"Alpha Ares," Viola came forward and bent her head. "You're back in the nick of time. We have a serious problem on our hands, Alpha."
Ares' gaze narrowed.
Viola caught Jodie's eye before glancing over to where Ms. Van and Katherine had already appeared by the kitchen entrance. The wrinkles around her friend's eyes were exacerbated by her puffy eyelids and the worry on her face. She appeared to have aged considerably since Serene went missing.
"Speak!" Ares' voice boomed. It startled Viola senseless, calling her attention back to the matter at hand. Once again, her head bowed as she spoke.
"I'm sorry, Alpha. Earlier in the day, I received disturbing news about Serene's disappearance, and then I did some consultations on the matter." Her eyes found Ms. Van's briefly as she braced herself to deliver the terrible news. "At first we thought she'd only left home after a serious argument with her mother, Julia... but it's worse. Serene has been kidnapped, Alpha."
