

He gave a little sigh and sat down on the grass. I took my place next to him and patiently waited for him to start his story. He rested his head on my shoulder and looped an arm around mine. It made me feel lighter than I had in years.

“I got into a fight with Daphne. She was being really mean when you left. She said a lot of bad things about you…and about my mama. I just didn't want to be in the house anymore. SoI came to find you. Because you make me happy,” Leo explained and I couldn't decide whether to be happy with that statement or be angry at Daphne for putting him in this situation.

“How did you even get here, Leo?” That was another mystery. How could a six year old have gotten here all by himself? Without anyone noticing him?

I felt him smile. “I was super smart. I figured out which patrol team was coming close to the border between the pack lands and I snuck into their car. They never even noticed me.”

Wow. The Silver Crescent pack seriously needed to work on their security. They should have been able to smell him, even if they couldn't see him. That was a major breach.

“Daniel, call Alpha Gideon and tell him to come and retrieve his son,” Ivan ordered and I could hear the thinly veiled disgust behind his words. He was not happy. I wasn't either. The Gideon I knew would have never let this happen. But, then again, I thought the Gideon I knew would never discard me the way that he did. Perhaps I didn't know him at all.

Leo stiffened beside me. “Miss Warrior, I don't want to go back,” he whispered, his grip tightening on my arm. I spared a glance at Ivan and he shook his head. If we didn't send him back, it would be the same as kidnapping. It would start a war that we couldn't afford.

“I'm sorry, sweetheart, but your Papa is very worried about you. You don't want him to be worried, right?”

Leo sucked in his cheeks as he thought about it. “No, I don't want Papa to worry. I love my Papa. But do we have to wait here? It's kind of boring.”

Once again, I glanced over at Ivan. He rolled his eyes, but nodded. “Well, then, why don't we go to Prince Ivan's house? There's a little girl there that would love to play with you.”

Leo grinned and clapped his hands together. As much as I didn't want the twins to meet yet, I couldn't just keep them from each other when they were so close. It would have been too cruel.

When we reached the house, Nova was already outside waiting for us. She immediately introduced herself to Leo before dragging him away to her room where they could play comfortably. I gave her a meaningful look, hoping it conveyed that she shouldn’t say she was his sister, before they disappeared.

Not even five minutes later, Gideon appeared. Thankfully, I'd had the forethought to put my mask back on. I don't think he could have handled another surprise after today.

“Where is he?”

“He's safe,” I answered curtly. I could feel my temper rising and I fought like hell to keep it down. But I was angry. I was angry that he had put our son in danger once again. And once again it was because of Daphne.

“Where is he?” Gideon asked again, his voice getting louder. I could literally hear the snap as the leash on my anger broke.

“I said he's safe, no thanks to you and your pack! How the hell did no one notice Leo leaving? How did none of the members of the patrol team smell him in their car? Do you have any idea of the dangers that close to the border? What would have happened if we didn't find him in time? There are rogues all in these woods! How could you be so stupid?”

I was breathing heavily by the end of my rant. It was by the grace of the goddess that I didn't hit him.

Gideon's eyes narrowed and his lips thinned, but he didn't say anything other than, “Take me to my son.”

I opened my mouth to say even more, but Ivan intervened before I could get one more word out. “Raven, please go retrieve his son. It is not your place to get involved in other pack matters. If there are any deficiencies in his pack, that is his problem to solve.”

Gideon ground his teeth together at the not so subtle dig, but he kept his mouth shut. It wasn't like he could argue against his Prince. I smiled underneath my mask, happy that I didn't have to control my facial expressions. But Ivan was right. It really wasn't my place as far as pack hierarchies went.

“Wait here, Alpha Gideon. I'll be right back with Leo,” I told him and walked away without another word.

When I got to Nova's room, she and Leo were still playing and it was clear as day that they were siblings. They had the same smile, the same nose, the same eyes. The only striking difference was their hair. I absolutely could not let Gideon see them together.

“Hey, Leo. Your Papa is here. Nova, you need to stay in your room,” I told them softly and he groaned. He told Nova goodbye and gave her a hug. My heart broke watching them say goodbye to each other. It seemed they'd already formed a connection.

Right before we walked out the front door, I put my hand on Leo's shoulder to stop him. I dropped down to my knee so that we were eye level. “Leo, can you keep a secret? Just between us? Not even your Papa can know.”

Leo's eyes gleamed with intrigue and he nodded excitedly.

“Don't tell your Papa that you saw my face. Don't tell him what I look like, okay? It's very important for my job that no one knows what I look like,” I told him and I hoped that he would understand the seriousness of it.

“I won't, Miss Warrior. If Papa ever asks, I'll say you're really ugly.”