My Mate, My Best Friend

Extra: Panic

Daniel's POV:

I run through the hallway, carrying the frail boy out of the school. He seemed too weak to run, even after giving him his inhaler, so this was my only option.

I reach the outside, but my heart sinks when I see Jeremy and Lucas standing outside. Alone. Without Lauren.

I deliver the boy to some teachers who should know what to in this situation and quickly run over to them.

"Where is she?!" I ask frantically.

"I'm sorry, she hasn't come out yet," Lucas responded solemnly.

I immediately ran back inside. I don't care if I have to search through the flames, I'm not leaving here without her.

I run around like a maniac looking for her, calling out her name. I begin to cough as the smoke gets thicker.

A bad feeling settles at the pit of my stomach and washes over me. Something bad happened, I just know it.

My heart nearly breaks when I see her two friends walking towards me. Why isn't she with them?!

I run up to them and ask, "Where is she?!"

The brunette wrinkles her eyebrows together and responds, "She... Well, she was with her uncle..."

"What?!" My roar echoes in the hallway.

She visibly shrinks at my voice.

"Do you know what that monster has done to her?! How could you leave her alone with him?!" I shout at her, completely furious that they left my mate with that good for nothing rogue.

I stop and breath for a second. I'm losing my cool when I need to be looking for her.

"Where did you last see them?" I ask impatiently.

She points to where she was coming from. "East Hallway."

I glance at her friend who is barely hanging on to her shoulder. He looks like he's passed out.

"Get him to safety," I say before sprinting past them.

"Make sure she's safe," she mutters softly.

"Always."

I turn and run down the hallway, heading towards the East Hall. However, I stop in my tracks as my body runs cold.

I can't feel her anymore.

Her precense... It's gone. I can't feel her wolf. Our mate bond's been severed.

A chill ran through my body as the warmth of her presence disappeared. I stumbled towards one of the walls to hold myself up. It burned my skin, but that didn't even begin to compare to the pain I'm feeling right now.

I grab at the front of my hair as tears run down my face.

Lauren... She's gone.

I just want to shrink up into a ball and disappear. My heart aches at the thought of her no longer being by my side. The person I treasure most in this world.

At one point, I didn't even realize that I was still surrounded by smoke, a few feet away from the flames. I don't know how long I've been here for, but I was pulled back to reality when Jeremy and Lucas dragged me out of the burning building.

𓃢

When they didn't find her body, they thought there was a possibility she might still be alive. Despite not feeling her wolf or her presence, I had to have some hope. I desperately wanted to believe that she was still alive or else I would completely break down.

I longed for her: her touch, her laugh, her embrace. Nothing in the world could ever replace the warmness and the comfort she gave me. Not knowing where or how she was, or whether she was even alive, was torture. I hated myself for suggesting that we go different ways. I should've stayed by her side no matter what. I should've been there to protect her.

A day of worrying and agony went by extremely slow. It didn't help that we couldn't find anything about her uncle's whereabouts. All I wanted was to rip him to shreds. Just thinking about the fact that he hurt her or could be hurting her right now made me shake with anger. Everyone was caught off guard with her disappearance that they didn't stop to think that anything else might happen, or that someone else might get hurt.

The day after her disappearance, Blair disappeared as well. Jeremy turned into a mad man, throwing fits then crying his eyes out. He said his connection to her wolf was gone and that he could no longer feel her presence.

It was the same thing I felt with Lauren, but again they didn't find her body or anything.

Now things were serious. It wasn't just one pack member who disappeared. Now it was a pack member and the new Luna. The former alpha and Jeremy gathered all the people in power and all the warriors. They ordered them to search the lands for the Luna and my mate.

Although there were no confirmations, we suspected it was the rogues who targeted us weeks ago. They were after the alpha lineage. They wanted to hurt Jeremy and his father. Blair was just caught in the crossfire. I'm not sure what part Lauren's uncle plays in this, but I'm going to kill him if I ever get my hands on him.

I had so many regrets. I wished I would've taken the rogues more seriously but I was clouded by my worry for Lauren when she got shot because of me. I also should've stayed by her side that day instead of letting her go alone.

I should've been a better delta, but more importantly a better mate.

Jeremy and I grew restless as days passed and nothing came up about our mates. Every lead turned into a dead end. Eventually we realized that we were in the dark with no clues and no solid evidence. The more days that passed, the more hope slipped away from me.

...Until her warm presence made me feel complete once again.

If I wasn't in a meeting with Jeremy, Lucas, my father, and the former alpha and beta, I would have cried on the spot.

I was overwhelmed with relief when our mate bond was restored. She and her wolf were alive.

However, just because she was alive didn't mean she was safe. I immediately stood up, interrupting the former alpha.

"I apologize for the interruption, but this is urgent! The mate bond between Lauren and I has been re-established. She's alive! I can take us to her."

Jeremy shot me a worried expression. He must not have felt the reconnection with his mate.

Former Alpha John spoke right away. "Quick, gather some warriors! We're retrieving the girl and your Luna!"