Fidelis glared at his wall calendar, the red "Xs" across the days mocking him. Seven days. Seven days of uncertainty and fear wrecked his fabled calm, reducing him to a worrying mess. Seven days since his fated mark had gone silent, and he'd lost contact with Sera. Seven days….
"Your Highness!"
He blinked, his misery rising again as he wrenched his gaze away from the calendar to Sodalitas and Blainel.
"Anything?" he asked, his tone hopeful.
They both shook their heads. Fidelis wanted to rage at Autem for the loss of Sera. Was he being punished because he hadn't searched for the mythical beasts as requested of him? No, he couldn't afford to think that way. Sera was alive. He truly believed that. That didn't stop him from being concerned.
"Sodalitas, call Al. He ignored my calls. Maybe he'll answer yours or Blainel's."
"Yes, Your Highness." Sodalitas pulled out his cell and called Al. He turned on the speakerphone so they could all hear.
The three men stood tensely listening to it ringing. After the fourth ring, Al answered with a terse, "What, George?"
"Someone's having a bad day," drawled Sodalitas. "Can't a friend call just to check up on a person?"
"Who said we're friends?" growled Al.
"Oh, how you wound me," joked Sodalitas. "No, seriously, I hadn't heard from you or Sera and thought I'd call and check on you."
"Were you really worried, or did Romeo put you up to this?"
"Both," Sodalitas admitted honestly. Al was always prickly, no matter who was talking to him.
"You can stop calling. Sera is fine. She's out of the country right now. I'm sure she'll call her favorite boyfriend when she gets back."
"Thanks for the heads up. I'll let Romeo know."
"Yeah, you do that," Al snapped and hung up.
No one said anything for a second as they stared at the phone.
Blainel broke the silence first. "He's lying. Question is, why is he lying?"
Fidelis shook his head, exasperated at the lack of progress in finding Sera. He couldn't figure out why Al was always so damn uncooperative when it came to giving them information about Sera. Was he perhaps in cahoots with Sera's father and sister? Or was there another reason for his behavior toward Sera and his hostility he showed to others? Fidelis pushed those thoughts aside. He needed to focus on Sera first. The rest could be resolved with time.
"This is getting us nowhere," growled Fidelis.
"I agree," said Sodalitas. "I know this is a long shot, but maybe try again to contact her through your marks."
Fidelis stopped himself from snapping at his friend. Sodalitas was only trying to help. "Fine," he responded before sitting down at his table and closing his eyes.
He reached out along the connection he and Sera shared. He was met with nothingness. His eyes snapped open, and he snarled, banging his fist on the table. The table groaned in protest.
Blainel and Sodalitas gave him sympathetic looks. Fidelis cursed the fact that they didn't have Sera's real address. They had tried to use the one on file at his dad's office, but the address was fake. That worried him even more. Who knew where she was being held?
His rambling thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Fidelis stood in surprise. Liz stood there, Sprite in hand, and a smile. The smile quickly vanished when she saw Fidelis's expression. She hurried into the room, closing the door behind her.
"What's wrong?" she demanded, hands on her hips.
"It's Sera," Fidelis answered her, his turbulent expression reflecting his inner turmoil.
"What happened to her?"
"She's missing. I can't get in touch with her, and that douche bag Al is lying and won't tell me what's happened to her."
"What do you mean Sera is missing?" Liz's eyes narrowed. "Someone better start explaining before I kick someone's ass!"
"Calm down, calm down," urged Sodalitas. "We don't need you wolfing out on us."
"If you don't want this werewolf to kick your ass, you'd better start talking," growled Liz.
"It's not that simple," began Fidelis. He didn't get to finish because Liz cut him off.
"Make it simple," she ordered.
He threw his hands up and started explaining things about Sera, her family, and his suspicions about how Sera was treated at home. He also told Liz about his fated mark, his connection to Sera, and what the silence from the mark might mean.
Once he finished, the room was silent. He watched Liz process all the information, and then she was in motion, jerking her phone out.
He stared at her curiously as she made a phone call. He heard a male's voice answer, and then Liz was issuing rapid-fire instructions. It happened so quickly, Fidelis didn't have time to stop her.
"Liz! You didn't have to do all that."
"You act like you're the only one who is worried about Sera. She's my friend, and a wolf is always loyal to family, pack, and friends. I didn't know her life was that bad at home. I thought Amy was only mean to her at school. We need to get her out of that hellhole and fast."
"Thank you," Fidelis told her, bowing his head in thanks.
She waved off his gesture of gratitude. "My family and I owe you a debt that we can't ever hope to repay. I hope this can be the start of that. And I want to save Sera. I'd do anything to throw her craptastic sister and dad into jail for all the things they've done to her."
"Good, we are all in agreement," Sodalitas added with a grin.
Liz squeezed Fidelis's shoulder. "We will find her. We wolves are great at tracking people after all."
Fidelis laughed. That he totally agreed with. Liz was damn good at finding things and people by scent.
Liz's eyes glowed with her wolf's power, and she spoke her vow, "I swear on my honor as Alpha of the Appalachian Black wolves that we won't rest until Sera is safe."
"Thank you, Liz and Indigo, for your help. I will be forever grateful."
"So, let's get started," Liz announced.
Fidelis nodded, and the four left his room, optimistic about their chances of finding Sera.