PHOENIX
"What the hell is this?" I gaped down at the naked, dead body laying underneath the tarp "What the fuck?"
"There was another attack while you were away" Rune said softly, which had my head snapping towards him.
"What?!" I growled "Why wasn't I notified? Why wasn't any Heir or Penta member notified?"
"Because unlike the last creature, the new one dropped dead the moment it crossed the Wards."
"Well where's the creature then?" I asked
"You're looking at him." Téo said
"What?" looked back at the body, my mouth agape "That's not possible."
"Apparently it is Alpha," Rune said "The twins were patrolling the eastern border when he stumbled in, dropping dead at their feet mere moments later."
"He's a shifter" I tilted my nose up in the air, getting hints of death mingled with the undeniable scent of a shifter "A shifter is not capable of becoming that...thing. Whatever it was."
"He didn't exactly look like that creature that hurt Alpha Lobo" Níco said as he crossed his arms, his assessing gaze sweeping over the young shifter from head to toe "He looked more like a wolf this time except for the intestines protruding from his abdomen."
"He also looked like..." Téo hesitated, looking at his brother.
My eyebrow rose "Like what?"
"Like he wanted to die" Níco frowned, an unknown emotion entering his eyes "Like there was nothing left to live for and all he wanted was to finally be put out of his misery."
"And you didn't kill him?" I asked for confirmation "You weren't inclined to put him out of said misery?"
"We didn't have too" Téo said "Like your Beta said, before we could even take a step in his direction, he dropped dead."
"That's not the only thing Alpha" Rune winced at my exasperated sigh.
"Fuck, what else could possibly go wrong?"
"I wouldn't say that if I were you" Níco murmured, making his brother elbow his ribs "What? You know that whenever someone says that, things get exponentially worse."
Rune pointed at the body "According to my research, this kid went missing about five months ago."
My heart panged at the confirmation of his age "Who was he?"
"Jakob Edwards, the nineteen year old eldest son of Wilhelmina and Grisha Edwards. His mom died when his youngest sister was two and it's only been him, his father, and his sisters since then" Rune's voice dropped to a whisper "His plans were to attend Med School the moment he graduated from the Academy."
"When was he reported missing?"
"About five months ago" Rune answered "Both his roommate and father filed Guards report a few days after he went missing. It wasn't uncommon for him to go low contact at times to focus on his studies and exams. It wasn't until he missed a few family dinners, events that he religiously attended since his mother passed, did his father know that something was wrong."
"He didn't question his son's disappearance sooner?"
"Like I said, it wasn't uncommon for him to not answer his phone for days at a time, especially during exam time" Rune shook his head "And quite honestly, the father didn't have much time to investigate why his son wasn't visiting. Grisha Edwards' youngest daughter is very sick and requires continuous treatment from the local medical institution, something that costs much more money then anticipated which has him working long hours at one of his three jobs."
There was a pit forming in the bottom of my stomach at his words, something not sitting right with me at my Beta's words.
"What night did he go missing."
Rune hesitated "The night Heir Lupine was returned."
The feeling turned into an even bigger pit.
"And what Pack did he belong too?"
All three men glanced at each other, briefly shaking their heads before looking back at me.
"What Pack did he belong to Beta" I demanded softly "I will not ask again."
"The Edwards family are devote Pack members to the Lupine Pack" Rune whispered "As were the sixteen other people, all ages seventeen through nineteen, that went missing within the last year."
~~~~~
Atlas
Ten years ago
"Mom" I pulled on her dress, frowning as she sat on porch swing, a gift dad gave to her for their ninth anniversary.
She was bundled up in three big blankets, mascara smudged and a blank expression on her face as she continued to gaze over the garden dad gave to her a year ago when she expressed joy over her new found habit of gardening.
"Mom" My nose wrinkled when she took a sip from the dark crimson juice she usually reserved for times like this.
Times that started to occur more frequently as my father started to travel more and more for his Heir meetings.
The cries from my newborn brother grew louder in frequency, making me wince at not only the pitch but also his desperate attempt for the loving attention of his mother.
I tried to hold him and feed him and even tried to change his diaper, which he rewarded me by spraying pee everywhere, but nothing I did for him worked.
He only started to cry harder, his little face turning a shocking raspberry color.
"Mom" I gripped her blanket "Coyotl is crying and I can't get him to stop."
