Adonis pants as he enters his manor, feeling drained after the eighth run of the day.
His birthday is coming up. He's set to turn 17. August 20th.
It's been three years since his beautiful Mabel had disappeared, almost as if into thin air.
Adonis doesn't sleep much, always dreaming of her. It hurts to dream.
He doesn't eat, he doesn't have an appetite or any sort of cravings.
He has remained adamant that Mabel was still alive, having felt her presence in the back of his mind for years. From time to time if he's lucky he could feel her heart beating; or rather accelerating, hinting towards nerves and possible pain.
He runs the perimeter of his pack everyday in hopes of catching her scent in the wind and is known to sleep next to a bush on the outskirts of town; the same bush his Mabel had first appeared.
Adonis has since become the Alpha of his pack, after his father was found dead in the middle of the woods, a suspected suicide.
Beta Arthur had helped him get through the loss as he became Alpha at the age of sixteen.
Adonis was now 6'1 and still growing. His wolf, Excors, has turned into a vicious- almost rabid animal after the loss of his mate. It was so cold and calculated that people stopped calling him by his name, Excors, and has instead called him Fenrir after the great big wolf in Norse Mythology. Excors was certainly humongous for his age and was definitely as terrifying as Fenrir, making him assume the name willingly.
Adonis was a Lycan, that was for sure. Since his fathers death the council pushed Adonis so far that one day he snapped and killed Elder Ortaga. He was a rather rude and intrusive person and died a horrible death that upset Adonis. It didn't upset him because what he did was wrong. It upset him because he liked it.
Adonis liked seeing the horror on the councils face as he ripped out the mans heart before shifting and taking the Elders intestines out and wrapping them around Ortagas throat. Adonis liked the blood that stained his skin and the flesh that fell at his feet.
His wolfs fur was red and before he used to think it was due to the fact he was a Lycan and no wolf in the world was red other than extremely powerful Lycans, but now he knew why. It was the blood of the innocent he had killed in his past lives, staining his fur and giving him a ruthless reputation. Though he likes to believe Mabels reasoning, she used to say it was because "he was a true gryffindor".
Although he had liked feeling in control, and killing that Elder made him feel as such, he had still went to bed that night and cried until the sun rose again.
I'm a monster, Adonis had thought, Mabel won't want me. Not after she heard what I did. She's going to hate me.
Yet he continued.
He continued to kill, continued to strike fear in others and continued to make himself miserable.
His mate was yet to return to him. He would search day and night and come up with nothing. He was no longer the boy who fancied himself an adult, he was the Alpha. An Alpha with a missing Luna.
Sebastian comes around his manor every second day to check up on him and bring him food as she's training to become a chef. She was yet to find her mate and since she was only fifteen, she wasn't planning on finding him or her anytime soon.
Liam was also yet to find his mate and lived at the manor with Adonis. He was the only one Adonis ever fully talked to apart from Sebastian. Liam had expected to be blamed for Mabels abduction but instead became the shoulder to lean on.
Liam hasn't taken the Beta position as they are waiting for him to turn eighteen so they can do it traditionally; something Adonis should have had.
The manor was huge with five floors and 30+ rooms. It used to feel like home when Mabel was in it, she was always the life and soul of the pack, and now that she's gone the pack was at a loss. The residence was now just a meaningless building. Mabel had loved the house though and that is the only reason Adonis kept it. He would keep it for her to come home too. She had her own room there and everything, and to this day it still smelled like her, her sweet cookie and rose oil scent.
No one was allowed into the Lunas room, besides the Alpha and the Luna herself.
Adonis had overtaken four packs and increased the economy by 57% since his dad 'stepped down'.
He was a natural leader, so much so that he was to be declared Alpha King when he turns seventeen. A title he didn't need, nor did he want. He was going to have to be called "Summi Ducis" which translated to supreme Leader in Latin but he will be called "Dux" for short on a day to day basis.
Adonis was going to have to go on a tour of the packs for half a year, a tour that ended on the day his missing mate was born. The 21st of January.
Adonis walked into the kitchen as he grabbed a bottle of water and headed to the bathroom.
"Whatsuuuuppp Donnnyyyy", he heard a voice slur from behind him.
Adonis rolled his eyes at the sound of his annoying Betas drunken voice.
Liam, now like Bash, has ptsd from the attack on the pack and continues to go to therapy even though it's obvious it's not helping much.
"Liam? Drinking? Again?" Adonis says as he turns to look at his stumbling best friend.
"LM disndt like the sarcasm and neithther do I" Liam said, pointing his finger at Adonis as he slurs. Adonis flinches at his mentioning of his mate.
