Marcus's POV
It's been two, two of the worst days and nights of my life. I've been forced to my room for rest, just as Luke has who is in the room next to me.
The past two days have been hell, we've done nothing but plan and fight to find there location. Luke has been a nervous and angry reck, he's changed into wolf form, on accident, more than once tearing up parts of my house. But the house is nothing to me if Rose isn't in it with me.
Luke tells us Amber doesn't have any life threatening injuries, I feel bad for him, he feels all the pain Amber has to endure and it shows, he's trying hard not to be consumed by anger. God knows what they have done to Rose. I roll over as once again more tears cloud my eyes.
The wolves have tracked there route on how they got across the border. No matter how badly I want to cross with all my vampires and Luke's wolves, everyone tells me we can't. I haven't sleep for days, I haven't even laid down in days. I can't shut off my mind because Roses cry for help repeats over and over in my head.
I can't reach her, I can't feel her, I can't even sense her emotions...the warlock must have gotten to her. My only hope now is Evangeline might be able to see, if only for a second, where they are. She has yet to wake up from the protection spell Lucia put on her and Jade is resting but almost back to normal from when she did the location spell.
Harry and Nate are taking my role for now, Caden is comforting Jade and making sure she doesn't try and help until she's better. Most of my vampire are training for a fight that I'm afraid must happen to get them back. We still have coverage on the border but since Richard crossed with what he came for it's unlike he'll come back. Lucia forced me and Luke in rooms for us to rest even though I know Luke isn't. I hear his irregular wolf/human heart beat in my ears and I know he's probably pacing or staring up at the ceiling like I am.
I'm angry, I'm confused, I'm sad, but most of all I'm miserable, I'm so miserable that I don't even have the energy to be angry, I can't even think about how confused I am. All I can think about is Rose, all I see is her there, trapped with my brother and her horrible father. My heart is so broken it hurts to move knowing she's so far away and in so much danger.
What have they done to her? How badly have they hurt my perfect and beautiful mate? Does she think I won't come? Is she with Amber? Is her dad with her? Has he hurt her? Has Caine used his mind games to torture her? What if I don't get to her in time?
I swear to god if they hurt her, if I don't find her...if I do find her and she's hurt I will kill them.
I take the pillow that my head lays on and squeeze it tight with closed eyes. I still smell her sweet scent that coats the pillow. At the amazing smell my heart sinks and my throat closes.
"Please" I beg to myself
I feel the pillow rip and tear apart in my hands. I scream loudly and angrily into the pillow and throw it behind me. I hear a loud shattering sound and slowly turn over. I gasp at what I see and jump up running over to the broken vase.
Water soaks the floor where the vase broke into pieces. I move the large glass piece of the vase and pick up the delicate rose. The usual blue and green swirls that remind me so much of Roses eyes seemed to have dulled and the pure white petals have wilted slightly. My eyes water heavily as I continue to stare at the rose, I can't tear my eyes from it.
No one knows when we can cross or how long we have to wait until Evangeline wakes up. I need something, I need something to lead me to her. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to stand being away from her without going crazy and crossing myself to find her and Amber.
I walk slowly and numbly into the bathroom to find another vase under the sink. I fill up the small vase with water and place the stem in. I look up to see a heart broken and wrecked man, my dark hair is messy, my eyes are blood shoot and turning a dark dull blue, my shoulders are slumped and my skin is illy pail. It takes everything I have not to punch the mirror I stand in front of...because seeing myself I see how much of a fuck up I am and because of me I let her get away.
I carry the vase back over to the windowsill and place it down, ignoring the pain in my heart as I stare at it. The mid afternoon sunshine brightening the weakening rose giving me a small sense of hope.
Then it hits me
We've been trying so hard to map out, figure out strategically and locate through every part of Caine's land to find them when all we needed was Rose's necklace. I hadn't even thought about it before, when I gave Rose her necklace on her birthday I hadn't told her I put a tracking device in the jewel. I knew she would be angry at me if she knew but I had to take precaution just in case something like this would ever happen.
I jump up and open my bedroom door running all the way down stairs to my office. When I open the door I see Lucia, Nate and Harry. All there eyes snap to me and they sigh weakly.
"Marcus what did I tell you, go rest we are trying as hard as we can" Lucia begs me
Her purple eyes are dull and tired looking, her blonde short hair is frizzy and messy. Harry looks like hell and I can see Nate trying to look ok but everyone here looks drained. Nate has a small stubble on his face, the strawberry blonde hair on his face looks unshaven and his hair looks flat and unfixed, his green eyes have small dark circles under them. I turn to Harry and his face is abnormally pale, his brown eyes look tired and sad. I can tell hope is slowly dwindling away from everyone's hearts.
