Chapter 71 Danger Is Near
1752words
I could confirm that no brutality could match the pain of possibly losing a mate. It had been six hours since Adeline went missing, and the entire pack had been assisting in the search. Even my best trackers were dumbfounded when her sweet vanilla scent suddenly disappeared in the forest near the clearing. That was the closest we had come to finding her location. Whoever abducted her said we had twelve hours—I only hoped they would keep their word.
My Beta, Don, had suggested contacting the nearby packs to see if they had any sighting of a female matching her description. The Alphas I spoke with all asked if there was a possibility of rogues, which now made me wonder. A rogue had already gone undetected through pack territory once; it wasn't impossible that history could have repeated itself. The trackers, however, were certain that there were no unfamiliar scents lingering in the entire territory, which slightly eased my anxiety.
I had lost my father to rogues; his loss haunted my dreams like a continuous cycle. Would I become feral, like my mother, if I lost my mate? I had already instructed Beta Don, as my second in command, to put me down if that ever happened. He was hesitant about it—his loyalty could never be unwavered—but what had to be done for the pack's best interest must be done. I had just finished the last of the calls to the neighboring packs when I heard a knock at my office door.
"WHAT?" I screamed, the tone in my voice undoubtedly lethal. Beta Don walked in, looking nothing short of a disgruntled mess, although I was sure I didn't look much better. "Have any of the packs noticed anything out of the ordinary?" he asked and took a seat across from my desk.
I heaved a sigh. "Nothing. Not a single set of footprints out of place." I stood up to pour myself another drink. Truthfully, I had been drinking since my mate went missing. I needed anything to take the sting out so I could find her, smell her scent just once more. Fortunately for me, I would need about seven bottles of whiskey to even feel a light buzz. I held up the crystal decanter to Beta Don and felt his nod from behind my back, then proceeded to pour two glasses of whiskey.
I set the crystal glasses on the mahogany desk; those same glasses had once belonged to my father when he was Alpha of Midnight Moon. For some reason, I had just noticed them for the first time since I became Alpha. I smirked to myself—such a great Alpha I was; I wasn't even capable of keeping my mate safe. It was no wonder the Moon Goddess had taken so long to deliver my mate.
"I know the writing on the note didn't match Beverly's, but are you sure she had nothing to do with this?" Beta Don asked, raising the glass of whiskey to his lips.
I sunk back into my office chair for the first time in a long while—I was defeated. I didn't know what to think or what to do. All I could think about was Adeline and how scared she must be right now. I was her mate; it was my job to protect her. I wondered if she felt like I had failed her. I shook my head, trying to focus, but the thoughts wouldn't stop lingering.
"She's out with the pack security, going over the borders again right now. I know she wasn't happy about me finding my fated mate, but why openly challenge Adeline if she had anything to do with the abduction? She had no problem issuing a challenge to her. It just doesn't make sense," I finally answered, setting my elbows on the table and placing my hands on my face. This was any Alpha's worst nightmare.
Beta Don nodded, and I watched the wrinkles deepen from the stress on his forehead. "I don't think anyone should be ruled out yet. Six hours have already passed, and with every minute, we're getting farther from finding her." His words resonated with me. I stood up and effortlessly punched the wall behind my desk. "FUCK DON! HOW DID I NOT SEE THIS COMING?!" I yelled.
Beta Don chugged the rest of his drink and stood up, placing his hands in the pockets of his black jeans. "Alpha, I'm going to search the homes with the warriors. If someone has her captive from the pack, she has to be in one of them." I nodded, not bothering to look back at him as he exited my office.
"He's in here if you're looking for him, Sophia," Don said, his voice echoing further and further from my office.
"Jax?" Sophia said sweetly, her voice ringing in my ears. I could feel my broken wolf's ears perk up at the love in her voice. I knew she had come to check on me, but I wasn't the one who needed help; my mate did.
"Not a good time, Soph," I admitted and walked toward the bar cart.
Slender arms wrapped around my waist from behind. "I-I'm so scared," Sophia stuttered out. I turned to her and placed my arms around her in a warm embrace.
