Another chapter guys!!
We're coming to an end quickly so I hope you are all ready for that tragedy...
As usual though, please give me feedback so I can keep trying to incorporate what you guys want to see.... ❤️ enjoy!
**Sage's POV**
I could hear my heartbeat in my ears and everything the men were saying around me was turning into white noise.
I was feverishly pacing, my nails chewed down to practically nothing. I've been running my hands so much and so harshly that I've started pulling chunks out.
She's gone.
She's gone and they have her. He has her. He's going to kill her. He's going to kill my baby sister.
I glare at my mate again, still uncontrollably furious at him.
He kept me from her. His pack didn't save her. If it weren't for him, Faith and I never would've left and none of this would've happened.
"Sage!" His voice suddenly breaks through the white noise and I feel my wolf shuffling herself down in submission at the time he uses.
He's suddenly right in front of me, his hands cupping my face.
"Sage, you need to calm down now. All those thoughts you're having are pointless now. By the time we got there, it was too late to go after her without dying ourselves. Our pack didn't know she was in trouble. And babe... without me, you'd still be with Conner. I know you wouldn't want that. I know you're livid, but it's not our packs fault. It's his. It's Conner's pack. Remember who the enemy is, Sage. Because I promise you it's not me."
I inhale and exhale slowly, trying to calm myself down like he said. All I can picture is the way he pulled me away from her....
We were so close. I could smell her scent getting stronger. Carver- I can smell his scent too. Incredibly fresh...he hasn't even left yet.
Blood. I smell blood everywhere.
When we break through the trees to the barrier that delegates the packs, we see him. He's on their side. He's laying down and he doesn't look like he's breathing. Is he breathing?
No. Where's Faith? I have to find Faith.
Mason goes to Carver immediately, nudging his body with his muzzle.
Where's Faith?
There are two more motionless wolf bodies. I didn't notice them before but now I do. Neither of them are Faith.
The warriors and healers that came with us are parading around, helping Carver and looking for danger.
Where's Faith?
My nose leads me deeper into their territory. She's not alone. There's another scent...I know that scent.
Musky. Too much cheap cologne. Sex.
I know that scent. How do I know that scent?
I know that scent.
Where's Faith?
'Where are you going Luna?' Mason links me, emphasizing my title purposefully to remind me that I have duties beyond walking into a trap to save my sister.
Cologne...forest...sex...blood...
Ryan!
No no no no! Ryan can't have her. Ryan can't. Even Conner would be better for her than Ryan. At least Conner would use her as bait for me. Ryan will just kill her or rape her for his own sake.
'We have to get her back! He can't have her! He can't!' I scream at the mate, my legs catching up finally and launching me in the direction she was taken.
The trees start to blur as her scent gets stronger but then.... then the forward motion turns into to me face planting into the muddy overgrowth. The weight of my Alpha pins me down as he tries calming me through the link.
'No! No! He'll kill her! He'll torture her and kill her! She'll be dead by sunrise! I can't sit here! I have to get to her! He's going to fucking kill her!' I scream frantically, my sobs echoing through our minds.
I can feel the pack listening in, hearing my breakdown and pleas. I can feel their pity and guilt. I can feel worry and their attempts at comfort.
But nothing they are doing is fixing this. No amount of remorse will bring her back.
I have to go after her. I have to. She's my responsibility. She's mine.
Long sorrowful howls start pouring from my mouth, filling the night with my pain.
Soon enough, I can hear the reciprocated howls coming from my pack behind me.
The howls quickly turn to yelps when Mason grabs my stuff and starts dragging me forcefully back towards the border. I know I'm giving away my position. I know we're in the enemy pack. But I have to get to her. I have to save her.
His grip is too strong for me to break away from without killing myself and so I have no choice but to be dragged in the opposite direction from the single soft howl that is unmistakably from my sister.
I can't just stand here why they all discuss how to get in! She doesn't have enough time for them to be such imbeciles!
I don't care what Mason says. I have to get to her. I have to save my only family left. I can't live without her.
"I would like to be excused then. I need to be alone."
His eyes harden. "You will not go after her and get yourself kidnapped as well. You have the future of this pack in your stomach. You are the Luna. You cannot just go out there and get yourself killed- you can't help Faith from six feet under."
"I just need to lay down Mason. There's been a lot to take in and I just can't stand here anymore. Come wake me when you have a plan, but I can't handle this suspense, okay?"
"Mathew and Cameron will go with you," he states, leaving no room for argument. He signals to two of the warriors I haven't even met yet, and they immediately flank me. I give in with a sigh. What other choice do I have?
Mason kisses my forehead before losing his grip on me. He tried to smile at me as he backs away but I have nothing but grimaces and glares in me.
He frowns when my blank expression stays in place but turns around anyway to get back to working on the plans.
The two men follow me out, so close I can practically feel them breathing on my neck.
Even when we get to the bedroom, they still don't leave me.
"Can I help you?" I finally snap, already fed up with being treated like a child who needs babysitting.
"We can't let you out of our sight, Luna. Alpha's orders."
"Oh really? So if I decide to go to change clothes... or take a shower... you're still going to watch me? Cause I hardly doubt my mate will be too happy sharing my naked body," I snap sarcastically. They both lose eye contact with me, but yet they still have their eyes on my form. "What if I just decide to start undressing right here?"
With that I pull my sweatshirt off, strengthening my point so they know I'm serious.
"Luna please," one of them pleads, looking pained, "don't make this hard for us. Alpha will have our heads either way so please don't make us choose."
I feel sympathy for him... deep down, at least. I am too paranoid about Faith to let it faze my plans.
"Then I won't make you choose. As your Luna I am telling you... leave my room," I growl, putting as much force into my words as possible to try and override an Alpha command.
One of them... the shorter one turns his head to reveal his neck in submission. He quickly scurries out the door and stands across the hall. The other one fights my order, his body shaking slightly with the restraint and beads of sweat gathering on his forehead.
"Did you misunderstand or did you not hear me?" I growl out, stalking towards him.
"I understood but my Alpha comes first," he chokes out.
"Do you not believe that I stand at your Alpha's side? Do you think I am beneath him?" Seraphina rises to the surface at this wolves disregard of my command. "Would you like me to show you how much of an Alpha I can be?" My voice becomes more like hers as I talk- deeper and more vicious and hardly recognizable.
He whimpers slightly, his eyes dropping from mine when they can no longer hold against my higher power.
All at once, he crumples to my feet with him head bowed, apologies and whimpers falling from his lips.
"Leave." He quickly gets up and runs to his friend. They stand still when I close the door in their faces, no fight from them anymore.
I move to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face in a last ditch effort to clear my head of stupidness.
But it's no use. When I lift my face from the sink, the black abyss of my eyes stares straight back at me.
I have to save her.