Chapter 21

Drews Pov

The day feels like it is dragging. I can hear the rhythmical ticking of the clock on the wall lulling my senses, and although the clock shows time is moving forward, it feels as if time had stood still. My father has shown no signs of improvement, his leg is still not healing either. The doctor has advised we need to start treatments to keep this clean and try to avoid infection setting in. The last thing he needs now would be an infection. He wouldn't last the night. This must be a dream, or rather an unimaginable nightmare I just can't wake up from. Less than a day ago we were all celebrating, it feels like we've walked into an alternative realm. f**k! What are we going to do? There was an invisible giant sitting on my chest making me struggle for every breath. How could this happen? He was surrounded by the pack- how could our enemies strike him when he should have been the most protected? It just doesn't make sense. "Again," I demanded Rob, who had gone over this countless times. Elbows on my knees, head in my hands, I listened to him go through it once more, wracking my brain desperate to notice what I was missing. "Having him repeat it every hour isn't going magically change the situation!" I heard Isabella snap at me, goddess, she was getting on my last nerve today, I stare at her without replying and I know she can feel my mood right now. Yeah, you know to stop talking right now, I think while staring at her. "Drew..." Katies speaks to get my attention, I move my glare over to her and she just gives me a look. Sod it, I can feel my anger dissipating already, she was always able to calm me. Ever since mother passed, when she was just a babe, I've always done all I could to take care of them both, but me and Kate, we have a special bond. It was hard being the Alphas with no mother growing up, but I'm not ready for us to become orphans. "Goddess, all I wished for was Sara. Is the price to have her? To lose our father." I sent a mental prayer to the moon goddess. I can't believe this is happening, gosh man, when he passes I need to become Alpha, the pack will need me and that means... No. The realisation hits me like a ton of bricks. If she was not already mine, the pack wouldn't accept a human as their luna. I can't claim her now with the circumstances, I feel my frustration bubbling up inside me. I was so close to claiming her, she is mine, and every cell in my body tells me she's my destiny. "Why are you being so cruel!" I am screaming on the inside. The room is silent for the most part as we all sat around, waiting for my father to die. Who would run the pack, until that happened, me or Rob? He knows more about the running of the pack, maybe it should be him - but then the pack could see that as a sign of weakness. Maybe I'm not ready. Arghhh, I want to scream. I had all I wanted just a couple of hours ago to this. It was unbelievable - I was tempted to pinch myself just to be sure. With my hands clasped against my head, I prayed once again to the moon goddess, that should she still be here for us to please save him - I would do anything for him right now. The moon goddess blessed us with being wolves, and as we still are, I have to believe she's still there, still listening. She needs to listen now.

We are gathered in a spare bedroom on the bottom floor of our Beta's house. The room is clean and the aroma of freshly picked flowers is in the air, the room is painted a light pastel yellow and behind my father's beds, I could see the paint chipping where the bed had been haphazardly bashed against it. Looking around the crowded room and seeing the faces, I could tell they were all thinking the same thing. I cannot believe this is happening. All wondering who did it, who could get close enough to poison him? Who would be trusted enough to not raise suspicion? Our pack is our family, not all by blood, but we've grown together. We are a tight-knit community. I can't understand it, not one face comes to mind.

What if we are wrong and this isn't poisoning at all - it's as though we are all staring at the rampaging elephant in the room and we are missing the mouse. Frustrated, I jumped to my feet, accidentally knocking over the chair in the process. A gasp brought my attention to a startled Addison who was staring at me with widened eyes.

"I need a moment," I said while walking out of the room.

Walking through the halls of Rob's home, I don't feel the same comfort it used to bring from being here in my youth.

My father brought us here often as children, we would spend hours running around the halls and Evelyn even set us up our own rooms. Evelyn was always so kind to us and helped to fill in the role we were missing after mum died. We stayed here for so many nights when my mother passed, it felt like a treat at the time, like we were getting to play sleepovers. Evelyn and Rob spoiled us, ensuring we had everything we wanted. It was great, but I know better now - during our joy our father needed time to grieve. He couldn't play alpha, father, and widower - something had to give and it was us. Don't get me wrong, he was there and played his part, but the gut-wrenching howls I heard long into those nights told the story of his pain. I was only about 4 when she passed away, Kate was barely a newborn, and Isabella was only a toddler. My father never spoke about it much, only that she had passed off an illness, "mummy was really sick, and we couldn't help her." I can still see the pain in his eyes like he was looking at me right now, even if I didn't realise it at the time it was there. Now it was his turn to be poorly and we couldn't save him! I audibly roared, releasing some of that built-up frustration. It was about this time of year. If I recall correctly, I can't say the exact date as father never discussed it with us - what are the chances we would lose him at the same time? Surely the moon goddess was not that cruel. Had we displeased her in some way?

