Song: This is Gospel, by Panic At The Disco; piano version
Finn's POV
I wound the thick gauze around my split knuckles, hissing in pain as Clause just shook his head at me from the infirmary door.
"I know you're mad, but I'm sure that tree didn't deserve to be punched so much." he said, a cocky grin plastered on his face.
A snarl ripped from my throat before I could try to contain it, my feet forcing me up and over to the smiling man. I was at my limit with the man's continually positive attitude in such a shitty situation. He was driving me insane.
"Fuck. Off." I spat, glaring harshly at his smirking face. "How the hell would you feel if you lost Drake for this long? I feel like I'm being torn apart from the inside out."
Clause rolled his eyes, only fueling my anger, and turned around in dismissal. I scoffed and shifted around as well, facing the cold metal beds that lined each wall. There was hate pumping through my veins like thick poison. It was the only thing that seemed to keep me going those days.
"Right." my hands ached. "I forgot that you two are only fuck buddies." I muttered under my breath, the air running cold the instant the words came from my mouth.
Before I could think about my actions and react, his hand shot out and grabbed me by the throat. I was pinned up against the brick wall, trying to force his hands off of me. His wolf was very alert, growling loudly at me and lifting me up so my feet were off the ground. I felt myself curl up at the sounds he made, power radiating off of him as he held me with anger.
"Watch what you say to me pup." he spat, tightening the hand around my air passage. "Don't forget your place. I've been Alpha longer than you and you have no right talking about my Luna like that." I gasped, clawing at his thick fingers for breath. "I'm trying to help you, there's no need for you to start turning against me." he let go of me, no longer emanating anger. "We're both on the same team."
I coughed, sucking in tight breaths and holding my chest. I reminded myself not to piss him off anytime soon, or Drake for that matter.
He ended the conversation quickly after that, no longer patting my back and trying to shoot smiles of encouragement at me. Somehow it was worse than his previous attitude.
"We're searching in town today. Dean and some of his men will take the lead to scout out the place, try and sniff out some hunters or rogues." I rubbed at the raw skin on my neck. "You're going with them. Go clean yourself up. You look like shit."
There was no doubt in my mind that I looked like a giant mess. I hadn't bothered to bring a spare change of clothes from the pack, so I was stuck wearing Clauses huge shirts that were all too loose to be comfortable.
"Asshole." I spat, making sure he was out of earshot to hear me.
Drake greeted me in the hallway, offering a sincere smile as I brushed it off and walked in the other direction.
"Your boyfriend is a dick." I grumbled, shaking out my grimy hair and running my fingers through the black strands.
He followed after me, looking at my neck and most likely noticing the large bruises that had started to form.
"Damn. He usually doesn't choke me that hard." he said, giggling and still trying to lighten the mood.
I mumbled in return, not exactly forming words and instead just trying to get away from him. We had been getting along pretty well, but I definitely wasn't in the mood for chitchat. I wanted something to punch, and the ache in my throat just reminded me that Drake was far from the right target.
"That was a joke by the way. I'm not that kinky." he rubbed the back of his neck and laughed softly, squeezing his lips shut when I didn't reply. "Is this because Clause wants me to be part of his pack..."
Another swift flow of anger surged through me, but I pushed it down and increased my pace instead. After a few hallways of brisk walking, I lost him.
I sneered as I stepped out on the porch, couples sitting on the grass embracing each other and smiling brightly. I knew I was being a huge asshole to everyone around me, but I was completely out of fucks to give.
My feet felt heavy while I walked across the floor, ignoring the loud squeals of excitement as little kids ran around me. I couldn't help the thick feeling in my throat, an emptiness spreading in my chest like black ink on paper. Adrian had filled a large void in my heart, but without him, my loneliness had seemed to catch up to me. All of my pack was leaving me for Clause, they would be gone in a matter of weeks, maybe even days. I would be alone again.
It felt as though I had lost everyone.
Where is my mate?
"Finny!" my shoulders tensed at the familiar soft voice, spinning around on my heal in search for my little love's face.
My heart was pounding, a wave of emotions hitting me like a wall as I stared at the empty grass surrounding me.
