Disclaimer- I do not own American Dragon or any of it's characters. I own Selena and her family

XxXxX

It had been almost two weeks since I had last heard from anyone outside of the Lycanthropic group. My phone had remained silent and I was starting to get concerned over the fact that I'd not heard from either Emily or Jake.

In the meantime I'd settled into the Lycanthropic group well. With Wheylyn being my father I'd been accepted easily. I was currently more concerned over the fact that it was running rapidly up to the full moon and there were going to be two hundred plus wild werewolves.

Wheylyn and Bryce assured me that if I stayed in my Lycanthropic form I wouldn't be bothered and newer more wilder Lycanthropics were usually locked into their chambers to prevent in-fighting.

I sat in my own room, currently fiercly missing my family and Jake. Shai was laid beside me on my bed, his head laid across my stomach. He and I had become very close and despite the fact that he never could take human form, he was very much my brother. He could sense I was pining but there wasn't much he could do to help, just keep me company. He raised his head and looked at me with his warm golden eyes.

I'm very sure that they will contact you soon

'But how soon is soon?' I asked

I am uncertain but I do not believe that your sister or Jake wouldn't leave you in the dark Shai replied

I nodded but I just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

XxXxX

Emily paced in the Long family's front living room. Jonathan and Susan sat pale faced and silent on their couch, holding one another's hands tightly. The front door clicked and everyone faced the door. Hayley and Sun walked in, both with disappointed looks on their faces.

'Anything?' Susan asked frantically

Hayley just looked at the ground, trying to disguise tears. Sun put her hand on her student's shoulder supportively before looking up.

'Nothing I'm afraid' She told them

Susan nodded but her face crumpled, Jonathan put his arms around her and Hayley moved swiftly to her parents and they all hugged. Hayely's shoulders shook but Susan's cries were slightly louder but still quietly controlled.

Lao Shi and Fu dog had travelled to California to search. As far as they all knew Jake had been in the airport and had gotten on the plane. He'd just never shown up at the other end.

Emily hugged herself, she was worried for Jake but she was concerned about Selena too. Lao Shi had said for the time being that no one was to tell her Jake was missing.

'She will come out of hiding and everything we're doing to gain her freedom will have been wasted. The case is to come before the council after the next full moon. It is imperative that she stay where she is until then' Lao Shi had said

Emily was now thinking maybe Selena could give information. Maybe she knew what had happened and no one had said anything. She could somehow tell that everyone else's thoughts were turning that way too. She decided now might be the time to speak up.

'I really think we should speak to Selena' She said quietly

Sun furrowed her eyebrows 'There is no need, the council is aware of the situation, they have every dragon on duty on the alert for Jake'

'Then why is it that no one anywhere has seen or heard from him?' Susan asked, her voice croaked and her face tear streaked

'Mrs Long-'

'This is my son! I can't just sit here any longer and do nothing!' She said loudly

Jonathan's attempts to calm his wife were wasted. Susan bolted from the room and went upstairs. Jonathan's tired and stressed face looked up the stairs after her.

'I just want my brother back' Hayley said quietly

'We all want Jake found Hayely, it's the biggest priority' Sun told her

'Selena's case won't come up to the council while Jake is missing. All efforts are on the search which I don't disagree with but no one has spoken to her. She may have heard from Jake and no one knows' Emily said

The door opened again and this time Trixie and Spud entered the house. Both of the teenagers looked tired and stressed. They had both been filled in pretty much once it had become apparent that Jake hadn't come home. They knew about Selena and the situation she was currently in.

'We've searched everywhere we knew he hung out a billion times' Spud told them

Emily shook her head 'We need to speak to Selena'

'It won't do any good' Sun argued

The phone rang and everyone was silenced, Susan came out of the bedroom and everyone listened as Jonathan answered. The conversation didn't give much away and he hung up the phone with an even more stressed and despairing expression.

'It was Lao' He said

'Have they found him?' Susan asked

'No. They went to the airport and questioned the staff. Jake never got on the plane' he said

'What? Why?' Hayley asked

'Several staff saw him having a conversation with a tall man and he left the airport with him. Apparently CCTV footage confirms it' Jonathan said

The silence in the room felt heavy, Emily shook her head and made a noise of exasperation but Jonathan looked up at her.

