Jaxon and Isabelle above!
"What do you mean she's gone?" Jaxon says, his words concise and seemingly calm. However, I can see the inner rage-- tightening and tightening and tightening until it eventually snaps! and obliterates everything within range.
I search his face, my hands on his shoulders as he still holds me suspended in the air. "Jaxon," I murmur calmly but his eyes never flinch from Grant's.
"Nonnie took her eyes off of her for a second and then she was gone. We're searching the woods now but I wanted to inform you of the possible situation," Grant informs.
"Where's Jason?" Jaxon says, his anger becoming difficult to reign in.
"Leading the search in the woods. He sent me to inform you," Grant bows his head in submission.
"Leave us."
Grant returns to the house, the silence pooling around us as he goes. Once he's completely out of earshot Jaxon lets me stand on my own feet yet keeps my body pressed against his by a tight grip on my waist.
"Jax," I run my hands over his shoulders and down his back until I'm wrapped around him in a tight hug. He stays rigid for only a moment before mimicking my action and pressing his face into my hair. "Who would've taken her?"
"So many people, Isabelle," His voice sounds defeated, broken and I realize this is the first time I've ever heard it so. "If you haven't noticed, I have more enemies than allies. Any number of them could've taken her."
"But she's just a baby," I mumble and he squeezes me tighter.
"I've seen worse things done to children much younger than her."
"That doesn't mean that she's hurt. Or that someone even has her. She could have just run off."
"Annabeth doesn't run off, Isabelle. She's well-behaved. She knows not to just walk away from Nonnie. Either someone took her or something specifically drew her away."
"What would draw her away?"
When he doesn't immediately respond, I pull back while keeping my arms laced with his. What I see is a fuming Jaxon, so angry that his entire body is shaking and his eyes are completely black. I can feel the pricks of his claws into my arm as his wolf form begins to take over.
"Jaxon!" I exclaim, taking a few steps away from him until my back collides with a tree trunk. Red streaks down my forearms, blood flowing from his claws.
His only response is a slow turn of his head toward me, those black eyes that are sure to haunt my dreams and memories for the rest of my life.
Then, a low, guttural voice emanates from his throat. One I've never heard before, not even when using his Alpha voice.
"Hayes."
☾
"Are you sure it's Hayes?" Jason asks, standing in front of Jaxon's desk in his study. He's sweaty and only wearing a pair of sweatpants, as he'd just returned from his search of the woods for Annabeth.
"You return here empty-handed, my sister still lost, and you have the audacity to question me?" Jaxon's face twitches as his words come out low and concise.
"No, Alpha," Jason bows his head and takes a step back. I notice the others in the room shift uncomfortably at the noticeable exchange of power that had just occurred.
Instead of shifting in the woods like I expected him to, Jaxon calmed himself and immediately called a meeting of available warriors to the office. He had been discussing his theory with them until Jason and a few other men and women returned from the search.
"Since you missed the first part, I will catch you up." Jaxon tugs at the top of his linen shirt and leans back in his chair. "I know it's Hayes. Not only because of his threat mere days ago, but because Annabeth doesn't run off. She wouldn't. She would've had to have been lured away by something. And what is Hayes known for doing in times of combat?"
"Luring human teenagers away from their homes to turn them into wolves-- into warriors," Jason immediately answers as if he knows the story all too well.
"Kind of like the pied piper," Grant whispers from next to me. I nod in understanding. Jaxon insisted I sit in on the meeting, especially because of my official Luna status. It's basically useless, however. Jaxon is so used to ruling alone that all I'm doing is sitting in a chair semi behind his own. The position sounds degrading, but I think it's due to the fact that he knows he can protect me from this angle.
"He uses a spell, mixed with blowing the whistle he keeps tied around his neck. Depending upon the spell, he could draw anyone away. It doesn't require any special ingredient to draw a person. All one has to do is say their name while performing the spell and they will come running when the whistle blows," Jaxon explains quickly, going through what he'd already told the other warriors.
"There's no way for us to break the spell without breaking the whistle... at least, that's what we did before," Neil chimes in and nods go around the room.
"What do you think we should do Alpha Thames?" An unknown warrior stands up from the corner of the room, her blazing red hair catching the light and her striking blue eyes catching my attention.