"Shut it Liam", Adonis says, his tone clipped.
Liams eyes turned dark as his eyebrows furrowed.
"No. How about you shut up? I'm TIRED of you telling me to "shut up"?! How about you listen to me? You have never once asked what happened, only asked where she was and when I said that I had let her get kidnapped you smashed the pack house up and left for two weeks! While I was back here starting a search party while suffering from brain damage that left me partially paralysed! You're lucky I recovered. And ya know what? I'm not even mad. I'm not. I understand that you lost your mate but this pack lost their Luna. The second time in the last five years they lost a Luna and you moped around instead of doing something about it straight away. Well ya know what? You can listen to my story. The events of that night" Liam hissed, fisting his hair with his hands, and staggering around drunkenly.
Adonis' heart clenched at the pain in his Betas eyes, his eyes looking over Liams shaking hands and tense body.
"Liam how about you-"
"No adonis. You need to hear. Mabel had woken up and started screaming for a boy, Nicholas, she said he had told her that there was going to be an attack and to get you on the phone and warriors outside along with doubling perimeter guards-"
"Liam if you don't stop I won't be able to control him." Adonis shouted feeling helpless. His wolf shook in his head to tear through his best friend for uttering their mates name. Why was Adonis letting him speak of her? He could easily make him stop. So why not now?
"-I was stupid, I decided to call you first. I shouldn't have. I should have went for anyone but you, what could you do? You were going to camp. I called you and stayed outside guarding the room while she spoke. Then I remember hearing something, a whistling, it didn't take long before I acted defensively and burst into the room to tell Mabel to get down. It was too late. The bomb landed near the house and blasted that part away. I blacked out and when I opened my eyes I saw her screaming.-", Liam continues, ignoring Adonis' panicked pleading.
Adonis felt cornered. Liam was going to die if he didn't stop talking of Mabel.
"No, Liam continue further and I'll kill you" Adonis promised.
"She wasn't screaming for just anyone as men, full grown men lifted her up and began to drag her from the room. Oh no, she was screaming for-"
"Liam I'll kill you!"
"You. She begged the air as if it could get you there quicker. She said "Addie, help me" as if you could hear. "Addie please, Addie hurry." She screamed. You know the worst part?"
Adonis shook his head repeatedly, as if trying to rid his brain of the information just given to him or trying to stop his wolf from getting out as Excors dug his nails into Adonis' subconscious and began to dig his way out.
"You know the worst part? She fought. She fought so hard. Our Luna, so strong. She kicked and punched and made the guys carrying her bleed. Our gentle non-threatening Luna beating the shit out of men who caused harm to her pack. She was amazing." Liam said, tears now running down his face as Adonis began to shake with the amount of power he was holding back.
"You know what the last thing she said to me was?"
"I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I'll kill you" Adonis mumbled quickly, over and over; as if it was a prayer. His voice getting deeper each time. It's set in stone. Liam is going to die.
" she said 'He'll find me', and nodded at me while being carried away. She believed you would save her even in the arms of her potential killer. You gave her that much hope. It's been three years and I would bet it on anything that she still believes you'll find her. So find her." Liam finished. Adonis finally let out a growl loud enough to shake the house.
Adonis lunged at Liam and grabbed him by is neck as he moved around, sluggish from consuming alcohol.
Adonis snarled into Liams face, his bottle of water and shower completely forgotten.
His Mabel was gone.
It had never fully registered. Never. Not until he heard the full story.
"How about you listen when I tell you to shut the fuck up" Adonis growled, growing more and more agitated.
Why did he let Liam continue? He could have stopped him after the first word but chose not too. Was it some form of self hatred? Self torture? Probably.
Liams face turned blue as he tried to claw Adonis' hands off his neck.
"ADONIS GET THE FUCK OFF OF HIM." A girlish voice screamed, making Adonis instantly drop the man into the floor.
Sebastian ran towards them and quickly helped Liam up.
"Now I'm going to have to stitch you up!" Sebastian growled out of frustration as she looked at the claw marks on his neck that seem to be going no where despite his super healing.
"Maybe you can stitch his big mouth together while your at it and teach him to shut up when told." Adonis hissed before walking off.
"Hey! I don't have a big gob! You have a big gob!" Liam shouted lazily after him.
Adonis stormed into his office and sat at his desk.
He sat straight on the leather seat and after a couple minutes of silence he began to cry.
He missed Mabel.
She had faith in him, she knew he would find her yet here he was three years later with no Mabel.
He banged his fist against the wooden table.
"A-Adonis T-Timor", a stuttering voice hit his ears causing him to stop mid cry and stand quickly. He hadn't heard her in years. Maybe it was a trick his ears played on him. He was so desperate for her voice that his ears made him believe he heard her voice.
