Chapter 11: A Journey of Rediscovery

(POV: Nicollas)

"We have to go back!" Ryan exclaims, agitated.

"Calm down, Ryan. We just left home." I try to calm him down. "Don't forget that tonight, a surprise awaits us." I smile, wondering what my she-wolf is up to.

"We have to go back. We can't feel her presence!" he says, even more agitated.

Damn it! I don't reply because he's right. I can't feel our mate, and that's not normal. Now that we are fully bonded, we should be able to feel each other all the time. Whatever one feels, the other should feel too, from anger to boredom, from pleasure to pain. We should be able to communicate through thoughts even when we're apart, but I can't. It feels like something is blocking us, and it's making me very frustrated. I try to sense where my mate is, but once again, I can't.

Despair, that's what I'm feeling, along with anger because I don't know what's happening. I'm worried, unsure if she's okay or not, and it's making me even more irritated.

"Why can't I sense her? Why?" I grip the steering wheel tightly. I look at my wrist and feel relieved to see that her name is still fully intact, as our connection would be severed if it were cut in half. But even so, I can't calm down. I have no patience for this mystery. I hit the brakes and make a U-turn, pressing the accelerator again, heading back home as fast as possible.

I'll probably get a lot of speeding tickets and run red lights, but I don't care. I want my mate! As soon as I arrive at my property, I barely park the car before rushing inside the house.

"Lina?" I call out, but there's no response.

I go to our bedroom and call her, searching the area, but once again, there's no answer, and I can't find her. I search every corner of the house, but Lina is nowhere to be found. For the first time, I sense powerless, vulnerable, and helpless. Tears well up in my eyes, and for the second time in my life, I find myself crying.

"What are we going to do?" Ryan asks, his voice filled with sadness because we don't know where our mate is.

"We have to find her, Ryan, and I won't rest until I have her back in my arms. I promise you that!" I wipe the tears from my eyes and take out my cell phone from my pocket. "Albert?... I want the best trackers from my territory gathered at my mansion in the Crescent Moon pack, understood?" Without waiting for a response, I hang up and put the phone back in my pocket, heading outside.

"Nico...Nicoll...aas." It's her, Ryan. Lina is in danger, and she's crying.

Lina, my beautiful mate, I promise I'll find you. I start the car and speed off down the road.

(POV: Lina)

Pain! It's the first thing I sense as I regain consciousness.

My eyes sting and water, both from the pain and the bright white light that almost blinds me.

What happened?

Tears flood my eyes as I have no answers, feeling pain in my head and legs, and feeling alone.

"Nico...Nicoll...aas," I try to call out, but my sobs prevent me from properly saying his name. I can't feel him, and it's making me anxious.

Lost in my crying, I hear the creak of an iron door opening, and a girl with long light brown hair, bright blue eyes, fair skin, and short stature, who looks about thirteen years old, enters with her head down. In her hands, she carries a tray. I sniff her scent and realize she's just a human.

Where am I? Why is there a human here? Humans are forbidden in packs as they are even weaker than omegas.

The girl approaches me, visibly trembling. I conclude that she's scared. She places the tray containing a bowl of what seems to be a green soup with a horrible smell, then turns to leave, but I stop her.

"What's your name?" I look into her eyes.

"Sophie, supreme."

"Do you know where I am?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I do, supreme, but I'm not allowed to tell you," she looks at the ground. "Please let go of my arm." Tears stream down her face. "He..."

"Let her go, Lina!" I hear the sound of a calm and sweet voice, very familiar, and I don't know why, but I obey that voice. When I release Sophie, she runs away from where I am. "Good girl."

When I look out of the room, I see a woman with reddish-brown hair, her eyes shining with pride. But not for me, for herself.

"How you've grown, child. How do you feel?" She approaches me, but I remain silent. My silence irritates her, and she forcefully grabs my ear, making my head tilt to the side. "When I ask you a question, answer. Do you understand?" Her sweet and calm tone turns into a grave and unpleasant one.

"Y-yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, ma'am," I mumble, and she releases my ear, giving an annoying little laugh in my opinion.

"Excellent. I see that even after all this time apart, our sweet girl hasn't forgotten her manners," she says, running her hand through my hair.

"Who are you?" I question, feeling my right cheek heat up, realizing that I've just been slapped.

"Watch your tone. I'm not your little friends!"

Disgusting snake!

"Scarllet, calm down!" A deep, hoarse voice that sends shivers down my spine interrupts. "She's probably still confused with all this. Don't you remember we erased her memory and replaced it with others?"

"Yes, you're right. How foolish of me. I had forgotten," she rubs her forehead. "I apologize, Lina!"

I look into her eyes and realize that there is not even a hint of remorse. She realizes that I have noticed and gives a horrible, smug smile.

"Well, let's introduce ourselves." I look in the pot and see a large man, with muscles almost sticking out of his suit, a straight jaw, a thinning beard, black eyes and even hair. "As you may have guessed, her name is Scarllet, a collaborator of your creation, and my name is Deniel, your creator."

My eyes widen, and I blink several times to make sure I heard correctly. How can they be my creators?

"C-creators? H-how is that possible?"

"Simple, child!" Scarllet looks me up and down. "We," she points to herself and Deniel, "created you together."

My world crumbles. No, it can't be. My parents died when I was nine years old, and they don't resemble these arrogant creatures in front of me. But even so, I remember Deniel saying a few moments ago that they erased my memory and replaced it with others. If that's true, they could indeed be my parents. I can't help but feel nauseous at the thought.

"A-are you my p-parents?" I whisper.