The Delta's Daughter Chapter 352

MIKE

Two Weeks Later.

Lamia and Mathias had gone back to Riocht with the triplets and her parents. Rhett was off chasing down leads, trying to track down Jonda. So far no one had the slightest clue where she could have gone or who would have taken her.

It was like Déjà vu all over again for me. Thoughts of Lamia disappearing and then Kellen was fresh in my mind except, this was different. With Lamia, we knew who had taken her. While Kellen disappeared without a trace and it took us months to track him down, Jonda didn't have a wolf or at least she was disconnected from hers because of the stupid curse. She was vulnerable and alone. And it was my fault.

I can't stop thinking how if I had just handled the situation differently, maybe, just maybe she wouldn't have run off the way she did. Or if I had gone after her, I wouldn't have let her leave.

If I had let Rhett go after her, maybe she would still be here. Maybe she would be with him but even that would be better than not knowing where she is or what's happening to her.

I lean back in my chair and glance around my office. My eyes landed on the picture of Jonda and me that she had framed. It sat right beside the collage of photos of me, Kellen, and Lam's.

I pick the frame up, letting my fingers brush over Jonda's face. A feeling of emptiness engulfed my heart. I missed her.

A lying cheating whore, was the last thing I had said to Jonda. I didn't mean it. It was in the heat of the moment. If only I could take it back, tell her how much I missed her and that I'm sorry.

'I miss her too.' Duke piped up, stirring from the back of my mind. 'Mate will make us feel better.' He says casually as if being near Lyric was the answer to all our problems.

I sigh, putting the picture back in place but not taking my eyes off the image of Jonda. Unfortunately, Duke wasn't wrong. Lyric had been at training every day this week and watching her, being in close proximity to her had eased my wolf's worry and brought some serenity to myself. I hated to admit it, but Lyric's nearness helped ease the pain of worry over Jonda.

I drag my eyes away from Jonda and back to the diaries of Shayna. After going over financial reports and pack business I began to read them again. They contained snippets of her life in Bhakhil and when she was with Orion.

It seemed Shayna had a thing for Orion, and Orion took care of her. However, there wasn't much more information in them other than where Orion had kept his daughter.

-On our journey back to Bhakhil, Orion said we would stop in Andora. When I asked him why, He told me that's where his daughter was, and I was never to tell anyone else. Why he would trust me with information I don't know. Not when I was keeping such a big secret from him myself.-

I briefly wondered what secret Shayna would have kept. Tala had said at this point, Shayna had been with Orion for two years which made her around eighteen. I knew Shayna was older than Tala but had no idea she was around fifteen years older.

"Mike," I look up to find my father's head poking around the door. "I knocked but…"

"Sorry Dad," I say standing up and running a hand through my hair. "I was busy and just didn't hear you.

His face scrunches and his hazel eyes give me a once-over. I know he and Mom are worried about me, but they shouldn't be. I'm okay. I think.

"There's a Mr. Pastol here to see you."

"Pierce Pastol?" I ask regarding the reporter that was hired to cover the party and crowning ceremony.

The door flies open and it's only then do I catch the scent of another, "Yes Beta Mike. I was hoping I might have a few moments of your time?" The reporter says walking into my office regardless of an invite or not. "I have been trying to get an audience with you since the night of the ball, but I have been turned away numerous times."

I look at my father who raises his palms in a guilty gesture, "I think you might want to hear him out, son."

I nod and gesture for Peirce Pastol to take a seat. "What can I do for you Mr. Pastol?"

He lets out a breath, or more like a huge sigh of relief. My father takes the seat next to him.

"Beta, sir." He gulps. "I understand aside from the Alpha's son, there was a second body found that night?" He asks but I remain silent as most details still have not been divulged to the public. "Anyway, my protege was also in attendance that night and I haven't seen him since. I can't tell you how worried I have been."

"And you believe what?" I'm not about to tell him there was another body because the last thing we need in the Kingdom's capital is panic that a serial killer is on the loose or we don't have a handle on our shit here in the palace.

"Off the record?" Peirce asks, scooting forward in his chair. His eyes crinkle at the sides and he scratches his near bald head. Aaron is his name, and he has been with me for four years, you see he was a young boy when I took him in," Peirce pauses shifting his gaze between my father and me before he carries on. "I know there were two bodies found and I believe the other may be my Aaron."

"And what makes you think that?" I'm curious because we still have no identity of the unknown wolf or where he came from. Nor do we know what he was doing there that night with the future young Alpha.

"Tell me Beta, did the second body have a scent to them? Did you check their eyes? Because Aaron wasn't like other wolves, he was hardly wolf and… And he and the young Alpha, they um… well they were in love."

