***conversation with his wolf in italics***

I hurt. I hurt really bad. From the pain and being in this awkward half folded position. I am on the floor. And I feel a cold breeze on my body. I must be in an open room. My body is laying on the jagged ground that is poking and prodding my skin. They had tried to force more of the poison in me, but I threw it up every time. I was still groggy from the original dose. Thank goddess it was not a fatal dose. I was moved from the dark small space to a dark room, at least it felt like a room, but I couldn't see anything through the blindfold. The 'lady' had them leave me alone for a while. Who is this lady and why me?

I am now alert. How long I have been here I have no idea. I try to link my mates and Esme but there's an invisible barrier that I cannot penetrate. This whole area has an impenetrable veil around it. I have to think of another way out of here or at least a way to link my mates. My mates? Rafe and Darric will be going batshit crazy but I know Rafe will be calm and Darric will not hide it. I miss them. I want them. I need them. Goddess why me?

I hear footsteps and relax my body, so it looks like I'm still sleeping. Clinging sound, and I can smell three werewolves. Someone turns me over and the ropes on my hands and legs are cut. I remain still not reacting to freedom. The wolf pulls my blindfolds off and cuts the gag in my mouth and his claws cut my chin, stinging a little. He grabs me and dumps me on a softer surface.

"I know you're awake."

How can I forget that we 'weres' have sensitive hearing? I really am losing it. Cal get it together. You need your wits around you to get out of this situation, I tell myself.

"Did you see that his cut healed instantly? What are you?" Asks the wolf next to me.

I open my eyes, blink a few times, and rub my eyes. I'm still in my groomsman suit albeit dirty and sweaty. There's a dim light in the cell courtesy of blinking bulb hanging down a rope in the middle of the room. I sit up slowly on a smelly and dirty twin bed. There are two wooden chairs by the cell door and one of the wolves is sitting on one watching me.

The cell looks like a torture basement. There are whips hanging on the wall. And on the opposite wall, are iron chains with cuffs at the end on the walls. I am royally screwed.

"I don't care. Hang him up. My lady wants him hung up on the wall. If he won't take the liquid, he'll take the beatings. String him up!"

The two next to me grab and drag me to the wall. They slam me against the wall and handcuff me to the wall. My bones literally pop from the sudden movement causing my body to ache in pain. I am facing all three wolves and the one at the door walks up to me, grabs the nearest whip, and whips himself on the leg a few times as he struts towards me. He is a little over six feet, dirty blonde hair, his fangs are protruding, and his claws are out.

"So, you heal fast? Let's see if the pains last as well, shall we?"

"Aahhh!!!" I cry out at the first lash. Several more lashes and my body burns with pain.

"You do heal fast, no marks at all. Makes me want to have some fun bruising every part of your body."

My head drops to my chest in exhaustion and pain. My skin may heal fast, but the pain is excruciating. And he proceeds to whip me for the next thirty minutes. I must have passed out because I wake up to cold water splashed on my face. How long was I whipped? I have no idea, but I am in so much pain, my tears mix with the water running down my face.

"Wakey, wakey, your highness!" Laughs the one whipping me to a bloody pulp. I raise my head and they are blurry figures standing in front of me.

Let me out, Cal. Your body can't take much more.

My wolf Sköll has been itching to come out and bear my pain but until I know how much more is in store for me, I will not let him out.

Not yet Sköll, it may get worse then I'll need you.

You need me now, Cal! Please let me out!

Maybe soon, Sköll, maybe soon. And then I shut him out.

"We'll be back." And they left. Leaving me in pain, cold from the freezing water and hanging in the wall with arching arms. Again, I ask, why me?

"...and no matter how much I whipped him; his skin heals almost immediately. I have never seen anything like it. I whipped him for an hour even after he passed out. My lady let us keep him. There's so much torture I want to inflict on his body."

Darren the lead rogue tells my lady all about the wolf they sneaked into the basement this afternoon. She demands that everyone calls her 'my lady'. Looks like the battle has started. I have met the High Lord, and my lady, but not the head wolf. I heard this wolf is actually the one feeding them all the pertinent information about the clans and pack. I must know all the participants to give a detailed report. A mate of a High Lord and an Alpha? A coincidence? I only know of one. I need to confirm my suspicion. I don't need this hiccup now that I am so close.

"You may get your chance if things work out the way I plan it to. But right now, I'm waiting to hear from my spy on how his mates are handling his disappearance. When both the High Lord and Alpha, his mates go feral, we have an opportunity to grab their clan and pack. So, patience, my son."

"I will like to see this 'healing' you talk about. I don't believe it. May I guard this wolf, my lady? I have to try this 'healing' thing for myself. You want a second opinion, right? And you know what I can do to a 'were'." I laugh mockingly.