He's gone. And it's my fault.
A hand landed on my shoulder and I quickly smacked it away, growling lowly in my chest at the intruder.
"Woah," Danny said, backing away from me as I snarled like a rabid dog. "Calm down, Finn. It's just me."
His face was flushed, eyes no longer bright and happy as he always was. It hurt my heart to see him so broken, looking just like I felt.
"Hey," his voice was gentle, my hands shaking as I brought them up to my face to cover my watering eyes. "Finn. It's okay."
I stifled a sob with my palm, nearly falling down to my knees before my friend. Small arms caught me as I let out an uncovered wail of pain, tears flowing freely. There was no longer a plug on my emotions. I couldn't keep up the strong "Alpha" image anymore. Even if it was just for a moment, I had to be weak.
"I feel like I'm falling apart." I whispered, holding tightly to the petite man. "I miss him so much. It's too much." I swallowed around the lump in my throat, breathing in dry air.
There were eyes watching us, I could sense them as pack members tried to crowd around. A growl came from Danny who still held me like a mother comforting her forlorn child.
"Back the hell off." he spat, making people shuffle away from us in an instant.
He weaved his fingers through my hair, cradling me while I still continued to cry my heart out. I'd never been more grateful to have Danny in my life than at that very moment.
"It's going to be alright." he said, gently squeezing me. "We'll find him, I promise. He's okay, and so are you. You're going to be okay."
I nodded my head, though I didn't proceed to pull away from him.
I needed this. Someone to tell me that I would be okay. That everything wouldn't end in heartbreak.
"C'mon." he hummed softly, lifting me up to meet my glistening eyes and red cheeks. "You need to go eat something. I know you're worried, but that doesn't condone starving yourself out of remorse."
Atticus stood to the side, scowling at people who looked over at us for too long. I trailed behind Danny as he held my hand and forced me into the barren house, immediately taking the kitchen hostage for his own purposes. Everyone cleared out quickly, not wanting to mess with Danny who seemed determined and ready to kick someones ass.
"Sit," he demanded, shoving me down on an empty stool and doing the same to his mate. "I'll make you some soup. Atticus could you-"
"I'll get the chicken stock." he said, knowing what his mate wanted and quickly fetching it.
"Yes, thank you."
I rubbed my temples, trying to soothe the permanent ache that came from having Adrian away from me for so long. It felt like my body was slowly shutting down, just giving up on functioning at that point.
"You're so pale, hun." Danny said, brushing his fingers against my chilled face and making me flinch away. "I know this is hard on you. But it's hard for everyone else too." he gave me a tight smile, heading back to the boiling pot on the stove.
Somehow that doesn't make me feel better...
Atticus kept glancing over at me, watching like I was a ticking bomb about to go off. I ignored the worried look being given to me and pressed my head down against the cool tabletop.
I closed my eyes and began to get lost in my own tortuous thoughts, blocking out the world around me.
At an early age I had learned about mates. My parents couldn't have stressed more how important they were. Many werewolves had been none to go mad without their mate, it was one of the main ways that wolves went rogue. After the death or rejection of their soulmate, they gave up on humanity and reverted to their wolf state, letting animistic desires take over. I shivered at the very idea, tucking my arms against my chest as cold tremors went through my body.
At least Adrian isn't in pain anymore.
The aches had slowly subsided, but I was continually wracked with chills and the feeling of unease. I knew it had to do with Adrian's anxiety and possible fears for the situation. There was little I could do to make the cold go away, it only served as a reminder that Adrian was out of my grasp and scared.
"Sit up," Danny said, tapping my head and forcing me out of my thoughts. "Be careful, it's still hot."
I reluctantly pulled my head off of the counter, grunting when Danny slid the steaming bowl in front of me. My appetite was completely gone. I had no desire to eat, sleep, or even move for that matter.
A group of men walked into the kitchen, most of them unfamiliar to me. I watched them for a few seconds, ignoring the food placed in front of me. They grabbed some things from the refrigerator and left, but one of them stuck around.
