JARED'S POV

I was staying in my rented house that Anna and I had been temporarily living in. My mood had got significantly worse, and it wasn't fair to be around the children when I was in such a state. They didn't understand what was going on, and I didn't need Clara to side-eye me more than once to tell me that she felt uncomfortable having Sophia and Sonny seeing my meltdowns.

Clicking pen my against my chin, I scribbled down onto my notepad yet another map of everywhere we had covered. I had ensured that the warriors had been thorough, demanding that they follow my routes slowly and carefully, going back over them more than a few times to ensure that they didn't miss anything.

Dylan was more than accepting of my requests though, allowing me to help take the lead and inform them of where I thought the best place to look was.

It felt as if we were getting nowhere though. We hadn't received any calls from members of the public, and the fighters weren't able to pick up a scent. Anna and her attacker had moved too fast to leave a trail, especially having been inside of a moving vehicle. Every minute that passed where Anna was missing, was another minute that Amelia had the chance to kill her.

I had never experienced having a mate die, but, I had heard that it felt as if your insides were being ripped from your body. It was the most unimaginable pain a wolf could go through, and when people even described it, it sent a shiver down the back of my spine.

I hoped that they were right, as it gave me hope that Anna was okay. Although we weren't fully mated, I was sure that I would feel her pain, and I would definitely feel if her heart stopped beating. Mine would also threaten to do so.

Blowing a large gust of air from my mouth, I ran my hands through my hair, tugging at the brown strands. I wasn't overly connected with my wolf, but I could feel the way he was practically already mourning the loss of our mate. It pissed me off. Had he seriously just given up?

I knew he couldn't move also, but that didn't mean that we had to just accept that Anna had been taken from us. She was our mate, and we had a duty to protect her. Why was he acting so pathetic?

My phone then began to buzz on the table, and I responded, gulping after hearing Ethan's voice.

"Jared, the man we suspect is Anna's Father has just re-entered the territory. He's parked up outside a convivence store near the old library, and we're going to intervene. Dylan told me to give you a heads up."

My eyes went wide, and I thanked Ethan as I shoved my phone into my pocket, exiting my house and pushing myself down the sidewalk as fast as I could. I weaved in and out of dawdling humans, and they cursed at me as I practically barged them out of the way.

I reached the convivence store in record time, the crumbling and battered library coming into view. I had never been into the store in front of me before. It was a small one that looked quite run down and full of crap, and I scanned around me to see Dylan waiting by the side of the building.

He nodded at me, and I raised my brows as I took notice of many other pack members surrounding the store casually. They made it look as if they were just loitering or passing by, and I wheeled myself backwards so I was hidden by a banner just in case Anna's Father spotted me and attempted to make his escape. I didn't know how much he knew about me, but I suck out like a sore thumb in my wheelchair.

In reality, we didn't actually have proof that this was indeed Anna's Father, but, we knew that he was after her, and it made sense considering he was coming in and out of the area so often and asking around if anyone knew of someone named 'Anna'. He had to have something to do with her disappearance. I was sure of it. 

I clicked my knuckles impatiently as I waited, staring at the entrance to the store. He had been in there a long time considering Ethan had called me and it had then taken me about six minutes to reach the location. What was he shopping for?

Ethan smiled at me from across the road as he kept his eye on the door also, his brows pulled together as a lanky small man appeared in the doorway clutching an anti-perspirant and a cucumber. Strange combination.

It wasn't him, and we all relaxed back into our positions once again as the front door shut by itself. I was beginning to think that Anna's Father had sussed us out and had escaped out of the back of the store. He had been in there for around eight minutes now.

My breath caught in my throat as another man exited the building, and I attempted to peer my head around the corner to see. However, Dylan lunged forward, along with the other warriors, and they quickly grabbed him and pulled him into a car that pulled up out of nowhere. The car doors slammed as warriors clambered in, and they effortlessly manoeuvred the car around on the road to face the other way.

