A/N: NOT EDITED

Chapter 46 (Chelsea's POV)

Going downstairs I heard jack over the pack link, come to the office and bring Gabriel along Chelsea

Sure.

"We are needed in the office here," I told him.

"What's up?"

"Not sure," I said as we turned the corner before walking to the office.

The only ones there were Gabriel's parents, Jamie, Jack, Casey and the four men that Alpha George brought over.

Everyone except Mina had a blank face when we entered, she was smiling at Gabriel. Well so I thought but she was really actually fixated on our hands; they were linked.

I'm so proud of him, shocked too!!! She gushed then I heard her think he didn't take advantage of that poor girl, thinking about something other than his lower head.

If I wasn't so shocked at what she thought I would've laughed regrettably giving away just another clue about myself.

"Hey guys we were all discussing Chelsea and Ava," Jamie said but something was off about the way he was speaking or maybe it was the sound of his voice but I could tell it was fake at the moment.

What is wrong Jamie? I asked him privately.

Later, was all he said a tad bit coldly, detached which was not the Jamie I had grown to know.

I could tell that something was dreadfully wrong with him but also that he didn't want for us to discuss it at this moment and I could understand that because when I first met the Colts' in person that is I broke down but wanted to do that in private so I could certainly grant Jamie that. Even though for the first time I wanted to selfishly use my gifts to by pass any walls he had put up. I knew that whatever the problem was had to do with Samuel because he just seemed to be the cause of major troubles as of late.

"About Ava, does she remember anything about what happened to her?? I know she's young and was younger when she was marked, well not marked but changed," George said but everyone else was looking at me expectantly for answers, wanting to know what I knew but unfortunately it was not much.

"She doesn't know much, when I ask certain things she has flashes, or memories but they are blurry and so far when I've been around her she only thinks of her past when she is prompted," I said rambling.

"She woke up for a bit? Was she okay?" Casey asked.

"Yes, she did but oddly she just crawled into my bed and went back to sleep," I said still perplexed by the behavior.

Mina giggled, "Blame Gabriel," her giggles turning into full on laughter.

"She has been sleeping with someone in our family since she's been with us, she's a bit spoiled I would say."

Sheepishly Gabriel spoke, "I didn't know she was a werewolf child." Defending himself, pouting slightly.

I smiled softly at his expression, "So what should I do?" I asked Mina, not sure if I should leave her alone or move her back into her bed. I was worried about a few things; would she think I didn't want her? Would she fell like she is being punished now since she spent years sleeping with someone next to her as a wolf? Would that be traumatizing to push her away? The worst thing I could think of was what if she was afraid of something but her innocent mind couldn't successfully explain those fears to me adequately?

I was thinking or obsessing over my impromptu questions that seemed more important than anything else anyone in the room actually wanted to discuss but then Mina interrupted my thoughts, "well put her to bed in her own room." She spoke thoughtfully and that please me and my wolves because she wasn't just spitting psychology terms at me, granted I would understand them but still I wanted actual useable advice from a professional.

"She has to feel secure, safe and sound and able to comfort herself while understand that it is okay to seek you out but there has to be balance. She needs to be sleeping on her own, on a regular basis, but can come to you when she is feeling like all the ways to soothe herself are not working. Right now..." she took a minute before continuing.

"Right now, I'm not sure she has developed a sufficient amount of language to even tell you in so many words what is bothering her. Nonetheless pay attention to her behavior and you could end up picking up some signs. She doesn't just have to use words to communicate with you Chelsea, you can observe her behavior."

Well that seemed easy enough, but I wanted some more advice so I asked. "How do I create this balance for her?" Listening carefully.

Bringing her hands onto the table from underneath them, "Pick a time she has to go to bed and stick with it," she said seriously.

I just nodded my head, as she continued, "Then go through the bed time steps. Her bath time, brushing her teeth, a non stimulating story and then say your goodnights," she named off ideas and I was silently pleased with myself that I had been doing some of that already. Granted I went off how tired she appeared instead of a set time I was still doing something right. I felt encouraged, that I could really be her mom, a good mom although I didn't have one.

I wanted to clarify so I asked again, "So put her in her own bed?"

"Yes," she nodded, "when she comes into your bed you should put her back into her own bed. Explain that she has to sleep in her room it will take some time but bring her back each time, she will understand eventually..." she then shook her head as if she made a mistake.

"This may not be acceptable for right now when pertaining exclusively to Ava. Right now, you can attempt to do that then let me know how it works out, take notes and call me in a week...? Okay sweetheart?" she said compassionately.

