Chapter 51 The Mage

*Ethan*

"Okay, everyone, grab your things and follow me," Jonathan told us. Lucas opens the trunk and he hands me Diana's carry-on as well as my leather travel bag. Diana had already entered the mansion. I guess she wanted to see the interior.

It was luxury everywhere. The white marble floors glistened, reflecting the sun light. The entire back wall of the living room comprised of huge windows. The white walls were squeaky clean and the grand staircase was made of dark hard wood. A chandelier rested in the center of the grand staircase, twinkling like stars. The dark wood dining table was long and could sit about twenty people. The furniture in the living room was a combination eggshell, grey and beige undertones. The huge couch was in a shape of a U while an abstract formed coffee table sat in the middle of a grey and white rug. I was right. There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere.

The whole house was clean, really clean. You could eat off the floors. I felt really embarrassed I was walking on the nice clean marble floors in my dirty boots. I wanted to take them off and walk in my socks instead. Oh well, whoever is in charge of cleaning will just have to clean up after me.

Jonathan led us upstairs until the landing where a small white table with a vase of red roses was perched against the white wall. I scanned the house for pictures, even photographs or mementoes of the Elder, but there were none. I peered through the hallways and looked at the walls, no pictures either. I guess all the Elder's photographs were in another property.

"There are twelve bedrooms in this house. I think your men, Ethan, are going to sleep in the guesthouse." He nodded in my direction. "There are seven rooms in the west wing, five in the east. The second door of the east wing is the Elder's room." We all looked at each other. No one wanted to sleep next to the Elder.

"I think we'll all like to stay at the west wing, Jonathan," Athena said.

"Very well," Jonathan said with a slight chuckle. "The first door of the east wing will be my quarters since I have to tend to the Elder's needs." He bows and points to the corridor of the west wing. "You may choose which room you wish to stay in. I'll see you later for happy hour." He turns to the hallway of the east wing and opens the first door of the room facing towards the ocean.

Lucas and Michael took the bedrooms near the staircase. Athena and Aunt Daisy took the rooms that faced the front of the estate. Diana and I took the last two rooms fronting the ocean.

Our rooms looked like hotel rooms with a matching en suite and balcony. I guess the Elder invited guests over regularly because all the bathrooms were equipped with towels, robes, soap, shampoo, and dental kits. I opened my balcony door to let in the cool ocean breeze. I walked out to gaze at the open sea and I saw Diana and Lucas doing the same, enjoying the nice ocean view.

I decided to only unpack clothing for tonight and tomorrow. I couldn't trust the Elder. Eric Lockwood was a colleague and all she had to do was make one phone call to him and we would be found.

I took a shower. I let the hot water cascade over my body. I wanted to wash the day away, especially knowing I had to kill a fellow wolf. I've killed before, but it was out of duty to my pack or to my country. As much as possible, I would like to preserve life, but sometimes it was a choice between my life or my enemy's.

"Ethan!" It was faint, but it sounded like Diana. I waited for her to mind link again, but she didn't. I must have imagined it. I sigh. Just hearing her voice in my head had made me hard. I turned on the cold water to help release the heat from my body.

After the cold shower, I got dressed and made sure I was wearing clean shoes. I didn't want to give household help more work. The Elder I surmised didn't want any of us here and usually when the boss is agitated, they usually take it out on their staff.

I was just finishing styling my hair when I heard a knock on the door. I looked at my watch to see what time it was. Time for happy hour, I guess. I open the door quickly expecting to see Jonathan, but I was surprised to see Andrew's amber eyes staring back at me. His gaze was so intense, the black of his pupils big and black. I matched his stare, not wanting to back down.

"Alpha Ethan Crowne, your presence is requested at the view deck. The others are already there." He bows low as a sign of submission.

"No need to bow so low, Andrew. Why don't you join us at the view deck?" I step out into the hallway and close the door of my room behind me.

"It is nice of you to invite me, however I need to tend to dinner preparations. It has been a while since we've had guests." He was very proper. "Let us make haste. The Elder does not like to be kept waiting. You should go to the view deck." I wait for him to guide me through the hallway, but he just stands there, staring into my eyes.

"Ok. View deck it is." I start walking through the hallway with Andrew close behind me. I suddenly stop in front of Diana's door which almost made him bump into me. He was quick though and swiftly regained his footing while fixing his suit. He smoothed his hair, looking quite impatient, and placed a hand inside his pocket.

"Diana, unfortunately, has requested she not be disturbed," Andrew said rather harshly. Now, that didn't seem like Diana.

I looked at him through narrow eyes. I knock on her door. No answer. I try the doorknob. It was locked. She might be in the bathroom.

"Diana, where are you?" I mind link her. No answer.

"Lucas, Michael, Athena, Aunt Daisy can you hear me?" I try and mind link all of them. No answer.

"Colt, heads up. Something isn't right." I mind link my Beta. He, fortunately, answered right away.

"Alpha, we're heading to you right now," Colt mind links me back. I let out a sigh of relief, happy I was able to reach my Beta.

"Alpha Ethan Crowne, I told you she is not to be disturbed." Andrew's voice sounded strained and impatient. "You are a strange wolf. I have never encountered anyone like you. However, there are ways to make you docile." I turn around to face him and see a syringe in his hand. Oh no, you don't!

I forcefully strike him at the base of his neck, just above his collarbone, to one side of his windpipe where the carotid artery is located. He loses consciousness and falls on the floor, the syringe falling next to him. I pick it up. I can use it on him after I have gotten the information I needed from him.

