Chapter 126
Gideon’s POV
Every musde, every hone, every sinew of my body ached with a pain so strong that it nearly incapacitated me. I couldn’t even stand up on my own. Several of my warriors had to carry me through the forest to a road where I could be loaded onto an ambulance.
It was incredibly frustrating. I didn’t think I should be this weak. But then, I had never transformed like that.
My body was broken and exhausted. Even if my mind was clear, I could push it no further.
I had to depend on others for help.
The return to the pack house was arduously slow, at least at first.
At some point, I passed out, and when I awoke again I was in a hospital bed. My heart monitor beeped steady, even as healers surrounded me, looking worried and confused.
“What is it?” I asked them. “What’s going on?”
Some of the healers looked at each other. Another said, “Get Xavier. Tell him he’s awake.”
The healers remained tight–lipped otherwise, but knowing Xavier was on his way gave me some calm in this nightmare.
“Where’s Leo?” I asked. “Did no one bring him? I would like to see my son.”
The healers said nothing.
“You would ignore your Alpha? Bring me my son!”
“They aren’t trying to ignore you,” Xavier said, appearing at the doorway. “They just don’t want to be the ones to tell you.”
“Tell me what?” Ice flooded through my veins.
The healers had been acting strangely enough, but it was the sight of Xavier which gave away how terribly wrong things
were.
My Beta was professional. He was the peak of calmness and professionalism even when under great pressure.
Right now, his face was twisted with worry and pain. He held himself like he wanted to run back out through the door but was forcing himself to stand here, with me, speaking to me.
“Tell me what’s going on, Beta,” I said. Commanding was the only thing I had left to do, as my body was presently so useless.
“Leo has been taken,” Xavier said.
I froze – except for my heart which pounded wildly.
“My son… has been… by who?”
“We don’t know,” Xavier said. “We don’t know by who or where they went. We have some of our finest trackers out there searching.”
“That’s not good enough,” I growled.
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Chapter 120
Our finest trackers had just fought in a terrible battle. They were in no condition to be hunting. Their exhaustion and wounds would diminish their abilities.
“Have we no one rested to search?” I asked.
“I’m sorry, Alpha. The bulk of our warriors fought in the battle. Most are healing their wounds. Those that can still search are searching, but there is no one else.”
I tried to stand, wanting to go after my son myself.
The healers immediately panicked, and pushed me back down onto the bed. I was so weak that I couldn’t fight against them.
Damn it! I hated feeling useless.
There was no one I trusted with this more than myself. No one carried for Leo like I did, enough to do anything to get him back.
Except for…
Raven.
“Someone get me a phone,” I shouted. “I need to speak with Alpha Ivan at once!”
When no one immediately moved, I looked at Xavier.
“Now, Xavier!”
That seemed to shake him from his stupor and he immediately obeyed. “Yes, Alpha!” He seemed renewed having purpose and a plan now.
I just hoped Ivan and Raven would help.
Else…
Gods…
My poor son. I prayed to the Moon Goddess he would survive this.
Claire’s POV
I was reading a book in the sitting room. This was a quaint thing for me, as I hadn’t been able to have any free time in a very long while. Ever my duty was to protect Leo. Now that this wasn’t needed, I could catch up on my reading.
I couldn’t concentrate, my thoughts wandering as they always did back to Leo and Gideon. How were they doing without me? Were things alright there?
I hated not knowing anything.
I tried to read again, but I reread the same paragraph three times and still couldn’t retain it.
“Excuse me, Miss?” a servant said, startling me from my attempts.
“Yes?”
“Alpha Ivan requested you join him in his office,” the servant said. “He insisted it was urgent.”
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1:29 pm
Chapter 126
“I’ll go at once,” I said and placed aside the book. It was entirely forgotten by the time varfood the way.
In Ivan’s office, Ivan was sitting behind the desk. looking much as he always did, his face on a visit of perwor
front of him on the desk
Sit down” he said and gestured toward one of the chairs.
This was the giveaway that something had happened. If this visit was about something simple, he would ju sell the
“What’s going on?” I asked, still standing.
He held my gaze. “There was an attack on the border of Gideon’s pack. A rogue force. Gideon and his soldiers rushed meet the enemy and overcame it, but with casualties”
“Gideon?” I asked, my throat so tight I could barely utter the name. If he died… I didn’t know what I would do.
“Badly injured but alive,” Ivan said.
I exhaled in relief, but Ivan kept looking at me, telling me that something else was wrong
“While the soldiers were gone, one of the rogues sneaked into the pack house,” Ivan said.
“No.”
“I’m sorry, Claire.”
“No.”
If I kept denying it, maybe it wouldn’t be true. But Ivan was persistent. He wouldn’t allow me to live in a fantasy world for more than a second or two.
Too soon, the truth broke through, shattering my protective delusions.
“I’ve been told that Leo has been kidnapped.”
“That can’t be,” I said. “Peter is there watching him.”
“I haven’t been able to get a hold of Peter, to confirm the story.”
“Confirm… You think it might not be true?”
Ivan paused a moment. “Gideon has asked you to return, to help with the search. I feel this might be a trap to attempt to force you to reveal your identity.”
That was a possibility, I supposed, but… I didn’t know. Gideon could be cruel, but I didn’t think he would use his own son to try to trap me.
“I have to go,” I said.
“Even if it’s a trap?” Ivan asked. “We should be careful and investigate. Wait for Peter to reemerge.”
“No,” I said. “If it is true, every moment we waste is a moment that my son could be mistreated. Or…” Gods, I didn’t want to say he could be killed. I didn’t even want to think it. “I have to go. For Leo.”
Ivan gave me a critical look, but then nodded. “Very well. But you will not be going alone. Pick out some of our finest warriors and take them with you. If the kidnapping is real or if it is a trap, you will be in danger. I would have you protected.
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1:29 pm P
Chapter 126
“Thank you Team 1 will po m
Ivan modded. I mured from the trom and ribed ont into the hallway, afreely planning my nerd wes
I had to get to Lee, as soon as possibile.
And if he was really kidnapped..
I’d kill whoever dared to take him.
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