"He's a combination of sensitive and savage."
~Unknown
********************

Spencer

Opening my eyes, I found my world upside down through cracked glass. My head throbbed painfully, but I paid no attention to it. All I cared about was Elsa. Turning my head, I started to ask if she was okay, only to find her seat empty.

"Elsa?" My voice sounded foreign and far away as if it wasn't my own, and it sounded weak, far too weak. Swallowing, I called out for her again. "Elsa!"

"Spencer!" Killian appeared next to the broken window, his face scratched and bruised, his lip busted and bleeding. "Guys! Help me get him out!"

Mia and Jace came into view, both equally as torn up as Killian. Gingerly, they extracted me from the car, careful to avoid the shattered glass below us. They leaned me against the side of the vehicle. No one passed us in the remoteness of our location. For better or for worse, we were on our own.

"Where's Elsa?" I asked, clutching my head. A massive, tender lump could be felt on the left side. "Where is she?"

"They took her," Mia whispered, her voice cracking. "The Shadow People. She told them to take her instead of you. She said she was the omega and would break easier than the rest of us. We couldn't- we couldn't convince her otherwise. We couldn't-"

"The Shadows knocked us out before we could see what direction they went," Killian said shakily. "We only just woke up. Hearing you knocked our senses back to us."

"We have to find her," I said, attempting to push myself up only to have my arms give out on me. "Why can't I move?"

"You're pretty banged up. You need to heal before you go after anyone."

"They could kill her!"

"No, they won't," Jace said. "By the sound of it, they needed information from her. She'll be able to hold out for a while. We have at least seventy-two hours."

"How are we supposed to find her in such a short amount of time?!"

"We'll figure something out. Elsa still has her cellphone. If she doesn't turn it off, maybe we can track her," Mia suggested. "First, we need to get back to the compound. Killian, you drive. You're the speed demon."

Jace and Killian hoisted me up, escorting me to their unscathed car. Mia sat in the back with me, tending to my wounds the best she could. Killian drove like a bat out of hell to our compound. I occupied myself by calling Elsa's cell. No one answered.

"Elsa, answer. Please, answer," I mumbled, calling for the two-hundredth time. "Fuck..."

I fiddled with my phone, my heart telling me to continue calling until she picked up, my head telling me it was futile. If these Shadow People have her, the last thing they'd do is let Elsa use her phone. I had to think of something else, something that could lead me to Elsa sooner rather than later. I only knew of one person who could achieve such a thing, but I didn't have their number.

However, someone else did.

My finger hovered over the call button. If I called them, not only did I risk being discovered, by I risked their secret being discovered too. The results could be deadly. On the other hand, if I didn't, Elsa would die. The mere idea made me nauseous.

I hit dial.
********************

Dom

My phone rang in my pocket, an unknown number flashing on the screen. I ignored it, focusing on a trembling Anna. Hunter and Caleb refused to let me or Lilly near her, but it didn't stop me from peering between their shoulders while Ren and Arya consoled their distraught daughter. Ember sat on the edge of the couch, eyes glimmering with unshed tears.

My phone rang again, followed by a text from someone saying 'CALL ME NOW.' I ignored it, not wanting to talk to anyone but family at the moment. Surely they had the wrong number. At least, I thought so until they added: DOM ANSWER ME YOU MEXICAN MOCHA LOVING IDIOT.

"Excuse me," I said, stepping away from the scene. I stood next to the front door and called the number. Halfway through the first ring, someone answered.

"I know this is a long shot but is Elsa with you?" Spencer's familiar voice inquired, ragged.

"No. She's not," I said softly, my eyes involuntarily drifting to Anna. "Are you okay?"

Spencer swore colorfully under his breath as he reigned in his temper. "What about Anna? Is she alive?"

"Alive but not well. Callie attacked her and damn near killed her. If I hadn't heard her scream, we might have had a different story." I leaned against the door. "Are you okay?"

"Callie attacked her? Why?"

"Drunken fury is my best guess, but I won't know until I get home. I'm with the Laroches right now. They wanted Lilly and me to stay until Anna could wake up and tell her account of what happened. Stop avoiding my question: are you okay?"

"No, I'm not," Spencer admitted, the raggedness returning. "The people who attacked me a few months ago, the Shadow People, or the Shadows, they nailed my car, and Elsa apparently bargained with them to let the rest of us go if they only took her. I don't know what happened. I was out cold, and I don't know where she is, or what they're going to do to her, or where they're even taking her, what direction they went-"

"Stop," I ordered. "You're going to make yourself crazy, trying to think about all that."

"I know, but I can't help it. This is my fault. I should've called you the moment Elsa woke up screaming for Anna because you're the only connection we have to her. If I had, maybe Elsa would still be here."

"Do you need our help finding her? Because whether you say yes or no, I have no doubt her sister is going after her. Might as well team up."

"What about the pack? It's too big for any single alpha to run."

"Mom and dad would help."

Spencer sighed. "I don't want you or Anna in danger too. We gave you enough shit putting up with our secret relationship."

"And we did it willingly. Where are you?"

"I don't want to say it aloud in case anyone's listening to our conversation, like the Controllers." Spencer had a point. We'd probably said more than we should have. If the Controllers were listening in somehow, then they'd know I was on Spencer's side, and I'd be the next target on their list. I rubbed the back of my head, trying to think of any way he could give me a hint without someone else figuring it out. "Wait! Pussytoes!"

"Excuse me?" I demanded.

"Pussytoes!"

"You're pussytoes."

"You know what? You figure it out, smartass. Maybe you'll use more of the 'smart' than the 'ass.' I should let you go. Keep me updated on Anna?"

"Yeah. Take care of yourself, and keep me updated on the search."

"I will." Spencer fell silent, hesitating, before adding, "It's good to hear your voice, Dom."

"Yours too. We miss you," I said sincerely.

"We miss you too. Love you."

"Love you."

We hung up, and I sank back against the door, staring at my phone. I needed to come up with a plan to find him, and from there, Elsa. If Anna understood how much danger her sister was in, she would be fighting tooth and nail to get to her.

"Who was that?" Lilly asked quietly.

My eyes flicked over to the Laroches. Although their attention centered on Anna, I sensed Hunter and Caleb were eavesdropping. To be safe, I mouthed: Spencer.

Lilly's eyes widened. "Is he okay?"

"No." I shoved my phone in my pocket. "I'll tell you more on the way home. For now, it looks like Anna is talking."