The Traitor's Daughter

by Mary Goldberger

  “Would you like to stay for dinner, or do you need to get home?” Grace asked coming back from the kitchen. Amy looked at her watch and she gasped at the time.

  She stood up saying, “I better get home before my parents have a fit. Grace, I…”

  “Amy, you are welcome to come here anytime you feel like it even if it is to talk to me, or cry on my couch,” Grace said to her smile tugging at her mouth.

  “Okay,” she said softly, and Grace walked her to the door, “Thank you.” Grace nodded her head, and gave her a full smile.

  Grace watched her back out of her drive and after watching her taillights until they disappeared, she closed the door. She leaned against it for a moment before she walked toward the kitchen.

  The phone rang a few minutes later and Grace picked it up with an absent “Hello.”

  “Hi baby,” a voice said with a slight slur. “What are you doing by yourself?”

  Grace frowned as she said quietly, “I am sorry, I think you have the wrong number” before she hung up.

  The phone rang again not even a minute later and she answered it with a deeper frown.

  Her “hello” was sharp as silence covered the line and she was about to hang up when the same voice hard with anger responded, “It was not the wrong number, and don’t ever hang up on me again.” Then the voice softened softly, “I will call you again soon.”

  Grace’s violet eyes widened as the caller hung up and she stood there for a few minutes before her shaking hand put down the receiver.

  Who in the hell was that, her wolf demanded, but Grace did not have an answer for her, and she looked down to see her hands shaking before she gripped them tight together. Her stomach clenched as she closed her eyes and told her wolf, I have a very bad feeling about that phone call.

  Chapter 3

  Ted looked up as the door to his restaurant opened, and a smile crossed his face as he saw who entered. Ever since the Moon Star Pack arrived over two months ago, many of its members came to his restaurant often.

  “Hey Ted,” Artur said smiling at him.

  The others echoed his “hello”, and Ted nodded at them. He was not surprise to see Amy with them, as he knew she was giving Steve a chance. After what happened with Bryan, she was taking it slowly, and although Ted could sense Steve was getting frustrated, he was honoring her wishes.

  “Hi, Uncle Ted,” she said giving him a kiss on the cheek, “Do you know where Grace is? I have been trying to get hold of her, but her phone seems to be disconnected.” Ted’s smile turned into a scowl, but before he could say anything, Bryan and a few of his friends walked in including the young woman Star who sent Artur a saucy wink although she was wrapped around Bryan.

  Artur ignored the wink as they came over to them.

  “Hi Ted,” Bryan said giving Amy the once over then dismissing her, and Amy bared her teeth at him as Steve growled at him. “I heard you asking about Grace. Why, what’s wrong with Grace?” There was a smirk in his voice and his eyes held laughter showing he could care less about Grace, but the answer would amuse him.

  “Nothing,” Amy said sweetly as she flung her blond hair over her shoulder, “I wanted to see if she wanted to go shopping with me this weekend, that’s all. You shouldn’t worry so much, Bryan; it will make you gray before your time.” At her words, Bryan’s eyes went completely black.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Steve warned him, and Artur moved to Amy’s side as another pack member, Ace, moved to her other side.

  Bryan saw this and laughed as he viewed them protecting her, but before he could say anything, an older man came running in, “Ted,” he shouted.

  Ted frowned, “What’s wrong, Sam?”

  The man was breathing hard as he said, “My youngest daughter is gone. She was outside one moment then she disappeared. Lucy said that she thought she heard some noise out in front of the house before she disappeared. What do I do? I have been looking for the last hour, but I cannot find her.”

  Ted was thinking as he reached in his pocket for his cell phone, “Have you tried contacting the Alpha?”

  Sam nodded his head and explained, “He is in a meeting at the moment. Do you think…?”

  Ted contacted Grace immediately I need you Grace, baby girl.

  On my way, Uncle Ted, was the response he got back no questions asked.