"Not right now Atlas" she murmured, gripping her blankets tighter "Go play in the yard sweetie."
"Mom" I said in a firmer tone, more firm than I've ever used with her before "I need you to come inside and take care of my brother."
My heart was pounding as she swiveled her head towards where I was standing, giving me a look she's never given me before.
"You sound just like him" she said, her voice devoid of emotion as she turned her head back towards her garden "Maybe there's no hope for you after all."
My eyes flew open as a gasp flew from my throat, the memories that I kept locked tightly locked away in the back of my mind suddenly reappeared out of nowhere.
"Atlas!" Someone gasped quietly, making my head turn towards the familiar voice.
"Amethyst" I croaked, my voice dry and crackly, my throat feeling like someone stuffed cotton balls down my throat "What happened?"
She gripped the side of my head, her violet magik fueled eyes scanning my face quickly before threading her powers through me.
"You don't remember what happened?" she asked, shining a penlight in my face before turning it from one side to the other.
"Vaguely" I groaned as the headache that assaulted me since I woke up started to recede "I remember killing that hideous creature and then nada."
Her eyes softened as they turned back to their original brown color "What else do you remember Atlas?"
My heart stuttered as I sat straighter "Where's Nova?"
Her eyes softened even more "Atlas..."
"Where's Nova?" I asked, my tone desperate "Amethyst, where's Nova?"
"She's fine Atlas" her hands squeezed my shoulders gently "She's in the next room sleeping. One of the Butcher twins got her to the Penta in time, which in turn, allowed us to get to you in time for some much needed healing."
"Where's Kassian and Phoenix?"
"The Penta lifted the Protocol this morning" she said "Kassian joined Phoenix on the investigation about an hour ago."
I nodded, interested to learn more about what my friends were investigating but not so interested that I was willing to leave my Mate.
I stood, my legs wobbling slightly like a newborn fawn "How long was I out for?"
Amethyst looked away "Nine days and twenty-one hours."
My eyes widened "That hideous creature did that much damage?"
"You were on the verge of death Atlas" she said "We had twenty healers working on you at once and the only thing they were able to accomplish was to stop the blood loss."
I looked down at my healed body in wonder "Then how'd you fix me?"
"Nova did" She smiled "I just assisted where I could."
"What?" I gaped at her.
Her eyes twinkled as she patted my shoulder "Mates having the ability to heal their Mates when they get hurt or ill."
"What?"
I must have not heard her correctly because there was no way she would have or should have known that Nova was my Mate.
"It's okay Atlas" she touched my cheek in such a motherly gesture that I felt my emotions choking me, especially after all the memories of my mother I just experienced "Phoenix told me that Nova was your Mate. I promise I won't tell a soul. I would never betray you or Kassian like that"
"I'm glad that you're awake now Atlas" Before I could say anything, she headed towards the door "I best be going now since my services are no longer needed."
~~~~~~~~~
Nova was still sound asleep as I quietly made my way from the kitchen to the bathroom and finally to the bedroom.
I gritted my teeth as I sat down, every bone and muscle in my body aching and burning from the lack of movement for the past week and a half.
I cursed that creature to the very pits of hell as I crawled underneath the covers besides Nova.
I pulled her closer to me, sighing in happiness as I pressed my nose to the crook of her neck and inhaled her sweet scent.
Gods have I missed her.
She stirred, which had me freezing as she readjusted her position, snuggling even closer to me in the process.
"Atlas..." she mumbled softly, most likely unconsciously as she dreamt about me in her sleep "Atlas...come back...to me."
"I'm right here baby" I murmured into her skin, pressing a soft kiss beneath her ear "I promise to never leave you again."
She sighed happily, snuggling her face into my chest to the point that her hair started to tickle my side.
The small chuckle I tried to suppress managed to slip out, which had her stiffening in my arms.
Her eyes fluttered open and the breath was stolen from my lungs at the shockingly gorgeous color.
Just like the rest of her...absolutely breathtaking.
Emotions like Confusion, disbelief, and shock crossed that beautiful face of hers before she threw herself at me.
"ATLAS!" She cried happily "YOU'RE...YOU'RE AWAKE!"
I grabbed her waist, steading her as she straddled my waist, looking down at me with such happiness and delight in her eyes that it caused my heart to pound wildly in my chest.
"Hey baby" I grinned up at her, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear "Did you miss me?"