I questioningly raised an eyebrow at the reporter's marks. It was rare but not unheard of that two werewolves of the same sex would mate. Or even be attracted to each other and even though it wasn't forbidden, it was looked down on by many.

*Let him see if he can identify the body, Mike.* My father's voice reaches my mind. *If it's not who he is thinking of then at least it will ease his mind. If it is, we have one mystery solved.* He says still mind linking me.

I lock eyes with Pierce Pastol, staring at him hard and deliberately so that he will understand what I say next loud and clear. "This goes no further than this room. You are forbidden from releasing any details regarding this ongoing investigation no matter the result. Do I make myself clear?" I issue the command and the reporter nods his head.

"I understand and you have my word." He agrees, which he would have had to whether he liked it or not.

"Then yes, two bodies were recovered from the main vault, one was Alpha Jacobson Summers son, Scott. The other we have yet to identify. Under the command of the Royal Beta do not repeat what you are told and see; I will take you down to the morgue. I hope it is not who you are looking for." I tell him with authority from my wolf and I and stand from behind my desk.

*****

I watch as Pierce Pastol wipes a tear from his eye, "Yes this is Aaron." He confirms.

"I'm sorry for your loss," My father says offering the grieving man words. My father covers the body back over with the white sheet, pushing him back into the darkness of the cold chamber.

"He was only nineteen," Pierce says sniffing. "I was traveling to the northern part of the kingdom a few years ago when I came across him. He… he didn't know where he was but rambled about being taken from his pack. He never shifted. Said, his wolf spirit was stolen from him. Ripped from him."

"That's horrendous and… impossible?" My father growled, his wolf coming to the forefront with anger at the reporter's words.

"Does Alpha Jacbsons know of his son's relationship with Aaron?"

"No," He replies shaking his head. "I sent him to their pack, he was going to do a piece on the Alpha and his family. That's how he met the Alpha's son, Scott. Scott Summers was the one who told Aaron about the missing teens. Aaron was investigating the disappearances of ones that had not reached maturity yet. We were working on a piece for the paper together.

"Aaron took the disappearances personally after what happened to him and the Swift Paw pack some years ago. That's where he came from."

"The swift Paw pack?" I interrupt, my attention now fully gained, not that it wasn't before but that was the pack Lyric had come from. "Aaron came from the Swift Paw pack?" I ask in confirmation.

"Yes," Pierce replies lifting his head to look at me quizzically.

"I'm going need everything you have on Aaron's investigation," I turn to my father "Alpha Jacobson ever mention the disappearances of his young pack members to you?"

My father shakes his head, looking quite pissed, "No. Not once. But it isn't uncommon for Alphas to want to handle their own business with their packs. They wouldn't come to the King or council for help unless it was absolutely necessary." He says thoughtfully.

It wasn't uncommon, but with what the reporter just disclosed about the boy Aaron and that he had come from the same pack as my… mate, and what she had told me about her sister; I couldn't help but feel there was some type of connection to the decimation of the Swift Paws pack and what was happening in Alpha Jacbson's pack.

Too many coincidences.

"Thank you for your help Mr. Pastol, and we are truly sorry for your loss." I tell the reporter, "If you could please gather the requested information and hand it over to my father, I would greatly appreciate it." I look to my father to make sure this is okay, and that he will look into this. He bobs his head and I turn to leave.

Things were becoming stranger and stranger with each passing day. First, my mate turns up, with a pup who, for all intents and purposes, is the reincarnation of not Zane but the pup she lost during her captivity over three years ago. Originally I thought the child was Zanes, one he had created with another she-wolf. But I was so very wrong. The child was created alright, engineered by a madman.

I find myself wandering over to the west side of the palace and climbing the stairs and unconsciously I find myself standing outside the door to Lyric's suit.

"She not here." I turn to see Lizzy walking down the hallway towards the suite.

"Where is she?"

"Training more than likely. She is not one to sit around. And while Zane is in childcare, she probably finds herself with idle hands so she will throw herself into training."

I tell Lizzy "Thank you" and head towards our indoor training grounds. It should be empty at this hour. The majority of our warrior's training is scheduled for the morning with only one or two late sessions, but I knew there would be no one there right now.

Duke perks up as we open the side doors of the palace that will take us along the path to the indoor facility. 'Go to mate, she will make us happy.'

I implored Duke's enthusiasm with his change of mind and growing feelings towards his mate, though I didn't believe Lyric could make us happy, nor would we make her happy.

Since the day she freaked out during sparing, I hadn't been able to get Lyric out of my mind. No matter what it was the image of her face always found its way to the forefront of my mind and thoughts.

