»•You are cruel, you've let the darkness take over and eat away your humanity. Looking at you right now, all I see is an empty vessel incapable of feeling any compassion towards others•«

Clair Willaims(Veiled in Darkness)

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"What do you mean you lost her?!"

Sapphire's voice resonated loudly in the mind-link causing fear to plummet down Axel's stomach. She fisted her palms and could feel her long claws elongating and slicing into her palm drawing blood. Her breathing became heavy and forced as her heart constricted almost painfully against her chest

How could he lose her? Sapphire thought as she pondered on how one of her most trusted warriors could even dare to lose one of the few persons she held dear.

Axel understood how important the young female werewolf was to his Alpha, it was one of the main reasons why he was uncertain about his decision to pass on the information to her, but he knew what the dangers were should he had decided to delay it.

His Alpha would have had his head served on a silver platter to anyone brave enough to look. He shuddered at the thought as he drew in a breath before continuing.

"I picked her off from the airport as you instructed and we were on our way to you when she asked for a quick bathroom break. We pulled over at a Cafe, Claire went in and never came out.

Axel finished anxiously as he awaited his Alpha's reply from the other side of the mind link. He knew he had disappointed her and he had failed in completing the duty assigned to him with full faith.

His Alpha had put her full confidence in him to protect her younger sister, but he couldn't even accomplish that one simple task. As he awaited her decision, he didn't know whether to expect her leniency in regards to his delinquency or her wrath.

Though he was ready for whatever punishment she deemed fit for his letdown, he desperately wished he wouldn't have to face her anger.

Sapphire pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation as she took in a sharp breath, her thoughts slowly drifting to her missing sister, Claire, and how much she had yearned for her warmth the past years.

She knew she didn't have any right to feel the way she did, because she was the one who had decided to send her off to a boarding school halfway across the world, in a desperate bid to keep away from the pains and troubles of their world.

A vivid memory of how her 12- year old sister had pleaded with her not to allow the boarding school authorities take her away flickered before her.

She could remember the glossy tears that filled the little girl's hazel eyes as she tugged on her clothes with her little hands, seeking protection from the sister she called her hero. Claire had desperately begged to be saved from the unknown people around her, but she never yielded any of her pleas.

Rather, Sapphire had turned her back to her and let them drag her away.

She didn't do it because she had no concern for her younger sister or that she didn't want to keep her next to her. Rather, she had sent her away because she didn't want her future to be jeopardized by staying next to a dark being such as herself.

Sending Claire away was also her way of trying to fulfill the promise she has made to her dying parents. They had made her vow that she was going to keep Claire away from the evil clutches of their killer.

Wandering thoughts crossed her mind as she thought about them. She wanted to know what her parents would think of her in their graves if they found out that she had lost their lost child. Sapphire was curious to know if they would hate her for it despite knowing that she had been striving to fulfill that vow?

Though she wasn't only keeping her sister away from trouble because she held herself responsible for their parent's deaths, she also did it because Claire was the only family she had left and she would die if something had happened to her.

People might call her the She-Wolf with a dark heart incapable of feeling any emotion or compassion towards anyone but herself, but If only they knew how wrong their assumptions were because she did care and had a love for her sister, she just wasn't able to express it.

Sapphire let out an exasperated sigh as she tucked a loose strand from her roughly packed bun behind her ears. "What's the name of the cafe you dropped her at?" She asked the fear-filled Gamma as her eyebrows crinkled in annoyance.

Even after being away from her sister for five years, she could still predict where she would have gone after coming back to their city. It was one of the places they frequently visited when her parents were alive.

Since her Gamma and third-in-command wasn't capable of accomplishing the one task she had put her full faith in him to do, then she was going to have to take matters into her hands. After all, who knew her little sister better than she did?

"Black Aroma, Alpha," Axel said and Sapphire immediately cut off the pack's link, letting out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding.

Ryan watched his Alpha's form from the corner of the room, he could see her fist her palms as her eyeballs switched to a color so dark, she could make even the most dangerous animals tremble at her sight.

What could worry her so much that she had to stop her message to the pack midway? Ryan wondered as his gaze scanned his Alpha. He could feel the aura she emitted wash over him, but he wasn't quite sure what it was.

Could it be panic? Worry maybe? But what could be the reason? He contemplated as he saw his Alpha's rigid body tremble in what he assumed was anger. Through the years after she took on her position, he had never seen her openly express her distress as she was doing right now and he could only think of one reason. Claire.

