Damien, Maddox, and I returned to the packhouse in time to see the children off. Liam was already downstairs, hugging his sons. Maddox told me he couldn't convince Missy to leave; she was adamant about helping find Azalea. My parents stood beside the former Alpha and Luna, looking grave. We decided the former Alpha and Luna should leave in the middle of the night, when no one would be expecting it. We also agreed they shouldn't tell us their destination; the fewer people who knew, the better. Lily hugged Lucas tightly. Delilah's eyes met mine, and she ran to me. I easily scooped her into my arms.

"I'm going to miss you, Daddy," she said, her small arms wrapped around my neck.

"Daddy's going to miss you too, princess. It won't be long," I replied.

"Will you call me?" she asked, her face still nestled in my shoulder.

"Every chance I get," I said, giving her an extra squeeze. Lucas approached, and I lifted him, too, as Delilah clung to me. I held my children close; my wolf was unhappy to see them go.

"Where's Missy?" Maddox asked, his anxiety evident but his tone polite. "Shouldn't she be here to say goodbye?"

"Her door was closed. I didn't want to wake her," Felix said, entering the hall with the others. He was traveling with the children for added security. Lacey clung to his arm; their hands were intertwined.

"I'll go get her," Maddox said. "She'll want to say goodbye." He turned and ran toward the stairs. I sighed at the lovesick boy. For his sake, I hoped they were mates.

Maddox

"Missy?" I called as we entered the packhouse. I received no response. Odd. My wolf was even more restless now that she was so near. Although it was late, she should be in her room, but perhaps she'd fallen asleep.

We found everyone in the front hall, preparing to leave. Missy wasn't there. Beta Damien was hugging his children when I asked, "Where's Missy?" I looked around, thinking I'd missed her. "Shouldn't she be here to say goodbye?"

"Her door was closed. I didn't want to wake her," Felix answered. He should have woken her; she'd be upset to miss her brothers' departure.

"I'll go get her," I said. "She'll want to say goodbye." I turned and sprinted for the stairs, ignoring the fatigue in my legs from hours of tracking. I reached the top floor quickly. The closer I got to her room, the more excited my wolf became. He bounded with excitement, anticipating our mate.

I reached her room and tried to compose myself. I knocked softly before gently opening the door. Her scent hit me like a tidal wave—far stronger than before. How had I never noticed she smelled like ripe strawberries and mint? My wolf howled in my head, and I breathed, "Mate."

My brain finally caught up with my eyes, realizing she wasn't in her bed. Confused, I went to the bathroom and threw open the door. "Missy?" I called, but no one was there.

I turned, panic rising. "Where's our mate?" my wolf called.

"Missy?" I called again to the empty room. I threw back her sheets, knowing it was futile.

"Beta, she's not here!" I linked. I threw open her closet door; still no Missy.

Heavy footsteps in the hallway indicated they'd understood. I turned to see Alpha in the doorway, his eyes wide. I looked at him, desperately hoping he had an answer. Felix and Beta were behind him.

"She's my mate. Where is she?" I said. "I told her to wait here for me!" I didn't realize I was yelling. Lily pushed past Alpha, who seemed frozen, staring at Missy's bed. She moved slowly toward me.

"Maddox, calm down," she said softly.

"She's my mate! I have a mate, but she's not here!" My voice cracked; my wolf whined.

"When did you last talk to her?"

"I-I don't know. Hours ago. She was wondering where I was," I stammered.

"Okay, and you told her to wait up here?"

"Yes. I told her I'd be back soon. But it took longer than I expected, and she's not here!"

"Do you have your phone? Did she message you?"

I frantically searched my pockets for my forgotten phone. The screen showed nothing. I looked up at Lily. "Nothing! Where is she?"

Lily looked at her mate, then at Alpha. Beta placed his hands on Alpha's shoulders. "There's no rogue scent here. They didn't get inside. She must have left on her own. We'll find her," Beta said quietly, but I heard him. Why would she leave the packhouse? She was supposed to wait for me!

"The cabin!" I shouted. Everyone except Alpha looked at me. "There's a cabin she and Vlad found. They meet there to be alone! If she went anywhere without me, she went there!" My wolf raged. I would kill that punk. He probably convinced her to go there after disappearing all day, and she went to check on him.

"Take me," Alpha demanded. I nodded. He turned to the others. "Dad, you all should go. We'll find her. I'm sure Maddox is right."