My boots crunch through the snow, the icy chill whips at my cheeks, and for once goosebumps raise across my arms. It seems to be getting colder and we have been warned that we could be in for a heck of a snowstorm.

I'm halfway across the green that separates the indoor training grounds from the palace, not as though I could see any grass under the stark white snow that covered the ground. When I heard a very frustrated feminine growl. I knew who it was even though I couldn't scent her. It seemed my body was becoming more intuned to my mate than I wanted it to be.

I stop and change directions heading towards the outdoor obstacle course Uncle Marcus had built for Lamia for her eighteenth birthday.

There I find Lyric in her skin form trying to conquer the course. It was made using Lamia's designs, a course many wolves have yet to succeed in completing and without injury.

'She shouldn't be out here on her own. Mate could get hurt.' Duke's voice sounds out in my head frustrated that Lyric was not thinking of her own safety.

Plus it was cold as balls out here. If I was cold she had to be freezing.

"Lyric!" I call out with the same tone as my wolf's thoughts.

"Leave me alone Beta!" She snaps as I draw nearer to her.

"It's freezing out here!" I yell back as I watch her take up position in front of the 25-foot flat wall. Wearing only a pair of tight shorts and a tank. Leaving nothing to my imagination. My eyes glide over her form, appreciatively. Her hair is tied back and woven into a braid. The serious and annoyed look on her face only serves to make her more attractive in my eyes.

She runs at it full speed, using her claws as leverage to climb the straight wall. She makes it over and drops to the other side. Using inhuman speed she barrels over the bridges that are above the catch ponds, which are now iced over and covered in a thick layer of snow.

I watch her fascinated. Part of me wants to stop her from this madness. The other part is so intrigued I'm rooting for her to complete the course - silently cheering her on. There have only been three females that have been able to complete the course without falling or being knocked off.

Lyric makes it over the bridge, ascends the wooden climbing frame, then jumps from the top, clearing the 200ft drop and landing steadily on her feet at the top of the stone wall.

From there she makes her way across the ledge of the wall to the poles and hoped across each one with ease, until halfway over. Once you land on the middle pole it triggers a series of pendulums to begin swinging. Each stone weighs around 500 lbs.

Get hit by one of those and it's sure to break a bone. If they don't then fall ensures you will. It hurts like a son of a bitch but luckily we werewolves will heal from the injuries. However, the course has taken a wolf's life. Just one but that was one too many.

I hold my breath as I watch her cross with speed and precision. She makes it across and I let out a sigh of relief.

'Mate is skilled.' Duke preens from in my mind.

'She is.' I agree 'Don't you remember our first few tries?' I say jostling his memory of the first time we attempted the course and fell flat on our asses breaking an arm and knocking ourselves out for several hours. I still haven't lived that down from Kellen and Lam's and Tyron.

I had refused to be outdone by Lamia and Tawny and thought I could sail through it. Much to my dismay, I hadn't realized they had been practicing for days.

The mechanical sound of the rolling beams reaches my ears and I shake the memories away. I watch Lyric attempt to maneuver through the various placed spiked logs that twist and turn and swing in an attempt to knock off the challenger. This is a challenge of skill, speed, and strength.

I move closer until I'm almost standing underneath her. She makes a move forward dodging one log then twists to avoid another. I'm smiling because it looks like she's going to make it through. She will be the fourth female since it was built to complete it.

The other three females were Lamia, of course, Tawny, and Tala, who enjoyed the challenge so much she wanted to do it again, but Kellen lost his shit rightly so, as she was pregnant. I still remember the look of confusion on her face when he yelled that she could have died or lost the life of their pup.

"From that?" She had She pointed to the course with confusion, "But it's easy!" I laughed because she made it look like a piece of cake. She had no idea she was the only one who had completed it the first time around. Not even Lamia made it through the first time and she had designed it.

I swear Kelen almost died of a heart attack right there and then.

"Lyric!" I scream as I watch almost in slow motion Lyric misses her step and one of the large logs heads straight for her. There was no time for her to move out of the way and the log crashes into her, one of the spikes slicing through her arm and another her leg as she tried to twist out of the way.

It knocks her off and she begins to fall. I rush forward using my wolf's speed just in time to snatch her against me before she hit the ground. I hold her tight, catching my breath and trying to calm my heart from beating out of my chest.

"Goddess darn it female!" I scold. "You could have died!" My anger comes from fear as I clutch her against me and inhale her scent.

Duke preens with happiness underneath his worry at his closeness to his mate. And I can't say I hate having her snug against me.

"I think I need medical assistance." She says before her eyes roll back and she loses consciousness.