"Me too," I whispered.
"Why is life not fair to us? What did we do that's so wrong?" she spat out. Sophia's tears began to soak my shirt as she choked and sobbed. A wave of anger washed over me. I deserved everything I got in this life, but Sophia? Sophia was the sweetest person I knew, filled with joy and love despite the shitty hand life had dealt her.
I ran my hands down her hair, trying to console my baby sister. She loved Adeline too; the two of them had formed a sister-like bond after all the time they had spent together. I had never seen Sophia happier than when the announcement of my and Adeline's mating was made to the pack.
"Shh, we'll find her. You'll see," I whispered into her ear. I only wished I could believe my own words.
Sophia pulled back, her eyes completely bloodshot. "Can we go see Mom? Please, Jax. Just five minutes."
I shook my head as I stared down at my baby sister. "I have to get back and find my mate, Soph. If you want to go see Mom, then go. I won't be able to calm my wolf down until I have her back."
My body bolted forward, and I grasped the bar cart tightly, watching as my knuckles turned white. A scorching pain cut through my stomach—I imagined it felt like someone had gutted me. "Silver," I whimpered, pressing my hand where the pain was. "They're hurting her with silver. I can feel it through the mate bond."
"JAXON!" Sophia shrieked and shoved her arm under mine, desperately trying to keep me from falling over.
"Y-you can't go out there like this," she stuttered. I could see the fear in her eyes.
"I have to, Soph. Adeline is my entire world. I can't let anything happen to her," I told her. "Look, kid, I love you, and nothing is going to happen to either Adeline or me. If you want to help—let's go. If seeing Mom is going to make you feel better, then go do that."
Beta Don's voice came over the mind link, frantic. "Alpha, trackers think they have a lead." I mustered the strength I had to stand up straight and told him over the mind link, "I'm on my way."
When I got outside the pack house, I shifted as quickly as I could, shredding my clothes in the process. I knew the quickest way to heal from the pain I felt through the mate bond was to stay in wolf form. I could only hope that my own strength and healing would give some sort of aid to my mate until I could get to her.
"You can do this, baby," I told her as I tried to connect with her through the mind link. Once again, there was nothing except radio silence.
I couldn't stop all the morbid ideas popping into my head of how I would kill Adeline's kidnappers, finally deciding that skinning them alive was the best option. My big black wolf easily whipped through the trees of the forest toward the group of wolves.
"Are you going to shift?" Beta Don asked, amused.
My wolf shook his head, and I replied through the mind link, "I can't. They hurt Adeline with silver, and I felt it through the mate bond like it was my own pain. I'm hoping that staying in wolf form will quicken her healing and strength too."
"They did what?!" he shrieked. His eyes turned solid black, his wolf eager to press forward and take control. His body began to tremble with anger. "Tell him," he said to Theo and the group through gritted teeth.
Theo moved forward and knelt in front of my wolf in submission. "Alpha, I remember seeing Adeline wear this necklace. We found it close to the edge of the pack territory."
My wolf tore a furious howl through the forest, and everyone jolted back. It was the ruby necklace I had given her from my mother. There was no doubt it was hers. The ruby in the center began to glow, and I cocked my head as I stared at it. Why was it glowing? My mother never told me it could glow.
I could only hope Sophia had gone to see our mother. "Soph, please tell me you're with Mom right now," I asked my sister, my desperation leaking through the mind link.
I could tell Sophia was still crying as she fought against her sniffles and tried to answer me clearly. "I'm here, Jaxon... I'm sorry I didn't continue to look for Adeline. It hurts... too... much. Please find her. I can't lose the both of you too," she begged.
It felt like a shard of glass pierced through my heart at her request. "Breathe and focus. Ask Mom what it means if the ruby necklace glows. It was found near the edge of pack territory."
A moment of silence passed—it felt like a goddamn lifetime—until Sophia finally answered. "Danger is nearby, Jaxon. Please. Be careful," she replied.
"We're close," I told Beta Don and the enforcers in the group. "Search this corner NOW."