"Marcus you need to rest" Nate says walking over to me and putting a large hand on my shoulder
"No wait I have something" I tell them and all there dull eyes widen "Luke! Caden! Jade! Get down here!"
I hear heavy foot steps run down the stairs and soon all three stand in the door way of my office. Caden drops Jade from his back down back to the ground and she stands on wobbly legs but takes a deep breath and sighs. She looks better from the last time I saw her.
"What is it?!" Luke asks stepping closer to me with desperation in his voice
"Did you find something?" Harry asks, shock evident in his voice
"I think I did, you all know the necklace I gave Rose" I say walking over to my computer and typing away
"The one you gave her for her birthday?" Asks Jade and I nod
"What about it?" Harry asks leaning his hands on the desk staring at me with wide wondering eyes
"I put a tracking device in it" I tell them
I hear loud gasps from everyone in the room "you what?" Caden asks shocked
I don't answer due to Luke interrupting me "you know where they are!?" He asks and I practically feel everyone's hope lifting
"I think so" I tell them but I still feel my heart heavy, what if this doesn't work?
I pull up the map which tells me where the necklace is on my computer... I thought I would never have to use this. It loads slowly causing my anger to raise, I just want to find her.
A red dot appears on the map and my heart jumps as I feel everyone around me hold there breath and or stop the movement "they're right next to the border, they're on my side!" I say as my lips turn up for the first time in what feels like years, I feel like jumping for joy at the thought of getting Rose back
"Oh my god" I hear Luke say and he smiles wide
"Wait what if it's a trap?" Lucia asks looking worriedly over at me
Everyone goes silent and there eyes move to me but I shake my head "I don't care, it's a possibility, they could have gotten away" I say hopeful
"I knew that kid could do it" Nate says smiling widely and proudly clapping his hands
"Do you think Ambers there?" Luke asks staring at me with worried eyes
"I don't see Rose leaving her" Caden says and Jade nods beside him
"I agree" Jade says with a smile on her face "Rose would never leave Amber behind"
"Let's go then" Harry says standing a little taller
"Luke get your wolves we're leaving" I say and he nods turning and walking out
"I'm coming" Harry says behind me as I walk to the door
"Me to" Caden says earning a worried but accepting look from Jade
"There's no way I'm missing out on rescuing my little fighter" Nate says cheerfully
Even though I don't like Nate saying 'my little fighter' I ignore it because my mind is only focused on getting Rose back.
I have to believe that she's there, hope is the only thing I have left.
Luke is already out the door and everyone follows behind me. When I open the front door I see at least ten maybe fifteen wolves in my yard. They all walk around while Luke slowly strips from his clothes.
Caden covers Jades eyes and she laughs lightly, we all hear bones cracking and a snarl. We turn back to Luke now in wolf form, to see him walking back and forth rounding up the wolves, snarling, growling and howling to each of them. His fur is black with a certain red tint to it, almost auburn streaks. Each of the wolves has unique and interesting patterns and colors of fur. They are large and strong just like Luke, but Luke is much bigger. I know Luke's father must be larger than Luke but Luke shall be the same size once he becomes alpha. Thankfully Luke's father has talked to me and told me to use as many of his wolves to get back his sons mate and mine as well.
Luke turns to me after a minute and nods his head, not using words he nods into the direction of the woods that would lead to the border and I smile with a nod back. Caden hugs Jade and Lucia hugs me "be careful" she tells me and I nod as she slowly removes her arms from my waist and hugs everyone else.
After our goodbye Caden, Nate, and Harry follow behind me as we walk out to the wolves. I don't want any of my other vampires coming, we can handle it and I want them to continue training. Even if we get them back I want to eliminate Caine and all of his loyal vampires forever.
We step closer to the wolves and I mostly talk due to the others wolf form. Just incase there are some of Caine's vampires around we will have to form a barrier around the area. The wolves will form a circle around where Rose and Amber are and inclose while me, Caden, Harry, Nate and Luke walk in to find them.
We all set off into the woods, everyone running as fast as we can to the place where they are. Trees blur past us but I ignore it, all I feel is my heart swell at the thought of seeing Rose soon. I picture her beautiful face running up to me and my lips devouring the sweet taste of hers. I imagine my finger tips running down her body looking over each part of her beautiful skin to make sure no part of her is injured.
I look back to see the wolves behind me, Luke and Caden are to my right and Luke has hope in his large wolf eyes. Nate and Harry are to my left, looking determined and almost happy. But I'll never be able to be happy again until I have Rose back in the safety of my arms...and when I get her back I refuse to ever let her go again.
