Ever Lasting

XXVI

Chapter XXVI

Atlas

I felt terrible for what happened last night. I have had nightmares like that since my Mother died. Last night was different than the ones before though.

It was not about the night I watched vampires tear through my Mom and then take her body with them just so my Dad could not bury his wife.

No, it was about another haunting incident of my short life. The thought of it brought a sensation of guilt and nausea to my throat. I was overwhelmed with it. I was reliving it like it was happening all over again in the hospital room I was in. I couldn't move.

Everly's comforting touch must have awoken Helix to protect us from what my mind was circulating. I did not feel the tingles of my skin touching hers or the butterflies she gave me when looking at me. All I felt was fear. Fear of one of the worst nights happening to me again.

It scared me that I was so distracted by my fear that I had harmed Everly.

I couldn't let that happen again.

"Isn't that right, Alpha Atlas?" Declan nudged me back to reality. He was walking alongside me through the training ground as we had a meeting with an allied pack.

"Right," I cleared my throat and made sure to pay more attention to the conversation.

I was nearly pulling my hair out halfway through this meeting. Thank Goddess my Father and Beta were able to attend.

Declan was lucky enough to have Ellie trailing behind us trying not to be caught by me. I didn't care. It was amusing to me how every time I would turn in her direction, she would jump and hide somewhere. The Midnight Sun Alpha was nothing but an old man who would not give up his title so I paid attention to her antics more than him.

He was stuck in the old ways and ran his pack like they used to back in the day. Wives were to sit and not speak while the males worked and did whatever they wanted. Everly would've ripped his head off his shoulders if she heard the way he spoke about women.

"Alpha!" I heard Fin from behind me as we all were walking through the training grounds. I smiled thinking that my mate made him come grab me for her but when I spun around she was nowhere in sight. He held a file on the Stone River Pack and handed it to me. I growled at him, he was embarrassing me in front of another Alpha. "What is this for, Fin? Where is my Mate?"

He looked at me like I was crazy and pointed at the file. "That's the one you wanted right? The blue one?" He caught his breath as he had just run a marathon. "She's where you ordered what's his face to take her to. Remember? While I got your file you needed,"

My heart stopped. I couldn't even try to control Helix as Fin's words sunk into me. "What the fuck are you talking about? Who fucking took Everly?! Declan go get a scent for her and find her!"

He jumped backward from me as my Father got between us. The other Alpha was taken back by my outburst. I had no time to apologize, nor did I care to.

Declan shifted without another word and took off in the direction he must have sensed her most at.

"Some new warrior, Alpha! He said you planned something for her at the waterfall. She seemed to know what he meant by fixing your mistakes so I let her go! I am so sorry!"