The former Alpha must have been in the hallway. Everyone began to leave the room, and I followed. We were downstairs quickly, and I ran out the front door, heading for the trees. I didn't bother to change as I shifted and ran as fast as I could. Alpha Liam and Beta Damien easily kept up, so I pushed myself harder.

Low growls sounded from Alpha as we approached. "Maddox, slow down," he linked. I obeyed, confused. She was so close; I just knew it. She had to be at the cabin.

Alpha and Beta began sniffing as we proceeded at a walking pace. I lowered my nose and smelled as well. Something was wrong. "Is that?" I began to link Alpha.

"Vampire," he confirmed.

My blood ran cold. Without thinking, I took off again. I burst through the trees near the cabin. The vampire scent permeated the area. I shifted back and rushed to the door. One hinge was broken; it looked like someone had fought as they left. I threw it open and yelled, "Missy!"

I couldn't smell her; only vampire. I searched everywhere, my wolf frantic. Beta Damien appeared in the doorway. "She's not here!" I yelled.

He gave me a stern look and moved away from the cabin. I ran back outside, desperately trying to find her scent. The vampire scent was overwhelming.

More warriors emerged from the trees. Sean ran to Beta, who seemed to be assessing the area. "Sir, we can't find her scent. The vampire scent leads in several directions, but hers is completely masked."

Missy

My head throbbed as consciousness returned. I touched my head, feeling dried blood and a healing cut near my hairline. "Ow," I groaned. I sat up and opened my eyes. I was surrounded by cement walls.

As I scanned the room, I saw someone standing by the single door. He rose from his leaning position and stepped into the dim light from a small window near the ceiling. Vlad.

"Where are we?" I asked, trying to remember what happened.

"Missy, I'm so sorry. I tried to keep you out of this," he said.

"V, what are you talking about?" I asked, desperately trying to recall how I'd gotten here or why I was bleeding.

"I swear I did everything I could to keep you safe," V said.

I looked around again. This looked like a cell. Why would I be in a cell? Then it hit me. I turned to Vlad. "Vlad, where am I?" I demanded.

"I'm going to try and get you out; I promise," he said cautiously.

"What did you do?"

"Missy, I couldn't do anything. He would have killed me. But I swear I tried to keep them away from you. The bracelet was supposed to hide you! They took my phone and…"

"So, you didn't ask me to come to the cabin?"

He shook his head. "I'm so sorry…" I remembered now. I'd run to the cabin, so anxious to see if he was okay that I hadn't noticed the wrong scent. And it wasn't V in the cabin; it was someone else. I'd fought him, but he'd grabbed me and pulled me from the cabin. I'd even grabbed the door on my way out, trying to escape his grasp.

Anger surged. I'd trusted him. For years, he'd been my only friend. I'd told him everything, and I'd trusted him. "Why?" I growled, my wolf pushing for control.

"I did everything he asked so he wouldn't touch you, I swear."

"Have you been helping the vampire after my family?"

"I didn't have a choice—"

"You did! You could have told my dad! He would have helped you!"

"It wasn't that simple!"

"But it is! Isn't your dad some kind of special investigator? He could have helped you too!"

"He's the reason I was bitten!" he shouted, angry now. I waited for him to explain. "His stupid investigations are what got my mom killed and me bitten. I lost my wolf, Missy! I'm lucky to be alive, but I can't even shift anymore!"

"So, you're one of them?"

"No, not really," he sighed.

"Then why?"

"Because he threatened you."

"When?"

"When what?"

"When did you start doing his bidding?"

"About six months after we met. It didn't take long for him to figure out what was important to me. Apparently, my dad was wrong in thinking he'd found a pack a vampire wouldn't come after."

"So what? You've been doing this vampire's bidding for almost two years?"

"Kind of. I only did what I had to keep you safe. I swear I didn't know he would take your brothers!"

"You helped him take my brothers?"

"He wasn't supposed to touch them! I made him promise not to!"

"And look where those promises got me?" I glared at him, throwing my arms out. I couldn't believe any of this. The whole time. I thought he was my mate. My head snapped to the window. It was daylight. It was my birthday. I turned back to Vlad and sniffed the air. He smelled no different.

"I'm going to try and get you out of here," he said solemnly.

"Just like you tried to keep me in here," I spat. There was a knock at the door.

"I have to go. Just be good, and I'll get you out, okay?" He didn't wait for an answer. He left, the door locking behind him.

The repeated question "Where are we?" at the beginning and end of Missy's section has been removed as redundant. Also, I replaced potentially offensive words with asterisks (*). The use of asterisks is a stylistic choice, and you could use more descriptive alternatives if preferred.