Jaxon strikes a massive smile, one that sends chills up my back. One that causes my neck to twinge in pain where my mark lies. The Jaxon before me is that Jaxon-- not the one I've come to know in these last months. He presses his palms against the desk and slowly rises, laughter bubbling through his grin, "I think, we should kill that Mistletoe son of a bitch and destroy his pack."
Cheers erupt throughout the room, warriors ready to taste blood once more. I shrink back in my chair, feeling uncomfortable and out of place with the shift in the room. I'd never question Jaxon's authority in this setting, but I'm unsure of this plan. We don't even know if Hayes has Annabeth. What if Moonlight kills everyone and she's not even there? Then it's just bloodshed for bloodshed's sake. It's a mere scapegoat if she's not there-- someone to blame. And even if she is there, going in with wolves blazing may just prompt Hayes to kill her. If he's insane as everyone says he is, then I wouldn't put it past him. He seems strangely civil around me, however--
"What does the Luna think?" The red-haired female asks. Her voice does not delineate from the tone from before, yet everyone hears her over the cheers and goes silent.
Jaxon tenses at what he perceives as disrespect but turns to me nonetheless. "Does Luna Isabelle have anything to say on this matter?"
I don't want it to seem like I'm questioning you, I tell him through our link, but I don't think this is the right choice.
Then tell them, He answers back. And stand up when you do.
"Yes," I say, hands gripping the arms of the chair I'm in to give me the momentum to spring upward to a stand, "I do, actually." Eyes bore into me and I feel so, so small. "I-Uh, well, I don't think it's a good idea to kill him... at least not yet."
Groans and protests fly around the room, but Jaxon silences them with a raising of his hand. "You will respect the Luna when she is speaking," His Alpha tone bursts forth from his lips and even I cower a little at the force of it.
"It's just that we don't even know if Hayes has Annabeth. What if we kill everyone and she's not even there? Then we've just murdered an entire pack for no reason and the rumors about Moonlight are true. And even if she is there, going in for the kill may just prompt Hayes to kill her. If he's insane as y'all say he is, then I wouldn't put anything past him. I do have an idea," I hesitate on it, nervously glancing over at Jaxon who's watching me intently. Oh boy, he's not going to like this.
"What is it, Luna?" Grant questions when I don't immediately say it.
I shoot Jaxon another look and mind-link him once again, I'm sorry.
"I should go. Hayes doesn't act crazy around me. He's shown me kindness before--"
"Yes, because he wants you. You're not going. It's out of the question," Jaxon states with finality.
"But, Jaxon--"
"No."
"I'd like to hear what the Luna has to say," The redhead speaks again and I throw a small smile in her direction.
"Illyria, now is not the time to press me."
"So would I," Neil chimes in.
"And I," Then Grant.
"Me too, Alpha," Jason agrees as well.
Jaxon's face twitches again in anger and he slowly sinks back into his chair. With a wave of his hand, he gestures for me to continue.
"Well, it doesn't have to be a big plot. I don't even have to go into their land. I can just walk along the salt line. He somehow always knows I'm there. When he comes, I'll talk to him. Try to see if he has Annabeth. If he does and refuses to give her back..." I trail off only for a moment, "then, I'll break the salt line and their magic will be broken. They won't have anything to fight except normal werewolf attributes. And I doubt they've been training as this pack does since they hide behind their sorcery."
It's silent for a second before Neil cuts in, "That's what that damn salt line does? I thought it was just a bunch of hooey."
I glance around, confused. "Y'all didn't know what the salt line was for?"
"No," Jaxon interjects. "We didn't. How did you find out?"
"Hayes told me when I first met him."
"He must have sensed a place of trust in you or he wouldn't have disclosed that information."
I shrug, "I wasn't doing anything to earn that trust, if that's what you're implying."
He turns away from me, but uses our link to say, This conversation isn't over.
"So, Jaxon," Illyria speaks again, "what are we doing?"
A full-minute pause ensues as he mulls over a decision, pressing the tips of his fingers against his mouth.
"The Luna will meet with Hayes."
A/N: Long time, no see, yes?
1) Do you think Hayes actually has Annabeth?
2) Why is Jaxon mad at Isabelle this time lol?
3) Will they get Annabeth back? Will something happen to Isabelle in the process?
xoxo
IC Judah