Okay I could do that... I think... I mean I didn't want this to be a problem and I wanted Ava to be happy in her home because that is what helped me. Knowing that any dream or nightmare I had dad was able to comfort me, take some of my fears away.

"Thank you for the help," and I was sincerely happy that she was able to explain, give me actual suggestions for this. We had drifted off topic but now I wanted to back because of the way George had reacted to hearing of Ava's creation.

"Why did you need to talk to Mikael about Ava?"

"This pattern that Mikael fully examined has been going on for a very long time, almost 15 or 16 years if my suspicions are correct. The thing is whoever started changing them did so when they stopped kidnapping true blood werewolf children."

"After that stopped many packs stopped putting attention, resources to see why they were kidnapping children," George said stiffly.

"When they were taking werewolf children, a couple maybe five out of 200 were able to escape and let the right people know some facts," Mina interrupted her mate, fuming.

Cocking a brow her statement catching my attention, "Like what exactly?"

"They were abused, but not till death-" I didn't need to have them finish the sentence for me.

"Just until they were forced into turning," my words came out mechanically... robotic.

"Precisely!"

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Chapter 47 (Chelsea's POV)

I wouldn't break down about this although I wanted too... it was bad enough what I went through with Leo but the torture... putting a child through that just so they could shift earlier in life...

Yet, everything was making sense, "It wasn't working so instead of taking true blood werewolf offspring, they started taking human children and changing them straight away," hoping I was wrong but knowing I was hitting the nail right on the head.

Although Leo only had me for three years and Alpha George said this was occurring over 10 years ago, if someone realized that it wouldn't work did that mean Leo was just doing his own thing? Was he working on his own maybe to disprove what was decided previously?

"What did they do with the already captured true blood children?" Gabriel asked, surprising me. I thought for sure that he would have known about this.

"They were kept son," George spoke grimly.

"This makes no sense," I blurted out rubbing my forehead with my free hand.

"Why?" the four men George brought, Mina and even Jamie all said simultaneously.

That's what Leo did to me, I mind linked with Jamie not wanting to alert anyone else and without missing a beat I spoke out loud as well.

"I meant that we have no idea what the plan may be..." which wasn't what I had been thinking but still a valid point.

"Just off the top of my head I can think of a few different suspects or should I call it possible reasoning's. I don't know much about your family business but could it be a human individual using them or planning to use them? Second, someone building a self serving pack meant to take over smaller packs, then eventually the larger ones. Third, maybe human hunters those whom know of our kind and want to destroy us, using our own kind against us. Fourth? Same theory as before but a different enemy, vampire those that are not friendly with our kind. Fifth? Let's go back to the family business aspect, meaning rival families that are already true blood wolves but don't want to lose their people so they change children instead?" I said frantically and everyone was watching me strangely but it's not like a few bizarre looks would shut me up at this moment.

"They could be selling them as trained warriors..."

"As, as... sex slaves..."

I could feel myself trembling, a growl deep in my belly but I couldn't stop my mouth at the moment I had no filter. My composure was fleeting, with each thought more depraving than the preceding I felt my chest rise rapidly, my inhalation coming in pants; I couldn't get any air... but I spoke between my gasps.

"As... slaves in general... I mean you could just pass the slave on... well if you're human..." I added before I was interrupted.

"You hear two little facts and that's where your mind goes?" Oscar, Mina's brother asks of me eye brows rise judgment thickly covering his facial features as well as his words.

I rolled my eyes; no I hear those two little facts and think they changed them to play hopscotch... I thought to myself but kept my sarcasm out of this conversation.

"What do you think when you hear that?" I turned the question back onto him, to any of them because in the type of work he and Gabe's' family did, they should think like me as well. I hadn't known more than the exact number of people he had killed but when you had that many... I'm sure he had lost a bit of himself each time but maybe that's just what I thought.

"Well those just seem so farfetched,"

"We are technically mythical creatures, my half sister tried to kill me for my mate. My twin sister shot at me, oh and up until a week ago no one from your pack knew that I existed. What I put out there, in my own mind seems more probable, less unlikely than what my life presently seems to be," but I wasn't over and done with.

"His mate," I said pointing to Casey, "has been a werewolf living in your pack as a pet wolf..." surely these people were too complacent in life at this point.

"I rather to not know when an attack is coming and have already prepared myself for it, than being ambushed and having to half ass it after the fact," I explained. Gabriel, Jack, Casey and Jamie were looking at me with pride in their eyes.

