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"Gone where?" Danny stepped forward, his hand instinctively moving to his stomach. "What do you mean, gone?"

“He never showed to get Callie,” Isla almost shouted, her hands twisting in panic.

"He was supposed to pick her up from Sierra's house two hours ago," Emery explained, his voice shaking. "Sierra called when he didn't show, and we realized no one had seen him for around four hours. Matthew's car is gone, and Ben's phone is going straight to voicemail."

My stomach dropped. Ben had been so helpful with the picnic planning, so excited about doing something nice for me and Danny. The idea that something had happened to him while we were enjoying ourselves made me sick.

"Could he have just gone for a drive?" Danny suggested, but his voice lacked conviction. "Maybe lost track of time?"

Phoenix ended his call and joined us, his expression grim. "Not Ben. He's reliable to a fault, especially when it comes to Callie. And he would have answered his phone."

"We've tried tracking the car," Rhys added, his silver eyes flashing with barely contained fury. "Nothing. It's like he vanished."

I felt Danny sway slightly beside me and guided him to sit on the nearest chair. His face had gone pale, and I could smell the sharp tang of fear coming from him.

"What about silver-skin abilities?" I asked, looking at Rhys. "Can't you sense him?"

Rhys shook his head, frustration evident in every line of his body. "I've tried. There's nothing—which means either he's too far away, or..." He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to.

"Or someone's blocking him," Isla finished. "It's possible, with the right knowledge."

"Who would take Ben?" Danny asked, his voice small. "And why?"

The room fell silent as we all considered the implications. Ben was half silver-skin, half wolf seer, a genetic rarity. He was also family, part of our pack, connected to powerful shifters and silver-skins alike.

"No outsiders have been here, and no other packs since the Gathering," Isla said.

"Shane," Danny whispered, and all eyes turned to him. "My brother was here, asking questions, looking around. What if—" He broke off, his hand moving protectively to his stomach.

"Shane doesn't have the resources or knowledge to pull this off," Phoenix said firmly. "But he might have been gathering information for someone who does."

My bear surged beneath my skin, demanding action, demanding blood. I pushed him down with effort. "We need to organize search parties.”

“Already done,” Phoenix said.

Danny suddenly stood, swaying slightly before I steadied him. "I need to call Shane," he said, his voice tight with determination.

"Danny—" I started, but he shook his head.

"No, listen. Shane's an opportunistic bastard, but he's not stupid enough to kidnap a teenager. But if someone approached him, offered him money for information about this place, about the people here..." Danny's jaw clenched. "He'd sell our mother for the right price."

Phoenix nodded grimly. "Do it. But be careful what you say."

Danny pulled out his phone with trembling fingers, and thanks to shifter hearing we could all hear both sides of the conversation when Shane answered on the third ring.

"Well, well, little brother," Shane's voice came through tinny but clear. "Twice in one month? I'm flattered."

"Cut the shit, Shane," Danny said, his voice harder than I'd ever heard it. "I need to know if anyone's been asking you questions about where I'm staying."

There was a pause. “Who’d be interested in you?” But it was bravado. Danny knew it was.

“You’re lying,” Danny said. “Shane, if you ever loved me even a little bit, you have to tell me.”

There was another pause. “You’d better not mess this up for me.”

“Mess what up?” Danny cried. “Someone asked, Shane. I know they did.”

There was another silence then Shane sighed and muttered, “My new boss.”