I feel the air around me change and my heart swell huge. Her scent. Rose's amazing scent fills my senses and I almost stop at how much joy I feel. I look over at Luke and he howls, he smells Amber. I can't help but run a little faster and motion for the werewolves to start forming the circle around the area.
Luke howls, telling the wolves what to do. They depart from us and spilt in half, some going right and the rest going left. I feel pure content as her scent gets stronger and stronger with each of my eager strides on the ruff forest floor. I can't help but imagine her face, everything around me blurs and I smile thinking I'll be able to have her in my arms again.
I missed the electricity of her skin, I miss her smile, her laugh, the way her eyes light up when she laughs and her flushed cheeks when I bring her pleasure. I miss the way her body pieces together against mine when she sleeps in my arms, I miss the way her lips fit to mine like a puzzle and I miss the way she says I love you.
Those word are the most precious and meaningful words that I need to hear for the rest of my life. If I could only have Rose say one more thing to me I would ask her to tell me she loves me because until this moment I didn't think I would ever hear those sweet words again.
I hear the wolves almost form the circle around the large area but I don't smell anymore vampires, which is good but also suspicious. As we run I start to see an opening in the woods, light seeps through the opening in the trees and I know we're almost there.
Luke runs ahead and I smile feeling his heart rate spike with happiness, his steps a little bouncier and eyes brighter.
We come up to the opening and the first thing I see is Luke run over to Amber. She's tied up against a tree, tears stream down her face, coming from her red blood shot eyes. Blood coats her lip, nose and chin. Her blonde hair is matted with leaves, sticks and blood sewed into the blonde strands. A rag is tied around her mouth enabling her to speak. Luke quickly turns back into human form and throws on a pair of boxers while running to her, he trips but quickly recovers and stands back up pulling the boxers up completely and sprinting over to Amber.
I smile as he unties her from the tree and pulls the rag out of her mouth. He swirls her around and hugs her body close to his as she cries in his shoulder.
I look around ready to see my mate, I look next to Amber and all the way around but I don't see Rose.
I look over to Harry and he smiles looking at Amber but when his eyes meet mine he frowns and notices my worry "Where is she?" I hear Harry ask but I can't think, my eyes are to frantic scanning the area
"Marcus?" Nate asks as I start to walk around trying to smell where her scent is its strongest
"Look around" Caden barks
The three of them walk around the area while I desperately search everywhere around the small area in the forest. I walk up to Amber and Luke as they are still captured in a hug. She pulls back from him and he drops her down as tears continue to spill from her eyes.
I gasp as I look down at Ambers clothes, she's wearing my shirt and black yoga pants, Roses yoga pants.
I freeze unable to realize what's actually happening. No....no she's here, she's here somewhere I just have to find her that's all, she's somewhere close...she has to be. Ambers eyes lift to me and she cries harder "Marcus" she says shaking her head
I focus more on her clothes and take a deep breath, it's not all Ambers blood that coats my shirt and the pants, it's also Rose's. Oh my god...what have they done to her? I fight to keep up right and not fall down to the earth. The way I feel right now is indescribable, the pain in my chest is the same as when I lost everyone in my family only ten times worse. My heart feels like a stake has be stabbed through me multiple times but the satisfaction of death won't come.
"Oh god" I say hardly above a whisper
I fall on my knees unable to stand with all the pain running through me, it hurts so bad the pain literally kicks me off my feet. I want to scream, I want to scream so loud Rose hears my pure need for her. I want to tell her I won't stop until I find her. I want her to know that I am here and I'll get her back. I want her to know I that I'll bring her home.
My head falls in my hands and I start to shake with tears, my head pounds with pain but not nearly as much as my heart. All I want to do is pull out my heart completely and forget everything. My mark over my heart only adds to the pain as it burns due to being away from her. I can't do this, it hurts too bad, the pain of false hope settles in my heart and once again Caine has played with and ruined me.
"Marcus!" I hear Caden call over to me with worry
I take a deep breath and my anger raises; only now do I smell the subtle smell of Roses father...I should have know. I stand slowly and turn to see Nate and Harry behind me, they look shocked with there teary eyes cascaded down on the forest floor. There lords mate and there friend is missing, still in the possession of my cruel, mind twisting brother and her evil father. I'm afraid that with each moment that passes our hope falls lower.
But I'll never stop until I find her, never. If it takes me forever, if I have to go over on his side by myself and fight through all of his vampires I'll do it, even if I have to rip my brothers head off I'll do it. I won't even let Caine or anyone kill me until I get her back, until she's safe I refuse to stop not now, not forever.