  Bryan kept his snicker under control as he said, “I will help in the search, Sam.”

  Artur added, “Where have you searched? Maybe we can look in the other areas that you have not been able to search.”

  Sam looked at them, and although Bryan offered first, Sam could sense his offer was insincere but the blue-gold eyes that he looked into where filled with worry and compassion.

  “Thank you,” he whispered turning back to Ted who nodded his head.

  “She will be here as soon as she can,” Ted told him. Sam sighed closing his eyes tightly as his big hands shook with fear.

  “What’s wrong Uncle Ted?” Grace said as she walked through the door ten minutes and she frowned when she noticed the crowd standing around Ted and Sam.

  “Oh, thank god,” Sam cried as he rushed to Grace.

  “Sam, what’s wrong?” Grace said as he caught her hands.

  “Samantha, she is gone. I have searched everywhere, but I cannot find her. Lucy said that she heard noises outside before she disappeared. I do not know what to do. The blue-gold eye man offered to help search so did Bryan. What should I do?”

  Grace helped him into a chair as he was starting to cry. Sam was not a part of the Rain Cloud Pack; in fact, he was part of no pack but his family was close with Ted, and in retrospect, with Grace. Sam knew about Grace’s gift because he had seen her in action so when Samantha went missing, the first people his wife thought of was Ted and Grace.

  “Accept their help. More people searching means there is a better chance of finding her. She was in the backyard when she disappeared?” Grace asked kneeling down in front of him.

  Sam nodded his head as he looked at Grace.

  “Uncle Ted,” Grace said looking toward him with her violet eyes.

  “Done,” commented Ted snapping his phone open and stepping away from the group to make his phone call. Technically, it would have faster and easier to use the pack link, but Ted needed information and not a bunch of worried thoughts flying through the pack link.

  “Do you think it could be the rogues that Alpha Tomas has been warning us of?” Bryan asked.

  Artur and Steve narrowed their eyes at him as Sam paled. Grace gritted her teeth as Bryan taunted slightly, “You should have been more careful with the rogues in the area.”

  “You are such an asshole,” Amy said loudly.

  “Grace,” Ted said softly at the mention of rogues, and Grace looked over at him as he snapped his phone close.

  “I know,” she replied, and then she sighed, “Sam, why don’t you go get your wife and your other children. You can use my house for the night. Just come back here and Uncle Ted will take you there. Okay?”

  Sam looked at her wide-eyed, “But Grace…”

  Grace just shook her head, “No problem. Although it will probably be a little more cramped than what you and your family are use too,” not mentioning safer although Grace did not say that aloud.

  “Uncle Ted, what did they say?” Grace asked standing up from her kneeling position.

  Ted was pale when he replied, “There have been rogues spotted in that area, but there have been no accidents or reports of any disruptions.”

  Grace frowned at that, and shook her head. “Do I have your permission?” she said taking off her jacket.

  “You have it,” Ted said without a second thought, “Dave, put the closed sign on the door for me.”

  “Yes, sir” the young man said doing as Ted ordered.

  Bryan frowned as he asked, “What does she need permission for, old man?”

  There was a growl and all eyes turned to where Grace had stood. In her place, stood a beaut
iful black wolf with violet colored eyes that seemed to glow. The only other color on her was at the tip of ears; the tips were pure white.

  Artur’s wolf howled mine as Artur stood frozen at the sight of her.

  Ted stepped forward, and placed a hand on her head, “Be careful” was all that he said.

  The wolf tilted her head to the side, and her eyes flashed. Ted laughed softly at her look, “I get it. You are always careful, but remember these are rogues. If they do have her, they won’t care.”

  Grace bared her teeth at that, and she went into a defensive crouch. Ted nodded his head at her before lifting his eyes to Dave.

  “Dave, open the door” knowing that Dave had stayed near the door just for that reason. Dave opened the door and Grace bolted pass him.

  “Good luck,” he called out to her although she was already out of sight.

