Page 3 of The Last Ultimatum: Part 2

“Hey, Siggy. I have a big favor to ask.”

“Sure, anything.”

I forced my voice to remain calm so as not to send up any red flags. Siggy was human and didn’t know anything about my world or what I did for a living, but he was the sort of mate that didn’t bother with the details and would do absolutely anything for those he considered friends.

“We’re having a bit of a family emergency. Nothing to worry about. But I need someone to go to the school and pick up my siblings.”

“Yeah, mate. Okay.”

That was it. It was as simple as that for him.

“Can you keep them with you or somewhere safe until I return to town?”

He hesitated a moment. Then said, “Safe as in not your parents’ house?”

“Exactly.”

“Okay. I got it.”

“Don’t tell me. Just lie low with them and I’ll be in touch when I can make arrangements for them.”

“Whatever you need.”

I gave him the details of their schools and then called the headmasters personally to notify them of a family emergency and to inform them that he would be picking them up and they would not be returning to school this week.

There were questions, but I deflected them and Siggy was already there before we got off the phone.

I sighed in relief knowing that they would at least be safe for the time being.

“What’s going on?” Taylor asked.

“Someone took my mate.”

“What happened? Tell us everything,” Taylor insisted.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to share everything Tilly had told me and everything I’d overheard.

“You did good. We’re going to find her.”

“They’re eradicating the Tribes to boost the sales of the remaining ones they captured,” I said numbly.

“We already knew that,” Grant reminded me.

“No, that’s not what I mean. If they’re doing that, if that’s the plan, then why did they just keep my loved ones alive? They didn’t kill Tilly, they took her. From the sounds of it, they took my parents alive as well. Why?”

“We don’t know yet. We don’t even have proof that the Tribes are actually in danger.”

“I’d say that was proof. They took my little sister,” Chelle yelled as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Without thinking, and needing something of Tilly to ground myself, I stood up and pulled Chelle into my arms. We just stood there holding each other while she cried.

I wanted to cry too, but I was still emotionally and physically numb from the shock of it all.

“They shot me with a tranquilizer dart, too,” she whimpered.

“We know,” Taylor admitted.

“What do you remember from there?” Grant asked. “Can you tell us about it?”

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