"Have at it. Let me know if Darren is exaggerating. I have a lot to plan for when I take over the clan and the pack."

"Thank you, my lady. The High Lord is waiting for you in your suite."

I wait for all of them to leave and head down to the basement. I have been told that the basement is reserved for the most heinous of prisoners. It is built about two stories below the main house. It is dark, dingy and smelly. It is divided into four compartments with iron bars like prison cells. I walk up to the occupied cell.

I see the prisoner and I look around, making sure no one is within hearing range. I open the doors and walk into the cell. I must confirm my suspicion, and if I am right, this is not good, So not good at all. Please, goddess, let me be wrong.

He is hanging off the built-in chains on the wall. His body doesn't show signs of any beatings, but his groans and moans say differently.

"Hey, you," I raise his face off his shoulder. "Wake up." I let go of his face, his head falls back on his shoulder. I tap it a few times.

"Aagh!" he moans.

"Who are you?"

"Cal." He whispers.

"Cal, who are your mates?"

"Mates?"

"Yes, your mates, quick, tell me!"

"Rafe and Darric."

Shit! Shit!! Motherfucking hell shit!!!!!!!! What to do? What to do? This mission is blown. Damn, damn, damn. Nothing else to do but get him the fuck out of here but how?

"Listen to me. Listen carefully, I know your mate, Rafe. Hang on and I will do everything to get you out of here, okay. Cal, do you hear me?"

"Yes."

"Good. Talk to no one other than me, understand? You talk, you put your mates in danger. Hang in there and I'll be back."

I rush out, nodding at the rogues and nightwalkers I meet along the way. I have steadily climbed up the rank in this group. I had to prove myself by doing things no one should ever have to do. But I owe Rafe my life and when he calls, I answer, simple.

I walk around making sure not to change my routine too much. I need my burner phone. I need to place a call. I pray it's not too late.

My office is getting more crowded as the minutes roll by. Esme is chanting to herself; my mate is wearing out the carpet, Georgiana, Raul, my parents are all giving me pitying glances and of course Jeffery. Jeffery said emphatically that Cal is not in the state. I believe him.

"What's the plan, Rafe?" Georgiana asks.

"Georgiana, alert the other clan leaders that I may need their help. Mom and dad can help you."

"Done." They all leave. Perfect, Darric and I need to talk to Esme privately.

I look at my mate and he walks over to my side. I know what he has set in motion to find our mate. He assigned Beta Cole and most of his soldiers to scamper the state and beyond looking for our mate. His brother Beta Ronan has been left in charge of the pack for now. Ronan wanted to join the search but Darric needs a family member watching the pack.

If what I believe is true, we need Esme's help first and foremost. I had clued Darric in on why I believe Esme is the only one that can help us. The information shocked him, to say the least.

"Esme?" She continues to chant, not hearing me.

"High Priestess!" I yell.

"What? I can't sense him, Rafe. I have to feel him to save him."

"I know, we can't feel him either. I can't link with him. As if he has disappeared," Darric tells her.

"Esme, we need you. You might be the only one to find him."

"And what do you think I've been doing? Twiddling my thumbs. I've been chanting and using every power I have at my disposal to find him." She gets up walking up and down, agitated.

I look at Darric and he nods, giving me the okay.

"Esme you are more powerful than you know and you're the only one that can find him."

"I am using all my powers, Rafe and I don't sense him at all. Do you get it, I cannot sense my root!"

"Esme, your father can help."

"Very funny. You and I both know that my mother died at childbirth and no one knows who my father is or was."

"I know who your father is, and he can help you find your root."

She burst out laughing hysterically. "If you two really want to find your mate, now is not the time for jokes. I will send you into the abyss for messing with me."

"My grandfather on one of his drunken rampages told me who your father is."

"Really, my Lord. Pray, tell who is my father?" She sneers.

"El Dargon."

"I'm sorry, who?" Esme tilts her head in disbelief, drops down hard on the floor and looks up at me in shock.

I have seen Esme portray every facial expression possible: happy, sad, smug, arrogant, condescending, disgust, contempt, excitement, you name it, but I have never seen Esme look so lost. She looks exactly like the young person that she tries to deny that she is. Should I have told her in this manner? I don't know. I have no time to debate that now, all I want is for her to find my mate, her root.

"El Dargon. When I found out that Cal's father was an Elder, it made sense to me why a wolf and a witch will be brought together. You both have one thing in common, both of you are blood descendants of the Moon goddess and Sun god. You both have a bond like no other."

"Esme call him, ask him, then have him help us, please?" I implore her.

"You are wrong, he would've told me all these years." Then she looks up, says a chant and "I need you now."