He had dark hair, the color of ink, and scarred over slashes going up his arms. I remembered him. He had come with Ronny and some of the others who escaped the hunters. I also remembered him going after Clause for months, trying to make moves on him when Drake wasn't around.
My fists clenched when I recalled the dinner we had with Clause, the same man who threatened my mate and chased Drake away.
"Rubin," I snarled, his head flicking in my direction and a smirk growing over his small face.
"Always a pleasure to see you here, Finn." he said, twisting around to face me and lean over the counter. "Sad what happened to your mate." the smirk grew.
I felt rage cover me, my hands shaking from the anger rushing in my veins. The man continued to grin innocently, cocking his head slightly to the side in an almost playful manner.
"What do you know?" I clenched my teeth, keeping the emotions in as to not cause in scene. "Where the hell is my mate?!" I growled lowly, Danny and Atticus turned to finally notice what was happening.
"I don't know what you're talking about-" his eyes nearly popped out of his head when I pinned him up against the wall by his shoulder, shaking with anger.
"Tell me now or I'll drag you into the woods by your hair and let the rogues finish you off." I curled my fists into the material of his shirt.
Danny stood behind me, watching Rubin fiercely, in case the man got any ideas of running off. Other pack members had started to gather around now, Dean standing among them. He walked past the spectators, pulling up a chair from the abandoned table and shoving the cowering male down into it.
"W-Wait-" Rubin stuttered, sweat dripping down his now paling face.
Dean didn't hold back, his punch swiftly hitting the small man and sending the chair skidding across the floor. I would've flinched if there was any remorse left in my body. The traitor got what he deserved.
"You want another?" Rubin shuddered, shaking his head vigorously while cowering in his seat. "How about I start chopping off your fingers one by one, maybe break a rib or two to get you to talk." Dean hardly cared that there were small children in the room as he continued to graphically describe the ways he would mutilate the shaking man. "Now. Where the hell is my mate?"
The air was thick, every person glaring at Rubin and exuding pure anger towards him. He had betrayed them and sent one of their own to be killed. It seemed that they themselves were imagining ways to inflict endless pain on him.
"Excuse me." a voice spoke from the crowd, everyone turning to face its owner.
Drake folded his arms across his chest, sporting a large maroon shirt, that most likely belonged to Clause, and a pair of blue jeans shorts. He cleared his throat and walked forward, capturing everyone's attention so quickly that it was like magic itself was being used. I myself wished I could capture some of the calmness he was putting out, but I was too enraged to give it a second thought.
"This is no way to solve our little problem." his voice was soft, the tone devoid of any anger. "I suggest you all let me handle it."
I gave him a confused look, ignoring the sideways smirk he sent in return. Drake wasn't known for one to torture someone else for information, in fact, he wasn't much of a fighter at all. He hadn't trained as much as the rest of us, though having a bad ass Alpha boyfriend may have made him stronger than the rest of us.
He's had more "physical training" with Clause, but I doubt it's the kind that any of us would be up for...
"But I-" Dean started, stopping when the slim man stared blankly at him.
"I can handle it."
That was all he said before dragging our only witness off into a nearby room, giving us all a few seconds to catch out breaths in the process.
I sat in the kitchen, forcing myself to eat the remnants of the cold soup that Danny made for me. There was hope for Adrian, and that meant that I needed energy. Without energy, I couldn't fight the bastards who took my mate.
Danny began shaking his head, chewing on the outside edge of an apple while the rest of the pack sat around a deck of cards.
"I've never seen him like that." he mumbled, taking a big bite of the apples middle. "He was so calm and collected. Not grumpy or upset..." Danny smiled against the thick fruit. "I knew all he needed was someone to love and believe in him."
This went on for a while. Atticus and Danny continued to chat while the others played a card game in almost silence. I drummed my fingers against the counter to try and distract my wandering thoughts, silencing the roaming parts of my mind that twisted and turned around the problems I couldn't solve.
Clause at last decided to join us, a little girl holding his large hand firmly while they trotted down the steps. He let the child go run off to her parents, patting her head gently in the process.
"Is Drake down here?" he asked, the eerie silence not going past him. "I haven't seen him around for a while..."
