Hudson paced desperately, as he could no longer feel the closeness of his mate. What was going on in that house? Every instinct inside him screamed to run inside to ensure his mate was doing okay. He didn’t want to disobey an order that his mom gave him, but he was the future Alpha of the Stonecrest pack and needed to know how his mate was doing. Hudson’s brows furrowed as he watched the maidens that assisted his mother rush out of the house.

“What’s going on? Why are you out here and not inside helping your future, Luna?” Hudson inquired.

Rachel stepped up and bowed to her Alpha. “Forgive us, Alpha, but Luna Cynthia ordered us to leave the house and remain here until she called for our assistance,” she answered.

Hudson was at a loss for words. He didn’t want to question his mother’s order, but that didn’t tell him what was happening with his mate.

“How’s Amanda?” he asked with concern.

Rachel smiled softly, “Her heat hit her hard. We put her in a cool bath to lower her body temperature and immersed her in the water for only a moment. When we pulled her out, she was passed out but came to feeling completely normal,” she explained.

Hudson sighed in relief. “I should be able to go in there and see her, correct?”

Rachel shrugged before answering, “I’m not sure, it seemed Amanda needed to speak with the Luna discreetly, and that was when we were ordered to come outside.”

A blanket of uneasiness overcame Hudson as he looked at the mystical house. His eyes narrowed as his heart raced. Something didn’t sit with him right about any of this. Hudson let out a huff. “I’m going in. Stick to your positions until you have heard from me or the Luna Cynthia,” he ordered.

The ladies and warriors bowed to their Alpha as Hudson returned to the house and closed the door behind him.

“Mom? Amanda? Where are you?” Hudson called out at the bottom of the stairs.

He sucked in a breath, trying to pick up their scent to see where they were. His eyes clouded with desire as he breathed in his mate’s smell. Hudson followed the trail until it took him back into the library, where it was empty. Hudson began to panic as he searched the room for anything to help him figure out where his mom and mate had gone.

He tried to mind-link both of them, but there was no response. He pulled out his phone to text them but was interrupted by a call from Tabitha.

“Hey, Tab, can I call you back?”

“Um, sure, I’ll just call you later,” she answered.

Hudson heard the quiver in Tab’s voice and could tell something was wrong. “Wait. You’re upset. What’s wrong?”

Tabitha sniffed as she tried to control her emotions. “It’s nothing. I’ll just talk with you later. It’s fine.”

“Tabitha,” Hudson growled. “Tell me, what’s going on?”

Tabitha sucked in a breath before telling Hudson everything that had happened during their stay in Silver City. “And then Marco just left without telling me where he was going nothing,” she cried.

Hudson took a seat on the couch as he listened to Tabitha talk. He was surprised to hear how she behaved while visiting the unknown city. “Tab, this doesn’t sound like you,” he told her.

“I know!” Tab exclaimed. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Hudson. There’s just been so much that has been going on this last year. All the stuff we went through with you and Amanda. Marco and I found out we were mates. I thought this time away from the pack would help us establish our bond, but I don’t think it is. At first, we connected, enjoying the city and how they live, but he was so angry with me this morning.”

Tabitha began to cry into the phone.

Hudson rubbed his face as he tried to think of the best way to handle this. He wished Amanda was here with him. She would know how to handle this and fix things between Marco and Tabitha. Artemis whined for their missing mate.

“Tab, I’m sure things will work out once you and Marco sit down and talk. You just need to be open to fixing your relationship with him.”

Tabitha quieted for a moment, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Hudson straightened as he listened to the change in Tabitha’s voice.

“You don’t think I want to fix things?” Tabitha asked him, her voice filled with hostility.

“Whoa, Tab, I never said that,” Hudson defended.

“Yes, you did. You said I need to be open to fixing this. Why would you assume that I wouldn’t be open?” Tabitha yelled.

Hudson could feel the anger filling his chest as he listened to his friend and warrior give him attitude. “Tabitha, you need to calm down and stop talking to me in that tone,” he warned.

“Great, now you are against me. Why can’t anyone see this from my point of view.” Tab exclaimed. “Maybe I’ll just call someone else who is willing to listen to what I have to say and can empathize with how I’m feeling about all of this.”

Hudson growled into the phone, feeling his wolf etching at the surface, wanting to put this wolf in her place. “I would choose my words carefully if I were you, Tabitha. You are speaking disrespectfully to your Alpha, and I will not tolerate that behavior. Now, get your attitude in check before I order your butt home, and you have to deal with my wrath,” he promised.

Tabitha breathed hysterically as she listened to her Alpha. What was she thinking?

“You’re right, Alpha; I’m sorry. Please, forgive me for how I was speaking to you. I didn’t mean to give you disrespect.”

Hudson let out a breath as his wolf calmed and his anger faded. “It’s fine. But I am worried about you, Tab. This isn’t like you. Do you think this has anything to do with you being in the city?”

Tabitha shook her head. She didn’t want that to be the case. She was enjoying the city and didn’t want it to be the reason for her attitude change. “I don’t know, Hudson. I hope not. This place is magical. I wish you and Amanda could be here to see it,” she admitted.

“I’m not sure that would be a good idea right now,” Hudson advised.

Tabitha’s brows furrowed at her friend’s tone. “Why, what’s going on?” she asked.

Hudson sighed before he answered. “My mom and Amanda are missing at the moment,” he confided.

Tabitha rolled her eyes at the news. “Of course she is,” Tabitha huffed.

She heard her call waiting beep and pulled her phone away to look who was calling. She grinned when she saw the caller ID.

“Hey, Hudson, let me call you right back,” Tabitha said before ending the call and answering her second line. “Esha, just the person I wanted to talk to.”