Adonis sighed and began to walk out of the room. He placed his hand on the door handle and-
"Mate" her voice called out.
Mate, his wolf called back.
He could sense her, he could find her.
He was going to bring her home.
***
What ye have been waiting for.
Mabels pov.
Mabel drags her chains to the corner of her shared cell.
She shoved her small portion of daily food towards the woman in front of her, looking into the Ladies familiar chocolate eyes.
"No! I-I cannot accept this Mae. You must eat. You're a growing girl!" She exclaimed. Seemingly horrified from the thought of even sharing food.
Mabel shook her head and motioned to the eleven year old girl beside her.
"Mabel says, "what about Ame? She's a growing girl and needs more food than me." To which I don't agree with by the way, I think we should just eat our own food. Like what even is sharing." The boy in the corner says, acting as Mabels support and interpreter.
Mabel glares lightly at the boy before turning to the Lady again and pointing at the food sternly.
The lady sighs.
"You're too good, Mabel. To good for any of us." The woman says as she takes the food and hands it to her daughter who digs in straight away, clearly not full from her own meal.
Mabel nods contently and kisses the woman on the cheek, before hobbling over to the boy and sitting beside him. Sucking air into her lungs as her whole body burns from the torture she endured earlier. In reality it hadn't even been Mabels turn for torture but she had offered herself, as always, in place to be tortured rather than any of her friends who shared the cell with her.
The boy sighs and pulls Mabel into him.
"Do you want me to check you? Hide your wounds though- I might go all crazy blood I'm a vampire and I drink your red sauce psycho on you." The boy says jokingly, knowing his Vampire is dormant for the next year and a half until he turns eighteen.
Mabel smiles lightly at him and nods, lifting her shirt up and showing him her back.
The boy gasps and hissed as he looks at her back.
" what is it? Is it worse? Soter?" The lady panics.
"Calm down Oria! It's not much just a few bits and bobs. Listen Mabel I'm going to touch it okay? Don't get scared." Soter said before brushing his overgrown blond hair out of his face and lifting Mabels tattered shirt higher on her back and grazing his hand off her shoulder blades.
Mabel hisses but stays still.
Mabel has always trusted Soter rather he be a vampire or not. From the moment she met him she instantly felt connected to him and he has grown to be one of the most important people in her life. She hasn't spoken in three years and doesn't plan on speaking any time soon. She doesn't know or remember how.
Soter adapted to her no speaking and could tell what she was trying to say just by her facial expressions.
Mabel doesn't remember anything other than a couple things here and there. Sometimes she dreams of a raven haired boy. She named him Adonis and he would always be nice to her in her dreams. She knows that her mind made him up but he brings her great comfort so she pretends that he's real.
Mabel was brought from her thoughts by Soter placing his hands on her back again, this time massaging lightly. As a vampire he could take her pain away and that's exactly what he was doing. Mabel slapped his hand away and scooted away from him.
"Whaaaat?" He drawled dramatically, throwing her hands up.
Mabel frowns and points at him and then at her back.
"It doesn't hurt me as much, I swear. I can feel it only a little. Let me help." He says, moving forward.
She raises a hand and shakes her head, stopping him in his tracks and making him let out a grown and fall backwards onto the hard concrete floor.
"So So! stop making noise!" Ame whispers, having finished her food. Ame had grown up in the "dark". They called it "the dark" because it was always dark, 24/7 and if it wasn't then it was complete artificial light. Mabel hasn't felt the sun on her face in three years. Ame was born in "the dark" after her mother, Oria, was kidnapped whilst running away. Ames father died shortly after she was conceived.
"Sorry Ame", Soter said sheepishly. Soter was a vampire who was brought into "the dark" about a week after Mabel was brought in. His mother who was a wolf had tried to kill him every chance she got since he was born, she hated him. When he was twelve a neighbour heard him being beaten and intervened. The neighbour took Soter and brought him to woods and left him there. Soter said that his neighbour told him to "protect" and when Soter asked what it was he was going to protect the neighbour replied, "you'll know." He had ran for days and days until he was taken to "the dark" after being captured.
After Soter met Mabel he swore she was the one he was meant to protect.
There was banging in the distance as people began to scream.
Mabel whimpered and closed her eyes. She slammed her hands onto her ears, trying desperately to block out the horrific noises of children just as old as herself begging for their life.
Adonis, Mabel thought, who are you?
"My name is Adonis." He said, grinning.
"A-Addie." She replied a smile crawling onto her face.
"No, baby, it's Adonis."