It was then that Drake decided to come out, a small smile still staining his lips and making him seem like a completely different person. His face only brightened further when he spotted Clause who, like usual, wrapped an arm around the slim man and pulled him into a kiss.
They both stayed like that for a while, everyone awkwardly looking around, waiting for someone to ask what happened. No one dared to cut in to their embrace, everyone fearing having to face the wrath from both scary figures.
"Um, what did Rubin say...?" Dean said, getting a glare from his Alpha as the two separated.
Drake had come out of the room alone, so I assumed that the little coward was still hiding inside. Maybe he had managed to beat some answers out of the kid and he was too weak to walk it off.
"Just a few addresses and warehouses to check out. Apparently he's been working with the hunters and a few old friends of Adrian. He's been spying on us for them for quite a while now." he patted the Alpha's chest, pressing a kiss to the edge of his jaw. "I suggest you put some men on that. Also have someone watching Rubin, we wouldn't want him to slip away." Drake sneered slightly, though it was brushed away by his partner's massive hands.
The mention of the hunters made my head spin, memories of their chaos deeply ingrained in my brain. I wish I could dig them out, even for a few minutes of peace, but they were permanently glued into my thoughts.
"Bastards." I muttered, keeping my eyes locked on to the door where Rubin was. "Did he say anything else? About Adrian?"
I could hear how desperate I was, but it hardly mattered at that point. The truth was clear. I was waiting for a miracle to bring my mate back to me.
"Not much..." Drake sighed, rubbing his hair. "He said something about a guy who used to know him...maybe someone from his town. I think there was a name, but I can't really remember. Started with a C I think."
There was little I could do to try and decipher from the minimal information I had been given. Adrian didn't like talking about his old life, or the people he used to know. From what I did know, he didn't have that many friends. The image of a lonely tiny Adrian nearly broke my heart as I continued to think about it, but I had to keep pushing myself to remember.
"He used to have a lot of nightmares, but I think they were about his dad. Adrian hated telling me what they were about, I think he was getting attacked in one, maybe forced to do something-" I was cut off by my own thoughts.
At the mention of that, a memory sparked to life. A shaking Adrian held my hand while he spilled his past to the pack, telling us of his abuse and neglected childhood. There was one detail I had managed to skip over, practically ignore, when he was telling us. My wolf took over before I could process the information, too full of hate and rage towards his father.
"-And then I ran away. I had to. I couldn't keep living in that hell. It was when my neighbor came over. He threatened to kill me. Then he started...touching me and tried to force me to-"
His neighbor, he forced himself on Adrian, he tried to fucking rape him. That's why he was so scared of me, even the smallest touches set him off.
Why the hell didn't I realize that?!
My breathing got heavier.
And now he's alone with the man who tried to take advantage of my mate. I'm not there to protect him, he's all by himself-
"Kade," Drake said darkly, Clause no longer by his side and instead trying to gather groups of people to start looking. "That's who he said it was. Do you recognize the name at all?"
I took a few moments to gather my thoughts, scratching my aching head and trying to force more words out. It was hard not to leave them alone to spin around in my head, it was easier than trying to convey them to others.
"Yes," I admitted, holding in a growl. "When Adrian would have nightmares, he sometimes screamed. I remember him saying for someone to stop. For Kade to stop."
"Finn..." Drake softened his voice, approaching me slowly.
I hadn't realized I was trembling until he put his hand on my shoulder to make me stop. Anger flowed in my veins, making my very skin pulse with a desire to destroy, kill and rid the world of the snake that had taken my mate from me.
"No point in sitting here and waiting for them to find Adrian." I said, brushing Drake's hand off and forcing a smile through my rage. "I will find him. No matter how long it takes."
With that, I left the kitchen in search for Clause and the rest of his warriors.
There was blood to be payed, and I knew exactly who owed the debt.
I was determined to have Kade dead in my hands by the end of the week, or Rubin would take his place instead. It didn't matter when, but I would have my revenge for what he tried to make my mate do. I wouldn't let him get away with it.
(Posted 11/11/17)