Her Fae Prince

Kidnapped

Torin woke up with a start, feeling restless. He had this sinking feeling in his stomach that something bad had happened and the overwhelming need to check on Ember hit him hard. He got out of bed and dressed as fast as he could back into the casual clothes he had gotten from the pack’s stores. He stuffed his feet in his boots and almost ran out the door. Every second the need to see her felt more urgent, his heart was pounding, threatening to burst. He tried to keep calm as he made his way through the castle, his pace quickened as he noticed a commotion coming from the Alpha’s wing. Almost running now Torin flew past small groups of people gathered and whispering, he heard bits and pieces of their conversations.

“She’s missing.” He heard from one group of she-wolves.

“She was last seen sneaking off into the woods.” Another whispered.

Dread filled his mind. No, they can’t be talking about Ember, I just saw her. Kissed her goodnight. Torin barely finished the thought as he arrived in her hallway and saw Alpha David shouting orders to groups of warriors as they took off in different directions. Clary and Caleb were standing on either side of him. Clary looked like she had been crying and Caleb had a look of concern on his face as he stood rigidly with his arms crossed in front of him. Caleb’s look turned to one of anger as his eyes fell on Torin.

“Where is she?” Caleb yelled charging at him. Torin automatically moved into a defensive stance, his hands balling into fists ready to block or strike depending on Caleb’s next move.

“Enough.” Alpha David boomed and Caleb froze in his tracks unable to ignore the Alpha’s command, his muscles tensed as if he was trying hard to fight it, an angry scowl on his face.

“What’s going on here?” Torin ignored Caleb and gave his full attention to David.

“I am sorely tempted tae ask ye the same thing, an ye better answer right the first time.” David’s voice came out as a low growl as his eyes narrowed accusingly at Torin.

“I came to check on Ember, I woke up with a bad feeling and I needed to make sure she was ok. Where is she?” Torin knew better than to stare David in the eye he was not trying to challenge the Alpha, but he desperately needed to know what was going on. “Please, I ask again. What’s going on?”

“Ember’s not in her room. She cannae be found anywhere on the grounds. Last she was seen she was at the outer wall and her room stinks of ye.” David growled out. The sinking feeling grew as more accusing eyes fell on Torin. He glanced around him and ran his fingers through his hair. She couldn’t be missing, none of this made any sense.

“Yes, I was in her room yesterday after we got back from the village, we were talking about what we had learned. I only want to apologize for letting her go after the one vampire alone. She seemed fine when I… wished her a good night last night after questioning the prisoner, but I swear I have been in my room ever since.” Torin stood tall and spoke with confidence, only faltering once not wanting to say he kissed her goodnight. Now was not the right time for that.

“So, this isn’t a note from you asking to meet her outside the walls before sunrise?” Caleb accused, throwing a scrap of paper at his feet. Torin glanced down at the scrap of paper, then up at David again confusion plain on his face.

“No. I would never ask her to leave the grounds. I know you have strictly forbidden it. We are, after all, looking for Vampires who are kidnapping Wolves and Fae.” Torin shot a quick glare at Caleb, he thought he caught a flash of something but he wanted to keep his attention on David, to show he was telling the truth. Why would they think he would be behind this?

“My men say they saw her sneaking out the side entrance, her clothes were found neatly folded which meant she had planned on shifting ta go somewhere and coming back. Then we found this on her desk. Torin, I suggest ye figure out yer story son because right now it’s not looking in yer favour.” David’s eyes were flashing and his muscles started to twitch, his wolf getting angrier. Clary reached forward and rested her hand gently on his shoulder and his expression softened just a little as he gained some control back again.

“Listen I would never do anything to hurt her.” Torin hesitated a moment before continuing. This was not how he had imagined announcing he was fated to his granddaughter. “Ember is my Goddess Fated, I am her True Mate.” As the words left his mouth shock rippled through those standing close to them. A few warriors let out a growl and Clary gasped slapping her hand over her mouth her eyes wide. David’s eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to say something but Caleb growled loudly in anger.

“LIAR!” He shouted taking another step toward him, before turning to speak to everyone listening. “The Goddess would not do that to this pack. Don’t you think Ember would have announced it the moment she felt it? She should have felt it the night of the ball.” Caleb shouted, but it wasn’t as loud as before. Torin watched as the warriors nodded, agreeing with what he was saying. What is he doing? He knows the truth already.

“What do you mean Caleb? We told you yesterday on the way to the village, she had felt it in the entry when she ran into me. We figured she hadn’t felt it the night of the ball because she had had too much to drink. I had felt the sparks the moment our fingers touched, but also thought it was strange she didn’t feel anything right away.” Suddenly a thought occurred to him. “It was as if her mate bond was being suppressed!” A look of annoyance flashed across Caleb’s face as confusion and anger bloomed around the hallway. David was fuming and was looking from Caleb to Torin, his eyes calculating as he took in the argument.

“Caleb, did they tell ye that they thought they were bonded yesterday?” David turned to ask him, Caleb looked down and showed his neck in submission.

“No, Alpha. I have not heard of this bond he is claiming. I think he’s lying, ” David turned from Caleb to look at Torin and Torin caught a satisfied smirk on Caleb’s face behind David’s back.

“He’s the one that’s lying, he’s in love with Ember!” Torin threw a finger at Caleb before taking a deep breath and looking at David again pleading with his eyes for him to understand. “I swear I am telling the truth, I am Ember’s True Mate. Believe me, I would lay down my life before letting any harm come to her. If I were guilty why would I come straight to her room in concern?” Torin realized too late that he was being set up.

“To make yourself seem innocent of course. Isn’t that exactly what you would do? Otherwise, how would you know something was happening, why would you have any reason to show ‘Concern’?” Caleb countered.

“I already told you, I could feel there was something wrong through the bond!” Torin got out before David growled again. This time he growled so loud Torin felt it deep in his bones and the light fixtures rattled on the ceiling. Every wolf in the hallway bent to their knees and showed their necks in submission. Torin bowed out of respect, feeling the raw power emanating from the Alpha. Clary still hadn’t removed her hand from her mate's shoulder she was the only one not affected by the Alpha’s rage. Her red-rimmed eyes had turned to cold calculation as she pursed her lips staring first at Caleb and then at Torin. No one else moved a muscle as the Alpha heaved trying to regain control before he shifted in the hallway.

“Take Torin ta the cells, he’s ta stay there ’til we have more information.” David ordered, Clary stepped beside him and looked up into his eyes. David gazed back and took a deep breath. “No harm shall come ta him until we know the truth. He is there as a precaution, no more.” Clary nodded her approval at David’s words as he reached up and put his hand over hers. Two warriors came up and motioned for Torin to follow them. Torin thought about running for a minute but knew he would only seal his fate if he made himself look guilty by trying to run so he complied, he heard David growl out orders for more warriors to scan the surrounding area to find her scent to track it. Torin wanted to help find her, not be stuck in the cells. This whole thing got turned around on him somehow, and he could do nothing about it. Why is Caleb trying to make it look like Torin is the reason she is gone? Is this some play to make Ember love him? Torin’s mind was reeling as he followed his escort down to the cells. This was not good.