The Unwanted Omega: Claimed by the Shadow Alpha Chapter 07

The Unwanted Omega: Claimed by the Shadow Alpha Chapter 07

Axel POV: 

The flight back was silent. Willow sulked in the back of the jet, refusing to eat. Ryker stared out the window, 

his leg bouncing nervously. 

I tried to call Ember again. 

The number you have dialed is not in service. 

Not “unavailable.” Not “busy.” Not in service. 

We landed at 2:00 AM. The drive to the Pack House 

felt like a funeral procession. 

When we walked in, the house was dark. It smelled 

stale. It lacked the scent of lavender and dried herbs 

that usually permeated the halls–Ember’s scent. 

“Alfred!” Ryker bellowed. 

The head butler appeared from the shadows. He was 

an old wolf, retired frorn the warrior caste. He usually 

greeted us with a bow. Today, he stood straight. His 

eyes were hard. 

“Where is she?” Ryker demanded. “Where is Ember?” 

“Gone, Alpha,” Alfred said calmly. 

“Gone where?” I stepped forward. Did she go to the 

dorms? Give me the address.” 

“She did not go to the dorms,” Alfred said. “She le 

with the Shadow Alpha.” 

My blood ran cold. “Derek?” 

“Yes. She took one suitcase. She threw her phone sim 

card on the driveway.” 

Willow scoffed from behind us. “Good riddance. Now 

we don’t have to listen to her whining.” 

Alfred slowly turned his head to look at Willow. “You should be careful, Miss Willow. The house is very quiet now. Ghosts have a way of being heard.” 

“Watch your tongue,” I snapped, though my heart wasn’t in it. I ran up the stairs. 

I pushed open the door to Ember’s room. 

It was empty. 

The closet was open. Her clothes–the old, worn–out sweaters, the jeans with patches on the knees–were still there. She hadn’t taken them. 

I walked to the desk. It was bare. No books. No 

papers. 

i sniffed the air. Her scent… it was fading. Scents 

usually lingered for weeks. But this felt like the room 

had been scrubbed. Like she was never here. 

I saw something in the trash can. 

I reached in and pulled it out. It was a brochure University of Science – Advanced Medical Research 

Program. 

It was dated four years ago. 

I frowned. Four years ago, Ember had applied for a scholarship abroad. I remembered telling her she 

couldn’t go because Mom’s estate hadn’t settled yet 

and we needed her signature. 

I pulled out my phone and dialed Professor Vance, 

her faculty advisor. He was the only one who might 

know where she went. 

“Who is this?” Vance’s voice was groggy. 

“It’s Axel Blackwood. Ember’s brother. Where is she?” 

There was a long pause. Then, a dry, bitter laugh. 

“Oh, now you call?” Vance said. “Now? After she has 

vanished from the face of the earth?” 

“Tell me where she is!” I shouted. “I am the Pack 

Doctor! 1 need to know!” 

“She is gone, Dr. Blackwood,” Vance said. “She accepted a position in a closed project. You won’t 

find her. Not in this lifetime.” 

“Why would she leave?” I asked my voice cracking. 

“We… we take care of her.” 

“Take care of her?” Vance spat. “Is that what you call 

it? Did you know she gave up her full scholarship to 

Zurich four years ago because you said you needed 

the tuition money for your ‘sick sister’s‘ treatments? 

She worked three jobs to pay for her own lab fees while you bought that girl designer dresses.” 

I froze. 

“That… that’s not true,” I stammered. “We have plenty 

of money.” 

“Ember didn’t touch the family trust,” Vance said. “She 

said you told her it was reserved for Willow’s medical 

bills. She lived on scraps, Axel. And she never 

complained. Not once.” 

The phone slipped in my hand. Memories flashed- 

Ember eating plain toast while we feasted on steak. 

Ember wearing the same coat for five winters. 

“She called,” Vance said softly. “Before she went into 

the dark zone. She called your house. One last time. 

“She didn’t, I whispered. “We didn’t get a call.” 

“She called,” Vance insisted. “Saturday. Noon.” 

My stomach dropped. 

Saturday noon. 

I looked at the clock on the wall. I calculated the time 

difference. 

Saturday noon here… was Saturday evening in Norway. 

We were watching the Northern Lights. 2 

I hung up the phone. I felt like I was going to be sick.