The Omega's Revenge

Sulfur and Smoke

(Jackson)

Cam’s eyes immediately cloud back over, as I’m linking the doctor.

Jim, what is the meaning of this?

Come see, something isn’t right. Magic.

Are you okay?

Everyone here is fine

“Lucas, I want you to stay here until Cam sends his men to protect the girls.”

“I’m coming with you.” Isla interjects from my arms, her eyes hard and angry, “So is Abigail.” She gets off my lap and goes to wake her friend and mother figure.

“That settles that then,” I stand up, “Lucas, come to the clinic with us. I don’t know what Cam’s plan is but I'm sure he will be with the warriors.”

“Every warrior is awake and about to join the patrols, we have a team going to assess the clinic and see if there was a trail. If it is magic there’s no telling where she could be. But if she’s on any of our packlands she will be found.” Cam interjects with finality.

“Jennifer’s parents are being placed on house arrest until we get a chance to question them, they were her only point of contact outside of our men, Jim is bringing the baby to them now escorted by two of my warriors who will stand guard for the rest of the night.” I was impressed how he was able to do all of this in the few short minutes he was mindlinking.

“I alerted our parents at the northern campus.” I look back at Lucas who is putting his phone in his pocket. The northern campus, previously Silver Moon, was being run by all three of our sets of parents temporarily.

“Your dad is going to conduct a thorough search there, and expand his patrols closer to our borders with Bryce’s guidance.” We left Cam’s second in command behind to help recruit and train the new warriors as many of them were lost due to the previous Alpha Benjamin’s attack after he lost his pack, and his son, to me during the challenge.

“Good.” Everyone seemed to sober up immediately.

“We’re ready.” Isla comes walking out with a sleepy Abigail

“Please say there is coffee at the clinic.” Abigail wipes her eyes.

“Come on, ladies.” I smile at them,

“This is the most fun I’ve had all year.” Lucas says smiling, “Get it? Because it’s a new year.”

“Yes, you i.diot.” Cam grunts, but I saw a flicker of a smile, “I’m going to meet with my warriors and explain to them in person, make sure they all know what's going on. I need to get them some things with her scent on it. I’ll meet up with you guys later.” Cam pushes out the door and we all follow him out, heading to the clinic only a quick walk away.

We get there and the nurse, Jill, escorts us to the room that we left Jennifer secured in a few hours ago. Lucas and I take one step in, and I take a deep breath trying to see if I could smell anything, it smelled like a normal hospital room. Some blood, mostly disinfectant, too clean, and was that, sulfur? That wasn’t ordinary.

Lucas gives me a look, I know he smelled something off too.

“Jill, do you mind doing us a great honor and helping us locate some coffee for the Luna and her mother?” Jill turns beet red at his smile and Abigial beams at her new title.

“Y-yes of course, Beta.” She looks down, “Anything for you two?”

“If you can spare the time, we would love some, as well. Thank you, Jill.” She turns away quickly, “Ladies, do you mind staying in the waiting room, just in case.” Lucas looks at them and Isla leads Abigial out without a word.

“You can never be too careful.” He shrugs, I appreciate him always looking out for them.

“What do you smell? I get a bit of sulfur.” I take a step into the room, everything looked how we left it for the most part. The handcuff that Cam secured Jennifer to the bed was still there, just empty.

“Is that blood, or?” Lucas pulls back the sheets and there is a faint trace of something red, it didn’t smell like blood though, more of that sulfur smell.

Lucas runs a finger through it, “It seems like some kind of powder.” He holds his fingers up to the light showing me.

“Cam said there was no way out, it must be magic.”

“Gentleman,” The doctor, Jim, comes in behind us looking exhausted, “The baby is placed with her parents, he’s healthy and well.”

“I know you must be exhausted, why don’t you take a seat, and then we can get you back home.” Lucas pulls out a chair for him which he gratefully takes, scrubbing his hands over his face.

“Everything was normal, progressing quickly, no complications.” He starts without being prompted, “The baby was born, a boy, as you know. Jill took him from me to clean him and I was cleaning her up after the placenta was delivered.” Lucas makes a face but quickly composes himself.

“I was taking the placenta to be discarded and removing my medical tools, my back turned to her, and there was a loud pop, I thought it was a bomb or something. My first thought was that someone was trying to break her out and knocked down the walls of the clinic.” He looks at us grave.

“Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. There was a dark, reddish smoke, that covered the room, making it hard to see. The guards ran in immediately, but they were too late. We all were, she was gone, it must have been immediate.”

“Vanished into thin air?” Lucas asks

The doctor nods, “Seems like it, the baby wouldn’t stop crying, there was smoke everywhere, it was chaos. Unless it was a diversion for her to escape, I just don’t see a way for her to sneak past the guards.” He shakes his head.

“I immediately linked Cam when I realizes she was gone, and now we’re here.” He looks defeated, and so tired.

“Thank you, Jim. You did all that you could have, and for the safe delivery of the child.” I put my hand on his shoulder but he doesn’t look up, “This wasn’t your fault, I don’t know who she had helping her, or how she was able to slip it here, but it wasn’t you.” I sighed taking a seat next to him.

“Let’s work our way back. We have to talk to her parents and all the guards that were watching her or supervising her parent's weekly meetings. See if they saw anything or if they have a faulty story.” Lucas starts pacing.

“I don’t want to think one of our men or women was in on it.” I interrupt

“Of course, neither do I. But, we can’t leave any stone unturned. There is no telling where she went to and we need to know how she escaped.” He pinches his nose, I had to agree with him.

“What state was she in when she left?” I ask Jim.

“Medically, her epidural was wearing off, but she shouldn’t have been able to move still. Ah! Great so she couldn’t have snuck out.” He looks relieved for a split second before composing himself, “No tearing or anything, she didn’t need stitches or additional medical treatment, so once the epidural would wear off she would be in a bit of pain of course, but nothing that would slow her down for too long.”

There was a knock on the doorframe and Jill comes in bringing us two steaming cups of coffee.

“Thank you, Jill, and for your work with Jennifer’s labor.” I look at her and she bows her head.

“Jim you could use some sleep, your mate is in the waiting room. Why don’t you take her home and we can meet up for a very late brunch?” Lucas says to him, yawning himself.

“Once Cam gets back to us I think we should all get some sleep and then hit the ground running with this today. What a start to the New Year.” I sigh and Lucas chuckles.

“Never a dull moment these days.”