Arriving at my old room with no memory of how I got there, it was like muscle memory had kicked in and my body took me back to my safe place. I was back in the room Evelyn made for me all those years ago. It still had the same blue walls with a black ceiling covered in stars and a full moon hanging in the corner. I walked over, reaching up to touch it - she always told me it was a real moon given by the moon goddess herself as a way for my mother to watch over me. I had long forgotten about that. Now I see it was just a rounded white rock from the lagoon, but nonetheless beautiful. I slumped onto the bed with its faded black sheets, from them being washed a few too many times. The room is exactly the same as it was when I was a boy, not a thing is out of place. The omegas must clean the room as I cannot see a speck of dust, anything. I groggily look at the photo frame on the side table, a young woman not much older than I am now, her long chestnut hair falling into beautiful curls with her moss green eyes in a simple cream shirt. I can barely remember my mother but this photo is what I pictured when I think of her. Drained from the events of the day, last night's energy had long left me. I would close my eyes for a minute just to rest. The last thing I was thinking was that I wished Sara were there. I could use her touch right now...

Jumping up in a panic, my heart thumped, uncertain where I was. The air had a coolness to it that indicated it was late evening - a look outside the window confirmed my suspicions. I had fallen asleep. The day had taken so much out of me that the energy from last night's event was barely even a whisper within me. Closing my eyes, remembering this morning's incident with Sara. I was so close to making her my mate, how simple it would have been - truth be told, the way she calms me by just being near, she is the reason I have gotten through today without tearing through the pack. Lifting my arms above my head, I stretched out my muscles before I returned downstairs to see my family. "Any improvements?" I asked hopelessly. Katie shook her head. Damn. Everyone was looking at each other uncomfortably and I could sense something was wrong. I furrowed my brow. "What's going on?" I looked around, waiting for one of them to explain. No one was answering me and I could feel my patience growing thin. My eyes connected with Katies and I could see she was hesitant to answer me. "It's Sara..." I checked the room to be sure, though I didn't need to, I could feel she wasn't there.

"What about her? Has she been back?" I'm sure she would have popped in when I was napping. I could tell she was uncomfortable when Ez and Addison arrived. I know it could be awkward, but I've never loved Addison in that way - I was going to explain but then father... I owe her an apology for letting her feel that way. No wonder she's not come back.

Isabella shook as she spat out "She won't be back." She simultaneously threw a ripped piece of paper at me. Leaning down, I picked it up from the old wooden floor, not yet looking at the scrap piece of paper. Won't be back. What in Domilia does she mean? Circling, I search the room for clues but all eyes hit the deck except for the Beta's who, with his head held high, tells me "Addison found the note outside. Drew..." He hesitated for a moment, his body on guard. "It doesn't look good." Unable to possibly understand what they were saying, I read the note Addison found. A tiny torn piece of paper read three words - "Drew, forgive me." It was written by Sara, I was certain of it. I've seen her writing before when studying books in our library.

"Where is she?" I need to see her, she needs to know it's her I want.

"We don't know. I've had the pack looking for her for the past hour, but we don't know how long she's been gone." Rob stated, why would they be looking for her? They aren't the ones who upset her.

Confused, I had heard enough, I unintentionally slammed the door on the way out, sprinting home to check on her. I will get on my knees and beg for her forgiveness if that's what's needed. I can't lose another person right now- least of all her.

Racing through the house, I threw the door open to her room. Sure enough, she's not there. Her room is a mess and the sheet that clung to her body still lay on the floor. Memories flooded my mind from this morning and my body reacts instinctively - though this isn't the right time for it! My body feels like it is shaking from the inside out, something is not right. I take in the room, it's unkept - I have not once seen her leave a room anything less than spotless and she has never left without making her bed, something felt wrong. Sniffing around, I was trying to pick up her lavender scent - it was there but faded, and a stronger scent coated the room, tangelos, and bergamot. The mattress creaked as I sat on the edge, her scent had changed. I remember the panic I felt this morning when I picked it up, but I was distracted by her. Could she have been taken? I needed to know what they knew. Sweat beads were forming on my forehead as I dashed back to my father's side. "Did you find her?" Ezra asked, his arms crossed over his muscly chest.

"No, she's not there, something is not right. Are we sure he was poisoned?" The whole room nods, except Isabella who is throwing daggers in my direction. "Do we have any idea who it is? Could they have Sara?" I was agitated as Isabella started to chuckle.

"Our new Alpha guys..." She rises to her feet, with slow dramatic claps. "... Let's get him some spectacles as he clearly cannot see. Let me set the picture for you!" She was all but spitting the words at me as though they were weapons, her hands exaggerating every point. "Your little pet happens to need saving by the big strong alphas son. Finds a home in our pack. Then, less than a moon later, our father becomes poisoned by a plant only fatal to wolves, never seen for generations. Suddenly your human is nowhere to be found and you're worried something happened to her?!" I could hear the words but could not make sense of what she was saying. "I think what Isabella is rightfully saying, Drew. Is that it seems Sara poisoned the Alpha and fled." Addison says, treading carefully, her hand gently on my shoulder and a small barely there smile on her lips. They think Sara is responsible. How could they think that? The air in the room felt heavy as it weighed down my chest once more.

I looked at them; Addison, Isabella, Rob, and Ezra. They all looked at me, and I could see they were in agreement - had they lost their minds? No one was breathing, the only sound in the room was the sound of the old ticking clock, as I stared at them in disbelief.

Katie knew Sara, they were friends. Looking at her for the support I so desperately need right now, but she doesn't meet my gaze. Instead, she walked over to the window, running her thumb over the palm of her hand repeatedly, while looking up at the moon, she muttered something, it was hardly even a whisper. "It's not her."