"Addie. H-have name f-fr-from me" she beamed.
"Oh, a nickname!" He grinned back.
-
"Mmmaaaabbbeeelllll" a voice called.
Mabel giggled, hiding further into the cupboard, her book wedged between her and the cupboard door.
"I....got you!" Adonis laughed, opening the cupboard and grabbing Mabel in one quick motion.
But unlike with the dark soldiers, Mabel didn't flinch when Adonis grabbed her- rather beamed with what Mabel guessed was happiness.
"A-Addie you c-ch-cheated y-you us-used Exie!" Mabel said, feeling the air around her turn cold and her mates eyes recover from the sickening black they once were.
"Maybe. But I just had to find you because then I'd win and guess what baby.."Adonis said and stood up.
"I'm the winner" he shouted, letting his arms fly into the air in success.
"Y-you're the w-win-winner!" Mabel copied his movements making him pause and laugh as her small arms reached above her.
-
Mabel wiped a tear from a young girls face, the girl had beautiful blond hair and orange eyes.
"It's o-okay s-seb. Gir-girls can be mea-mean.", Mabel nods as she speaks, hugging the girl to her as she cries.
"You're not mean Abe", the small girl said, shaking her head.
"Th-that's because y-you're m-my fam-family and I l-love you." Mabel said, trying to cheer the girl up.
The small girl giggled and shook her head.
"You're nice to everyone, you're like Luna Amethyst, even sick she's happy."
"T-thank you", Mabel says, blushing a deep red. She had only met the Luna on minor occasions and was always afraid to talk or even speak to her. She was so sick and pale that Mabel would have mistaken her for dead if she hadn't have had her eyes open and is she wasn't talking.
"You're a Loony Luna" Seb said, hinting towards their inside joke.
"But y-you l-love me g-good", Mabel says, kissing Sebs forehead and bringing her in for a hug.
-
"I'm your mate!" Adonis said, throwing his hands in the air. Rain could be heard pelting against the window as Mabel and Adonis stood in the middle of the room, dripping wet.
"I-I r-realise! Y-you just aren't be-being very ni-nice right now!" Mabel said, folding her arms over her chest as he yelled at her in her own room. It had been just hours after Adonis' mother's funeral and, of course, Mabel expected him to grieve but not by insulting anything that breaths, including her.
"Would you stop it with your stupid 'positive' and 'I'm always happy' and 'use your manners', no one gives a FUCK Mabel. No one." Adonis yelled, gripping his wet hair and letting it go before running his hands down his clothes.
The clothes that he would later burn.
The clothes he wore to his mother's funeral.
Mabel gasped at his words and looked at him with tears in her eyes. From an outside view it was almost bizzare to hear such words escape a nine year old boy.
"I hate you", she whispered so lowly that Adonis nearly didn't catch it.
His face dropped and tears sprung up in his eyes.
"Yeah? Well I hate you too" he said, feeling as if his world just collapsed.
Mabels eyes glistened with tears as she grabbed the nearest thing to her, a small plant, and threw it at him.
" I. Hate. You." she yelled as tears stream down her face. She then made her getaway, running into the bathroom and sitting in the corner.
Adonis waited there for a few minutes, listening to his mate cry as he himself shed tears before he walked towards the bathroom and knocked on the door, stepping in.
"I just wanted you to know that I don't hate you." He said quietly and quickly, looking down at the floor and refusing to make eye contact with his sobbing mate.
"I-I do-don't hate y-you ei-either." Mabel gasped out between cries and lifted her arms, waiting for him to come and hold her.
Adonis almost ran over and collapsed next to her. Gathering her in his arms and holding her to his chest. Suddenly he grabbed her face in between his two hands and smiled at her.
"I'm glad you're my mate Mabel Romevello"
"I-I'm h-happy y-you're my ma-mate too, Adonis T-Timor."
-
"Mabel!" A voice shocked her out of her trance like state.
Soter was in front of her holding her face, just as Adonis was moments earlier.
All of the memories that she believed to have been gone forever have suddenly reappeared. Thousands of beautiful images floating around in her head helping her remember faces and names that she has always known.
Mabel gasped as she shot her head towards Oria.
"What is it Mabel? What is it? What happened?" Soter panicked, for the first time in three years not being able to read her expression.
"A-Adonis Ti-Timor", Mabel let out, speaking for the first time in three years causing Soter to retract as if he had been burned.
Oria covered her mouth and nodded.
"Yes, yes my nephew, my beautiful boy, did you- did you remember him? Did you know him?" Oria asked, tears melting from her eyes.
Mabel nodded, a confused yet somewhat proud smile spreading on her face.
"Mate".