I walk past Nate and Harry as they slowly move behind me. I see Caden standing by a tree just staring up at it. I feel like I'm hovering over my body, my existence no longer there, just a body wondering. Numb is all I feel.
When I reach Caden he looks back at me with wide surprised eyes "look" he says quietly
I turn to the tree and my hands turn into tight fist and my jaw clenches at what I see. A wilted rose is tied against the tree with a rope. The necklace is dangling on a nail that cuts right through the white, browning petals with small droplets of blood dripping down the dull petals.
"Is that-" Caden says
"Yes it's her blood" I say through clenched teeth
"Damn!" I hear Harry say angrily behind me and I know he's trying to contain his anger, he walks away and a moment later I hear his fist collide with the bark of a tree
I take the necklace in my hand and clutch it tightly. I open up my fist, afraid I'll break the delicate swirls and gem, I stare down at it and see her face the moment I gave it to her, the sparkle in her eyes brightened and her smile was the biggest I've seen it. I'd give anything to go back to that night.
I look back at the dead rose and make the nail bend and fall to the ground, Nate goes around the tree and unties the rope that holds the rose. Harry comes back and grabs the rose before it falls, he holds it lightly between his fingers.
When Nate comes back, a pice of paper is folded in his hand. I immediately take it out of his hand and unfold it turning around just as Luke and Amber walk up to us. They all look over my shoulder as I open the paper
I bet you thought you had her, think again there brother, don't worry she's still alive...for now
Signed your loving brother
Caine, And your very beautiful mate
Rose
I run my finger over her shakily written name, her delicate and forced handwriting signed on the paper. But then anger takes away my happiness of knowing she's alive. She might be alive but she's alive with him.
"What are we going to do?" Nate asks weakly
"We're leaving" I say and turn to Amber who looks pretty beat up, I scan over her and Luke was right she doesn't have any life threatening injuries but defiantly bad bruises and cuts, she has a slight concussions due to being hit so many times and passing out but with rest she should be ok "Amber...I want to know everything" I growl
She sighs "I don't have much to say, I wasn't there long" she says starring up at me with large wet brown eyes
Luke holds her in his arms like they're stuck together with glue "just try...anything can help" I beg and she nods
Everyone forms around me as we stand in front of Amber and Luke. Luke stares down at Amber with admiration, longing, care and love...a look I am familiar with. Harry and Nate stare at Amber with hope in there eyes and Caden places a soft hand on my shoulder, I look over at him and he nods with a sympathetic and worried frown.
Amber takes a deep breath "I was knocked out after the car flipped, I woke up and saw Rose and Harry but Harry was passed out" she says looking up at Harry and he frowns down at her, obviously ashamed of himself "I was ripped from the car first..." She trails off and I clench my fist "I didn't know what was going on...I hit my head on the window before so my mind was a little fuzzy" she says "I didn't know it was Rose's father until Rose told me" she says and my heart leaps at the mention of my mate "I was shoved in the van and hit my head again, I passed out and woke up with Rose shaking me, we were both unconscious yesterday and we woke up this morning, we woke up in a cell, it was old...and cold" she shivers and frowns as tears start to spill over her eyes "her leg is hurt bad Marcus it's a huge cut down her calf and shin" she tells me and I freeze in horror "her father came down and took me out of the cell, he made us change clothes....he kept saying horrible things to me and Rose and then he blind folded me" she sobs "I tried so hard to stay with Rose" she cries "she keep telling me she'd be ok, I didn't want to leave her! But he dragged me out, I couldn't see anything, we drove for miles and it felt like we walked for hours until we got here, he tied me to the tree, he hit me-" Luke tenses and his face contorts to pure anger and rage and he holds her tighter "I passed out again...I didn't wake up until maybe an hour before you guys got here" she cries as Luke brings her into his chest and holds her with tightly shut eyes "Richard said they wanted the werewolves out of the situation, Caine was angry that Richard brought me, he only wanted Rose and bringing me brought the wolves" she says with a horse voice from crying
"Marcus don't worry, me and my wolves won't back out until we find Rose" Luke reassures me and I nod thankful for his loyalty to me and Rose
He looks down at Amber and coos sweet things in her ear as I hear my heart break a little more. I know Rose will be strong but how much will they push her.
