Royal Shifters Series

Book 2: Sebastian

Tyla was still passed out by the time we got to the cabin I’d rented, so I carried her inside and laid her on the bed. Taking one last glance at her, I shut the door to the bedroom and retreated downstairs. I pulled out the stone and set it on the kitchen table. Why hadn’t it worked for me?

Sliding my phone out, I dialed Seraphina’s number. She was one of the Royal Pack elders, and a wolf who had the magic of a witch.

“Hello,” she answered.

“Seraphina, it’s Sebastian.”

“Oh dear, you don’t sound so good. I take it there’s bad news.”

Sighing, I sat down on the couch. “It’s not good. In fact, I have to call Sophia and Erle as soon as I get off the phone with you.”

“Where’s Tyla?”

I closed my eyes and concentrated on her in the room above. She was still breathing heavily. “She’s upstairs sleeping. We found her aunt and uncle ripped apart in the woods, with no sign of Amelie.” She gasped. “But that’s not what I’m calling about. Something else happened and I need your help. Have you ever encountered a blue stone with linking capabilities?”

“Like what exactly?” she asked.

“We found a smooth, blue stone on top of Amelie’s journal. When Tyla touched it, she was thrust inside Amelie’s memories. The downfall is that it drained Tyla’s energy and completely wiped her out. That’s why she’s unconscious upstairs.”

“What all did she see?”

“The first time she touched it, she could see her aunt and uncle’s death. But then I stole the stone away because I thought it was hurting her.”

“Did you see anything when you touched it?”

I picked up the stone and examined it. “No. I’m holding it now and it’s not doing a goddamned thing.”

“Interesting. And from what you said, I’m assuming she touched it more than once?”

“Yes, but I don’t know what she saw the last time. She’s not awake to tell me.”

The line grew silent while I listened to Seraphina mumble to herself. Even she seemed to be puzzled. “Can you send me a picture of it?”

“Sure.” I snapped a picture and sent it over. “You should have it now.”

Seraphina cleared her throat and sighed. “It looks just like a normal moonstone. Granted, any kind of stone can hold magical capabilities, but it would take someone a lot more powerful than me to do a linking spell on it. My question is, why would anyone want to link Amelie’s memories to it in the first place?”

“That’s what I’m wondering. I don’t get a bad vibe from the stone, but someone obviously wants this connection to Amelie. We just have to figure out who it is.”

“And I have no doubt you’ll figure it out. The only suggestion I have is to let Tyla get as much from the stone as she can. You might get the answers you’re looking for.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “I would if it didn’t zap her energy. She’s comatose right now and I have no clue how long it’ll last.”

“It’s because she’s not strong enough. If you were mated, like you should be, she’d have the energy of a royal.”

“That’s not likely to happen any time soon. She fights me every chance she gets.”

She burst out laughing. “That comes from her mother. Just give her time.”

I could feel the rage brewing just underneath my skin. “Unfortunately, time isn’t on my side.” We said our goodbyes and I took a deep breath before answering the call that came through next. It was Tyla’s parents. Her phone had been buzzing nonstop for the past two hours.

“Sophia,” I greeted.

“Oh, thank God. What’s going on? Where’s Tyla?” she asked breathlessly.

“She’s fine, just passed out at the moment. It’s been a long day.”

“Did you find Amelie? What about my sister? Is she okay?” Her desperation was evident.

I felt sick knowing the bomb I was about to drop on her. “Is Erle around?”

She sniffled. “Yes.”

“Can you put me on speakerphone? I’d like to talk to you both.” She did as I said and I could hear Erle in the background. “We didn’t find Amelie, but we found signs that she was taken. Whoever did it used some very powerful magic. Thankfully, we might have some clues to help us.”

“And my sister?” Sophia asked.

I held my breath and blew it out slow. “I’m so sorry, Sophia, but she didn’t make it. Nor did Benjamin.”

“What happened to them?” she demanded.

Erle huffed. “Soph, that’s not something you need to know. Sebastian don’t answer that.”

Sophia burst out crying. “Why would anyone want to hurt them?”

“I think they were trying to help Amelie and got in the way. She was obviously the one the wolves wanted. I promise we’ll find her. Tyla’s not going to want to leave until we do.”

“They were best friends,” Erle said. “Attached at the hip, they were.”

“And it’ll be that way again when we find her. We’ll bring her home.”

Sophia sniffled again, but her voice was strong. “Sebastian?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“Whatever happens, you bring my Tyla home safe. I don’t care what you have to do, or who you have to leave behind, just make sure she gets back. I’m not going to let her kill herself over this mission. You both have so much to live for. I want to see her happy. I want grandbabies to hold.”

I sighed. “Then talk some sense into her. She won’t listen to me.”

“She’ll come around,” she murmured. “Tyla’s been through a lot of heartache. I know she’d kill me if I told you this, but she’s just afraid. You need to show her she has nothing to worry about.”

Leaning my head against the couch, I blew out a frustrated breath. Getting Tyla to listen was like trying to move a brick wall. I guess I was just going to have to break it down.