"When this connection was made or placed... Is it something that Cam would've had to be physically present for? Or could it have been placed from afar?" I had to ask. Evelyn probably couldn't tell from the small amount she could see.

"If I had to guess, it would have been done to him directly because the tether feels solid. If it was done over distance, it would be weaker. A direct connection when placing a bond like this is always the preferred method." She explained. "I know that I'm probably grasping at straws because this rarely happens, but did anything ever happen to Cameron when he was little? Did he ever... I don't know, run off, get lost for a while, anything like that where someone could've gotten to him in the time he was gone?"

Everyone sat in silence, waiting for the Alpha to speak. When he did, I wished he hadn't.

"Oh, Goddess... Could this," he paused, taking a breath, "could it have been done before he was born? While Penelope was still pregnant?"

"I supposed it could have, yes. If the witch that placed it had direct access to the Luna. Is that a possibility?" Evelyn stared at Daniel, searching his face. He rubbed his hands over his face before speaking.

"No, no, no... I didn't know. I didn't know what happened to her when she left..." He stammered.

"Dad, what is it? Did something happen to mom while she was pregnant with me?"

Daniel looked at his son with a pained expression. "Yes. We never told you, because there really wasn't anything to tell. We didn't know exactly what happened."

"Well tell me now, dad. Because it could be the answer to what is going on inside my head, could help us find this witch."

"I don't know that it will, Cam. There's not much that I know." He sighed before continuing. "When your mother was about 4 months pregnant with you, she went for a walk one night. She loved night walks, but she hadn't taken one since finding out she was pregnant. I was extremely protective and didn't want her going out. One night, I told her to go because she was pacing around the house, but she was gone for longer than she normally was. I started to get worried when she didn't come back, so I went looking. I followed her scent to the lake where I lost it."

"What do you mean you lost it? You're one of the best trackers, always have been. How did you lose it?" Cameron asked. I could feel the tension in his shoulders, so I started rubbing his back in small circles. He relaxed a little, and tightened his arms around me.

"I mean, it was just gone. I circled around the lake, thinking maybe she got in the water and came out somewhere else, I searched 100 yards in every direction, I got the rest of our trackers to come out and search for her scent, but it was just gone. It was like she vanished into thin air." His voice was starting to waver, and none of us wanted to push him to continue, but when he was silent for a few minutes, I spoke up.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Then what happened, Daniel? You obviously found her, because she's here now and so is Cam."

"That's just it. We didn't find her. I spent most of my days after that just sitting by the lake. I prayed every day that she'd be there waiting for me when I got there. My Beta took over running the pack because I just couldn't do it, not without her and my unborn child. One night, your dad came looking for me. When he found me, he didn't say a word, he just sat on the ground next to me while I broke down and cried.

"I have no idea how long we sat there, but eventually I heard your dad frantically saying my name. I opened my eyes and looked at him, but he was staring across the lake. I followed his eyes, and Penelope was stumbling through the bushes on the other side. I have never run so fast in my life. But after we took her to the infirmary to have her checked, we had more questions than answers. Physically, she was fine. Mentally, she didn't remember anything. She didn't even know she was missing. She woke up in the woods thinking it was still the day she left for her walk. She was missing for an entire month." He turned to Cameron.

"A month later, you were born. Heathy and perfect. We don't know where she was, or what happened to her, but now... now learning what we have learned tonight, I have a feeling her disappearance is connected to what ever is happening now."

"Alpha, it would explain the forced bond I saw. If Luna Penelope was kidnapped by witches, they could have placed it on Cameron in utero." Evelyn concluded. "And to keep her from searching for a way to remove it, or telling anyone what happened, they wiped her memory."

"So, now what?" Cam asked, quietly.

"Now, I think we need to speak with the Luna. I think we need to tell her everything we've learned tonight, obviously, and then we need to see about recovering her memories."

"I think you're right, Evelyn. She needs to know about all of this anyway, but I'm worried about bringing it up. I'm worried about what recovering her memories might do to her." I said.

"We don't have any other option, though, Talia. I feel the same way, but if recovering her memories can help us figure out what is happening, we need to try. She'll want to try." Daniel's voice shook a little. Seeing the Alpha look so scared and worn out was not something I was used to seeing. He's always been so strong, so put together. Seeing him now, though... It was heartbreaking.

His wife needing to relive her kidnapping, his son being bound to a witch, I'm sure it's taking a toll on him. And I'm scared of losing my mate after just finding him.

"I know it seems impossible, but I think we all need to get some rest. Alpha, go home. Go back to your wife. Tell her about what we've learned her, but get some sleep, and we'll start again in the morning." Evelyn said, softly. She turned to Cameron and I next. "You two, stay away from the cabin for now. It's too close to the cave and we don't know when that witch will return. Stay at the pack house for now."

I nodded and stood from Cam's lap, and he followed, standing next to me. He walked over to his dad as Daniel got to his feet. He grabbed his dad and wrapped his arms around him. They stood there for a moment before stepping away. We were silent as we exited Evelyn's house, Daniel stopping before closing the door.

"Thank you, Evelyn. You have been a great help. We will see you first thing in the morning." He promised. She nodded.

"I'll be waiting, Alpha."