'Lao said that it's been left long enough to speak to Selena. He wants you to arrange for her to meet him somewhere. She may take someone with her and whoever she likes' Jonathan said

Emily nodded and pulled out her phone. How was she going to tell Selena that Jake was missing?

XxXxX

I was still laid on my bed but this time Shai had gone to fetch Bryce and Wheylyn. I could hear them talking quietly outside my door.

'She's just pining away' Shai was muttering

'There isn't much that we can do' Bryce replied

'But she's hardly eating or sleeping. She's just going to make herself ill. Have you seen how much weight she's lost?' Shai asked

'I have, but it's not like we can force feed her. We just have to remember that she'll feel better soon and she'll be fine. We just have to be patient' Wheylyn said firmly

I rolled my eyes and got up while they all continued muttering amongst themselves. I threw my door open, they all jumped back quickly. I'd caught them by surprise but I scowled deeply.

'I can hear you, you know' I hissed

'Selena I-' Wheylyn started

But he was silenced by the sudden loud ring if my phone. I spun around and bolted for it. I looked at the caller I.D and was relieved to see Emily's number come up.

'Emily? Em! You've no idea how relieved I am to hear from you!' I said happily

'Listen Selena, I'm calling because something really serious has happened' She said

I stopped, feeling like my stomach had just dropped to the floor 'What? What's happened?'

Wheylyn, Bryce and Shai all came into my room, watching with concerned expressions.

'As Bryce told you, Jake was supposed to be heading back to New York. But he never got on the plane' Emily said

My mouth dropped open 'Where is he now?'

'We don't know. He's been missing'

I immediately felt rage build 'This was nearly two weeks ago Emily! Why did no one say-why...I-' and then I burst into tears.

Bryce strode forwards and took the phone from me while Wheylyn attempted to comfort me. Shai sat at my feet and I sat on the floor, he draped his head over my shoulder and I buried my face into his fur. I head Bryce say good bye to Emily and he put the phone back on my bed.

'You know Jake's Grandfather, Lao Shi?' Bryce asked

'Yes'

'He's been in California for a week, looking for any sign' Bryce said 'He wants to meet with you'

'How?' I asked

'He can't come here!' Wheylyn said

I sighed exasperatedly and Wheylyn held up his hands.

'It's not because of things between our species. It's everyone else. We have over two hundred Lycanthropics here who don't take as kindly to me with dragons' Wheylyn said

I nodded 'Then I will have to leave'

'You can't! What if they catch you?' Bryce asked

'I don't care! I just want Jake to be safe!' I said loudly

'Calm down Selena' Wheylyn tried

'I will not calm down!' I practically screeched

It effectively silenced Bryce and Wheylyn. I took a few deep breaths to steady myself before looking up at Wheylyn.

'Dad' I said hesitantly

Wheylyn looked up at me properly. I'd not used that word in reference to him yet and it caught his attention. I set myself ready for what I was about to say.

'I have never, ever met anyone like him. He's risked so much to get me here, to get me to you' I walked to Wheylyn and held his hands, looking up at him 'I love him Dad'

Wheylyn's eyes softened and he held my hands 'We'll find out what's happened Selena, I'll do everything I can'

We sprang into action immediately. Wheylyn and Bryce called a council meeting and only the most senior of the members too. That made only two other men and one woman, Elenor, the very same woman Bryce was with. I knew that this was how they'd likely met.

The two men, I knew one was alright. He was called Charles, he was tall, about the same age as Bryce with deathly pale skin, dark brown almost black hair and dark blue eyes. He had welcomed me fairly well and had made a few small talk conversations with me.

The other man, was his brother, they were nearly identical but for the fact that this man had pale hair to match his skin and his eyes were a sharper, icy blue. His name was William. I didn't trust him and he'd made it clear he didn't trust me.

For the first few days I'd apparently smelt of dragons and it had taken ages for the smell to fade. Everyone who had come into contact with me had smelt it and known and luckily only a few people had.