  “Will she be okay, boss?” Dave asked him in concern.

  “Worried about her, son?” Ted asked as he leaned down to help Sam up from the chair.

  “Yes, sir, after she helped find my sister when Ava disappeared, I realized that maybe the pack was a little hard on her,” Dave said seriously.

  Sam let Ted get him out of the chair as Ted said, “Steve, Artur take your men to the south of the forest; Bryan, you and your men go to the north of the forest. If it was rogues, they could be anywhere. We do not want to give them the chance of getting too far away. Amy, do you think you can help with Sam and his family? Besides, you know Grace’s house better than anyone does since you two were close when you were younger. You were the only friend that Grace even asked over to her house; the only friend that Troy and Alyssa trusted.”

  At his words, Amy’s eyes filled with tears as she nodded her head.

  Bryan snorted, “Her parents were traitors; if wasn’t for her father, the pack war would never have started.” With those words, he walked out of the restaurant followed by his men and Star.

  “What is he talking about?” Steve asked turning to Amy. Amy bit her lip as she looked at him, but Sam was the one who answered the question.

  “Before the war started, Troy, Grace’s father, had been accused of giving information to the rogue pack leader for he knew who Troy was. Although he protested his innocence, they did not believe him. When he and his wife died fighting against the rogues, the others assumed that it was in guilt that they joined the fight.”

  Ted finished in anger, “Grace was 14-years-old at the time of the war. No one went over to the house to see her, offer their sympathy, or even asked if she needed anything. At 14, she lost everything in this world in one single day. I had been away at the time visiting my children, so I did not know what happened until it was too late. When I returned she had locked herself up tighter than a jar, it did not help that at 15 her mate rejected her without a second thought; asshole.”

  Amy paled as she whispered, “Bryan.”

  Ted looked at her, “She told you. Yeah, she had not even shifted yet and he rejected her. She took it hard but she survived. If she told you Amy than she does not hold you responsible, to be honest, she felt bad when she realized that his marking of you almost interfered with you finding your true mate.”

  Amy blushed as Steve looked at her, and she explained, “I went to talk to her about a month back. She had been gone but when she returned, we had a long talk.”

  Steve stated, “First night I contacted you with our mate link, because you were crying.”

  Amy nodded as she said, “Grace made me realize that I answered my own question after you contacted me.” At his look of confusion, she explained, “Bryan never bothered checking on me if I was sad or crying. He just did not care; I think the only reason he even marked me other than what he said, was that Grace and I were close before the pack war.”

  Artur heard all of this but his wolf was begging him to go after his mate.

  “Will she be okay?” he asked aloud, and Ted looked at him for a moment before turning his attention back to Sam.

  “She will be fine,” he responded, “she is actually a lot stronger than the pack realizes.” He led Sam to the door, and they all followed behind him. Steve gave Amy a hug and a quick kiss before she left with Ted.

  “Be careful,” she whispered before climbing into his truck.

  He nodded his head than turned to his pack.

  “If anyone does not want to help, then you don’t have to,” he said first, and nobody moved as each man waited his orders. He nodded, “All right, we will do as Ted said, and take the south side. We span out and at the first sight, sound, even smell of trouble, and make sure to let everyone know. Be on your guard, and be careful.” With that said, they shifted and headed to the south side.

  Are you okay, Steve asked Artur as they headed out to begin their search.

  I will be was Artur’s response.

  Chapter 4

  Grace listened to everything around her as she ran in the direction of Sam’s house. She would have to start from there if she wanted to understand what direction Samantha was taken in. She picked up Samantha’s scent, as Sam must have done before she lost it in heading into the south forest. She closed her eyes, and taking a deep breath; she cleared her mind and focused only on hearing. Every sound came to her sharp and clear as she dismissed one after another until she heard it, the faint whimper of a little girl.

  Samantha, Grace called out to her softly making sure that the child crying was indeed Samantha.