I was starting to wonder if Gabe's father really in fact brought me his best four because the words and signs of work ethics I gathered from this short interaction led me to believe that maybe it was his best four from his second or probably third best team... that or we defined the word 'best' differently.

"Well it's just that no matter what no one harms children in the Mafia crime side of things..." excuses.

"Exactly, their children not a child that doesn't belong to anyone," how could they not see that?

"You don't want your family, mate, wife, children hurt so you pad yourself with expendables. You might not use them until they have been trained and prove to be trust worthy but getting that isn't very hard." I shook my head, not at any of them but just to the thought of training as a means to an end.

"Withhold all things from them, and slowly give them back as you please... food... water... warmth... clothing... the basic of basic needs. Take them away and give them back not as a right but a privilege,"

"That's cruel and calculating," said Oscar.

"Right but you don't hear them," I said point to Gabriel and Mina, "disagreeing with me."

It was silent for a minute "So based on shared information what did you guys gather? Or was what you previously mentioned all that was there?" still not sure why the Alpha wanted to speak to Mikael.

"I wanted to see if this had anything to do with Katie, when she went missing it was right around the time they changed Ava and Gabriel found her. We all thought that they stopped taking true bloods," George answered sound very broken, his words, tone matching the sadness and sorrow on Mina's face.

"And-" I was interrupted by Gabe's phone ringing.

"Excuse me," he said getting up and walking out.

"What were you saying dear?" Mina prompted me.

"I wanted to know what else Mikael found out."

"Not much but now we plan on contacting other packs, bring this back to attention. All the possibilities you mentioned and more could be happening... it's like you said, we can't just let it go to only be left blindsided," said Gabe's father as Gabriel walked back into the room, face contorted into a grimace.

"James, Oscar, Saul and Rico we need to go over to the docks, were meeting Ames, Andrew, Ethan and some cleaners," he said and they immediately all jumped walking out.

"What's the fucking problem?" asked Boss Gavino; ha I'd die before I called him that out loud... things like that went to people's heads.

Jack and Casey call you that Avena and Aria pointed out.

Yeah and I hate that they do it... I snapped back.

"A problem with a shipment," he said brusquely, his voice hard, cold and face blank. There was just something so harsh about the way he spoke that sent chills down my spine. Still I couldn't keep my eyes off of him, and when he noticed finally that my stare was focused on him he looked at me with his face softened but only for a short period.

"I need to go love," he said softly, kissing me then straightening up stiffly, back straight walking out strong.

Turning back to Mina I could see the worry in her eyes, "No need to worry Gabriel is the best darling," Alpha said to Mina.

Couldn't help but snort to myself, there goes that word 'best,' again; raising his brow at me I shook my head, I was not going to go down that road right now. Instead I would talk about something else entirely.

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Chapter 48 – Alpha baby? Twins? (Chelsea's POV)

I made a promise to myself that I would leave all type of confrontation when it came to Gabriel's parents as the last possible option, fighting with them meant I had to get down to their level which I was not interested in at all. It wasn't that I was aiming for some small talk, but now that everyone I thought could be against them had left it was a perfect moment to really discuss some important things.

"How are you feeling Mina?" smiling wide again. "Great thank you."

"So you're sure you're having a girl?" I questioned and in my opinion I started off simple.

"Oh yeah," I could feel Georges eyes on me but I had other concerns.

Resting back I wanted or wondered really if they knew or had any speculations, that this baby was carrying the Alpha gene or they were having twins. Then again, it seemed like neither knew so how did this escape their knowledge, granted that with expecting us and family connections maybe they were preoccupied.

Don't stress her out Chelsea; be nice she is hormonal at this moment... Aria said to me coaching and reminding me of the importance of keeping her calm.

"Mina?" I spoke softly.

"Are you having twins?"

She looked shocked, genuinely unaware, "No."

"Why would you ask that?" George demanded.

"Either she's having twins or that little girl is an Alpha, well has the Alpha gene," I said bluntly, no running in circles, watching his reactions. Both the Luna and Alpha blurted out different statements at the same time.

"How can you tell?" George asked doubtfully.

"Are you sure?" Mina asked worriedly.

"How can you not tell?" I retorted, then said to Mina, "Either you're having twins, one of each gender, two girls or one girl that's carrying the Alpha gene," something wasn't right, but it never was when dealing with these people. No I take that back, something was always wrong with George because he seemed to be making all the wrong choices but I'm starting to realize he does it sometimes with all the best intentions. However the saying goes... 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions...'

Mina began crying but was also angry it seemed, "how long have you known George Gavino!?" she demanded, partly yelled but also sobbed.