"Alpha, what's happening?" Colt and my men come rushing into the hallway.

"Secure him and if he wakes up and puts up a fight, Nash, threaten him that you'll inject him with this." I hand Nash the syringe. "I can't seem to get replies from the rest of the group via mind link. Colt, I need you to break down Diana's door." I point to her room. He nods his head and gestures to Wyatt to help him.

I turn the doorknob to see if Aunt Daisy's room was unlocked. It opens and I find my aunt seated on the bed, staring into space. I rush to her and shake her to wake her up from her stupor.

"Aunt Daisy, wake up!" Her eyes were glazed over like she was in a trance. I shake her harder. "Aunt Daisy wake up!" Finally her eyes move to meet mine and she jumps.

"What just happened?" She screams.

"I'll explain later. Where is Harley?" I ask.

"What?! He was just here on the bed playing with his tablet." The tablet was there lying on the bed, but he was gone. Go figure...we have an amber alert and a perp who has amber colored eyes.

"What just happened?!" Michael comes into Aunt Daisy's room, rubbing his forehead. "I woke up at the view deck with Lucas and Athena. We don't know how we got there."

"We have a big problem. Harley is missing!" I told Michael.

"I'm going to get Jonathan. We'll find him, Didi." Michael leaves the room to get Jonathan.

"Alpha, Diana isn't in her room nor is she in the bathroom," Colt mind links me. Time to wake up the asshole. I leave my aunt's room and rush towards Andrew. I sit him up and place him against the wall.

"Wake up!" I crouch down and slap Andrew across the face.

"Ethan, what is happening? Michael is frantic. He says Harley is missing," Lucas said standing above me. I look up at him.

"Both Harley and Diana are missing. Diana isn't in her room. We needed to break down the door." Lucas's eyes widen, panic taking over him and he turns and enters Diana's room to look around. I turn my attention back to the perp. I slap Andrew again to wake him up, this time a bit harder. "Wake up, you bastard!" I see his eyelids flutter. I grab the collar of his nicely pressed jacket. "Where are they?" His opens his eyes, shocked. Our faces didn't hide the fact all of us were angry. "Colt, check if the Elder is in her room. Second door, east wing." Colt heads across the hall. "Now, start talking, Andrew. Where is Diana and Harley?"

He coughs to clear his throat. Hitting him on the side of the neck I knew was painful for him. I gave him a second to compose himself.

"Alpha Ethan Crowne, why are you so concerned with the half-breeds? Surely, someone of your stature would not like to mix with such abominations. I'm doing all of us a favor. I have a business proposal for you. I can make you very rich." This wasn't the answer I was looking for. I punch him in the face.

"I know who you are. You're that mage everyone is looking for. Men, do not look into his eyes. This one has the gift of hypnosis." I crack my knuckles and stare into his eyes. "If you're still here, it means they're here, hidden somewhere. If you want to live, tell me where my mate and my cousin are."

___________

*Diana*

"Wake up, Harley." I shake him. He was in some sort of trance. I found it strange he kept repeating basement a while ago until Onyx told me he was hypnotized and Andrew was trying to do the same to me. I played along not wanting to leave Harley with him. I followed them through the house to the laundry room where part of the wall opened up to hidden steel doors. I secretly watched him type in his security code 112475 and the doors opened up to the inside of an elevator. They walk in and I follow, looking straight ahead just like Harley. The elevator doors close and I feel it going down to the basement.

The doors open to a laboratory, state of the art, with very good lighting. In the corner, was a huge vat, with steam coming out of it. The smell coming from it was very unpleasant. Not even the huge exhaust could eliminate the smell. I wondered what he was cooking down here. Maybe drugs? It must be something illegal for him to keep it all hidden.

Andrew leads us to his office which was spacious considering he had big furniture. He had a black granite desk where his laptop lay, two black leather chairs in front of it for clients I guess and a black leather couch with a coffee table in front it. There was even a smart TV hanging on the wall.

He made us sit on the sofa and quickly left us inside his office. I watched him go to the elevator and enter it from the corner of my eyes. I waited a few moments before trying to wake up Harley.

"Harley, sweetie, wake up." I gently shake him again. This time, Harley shook his head, like he was trying to wake up from a nap. He jumped when he saw me.

"Diana, where are we?"

"We are at the basement of the mansion. Let me see if I can get us out of here." I walk to the door. It only opened through a security code. Well, maybe he had the same code for the all of his security panels. I type in 112475. It pings and the door unlocks. Oh thank you, Moon Goddess!

"Come on, Harley, let's get out of here." He takes my hand and we leave the office. We were already in front of the elevator doors when Onyx whispers.

"Diana, walk to the end of the laboratory. There is something you must see." I look at the back and see something silver. " Okay, Onyx."

"Harley, sweetie, I just need to look over there." I point to what looked like a huge steel door. "Do you want to come with me?" Harley nods his head. "Okay, hold my hand. I promise I won't let anything happen to you." He grabs my hand and we walk slowly towards the huge door. "Don't touch anything. I don't know what that butler does down here."

From the outside, it looked like a vault. I cross my fingers and type in the security code. Lucky again! The steel door opens! I wrinkle my nose. The smell coming from inside was awful. Like urine and feces put together. I open it and I was shocked to see what was inside. It was truly appalling.

"Help. Please help us!" As the light poured in, I saw people, humans, trapped inside a huge prison cell.

That butler was a kidnapper, maybe even a murderer too. It runs in the family.

"Ethan!" I try to mind link with him so, he could help us, but there was no reply.

"Harley, looks like its just you and me. Let's help these people." He nods his head.