They had taken a taxi directly from the central camp to return home, rather than with Colton and Amara.
Colton wasn’t sure where they had gone.
These usually gentle and steady men had dark faces and didn’t bother greeting anyone.
They walked directly to the wardrobe, then to the bathroom.
Then they visited the other bedrooms and the study.
Colton understood what they were looking for.
He sat on the bed, unable to stand up.
Maddox and Theo quickly searched the house, upstairs and downstairs, before returning.
They approached Colton, and he noticed their pale, ashen faces.
When Maddox spoke, his face and voice trembled: “Sabrina has left. “She’s gone.”
Colton opened and closed his mouth several times before he could speak.
To reassure himself, he repeated Amara’s words:
“She’ll… She’ll be back eventually.
“She’s a grown woman. She won’t get lost.”
Theo’s eyes were blood-red and misted over with tears.
His hand trembled uncontrollably as he grabbed Colton’s collar.
“She left with Elias!
“I reviewed the military camp’s security footage. She was pulling her suitcase and following Elias!”
Maddox’s voice trembled more violently as he tightened his grip on Colton’s collar, nearly cutting off his breathing.
“Do you understand?” She left with Elias!
“You know what Elias was going to do, don’t you? Don’t you?!”
Colton’s breathing became laboured, and he forgot to move.
After the overwhelming fear and despair, all that remained was an endless, bottomless confusion.
How could he possibly have been unaware of Elias’ actions?
The Pack’s Alphas had personally reviewed and confirmed the list of participants for the ten-year confidential Lycan Augumentation Protocol study.
Elias’ name appeared on that list.
And several days ago, beginning last Saturday, the research was officially launched.
Where Elias had gone was obvious.
Colton stood unsteadily and approached the door like a lost soul:
“I will go look for her and call her home.
“Tomorrow marks the Full Moon Festival. Every year at the Full Moon Festival, she stays at home.”
Maddox’s face trembled, and his voice was desperate.
“Why did you need to listen to Amara? Why did you have to travel to the Northern Territory to see snow?
“We had promised to take Sabrina along!”
“If we would have gone…
“Perhaps she wouldn’t have wanted to leave…”
Colton did not respond.
As he approached the bedroom door, Theo’s anguished cry echoed behind him:
“Quit pretending! Colton, when was the last time you cared about Sabrina?”
Colton paused in his tracks.
He felt his movements becoming increasingly sluggish, and it took him some time to turn around and look at Theo with vacant eyes: “What about you? Did you mind?”
Theo’s face froze with anger and grief in an instant.
He crouched down slowly, covering his face and shaking his shoulders.
They were all the same.
There were no innocents, and no one could escape blame.
Colton forgot to put on his coat when he left home to find the military camp director.
The director’s voice was helpless: “It’s not because I don’t want to tell you.
“For this confidential research, apart from those who participate.
“No one else will be aware of the specific location and status of the research.
“I only accompanied Sabrina and the others to South City and shared a final meal with them.
“After they left for the research institute, I lost the right to follow.
“The exact location of the research institute, in all likelihood, isn’t even in South City.”
Colton spoke in a daze: “There has to be a way.”