Hormones... said Avena

"Minny..." he said but it sounded so pitiful.

Minny?

Not helping...

Can anything really help?

Not really, no... It was taking everything I had not to laugh at Alpha George right now, he sounded like a little puppy.

A whiny little puppy.

Then I caught on and questioned him, "Wait! Hold up! You knew?"

Before I could even get his answer my mind went wild, flipped, dipped and spun, "Did Katie have the Alpha gene?" I wondered out loud looking at their faces for the truth. I never wanted to get complacent and only use my ability to read thoughts.

If you weren't watching them you would have missed it, because I saw Mina give her head a hesitant small nod.

"Not exactly..." still not sure they could trust me I noticed so I remained silent. Mina was saying that she did have the gene but George was saying she didn't.

"Our pack did not know this but Rian and Jay did know, but the thing is that if trained Katie, she would have ended up being the best Beta..." the best beta... my eyes widened immensely as they truly just gave me one of the missing puzzle pieces it seems.

"So by age 20 she could have challenged Ames and most likely won? So the Colts' wouldn't have any status in your pack." Statement not a question, I shook my head, now more than ever I thought Rian and Leo were teamed up.

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Chapter 49 – Making Sense (Chelsea POV)

"What are you thinking Chelsea?" Jamie all but insisted and demanded I speak my closed thoughts out loud he knew me all too well but I was fine with that, it wasn't that I gave much away but he just watched and studied be carefully.

"When I was 13 years old Leo popped up, as some of you know, but he didn't get me. It was April 9th 2011, when was Katie taken?" I couldn't tell them what I thought was happening but everything was getting clearer. Crystal.

"She was taken August 19th 2011, f-four months after you, after Leo came for you..." he stumbled over his words.

"They were removing all obstacles," he whispered in horror.

I could tell Mina was confused, her mate jumped from his spot, his behavior stormy and was unintelligibly muttering words unclear even to the rest of us and we were wolves.

"Mina," I did not know how to say everything or where to start because I just did not want to give too much away to them.

"Before Jason, my father I was weak. I mean I could barely do anything at all. He wanted me weak in some ways and strong in others," a shudder ran through me as I thought back to that time in my life.

"He wanted me to be afraid of him and as well as my weakness, but wanted me angry and cold in terms of your beta and pack. I've always brainstormed ideas with them" pointing to Jack and Casey "no matter how we look at it, we believe that it was a planned premeditated attack."

"Everyone knows that eventually all mates find each other, but everyone feels the pull of their wolves to stay with their original pack especially if they aren't mated out to another packs Beta, or Alpha. I would eventually come across Jay, across your pack Alpha. When my father changed Rian she inherited some of his strength. Lets say hypothetically she knew of both Audrey and I, as a baby she would have known I would be stronger than Ames, who is set to replace Jay. She could tell that I would be stronger than the children she already had. So she or whom she works with gives her Audrey, who has no wolf. There is no threat of competition."

Sighing to myself, thinking and speaking again of a time I'd rather forget. "Leo would say he's been waiting for me, looking for me for a very long time, someone-"

Eyes wide, jaw tense Gabriel's father spoke, "put you in a dumpster or near one for him but you were found before that... he lost track of you."

I could only nod.

For the most part everyone just shook his or her heads in disgust but for Jack, Casey, Mikael and I this was years of assuming what everything meant and it was finally making sense. Mikael was fuming but silent, Jamie who I knew was hurting for some other reason was just watching, monitoring everyone around him it seemed.

Shaking her head, Mina seemed to be in a state of denial, "What does that have to do with Katie?" she huffed out.

Clearing my throat I gazed only at the table, "Its speculation but after how she spoke today, what's the best way to bring a pack to it's knees? Or I guess Mafia crime family?" I asked as rhetorically as possible, before actually answering myself "Infiltrate; send someone on the inside," coldness taking over me, "have that same someone remove all obstacles."

"Your mother."

"You."

"K-Katie?" she finally cracked as she spoke.

"Exactly! Make no mistake I hope I'm wrong but I'm positively sure I'm not."

"B-but what they did to you, th-that m-means they could- could be doing this to Katie," she said meekly, George ran to his mate's side.

At first I thought how sweet he treated his mate as we all looked on, I looked away even because it felt like I was invading on a special moment. Then, he spoke.

"Sweetheart, she's wrong they don't have Katie, Rian's family never hurt women or children it's an unspoken rule," he was grasping at straws.

