In the Middle

Chapter 12

"Keith wake up!" Shiro shouted.

Keith bolted upright, instantly regretting it as the side of his head throbbed. He looked up at Shiro, blinking his eyes multiple times to get the blurriness away.

Then he started crying, "They have Lance."

"What?" Shiro asked. "What do you mean they have Lance? We were only gone for a day. What happened?"

"Lotor broke in. With his pack." Keith sobbed. "Lotor, h-he took Lance and I couldn't get to him."

Shiro pulled Keith up from the floor, "Hey, it'll be alright. Lance is strong and we will get him back."

"Shiro," Keith started. "Lance was terrified. I just- I-"

Allura moved behind Keith, wrapping the alpha in a hug, "Don't let your emotions take over you. You need to trust us, as well as yourself."

Keith wiped his eyes and nodded. He turned, seeing Romelle groggily helping Pidge and Coran helping Hunk. Curtis was standing behind Shiro.

Keith sighed, leaning his head down on Allura's shoulder, "I dont know what to do."

Allura sighed, combing her fingers through his mullet, "You, Romelle, Hunk, Pidge, and Curtis need to rest. Shiro, Coran and myself will start working on looking for Lance. Though, it'll be difficult."

"Why is it going to be difficult?" Keith asked, peeking up.

"We don't know where they live." Allura informed. "But we'll think of something."

Keith frowned, growling while stomping up the stairs to his room. Pidge, Hunk, Curtis and Romelle also went to their rooms to sleep.

Keith didn't want to rest though, so he sat on his bed and thought. He found one of his red sweatshirts, which smelt like Lance. He laid on his bed and hugged the sweatshirt close, smelling the scent that was attached to it.

~*~*~*~*~

Lance was seated in Lotor's room on the edge of the bed. He was forced to change shirts, which left him with nothing but the cold scent of Lotor.

Thoughts were running through his head, until the door opened. Lotor strutted in and sat next to Lance, who scooted away.

"I came to tell you it was dinner time." Lotor spoke.

"I'm not hungry." Lance protested.

Lotor gave him a deadpanned look, "I insist you eat. If you don't, it'll hurt your heat."

"And what's wrong with that?" Lance asked.

Lotor grinned, cupping Lance's cheek, "If an alpha marks their omega on their heat, the bond is stronger." He moved his fingers towards Lance's scent glands. "I've been so foolish to not have marked you yet."

"Your not going to mark me." Lance moved his hand away. "I won't let you."

"If you don't accept the marking, you'll only kill yourself." Lotor informed.

Lance scoffed, "I rather die than be yours."

Lotor grabbed Lance's wrist tightly, "Dont you think Keith will have a fit if you died?" He paused. "Now that I think of it, Keith would have a fit either way."

"You realize my pack will find me." Lance pointed out.

"How? They have no idea where you are." Lotor informed.

Lance furrowed his eyebrows, pushing Lotor away as hard as he could. Lotor just growled, grabbing Lance's jaw and pulling his face up to his.

"I hope you know you will be punished for your actions." Lotor spoke sternly, squeezing Lance's jaw tighter.

Lance winced. Lotor just smirked and chuckled, forcefully kissing Lance before letting go.

Lotor presses his fingers on Lance's scent glands again, "I think tonight is a good night to scent mark you, sound good?"

Lance teared up and shook his head. Lotor sighed, grabbing Lance's hand and leading him downstairs to the kitchen.

~*~*~*~*~

Keith paced back and forth in his room. It was around midnight now. A knock was sounded at the door, which made Keith whip his head to it.

Pidge walked in, crossing her arms, "You know your not a dinosaur right?"

"What do you mean?" Keith asked, glaring at the beta.

"Your pacing is loud. That's what I mean." Pidge spoke.

"Sorry." Keith apologized, plopping on his bed and sighing.

"Your worried about Lance, aren't you?" Pidge inquired, sitting next to Keith.

Keith nodded, "Lotor could have done anything to him right now." He stopped and his eyes widened. "What if Lance got marked? Oh god, that means he is basically under Lotor's command. Lance is way to submissive, he'll-"

Pidge stopped him, "One, your rambling, and two, calm down. Keith, we are all worried about Lance and we are doing everything in our power to find him. What's that saying Shiro used to tell you? Patience yields focus. We just need to be patient."

"Yeah but the longer this takes, the sooner something could happen to Lance." Keith pointed out.

"If we rush, it just adds stress we don't need. The less stress, the more clear our minds are and we can focus on the problem at hand." Pidge explained.

"Your right." Keith sighed. "And I apologize for my behavior."

"No need to apologize. We all know you love him dearly. It's obvious." Pidge replied.

Keith playfully rolled his eyes, "You can go to bed now. You and I both need to sleep."

"You're correct." Pidge smiled, getting up and walking to the door. "But you actually need to sleep."

"Don't worry I will." Keith chuckled, watching pidge leave the room and close the door.

Keith looked on the bed, his expression saddening. He wanted Lance with him. He got up and crept into the hallway, going to Lance's room and sitting on his bed. He sighed, then breathing in the room's scent.
He lied down, staring at the flowers on the canopy.

He really needed Lance back.

And Lance needed him back desperately.