CHAPTER 3 Missing a Mate

　　Amber's POV

　　The dragon's land on all four legs, before shifting back to their human form. I can't take my eyes off them.

　　Remembering the feeling of the wing's motion, the warmth of the beast underneath me. I blush. My mother and father walk hand in hand to meet with the visitors. I start walking in the same direction, when a desperate mind-link from Maze sends me running into the woods instead.

　　'AMBER! She's gone. I can't find her. WHERE IS MY MATE?!' Maze screams at me. I assure him I'm on my way. I hear my mother calling my name, but instead of answering I send Flick to explain.

　　Usually, I am the only one who can understand her, but when she wants it, others understand her just as well. It's up to her.

　　I arrive at the usual spot, where Ezra, Joshua, Mira Rose, me, and Maze used to go when we were children and angry at the world. We five have always been very close. The other twins were born the same night as Maze and I.

　　He is running around looking in every direction, but she is nowhere to be found.

　　"You're sure she ran this way, brother?" I ask him, as I try to mind-link my best friend.

　　"Of course I'm sure! But why isn't she here?" He asks rather frantically. I shrug my shoulders, as we hear running feet in the forest ground. We both know it's our parents. Their auras are very distinct.

　　"Maze, Amber! What is the meaning of this?" My mother asks, her hands on her hips. My father stands just behind her, silently observing.

　　"I... I can't find Mira Rose. She's... She's my mate." Maze answers sounding utterly defeated.

　　"She's left the pack." My mother says, her brows furrowed in confusion. "She mind-linked me, just after that girl jumped you - which was highly inappropriate I must add, asking permission to leave for a while. She needed to think things over."

　　Mother looks guiltily at us. She is probably regretting giving the future gamma female - who is actually the future Luna, permission to leave. And no! We usually do not need to ask permission, so hold your horses, but she IS or WAS the future gamma along with the triplet boys born to Jasmin and Johnathan, so her training needs to be put on hold while she is away - therefore you seek the permission with the ruling Alpha or Luna. In this case - the queen and king.

　　Damn, my brother was out of luck today!

　　"Where did she go? I need to explain myself. I need her back here with me." Maze asks desperately.

　　"I don't know, honey. She didn't specify. But we will reach out to the others when the party's over - I promise. We will get your mate back." My mother tries to reassure him. It's not working at all.

　　"Speaking off. You need to explain yourself to her parents as well, Maze. And you need to get it together for your ceremony later tonight. You are going to be the ruling Alpha of the pack today, remember?" Our father says quietly.

　　Maze shakes his head. I know what he is thinking. We ARE twins after all.

　　"You can't avoid it, Maze," I whisper to him.

　　'I refuse to be Alpha as long as my mate is not here. Odin agrees with me. He is kicking my ass about Josephine.' Maze links me. I feel sorry for him, I do, but somehow this is his own damn fault. And now my best friend is missing.

　　'He's not the only one to be kicking your ass today, brother! But you need to get it together and become Alpha. Mom, Dad, and the whole pack are counting on you!' I link fiercely back. He shakes his head again.

　　"Dad, can we postpone it? We are needing a new gamma, seeing as Mira is my mate and the future Luna. Even if she rejects me." He gulps. "We will need another to take over the gamma position, as she can't be my ex mate and gamma of the pack." Maze inquires. Mom and Dad confer for a second before nodding.

　　"I know, son. But as you know, the triplets are also training to be gammas - they share the same rank as Mira Rose after all." Father says, as the pain of the situation is clearly visible on his face.

　　"We will tell the pack together." Mom announces.

　　All four of us walk back to the waiting crowd. As we emerge from the tree, Brandon and Morgan approach. Brandon is growling, and Morgan trying to calm down her husband. He is going straight for Maze, but before he can reach him I put up a firewall between them.

　　"Stop, uncle. What are you doing?" I ask. Brandon looks at me, but it is his wolf who answers.

　　"Our daughter is gone, and it's all his fault! She told us everything." He growls, his eyes never leaving the place where my brother is hidden by the fire.

　　I sigh. This is going to be complicated, to say the least, and with the dragons. What a day. This was not how I pictured us celebrating our birthday. I thought my brother would have his mate, and I would be happy for him! My mom would announce me the queen to be, and dad would make Maze the next Alpha.

　　Not me having a mate, who has possibly visited me in my dreams, my brother's mate and my best friend missing and my uncle wanting to beat the crap out of said brother.

　　"Brandon, this is all a misunderstanding. The young lady who assaulted our son is nothing to him. Right, Maze?" My mother says, trying to solve the situation with diplomacy. She gives me a look that says; 'back off'.

　　I lower the firewall, and Maze is once again visible. He has heard everything that was said.

　　"She did it to hurt Mira Rose, and because she wants to be Luna. I have turned her down repeatedly over the last year or so. I've never been interested. She's tried her luck with all the male ranked wolves here - even tried to get Amber to help her. Amber kicked her ass." Maze snickers. Brandon closes his eyes, and when he opens them his wolf has given back control. Maze lowers his head in shame. He knows he fucked up, even though he didn't encourage anything with Josephine.

　　Speaking of the she-devil, I will have to investigate what the hell happened with her thinking it would be appropriate to kiss my brother in such a public place in the first place.