I could see everyone looking at me and back at the Alpha and Luna in disbelief, so many emotions were passing over their faces' but pity was the most apparent. Checking my pockets I couldn't find what I was looking for so I mind linked Jamie, then Casey, Jack until finally Mikael had what I was looking for and tossed it in front of Mina for me.

She looked to Mikael questioningly and distracted by her previous cries, "Gum?"

"Yeah I asked him to give you a piece, thought you'd want something to remove the taste of all that shit your husband just fed you," shrugging my shoulder in an attempt of indifference and immensely proud of myself that I didn't laugh at her mate.

"Really what more do you need to hear? 'They would never do that,'" I spat Rian's earlier words aloud, "she all but confessed that she was in on whatever really happened to Katie!"

Jamie who for the most part had been quiet had a look of skepticism held in place, "Was there a ransom?" We all looked at him, and then back to George and Mina awaiting their answers I mean maybe they had and what was being requested was above their means.

"No," Mina whispered rubbing her belly, worry, care and devotion all fleeting expressions on her face. I was more relaxed now that she was worried, because although one should never be continually stressed and worried; they must never live blindly. If we were meant to stay ambivalent on whether or not to blindly trust strangers' parents would never educate their young children about 'stranger danger.'

"Mikael was switching into lawyer mode at the moment, "Yes I have to agree with Chelsea, regardless of how much doesn't make sense Rian and Leo are connected. Reasonable doubt? Well they've given you that in spades," he waved his hand in the general direction of Jack, Casey and myself.

Casey finally speaking out, simplifying everything, "I'd have to agree, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a duck..."

"I'm not saying that changing the children is also directly related to your daughter, however if we focus only on Katie, Chelsea, Rian and Leo; there are too many connections for this entire situation to be coincidence," Jack pointed out.

Is Jay in on this... no way is Jay in on this... thought George, debating with his self, not wanting to believe any of this because of his friendship with Jay, until he couldn't help himself and blurted out his thoughts for everyone to hear. "Jay, he's her husband and mate, if Rian was involved he would have to know! Surely! That something was greatly wrong!" Speaking to me defiantly like some child that was just scolded.

Does Mikael have another piece of gum for the Alpha? Asked Avena causing me to snort but luckily not loud enough to be awarded with any strange looks.

"Who are you trying to convince here? Us or yourself?" I answered.

He is getting suspicious said Aria

Georges' nose flared growling. "Who's to say you're not the one they sent?"

Jack threw his head back laughing, "Right the one person that is one step away from getting on her knees begging you to stay the fuck away from her since the beginning is the one they sent in..." Scathing but true.

"I only look at the facts Gavino," Mikael interrupted whatever George was planning to say, "So let's all look only at that."

"Rian's father is head of the Irish Mob." Point.

"Rian had to know that Jay was in your pack as well as Crime family." Point.

"His real mate comes along, returns a baby but not both of them."

"You get the one that has no wolf." Point.

"The Beta's turned mate asks him to never search for her even after having his child and leaving her under weird circumstance to which he follows through on his word." Point.

"Chelsea between ages nine and eleven saw videos of your Beta's family." Point.

"Chelsea is attacked when she was 13 years old, four months prior to someone taking your daughter."

"If trained Katie could take her place as Beta, pushing the Colts out of position." Point.

"Rian was 'attacked' because she wouldn't relinquish her hold on Katie, but recently said 'they'd never do that to me...' when Chelsea goaded her." Point.

"Rian was happy to let Maggie attack Chelsea, probably thought Chelsea would be untrained, strong but lacking experience since all the torture Leo put her through never changed her and no one knew she was a white wolf" two points for partially lying while telling the truth.

"Maggie has been training since she was 16 years old and shifted, Alpha? Luna? Answer me this, has Scarlet your other daughter been training as well?" Eyebrows all rose. Mikael was asking something I wanted to know as well.

"No she has Gabriel, Ames and myself to keep her safe, I just couldn't hold it in any longer and started giggling.

Mikael and the others chuckled as well, "So Scarlet had protection but Maggie wouldn't?" he asked bluntly leaving no room for the Alpha and his bullshit he likes to feed everyone.

Everyone without common sense or he knows trusts him implicitly, helps get away with all the lies he tells... Thought Aria.

"George, they're all right, we didn't see it before because there were parts that didn't add up but now," her breath hitched, she was shaking her head back and forth wildly.

"Rian helped take my baby, you better not let her get her hands on this one," she spat then smiled, I was quietly questioning her sanity at this point.

Hormones my wolves thought to me...

I doubt it.

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