Every second counts

Every second counts

Raven’s POV

This time I don't enter as calmly as I had previously.
I can feel my protruding fangs stabbing my mouth as I storm into the pack. Saviour marches ahead of me, fury rolling off him in waves.
“Where is my son?!” He roars the moment we come face to face with Nexus. Guards immediately surround their pathetic leader, their hands on their swords.
My nails bite into my palms as my wolf prowls restlessly inside me, hungry for blood.
Nexus steps forward, too calm… like he didn't just hurt my son… like he truly thinks I would spare his unfortunate life.
“When I heard the alpha King was at my gate, I was glad. You know… since we're…allies. But look how you insult me by accusing me of a crime I know nothing about.”

“Bring him out?” I snap before he can get another word out. Some guards step back as my voice echoes off the walls, glancing back at their leader.
“We should be asking you that?” Someone says from behind and I turn around to find the elders. Our guards don't restrain them from walking up to us.
“If this is your attempt at breaking our deal… framing the loss of your son, our heir… then think twice Luna. Because we are not stupid enough to fall for it. You know we will be the last people to hurt what we so patiently desire.” He seethes.

My heartbeat skyrockets as I glance at Saviour who looks just as confused.

“Don’t you dare play games with me! We had a contract… a binding pact! No trespass, no harm. You broke that.” Saviour growls.

Nexus steps closer, his face in a scowl. “We’ve broken nothing. If your boy has gone missing, that’s not our doing. Search if you like. You’ll find nothing here.”

I shove past him before Saviour can hold me back. I'm not believing their crap. I'm not foolish to.

With rage we storm every corner of Knightgale packhouse. Our guards search homes outside. Saviour requests to have all the underground cells checked.

Every room is thoroughly ransacked. Their training grounds, their halls…

Tears fall from my eyes when we all gather later, confirming my worst fear… he's not here.
My baby isn't here!


I stagger outside, my hands pulling at my hair as pain strikes, painfully hot in my chest.
“Raven…” Saviour catches my arm by the gate.
“No!” I snap, pulling away. When I open my mouth to speak, my voice breaks into a sob. “Every second counts, Saviour! Every second he’s out there, bleeding, hurting, alone…”
“Raven, listen to me,”
“Don’t you tell me to listen! Don’t you dare try to calm me down when our son is gone! I don't want to try and act strong. I'm not! I'm hurting so bad!”

His jaw tightens and for a moment I see the pain he's trying to keep locked inside but it's gone in the blink of an eye.

“Our boy is too strong to be taken down that easily,” Saviour says but it only makes me cry harder.
Because now more memories attack my head.
Of him training with his father. How careful he always is with his sisters. That precious smile… oh gods my heart.
“Don't let me lose him please. Saviour we need to keep searching for him.” I choke out, allowing him pull me into a hug.

“Whoever did this knows what they’re doing. That means we cannot afford to stumble blindly.” Throne mutters beside us earning nods from the guards.
“If Knightgale Pack didn't take him, then someone strategically positioned a distraction for us.” Gafar adds with a glare directed at no one in particular.

Saviour's hand robs calming circles on my waist, his voice calmer than I expect when he speaks, “We need to plan. We need every pack alerted of Solan's abduction. Every patrol around our border needs to be doubled. It will benefit us greatly if we have more people searching for him.”

I open my mouth to argue but then Saviour cuts me off softly, his eyes betraying his emotions, as though willing me to see just how much this hurts him too.
“If we rush, we risk losing him for good.” he says. “And if truly someone's playing games we need to ensure they don't win. We can't leave our pack unprotected. We need to plan.”

My body trembles as another tear runs down my cheek.
Saviour kisses the wet trail, “You have to be strong, Raven. For our pups.”


When we return to Deathfang, Jace jumps from the stairs, running to us, his teary eyes looking around.

“W..where’s Solan, Pa?” He asks Throne who shakes his head with a sad look.
Jace stands in shock while the rest of us walk into the pack house.
My shoulders feel heavy with exhaustion and Jace’s constant apology somehow begins to grate on my nerves.
I want to send him out of my sight but that's not right. Do I wish he'd taken Solan's place? Certainly not.

“I’m sorry,” Jace mutters again. “I should have stayed, I should have fought harder.”

Victor walks in from the hallway, Amari, Nala and Milly following behind.

“It wasn’t Jace’s fault,” Amari says, through the sorrow in her voice. “They were too many. He tried to help but he couldn't. And if he hadn't listened to Solan, we might have lost them both.”

I sit down at the table, my back turned to everyone.
“Jace stop crying,” Nala sobs. When I turn around, I find her hand on his back, her lips trembling before she's able to get a word out. “He saved you, Jace. That’s what matters.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Amari standing far off, her body stiff even when Victor strides up to Saviour discussing the next move. My heart cracks even further when I remember how I'd yelled at her earlier.

“Ama,” I whisper, holding out my hand. “Come here, sweetheart.”

She hesitates, then slowly walks up to me. I stand and quietly pull her into a hug. The moment her arms wrap around me, she starts crying and my guilt increases.

“I should have kept them in check,” she sobs. “I’m so sorry, Mommy, I’m sorry,”

I crush her against me, “No, baby. I’m the one who should be sorry. I should never have pushed you away like that. Please forgive me.”
She clings tighter, her taller figure bent as she buries her face in my neck.


The sun rises in the sky but we are all still awake, except Nala who's still sleeping in Alpha Kaelen's arms.
Throne leans against the wall with his arms crossed against his chest. Victor walks back from the door. “Every pack has been alerted, Sav.” He mutters, looking grim.
“We still have no lead. So do we have to spread out… search all packs?” Throne asks, sauntering closer.
Saviour breathes heavily. “I have a feeling it might be…” he stalls, running a hand down his face.
“Might be who?” I ask impatiently.
“It might be my mother.” he whispers.

The room goes still.