  Grace, Samantha sobbed.

  That was all Grace needed to hear before she bolted in the direction of the little girl.

  I am coming Samantha, she told the sobbing girl.

  Grace bared her teeth as she heard more than the sobbing girl for she had been taken by rogues as they thought; only from what Grace heard, these rogues were not part of any pack just rogues wanting a little fun. Grace’s violet eyes gleamed as she thought they wanted fun, they were going to get a whole lot of fun.

  Grace was about five minutes away from Samantha and the rogues when she felt him. She slowed herself down, and made a quick decision. Against any rogue, Grace would put aside her personal issues and ask anyone for help…even the wolf that could be her mate.

  Alpha Steve, she said loud and clear although it was not the name her and her wolf wanted to call, but they held themselves back.

  Yes, he replied his voice showing his wariness of an unknown person using the mind link, and she revealed where Samantha was and everything she knew about who was with her.

  Steve stilled when he heard the call.

  Yes, he answered warily, and was shocked when Grace answered him back. As Alpha, he opened the connection so everyone in his pack that was with him could hear what she said. At the back of his mind, he was asking himself how she knew all this when she was closer to him than to the rogues.

  Okay, he replied as she said she would wait for them.

  So how does she know all that about their location, Ace asked.

  That is a question to ask later, he answered as they ran forward. They came to the clearing where the black wolf stood waiting, and she barely looked at them when she took off running with them right behind her.

  Steve watched as she slowed when they got to the place where the rogues were, and they could see that her information had been correct down to the sobbing girl lying on the ground. Then they heard Grace speaking to her.

  Samantha, I need you to be brave for me okay.

  Okay Grace, she sobbed.

  “Be quiet,” one man growled yanking her up by her arm that she sobbed louder. Grace growled low in her throat, so low that they did not hear but Steve and his men did.

  We may have to restrain her, Ace said, and Steve was about to agree as he watched her.

  She is in control, Artur said without hesitation. Steve glanced quickly over at his Beta, and noticed his intense focus on the wolf in front of him.

  The man threw Samantha down to the ground as she lowered her sobs although that was due to Grace’s gentle soot
hing.

  Artur listened as she constantly talked to the little girl, calming her down even though she was still scared.

  “When are we getting done with the little girl, Adam? I am getting bored,” the smaller of the men, said.

  Steve sensed his pack members’ smile at that comment.

  He said he was bored, Grace said with humor, should I give him something to take his mind off his boredom.

  What did you have in mind, Steve asked her. He had an idea of what she had in mind, and so did Artur by his low growl that only Steve heard.

  Oh, I think that a half-naked woman would make them a little less bored, Grace replied.

  Grace shifted back into her human form, and before she could step forward, a dark brown wolf stepped up handing her a shirt. After a slight hesitation, she grabbed it and put it wondering where it came from before she noticed the small bag attached to each of the wolf’s hind legs. She reached forward with a hesitated hand, and ran her hand threw his fur. The shock ran up her arm before she pulled back her hand, and turned in the direction of the rogues and Samantha. She took a deep breath, ran her hands through her hair to mess it up, and she started walking forward.

  Artur watched her go as his wolf howled at him for letting her walk into potential danger. His eyes were mere slits as he kept her in sight as he relived the pleasure he felt when she ran her hand through his fur before pulling back.

  Artur, he heard his Alpha say although he knew it was more of a warning not to interfere until it was time.

  She is going in, he replied abruptly even though it was inane comment as they could see she was going in.

  Grace pulled the shirt tight against her body, and she shivered in pleasure as she felt Artur’s warmth in it. She bit her lip until it was bleeding and slipped a few buttons loose before she rushed forward.

  “Help me,” she screamed as she ran into the camp satisfied in the reaction she received. The men jumped and moved fast going into defense stances as she rushed into their makeshift camp. She slid to a halt before the fire where she dropped to her knees, and widened her eyes.