El Dargon appears, he looks down sadly at Esme where she's still sitting and menacingly at me. Frankly, I don't care, I want my mate back and will do anything, confront anyone to get him back.

"Are you my father?" she asks with her head bowed.

"Yes, I am." He replies unapologetically.

"I see," she takes a deep breath, gets up, and walks over to him and whispers, "help me get my root back and after that do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Get the fuck out of my life."

"I can't help you."

"What do you mean you can't help me? I don't care that you don't acknowledge or told me that I'm your daughter but at the very least help me save my root, please."

"I can't help because the Sun god as forbidden me. But I can give you leads, and hints so listen carefully. Your root is under the veil of another witch. He is at a crossroad and the decision he makes next may or may not lead you to him. Nothing, any of you do at this point will help him. You have to wait until he decides which road he will take. Only then will you be able to find him. In what state I cannot tell you. I'm sorry Esme. For what it's worth, I was fighting my own father's plans for me by denying you."

"Not worth much."

"Rafe, you shouldn't have told her," El Dargon turns to Rafe.

"Respectfully sir, you should have." I stand firm waiting for any punishment, he decides to rain on me. Darric stands closer to me holding my hand. Surprisingly, he just vanished as silently as he came.

"Now what? If he's right, it all depends on Cal. I really hate how cryptic the ruling council sounds every time you ask them for help. How hard is it to say what you mean?" Darric yells in anger.

My 'other' phone rings. I really don't have the time for the other issue now. I ignore it. It keeps ringing.

"Answer it, Rafe."

"What?" I yell into the phone. I have never yelled at Roman before.

"They have your mate, Rafe. Your mate is here."

The chair topples over as I jump up not believing what I just heard.

"Shit! I'm going to put you on speaker phone and want you to repeat what you just said to my mate."

"They have your mate. A young man was brought to the compound today under heavy security and locked up in their basement. I found out that the man is mated to a High Lord and an Alpha at a meeting. I have only heard of one such mating, and I went to the basement to confirm. He said his name is Cal and confirms you're his mate."

"Describe him," Darric demands.

"He's about five feet seven or so inches, weighs about 130 pounds, slim, dark brown hair, and beard, blue eyes, wearing a suit..."

"It's him, Rafe." Daric interrupts him. "Thank goddess, let's go get our mate."

"Where are you, Roman?"

"Nebraska. I am sending you the information on the closest town to us. You should be able to smell rogues in the area, but I warn you, Rafe, you won't be able to locate us."

"And why not?"

"The compound is under the veil of my lady,"

"My lady?"

"She's a witch, won't tell anyone her name and mandates everyone calls her my lady. And I can't get out."

"Just as El Dargon said. That explains why I couldn't locate my root. Another witch has him under her veil. That bitch is dead when I get ahold of her." Esme rails.

"Regardless we're on our way. I will get my mate and burn down that compound," Darric says.

"Roman, protect my mate."

"With my life, Rafe." I hang up.

"Round up your posse and meet me in Nebraska, I have a witch to kill," Esme says.

She has that look, the one that makes even grown men like me take a step back in fear. Thank the Sun god she's my mate's root.

Another round of beatings and a promise to be back in a few hours. That rogue takes special delight in whipping me. My shoulders have popped out of their socket with all the jerks I made during the beatings.

Did I imagine the man that was just here? How does Rafe know him? He didn't smell like a rogue. He smelled like a werecat, a mixed breed. I hope he does contact Rafe. I need help, someone please help me!

Suddenly the brightest light fills the room. I look up and even with my blurry vision the light is blinding and warm that I drop my head.

"I am here my child, weep no more," says a calming and soothing voice.

"Who are you?" I whisper and try again to look in the light. Out of the light walks a woman. I cannot see her face and she glows as she walks towards me.

"Your mother, your creator."

"Moon goddess?"

"Yes."

I look up and even with the pain from the light, I yell in anger, "and where the fuck have you been all this time and all my painful life?"

"That is no way to speak to your creator," the voice reprimands softly, as the blinding light shimmers in response to her scolding.

"My creator?" I laugh hysterically, "that's rich. Fuck my creator. Fuck you! Where have you been all my life? Enjoying my pain. Playing tic tac toe with my life? And now you show up? And what? You want me to bow to you? Sorry mother, as you can see, I'm tied up at the moment." I shake the cuffs.

I am now seriously pissed at the Moon goddess. Fuck the bitch!

"Well, MOTHER, you can take this late concern of yours and stick it where the sun don't shine."

"You dare to mention the Sun in my presence?" The voice thunders and all I remember is my head flings back hard against the wall and everything goes dark before I black out.

The world goes dark and every being, animal, trees, sea, wind; everything on earth freezes in place.

The. Earth. Stood. Still.

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