"Jared, we will meet you at home," Ethan yelled at me from inside the car as he wound down the window, the vehicle quickly speeding off down the road, leaving me still hiding behind the side of the building. A few other warriors were also around me, the car not having enough space to fit everybody in it. They were just there as precaution just in case anything went wrong.

My heart was thumping out of my chest as I pushed the wheels of my chair up the hill. It hurt my biceps and they were screaming at me to stop and take a break, but I couldn't. All I could think about was clutching Anna's Father by the neck and choking him out until he told me where Anna was.

Not only because he had her, but because of what he had done to her as a child. He had hurt her, not only verbally, but physically. I wasn't going to allow him to get away with it. He was a sick man.

Anna filled my mind as the forest opening came into view, my eyes filling with tears. I pushed myself through the trees and bushes, the black iron gate staring down at me, the guards already standing with it open as they ushered me in.

They looked pale, and my guess was that they knew what was going on. They had most likely seen Dylan's furious looking face. He wasn't happy, and we all knew what that meant. Someone was going to pay.

My lungs felt as if they were on fire as I shoved the front door of Clara and Dylan's house open, scanning the room to see everybody inside, including Anna's Father, or who we assumed was her Father.

Clara, Dylan, Gia, Matthew, Ethan, Dean and a few other warriors huddled around the tall man as he was shoved into a chair, his arms flailing out as he attempted to fight back. He released a loud grunt, and Clara bit down on her thumb nail anxiously, causing Gia to turn to her with raised brows.

"If you're worried about the kids-"

Clara cut her friend off though, shaking her head. "I've already dropped them off at my Dad's. I wasn't going to allow them to be around something like this. I'm way ahead of you."

Dylan hummed in agreement as he took hold of his mate's hand, giving it a tight squeeze before turning his attention to the man sitting in the chair before him. "Who are you? Are you related to Anna in any way? Don't lie. We know the truth."

He remained quiet, causing Dean to grab him by the neck and tilt his face upwards so he was looking at Dylan, releasing a loud growl. "Answer his question."

Dean's tight grip was obviously hurting Anna's Father, and he hissed in pain as he tried to shake his head, gritting his teeth together. "I'm not talking. You wolves don't scare me."

"Well that's a shame," Dean muttered, moving his hand upwards until he was gripping onto his hair, pulling at it harshly.

I noticed the way Gia and Clara cringed at the harsh treatment, and Dylan turned to both of them, raising his brows. "Is this something you want the warriors to handle?"

Dylan always gave Clara a choice, which I liked. Although I knew that he would prefer for Clara to leave and not have to see, he understood that she was Luna and was her own person. If she wanted to be involved, then she could be.

"I'm happy to stick around and act as intimidation." Gia shrugged, causing Dean to smirk.

"The more intimidation, the better," he chimed in, chuckling. "I have a feeling he is going to need to be 'persuaded' to share what he knows with us."

I released a growl, rolling my chair forwards, Anna's Father staring at me with hatred. He turned his nose up, scoffing as he took me in, a tiny smirk playing at his lips.

"So you're Jared?" he asked, cocking his head. "I thought you'd be at least a little bit more frightening. You look like a little puppy."

His comment caused me to flip, and I bared my teeth as I snarled. "Yeah? Well I guess it's time I change your mind then." I reached forwards, grabbing the man by the collar of the shirt and yanking him towards me, growling harshly in his face. "Where's my mate? We aren't idiots. We know you have her."

Anna's Father remained quiet for a few seconds, but he eventually opened his mouth to speak, his words slurring together. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You're drunk," I stated. "Anna mentioned you were an alcoholic."

He rolled his eyes in response. "Did she now? She always has been a judgy little thing."

Did he think this was some kind of joke?

"I will rip your heart from your chest," I threatened him, my voice icy.

"I wouldn't do that," Anna's Father spoke, gazing around the room, and I could tell that he was slightly intimated by the amount of wolves glaring down at him. "Otherwise you'll never see her again."

•••

They got him! Anna here we come!

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