Chapter 14

Chapter 14

He stared at his mate and his heart clenched. There she lay, her face was red and swollen.

"How dare they lay their filthy finger on my mate". He said through gritted teeth.

He couldn't let his son see his mother in this state. He was thankful that the boy was asleep when they had arrived last night with her. She wasn't in a pleasant state.

"Alpha, the boy is asking to see you". Vincent spoke from the door.

Skyler sighed, stood up from his bedside, and walked out to the living room downstairs.

"Good morning Mr Quinn". He was waving as Skyler descended the stairs.

"Hey Champ". Skyler was in front of him in one fluid motion, arms outstretched for a morning hug.

"I'm excited. Very excited". Miguel replied, bubbling with happiness. Skyler picked him up and engulfed him in a warm hug.

"Mmmm! What's the source of this excitement if I may ask?" Skyler dropped him and took a seat on the couch beside him. He tried to force a smile.

"Well, Mama's back". Skyler's smile fell. "And my throat is getting better. See". He raised his head to show his neck. It was actually getting better and his voice wasn't all so croaky.

"Who told you Mama's back?" He darted his eyes around, looking for any sign of Vincent.

Aside from the guards, only Vincent knew of Fira's return and....his caretaker.

"Claudia!" He screamed at the top of his voice that Miguel had to cover his ears.

"Sorry champ". He rubbed the boy's head.

The 55-year-old woman came running out of the kitchen.

"Al....al...pha. You called for me". She stammered.

Skyler rarely shouted at her. He never did. She was like his mother. Seeing him shout in that manner scared the living daylight out of her.

"Who did you tell about Fira's return?" He pulled her aside, making sure they were out of earshot.

"No one Alpha". She shook her head.

"Then how does he know?" He pointed at the boy who was staring at him, scared.

"I don't know. Maybe the girl told him". He raised an eyebrow. "Alice I mean". She added for clarification.

"How did Alice know?"

"She came down quite early for breakfast. Said she was really hungry. Since you said to feed them whenever they please, I gave her some cereal and toasted a few slices of bread for her while I prepared breakfast. She was soliloquizing and said this very sentence "Poor Miss B. I wonder how she's feeling". I thought she knew so I said "Those bruises and fractures will probably take time to heal". She asked where she was and I said she was up in your bed chamber. That's all". She was shaking.

"But I told you to say nothing. It was that simple. Say nothing. Now the boy knows. How is he supposed to see his mother in the state that she's in?" Skyler was frustrated.

"I'm sorry Alpha". Claudia bowed her head.

"Just go. You're dismissed".

He strode back to where the boy was.

"Are you mad at Ms Claudia?" His voice was sad.

"No son. I'm just checking for loopholes". He smiled kindly.

"Alice says I can't see Mama yet. That she's really tired". His voice became more sober.

"Yes she is. Really tired. But you'll see her soon. Just don't worry". He tried to cheer him up but it wasn't working.

"What do you want to do today? Should we go shopping? Do you want some ice cream? How about we go to the arcade?"

Miguel's eyes lit up in excitement.

"Everything. Let's do everything". He squealed and Skyler chuckled.

"Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Just cereals. But Ms Claudia is making some pancakes".

"We'll go have breakfast first then we go to the mall. What do you say?"

"Yes". Miguel stood up and jumped into the air.

Skyler was happy. The happiest he had been in days. His son was feeling better, his mate was with him, and in as much as she was still unconscious and not feeling too good, she was with him. That was all that mattered. The minute she woke, he was going to make a good apology for what had happened in their past and then hear her side of the story so he could track down those who had taken her.

He led Miguel to the kitchen and set him on one of the high chairs. Claudia was almost done with breakfast. Alice called him aside.

"Good morning Mr Quinn. I'm extremely sorry I told Miguel Miss B was back. I was just so excited. It wasn't Ms Claudia's fault". Her eyes held so much sadness. Self-blame. How could one person be so sad? Then he remembered she was depressed.

"It's fine. It's nobody's fault okay? Have breakfast. We're going to the mall after this. When we return, you and I have some talking to do". Alice nodded.

After breakfast, the three of them changed into casual outfits and Vincent drove them to the mall. Alice was asked to sit at the back but she insisted on sitting in front with Vincent. Skyler smirked and allowed her.

At the mall, they bought clothes, toys, shoes, candies, cakes, sweets, and ice cream. They made sure to drop them in the car when the load got too much. It was at the arcade that disaster struck. Alice suddenly went missing when Skyler went to get their tickets.

"Where's Alice?" Panic rose inside him.

She wasn't in the restroom. She had just used the restroom before they got there.

"There was this scary-looking man and he took her. He told her not to say a word. She told me to tell you to save her".

"Shit". Skyler swept Miguel into his arms. Was the universe against him? First, his son was hospitalized, his mate kidnapped, and Alice unconscious. Now that everyone was okay, Alice got kidnapped.

"We'll play the game once we find Alice". He muttered to the boy and tried to track the girl's scent but there were too many people in the mall. Too many scents.

He mind-linked Vincent

'Alice is missing. Tell the guards to spread out across the entire facility. Every car that moves out must be checked thoroughly.

'Fuck! Yes, Alpha'.

It didn't take 30 minutes to find the man and Alice.

"Let her go and we'll let you go without harm". Skyler spoke the moment he had arrived at the scene.

The attention he had been trying to avoid for the safety of Miguel's identity, by telling the guards to stand outside, had been blown.

"Why should I let her go? Do you think you can just order me around? Who do you think you are?" He grabbed a crying Alice by the throat while holding out a pen knife for safety.

"Someone you wouldn't like to mess with. Who do you think YOU are?" Skyler rated him from head to toe. Arms littered with tattoos. He looked like a child and drug trafficker.

"Her father".