Sure, he knew that she was supposed to arrive this morning, but why would his Alpha be worried if she was on her way? A silent gasp escaped his lips as the tiny dots finally connected in his head.

An unsettling pit washed over him as he debated on whether his newly found information was the truth.

Could Clair be missing? How could I not have realized this earlier? Ryan battled himself as he watched his Alpha's face crinkled in annoyance. He could see her heavy gaze look straight ahead almost like she was lost in her thoughts.

Sapphire marched towards Ryan and her glimpse caught hold of his worry-filled face. She knew that if there was someone in the world who understood her silent worries, pains, and sorrow. Then it was Ryan. She didn't need to speak for him to understand that she wasn't in the best of mood.

As she nearest him, she could see him silently mouth out words as his lips twitched in a frown. Her head shook in reply to his silent ones asking if her mood changed because of Claire.

The pack members watched the exchange between their Alpha and Beta with interest as their wandering minds speculated on what was going on. They didn't know why their Alpha had stopped her speech to them and it especially made them curious because it never happened unless she received a message from the pack's link about the danger and they prayed to the goddess that it wasn't the case.

"I need to leave." Sapphire all, but croaked out to Ryan, her voice strained and shaky "You're in charge of training. I need to go find her." She said and immediately started stalking towards the exit of the pack's training grounds.

Why was she leaving? Who did she need to find? That was a silent question that passed across members of Sapphire's pack as they watched her exit the room. They couldn't quite understand what was so urgent that she needed to leave the pack, and who she was trying to find.

Regardless, they were happy she was leaving their training to their Beta. Sure, he was just as strict, but they still preferred his way to that of their Alpha's. At least with him, they wouldn't have to go home with broken bones and arms twisted the wrong way.

Sapphire exited the training room and immediately went up to her room, proceeding to grab a pair of yellow hoddie from her wardrobe and rapidly slipping it over her black tank top. She didn't see the need to shower as she still needed to find her missing sister and see if her hunch was right then she knew just where to go.

Quickly traipsing down a trail of stairs, Sapphire made her way into her car garage and without second thoughts, she decided to settle for her black Jeep Wrangler. She hopped into it and roared its engine to life, immediately moving in a direction she hoped was the right one.

Sure, Axel had mentioned dropping her off at the Black Aroma cafe, and if her hypotheses were correct, then Clair would be somewhere near the Black Aroma cafe.  In the beach her parents owned and one they would always visit when they were alive.

In no time she arrived at Hopstown Beach. Sapphire inhaled deeply as she slowly opened the door to her car, quietly getting off it.

As her feet touched the sand, she could feel her chest tighten as bittersweet memories of her past on this same beach flashed before her.

A vivid memory of her mom's loud laughter boomed in her ear as she quietly opened the gates that led into the beach. She could remember how she and Claire would tug harshly at their mother's arms, pulling her with them and sometimes, almost causing her to trip.

Sapphire could feel a stray strap tear escape her eyes as she recollected how excited she would get whenever the cool water from the beach would lap at her feet, fizzling and bubbling like brine, and how she would edge closer to it.

Her father's terrified look would forever be etched into her brain whenever he saw her wander too close to the sea and then he would immediately rush over and carry her far from it in fear of her being carried away by the strong waves.

Her lips twitched in a smile as she inched further into the beach. The strong roar of the waves rolling and crashing into the shore resounded in her ears as her feet dragged her further.

Sapphire knew how much her sister loved being on this beach, Claire had always mentioned to her when they were little that the air around there calmed her down and made her feel safe. It's the main reason why she had thought of coming here after Axel had told her he dropped her in a Cafe close to it.

It wasn't that she too didn't love the place, but Sapphire just couldn't stand being in it after her parent's demise because it reminded her so much of them.

Her mom always used to love coming out here to the extent that she had ordered her mate to buy out the whole place to which he had happily obliged but after their passing, Sapphire had instructed for it to be closed down for reasons most known to her.

As she neared the shore, Sapphire could see a young woman seated on the sand, her back turned to her and hands plopped backward. Sapphire's lips curled in a smile as she neared her, immediately proceeding to lay shaky hands on her shoulders.

The young woman turned around and Sapphire almost jumped for joy as her favorite pair of hazel eyes stared right back at her.

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See you in the next chapter, my loves.

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