"Is that all?" I ask quietly and she peeks her head out from Luke's chest and nods
"I'm sorry" she says with wet cheeks "I wish I could have-" she chokes on her words
"No one blames you Amber" Harry says quietly beside me
Luke nods thanking Harry and Harry nods back, Caden and Nate exchange sad looks as both there focus turns back on me "what's the plan?" Caden asks
I grip her necklace in my hand tighter and screw my eyes shut "find her" I say quietly and they all stare at me and nod, eyes cascaded down on the grass
Luke nods at Amber and she nods back to him "I'll call the pack" he says and steps back jumping into the air as he changes into his large wolf
He howls as we continue to stand there, the wolves come from all sides and walk up to Luke. Amber climbs on his back and hold on to his fur tightly, he looks back and licks her hand, nuzzling his head against her has she pets his fur lightly. I look over my shoulder nodding at Harry, Nate, and Caden.
The wolves run ahead of us and we follow. The run back home seems longer and harder now that I don't feel the hope of finding her. It's hard with each step to know Rose isn't with me, even though the purpose for all of this was to rescue her. At least we got Amber I keep repeating to myself...at least we got Amber.
As we enter into town Luke's wolves depart from us and run back to the rest of there pack. Luke and Amber continue to run with us until we get to my house. Luke goes behind a tree with Amber and they both changes completely, where he hides the clothes is uncertain to me. I'm thankful I don't have to look and smell...Roses blood that once coated the clothes that Amber was wearing, that's where I smelled her scent. She comes out first in a pair of large jeans that she holds up on her waist that I assume are Luke's and one of his T-shirt that engulfs her. He comes back out in shorts and a T-shirt and quickly takes Amber back in his grasp.
"I'm sure Jade or...Rose has something you can change into" I tell her and she nods with a sad emotionless face, the blood on her face as dried and the bruises around her face are becoming more visible
I feel so weak even though I just ate, maybe because of my stress I am burning up the blood quicker. I might need to feed again just incase something like this happens again and we have to fight. I won't let an empty stomach allow me to let Rose slip from my fingers.
We come out of the tree line to see my house, everyone's step is a little slower as we make our way up. I see my front door open and Jade step out. She smiles big and runs down the steps out to us. She runs up to Amber as Amber try's to slip out of Luke grasp. She looks up at him and he looks torn but slowly lets her go.
"Oh my god!"Jade says as she wraps her arms around ambers neck squeezing her tight
They cry together in each other's arms as we all watch the exchange of the short time lost friendship. After a moment they separate and stare at each other with teary eyes. Luke comes up behind Amber and holds her to his chest as Caden does the same with Jade. I look back to Nate and Harry and both hold the same frown as me, all of us knowing what's coming next.
Jade looks around with a small smile by it slips away and fades as realization hits her "whe-...where's Rose?" She chocks out
Caden holds her tightly with closed eyes as pain takes over his expression, she wiggles out of his arms "where is she?!" She ask searching all around us
"She wasn't there" I tell her and her face falls as she bring her hands up to her mouth to hid her gasp
"What?!" she asks shocked as I feel fresh tears spring to my eyes "no! They still have her?!"
"Yes" Nate says and she sobs turning in Caden's arms and sobbing quietly
Amber looks up at Luke, he frowns down at her and holds her tighter whispering sweet loving things in her ear. Harry steps up holding the dead rose in his hands and I look away not wanting to see the blood. Jade stares at it angrily.
"He left that?" She asks with tight fists and her eyebrows pulled together as angry tears spill down her face, Harry nods as she takes it in her hands
I pull out the note as well and sigh staring at it "this was there as well" I tell her and she slowly lifts her hand to take it giving the rose back to Harry
Caden holds her waist as she unfolds the note, her eyes scan the paper and the angry tears continue to fall down her cheeks. I see her hands turn red and soon the paper catches on fire along with her hands. Her hands shake violently with burning red and blue fire. Soon the ashes from the paper fall to the ground. The fire from her hands burns out as Caden hands rub up and down her arms softly.
"Babe it's ok" he says quietly in her ear and she slowly nods
"We're going to find her Jade" Nate says and she looks over at him with a sad glance but doesn't respond
"I really thought we had her" she says quietly, she looks up at me "please find my best friend" she says wiping her tears and looking back to hug Amber
"I won't stop until I do" I tell her honestly
Roses face pops into my head, her lips, her touch...I miss her...I need her back.
"Marcus!" I hear Lucia say as she stands on my door step "she's awake!" She calls out with her hands pressed against her head in concentration "Evangeline's awake!"
A/N
Hey readers! Next chapter will be in Roses POV and you'll be able to see what she's going through while Marcus looks for her! I hope you guys liked the little trick in this chapter! Poor Marcus right?! But hey Amber's back with Luke! And honestly I would feel pretty bad for Rose right now...I guess you'll have to wait till next chapter ;)
PLEASE VOT AND COMMENT!
-Madi