The Princess's Betrayal

Chapter Five

The castle was on edge when I finally made it into the dining room. Aunt Artemis sat at the dining room table, staring into space as Juliette attempted to comfort her. Uncle Von was on the phone, screaming into the speaker.

"I don't care what it takes, find him now!" he roared.

"What's going on?" I asked as I slid in next to Artemis and grabbed her hand. Juliette turned her tearful face to me and fear struck deep within my core.

"Juliette, what's happening!" I cried.

A few tears dripped down her face.

"Someone took him, Ruby."

"Who, Juliette? Who did they take?" I felt like I already knew the answer, but I needed her to say it.

"Maddox. He's gone."

I sunk to the floor, wailing in pain, but I couldn't actually hear myself. I think I was in too much shock.

My brother was gone.

Slim arms wrapped around me as Artemis pulled my shaking body into her arms.

"Shhh, little gem. It'll be okay. We'll find him."

I sniffled. "No. I need to go home."

"I don't know if that's the best idea right now," she tried to say.

"No! I need to get home! That's my brother! My twin! I have to help find him! I should have been there! If I had been there, maybe this wouldn't have happened! Maybe-"

She cut me off with a swift slap on my cheek. I started at her, stunned that she had laid a hand on me.

"I'm sorry, Ruby. It was the only thing I could think of to get you to calm down. Do not say those things. None of this is your fault." Her voice was stern and her cinnamon eyes bore into mine.

"Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Aunt Artemis."

"Good. Stay here with Juliette. I will speak with Von about arrangements for getting you home."

She rose from her seat and went to join her husband, pulling him by the arm into a different room.

"How could someone take him?" I asked Juliette.

She looked frightened. "I don't know. You guys have some of the best security in the whole werewolf world. How could someone even get close enough to the palace undetected?"

My mind wandered to the grey wolf I had seen in the woods. Had we begun to be a little too relaxed? Were things starting to slip through the cracks?

"I have to get home," I whispered, my voice cracking a little.

Juliette put her arms around me. "I know."

We sat like that for a while before Von and Artemis returned.

"We've just finished speaking with your parents, Ruby. It is best you remain here tonight while they canvas the pack lands. We will leave first thing in the morning."

"That's too long! I need to get there now and help them look!"

Von sighed and sunk to his knees in front of me. "Ruby, listen to me. They need to do their jobs. Let them."

Anger flashed through me and I could feel my eyes switch to Elise's red. She was just as angry and upset as I was. It was her brother missing, too.

"Oh, they don't want to have to worry about their troublesome daughter, is that it?" I spit.

Von growled at me in warning but I didn't back down. "That's not it and you know it," he said to me. "Your parents love you just as much as they love Maddox, but they need some time to try and find him first."

I felt the hurt before I realized that tears were sliding down my cheeks. Of course, they would think I would just be in the way. Of course, they wouldn't want me there right now.

"He's my family, too!" I screamed.

I could feel my skin rippling as a shift approached. At this rate, I wouldn't be able to stop it. I was already struggling to keep Elise under control.

I jumped up from the chair, knocking it backward, and sprinted toward the door.

"Ruby, wait!" they called as I bolted past the guards.

The wind and my tears made it hard to see as I maneuvered my way to the training arena. I burst through the doors, surprising the few wolves that were still there. I growled at anyone who tried to approach me as I grabbed my bow and a pack of arrows and took off again, this time toward the forest.

"Stop!" I heard Juliette call behind me. She was always a fast runner, and she knew me better than almost anyone. Of course, she would know what I was planning to do.

"Ruby, wait!" she called again as I pushed my legs faster. I was almost to the trees where I knew I could shift and have a better chance at losing her.

"Just slow down and think about Ruby!"

I ignored her pleas as I broke through the tree line, immediately shifting. My paws hit the ground and Elise took over, using her senses to take us in the direction of home. She managed to snatch up my weapon before completely taking over and carry it in her mouth as she ran. I receded to the back of my mind, letting her take the lead. I was still stunned that Maddox was gone. I almost couldn't believe it. What would someone want with my brother? Did they know about his powers? We had been so careful as a family to not let the secret out, for fear that it would make him a target. Was there someone within the palace who knew and sold him out?

After a while, there were no more footfalls behind us, so I knew that they had stopped their pursuit. Elise slowed slightly, beginning to get tired. I came forward and took back control, but stayed in wolf form for safety.

I ran for a few more hours before a scent crossed my path and made my nerves prickle. It was the same as before. I slunk low to the ground, keeping my eyes peeled for the grey wolf. Despite the excitement I could feel emanating from Elise, I still didn't know if this wolf was a friend or foe.

I came to a creek and decided it would be best to take a quick dip and wash away my scent so I could hopefully throw him off my trail. I wasn't sure he was following me, but his scent never faded and never seemed to stray too far away. I dove into the water, making sure to fully submerge myself before exiting on the other side. I changed direction and decided to take the long way back home just to be safe.

It must have worked, because after a while his scent faded. I could feel Elise's slight disappointment, but I didn't have time to console her right now. We had to get home.

I had to find Maddox.