'It seems the bounty hunter has found a way to get to us in a way that we didn't predict' Wheylyn told them

'What do you mean?' Elenor asked

'He's captured the American Dragon, the very dragon who brought Selena safely to us' Wheylyn said

'Wasn't it the dragon's grandfather who informed the council of Selena's whereabouts?' Charles asked

'The Dragons made up for their mistakes. They've been appealing Selena's case and I think they would've succeeded if this Jake Long had made it back to New York. The bounty hunter has effectively delayed the trial by taking not only their most valuable member but also the best witness for Selena' Bryce barked sharply

'They would've also known the personal connections between him and my daughter would draw her out' Wheylyn replied

'What do you suggest we do?' Elenor asked

'The boy's grandfather has requested that he meet with Selena on neutral ground, to discuss their options' Wheylyn replied

William, had remained silent until now 'And how do we know this isn't a trap to draw your daughter out?'

He made a good point, but I trusted that Jake wouldn't allow something like this to happen to me. An opinion Bryce voiced for me.

'I want someone I trust to accompany her' Wheylyn said

William looked around himself, almost mockingly 'I believe that everyone here is tagged, besides Selena'

'I left the sanctuary, they didn't catch me' Bryce replied 'But I fear doing it again will bring me unwanted attention'

Elenor looked at me apologetically 'I cannot do it for personal reasons'

I looked at the way she and Bryce were holding hands and the way her other hand was laid protectively over her stomach. She was expecting! I wondered what that meant for the baby regarding it's genetics but now wasn't the time.

'Shai isn't tagged' I piped up

Everyone looked at me blankly and I put one of my hands on Shai's head.

'I'll Take Shai with me. He's more inconspicuous than a tagged Lycanthropic' I said firmly

'Great, so are you going to walk him on a lead?' William asked mockingly

I glared at him and didn't even answer. Shai nudged my hand with his nose.

'Ignore him. He's like it with everyone' Shai told me

I gave a curt nod to him before raising my head back up 'Shai agrees with me. I won't accept anyone else's help'

Wheylyn nodded 'Very well. You should phone your sister back so it can be arranged'

I nodded, got up and left. I made the phone call to Emily and we arranged for me to meet Lao Shi on a Los Angeles dog park which was local. That way both Shai and Fu Dog could be with us and talk discreetly. We'd meet at night and in two night's time. I was concerned as to how close the full moon was getting and I wanted Jake found before then.

I prepared to leave the sanctuary. Wheylyn had said that seeing as no tagged Lycanthropic was accompanying me we didn't run the risk of setting a tag off but he armed me with a small tranquilizer gun and a dart cartridge. He took me on a shooting range which was a large cave and also he and Bryce set about teaching me some basic self-defence.

Two days passed quickly and Shai and I set off. Elenor, Bryce, Charles and of course Wheylyn waved us off, William was nowhere in sight but I didn't really miss him. I was wearing the clothes I'd come here in but they'd been washed and repaired so I looked completely normal. Elenor had joked that although the dark leather trousers had looked good on me it wouldn't help me blend in.

'Take care of yourselves and come back safely. We haven't spent nearly long enough together' Wheylyn said, hesitantly hugging me.

I nodded 'There is still a lot we need to learn about one another'

I moved onto Bryce as Wheylyn said goodbye to Shai. Bryce was less hesitant about his hug, squeezing me like an uncle would his niece.

'Keep an eye out for danger. That warlock does after all, know this location. He could have someone set up watching to trap you' Bryce told me

'Don't worry Bryce, I'm sure we'll be fine' I replied as he released me.

Elenor and I had a quick hug and then Shai and I left. The sanctuary had kind of a massive carved doorway but with no door, just a glowing purple coloured sheet which you could see through. I watched Shai walk straight through it confidently and then I walked right up to it and put my arm through it carefully. When nothing particularly bad happened I stepped all the way through.

It felt like stepping through an icy cold shower and I shivered at the lingering chill as I left the shield. I looked back and I could see Wheylyn stood right on the other side, watching. I waved at him before turning and walking about five steps and then turning a corner in the rocky path. Shai had his nose to the air, sniffing deeply. I inhaled through my nose, smelling nothing but sea-air.