PARIS'S POV

I knew I should not have lost my temper like that. Jean was my partner, but I was getting tired of everyone telling me that I was allowing my bond with Kate to influence my decisions. I mean, how many times had I tried to break the bloody bond by rejecting Kate?


But she simply wasn't having it. She refused to be rejected! And I was losing my mind because of it. Then Ember just had to show up, being all soft and gentle with the bloke and I simply could no longer be there anymore. So I left.

Did I feel bad about it later? Somewhat. But the deed had been done. Jean would get over it. He and I were mature enough to put our differences aside for the good of Ember. Although, I wasn't sure where he and I were going any more with our little partnership. But, I still needed to speak to Ember.

I felt unsettled about the way things ended the day before, and I picked up my phone to give her a call. I tried three times and figured she was ignoring me on the fourth.


I sighed and tossed my phone away, but by afternoon, my discomfort only increased and I had to wonder if Ember was actually safe and to actually know that, there was only one person whom I could actually call to find out. Jean.

"What do you want, Paris?" Jean asked, irritation in his tone,


"Good to hear from you too. Have you heard from Ember?" I asked and was worried by the silence that ensued.

"Not since I dropped her off yesterday, why?"

"she isn't picking up any of my calls," I said angrily,

"as she shouldn't... You're a pin in her arse," he said and I gritted my teeth,

"Could you please check on her? I'm worried."

"fine," he said and ended the call immediately and though I judged he was so quick to end the call because I probably got his attention, I found his abrupt way of ending the call somewhat rude.

He called back only moments later, and I quickly picked up,

"she's not picking up, Paris." he said and sounded cold. Awfully cold, I felt cold as well.

"Jean, I think Ember is in trouble."

I was out of the house in minutes. Kate was calling out to me, but I couldn't deal right then. Ember wasn't safe, and it was only when I had driven out of the pack land that I realized that I didn't even know where to start.

Jean called again, in the middle of my dilemma,

"I don't know where to start looking," I told him,

"I'll start at her place, but I'm getting all of the scents on Parker's Avenue. I'll check it out, but why don't you go ahead of me?"

"fine. Fine. Thank you." I said revved up the engine, and zoomed away. I stopped the car around a curb inhaled deeply, and caught a trace of Ember's scent in the air.

I would tear down this entire street if I had to, just to find Ember and follow Ember's scent to where it was strongest. And although I could not explain why that led me to a bloody hotel, but I forged on and turned to the receptionist.

"I'm looking for a woman," I said and she looked surprised,

"There are plenty of women here. Anyone in particular?"

I brought out her phone and showed her Ember's picture, and the fear in her face was the only giveaway.

"I-"

"better say the truth." I threatened,

"the basement." she said, closing her eyes, "check the basement."

She gave me directions to the bloody basements, and I decided that if there was time, I would deal with her later. I had to find Ember first.

I ran to the basement and was met with an iron door. I caught the scent of wolfsbane and Ember and knew that those two in one place were a very bad combo.

I had no keys, so I pushed and pushed and pushed at the door until it finally gave way, and when it did, I groaned at the sight of Ember on a bed, looking so pale and weak,

"no, no, no." I cried and ran to her side,

She slowly opened her eyes and sighed, "Paris?" she asked weakly,

"ember. I'll get you out of here. I promise."

"Paris..." she sighed again, and tried to raise her hand, "behind you," she said weakly, but it was just in time for me to turn and see the man walking toward me with a rod,

"You son of a gun." I cursed, and caught the rod in midair, "how dare you?" I took the rod out of his hand with such anger, and whacked him on the head with it so that he fell to the ground,

"you should have gone out of town when you had the chance!" I barked and whacked him with the rod again. But the rod wasn't satisfactory enough. I wanted to kill the bastard with my own bare hands. So I tossed the rod aside, and grabbed the man like a doll so that he dangled with his feet off the ground,

"you thought you could hurt her and get away with it?" I asked and punched him in the face, "you thought you would be a free man after this?" I asked and punched him again,

"Paris." I heard Ember call, but It didn't register. I was in the middle of a murder. I punched him until his nose bled, forgetting about the wolfsbane, and the fact that it weakened Ember.

"Paris!" she called again and this time I turned to her. She managed to sit up, but she looked worse for wear.

"damn it." I cursed, and tossed the bloke to the side, before running to Ember and carrying her off the bed,

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I said and left the room with her.

When we out of the room, away from the wolfsbane, I looked back into the room,

"I need to finish him off," I said, still pissed, but she brought a hand to my cheek and shook her head,

"He isn't worth it," she said softly and I looked at her with confusion,

"He hurt you."

"I know. Even then," she said and her head lolled on my shoulder, and she passed out.