Chapter 63 Missing

Chapter 63 Missing
ZADE
   Morning light filtered through the heavy curtains, slicing across the room in pale gold strips. 

I awoke slowly, aware of every breath and every shift of muscle. For the first time in days, my body didn't feel like it was actively trying to give up on me. The crushing cold had receded to a dull ache. My pulse was still too slow, but it was steady. The powder's buzz lingered at the edges of my mind, sharpening certain thoughts while softening others.

I felt... stronger.

Not whole. Not even close. But stronger.

"Indie?" My voice was hoarse, still laced with sleep and the remnants of whatever nightmare had tried to drag me under.

I got no answer.

I turned my head. The bed beside me was empty, the sheets cool where her body should have been. A faint trace of her scent remained, but it was already fading.

A low rustle came from the floor.

Leon stirred on the pile of blankets and pillows we'd given him, his red hair a mess, one arm slung over his eyes. He looked annoyingly comfortable for someone sleeping on the hardwood like a loyal dog.

He cracked one golden eye open, then the other. When his gaze landed on me, relief flashed across his face, followed quickly by caution.

"You're awake," he pointed out, his voice thick with sleep. He sat up slowly, the blanket pooling around his waist, revealing the hard lines of his bare chest and the ever-present silver bracelet glowing faintly on his wrist.

I watched him rise. My instincts screamed at the sight. The vampire was too close, too comfortable in my space, near my mate's side of the bed. The old, cold part of me wanted to bare teeth and remind him exactly who this territory belonged to.

But I didn't.

Instead, I stayed still as Leon moved closer, kneeling beside the bed. His hand lifted, hovering for a moment before gently pressing the back of it to my forehead.

My jaw clenched hard. Every muscle in my body locked with the urge to grab his wrist and snap it. Or pull him closer. I wasn't sure which instinct was stronger right now.

"You're not as cold," Leon said softly. Relief colored his voice. His thumb brushed across my temple, almost absentmindedly. "Fever's down. The powder must've helped more than we thought."

I stared at him. The golden eyes, the messy red hair, the way he was looking at me like I was something fragile. It irritated me. It also did something dangerous low in my gut.

"Indie?" I asked again, ignoring the way his touch lingered.

Leon frowned and glanced around the room.

"She's not here."

The words dropped like stones into still water.

We both moved at the same time. I pushed myself up, ignoring the brief wave of dizziness. Leon was already on his feet, offering a hand I didn't take. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and stood, testing my balance. I was stronger. Not strong enough though. But I could move.

We checked the bathroom. Empty. The balcony. Empty.

The dread crept in slowly at first, then it enveloped me faster, like ice water filling my veins.

"Lila," I said, my voice low.

Leon's expression darkened. He moved towards the nursery door and pushed it open.

Empty bed. Rumpled blankets.

No Indie or Lila.

The silence in the room turned oppressive.

We didn't speak as we left the bedroom. My steps were still unsteady, but adrenaline burned away the worst of the weakness.

Leon stayed close, not touching me. But he was close enough that I could feel the heat of him.

We found the first omega in the hallway. She was young and wide-eyed, carrying fresh linens.

"Have you seen Indie?" I asked. My voice came out colder than I intended.

She shook her head quickly. "Not this morning, Alpha. I thought she was still resting with you."

Leon's jaw tightened beside me.

We moved on. Another omega in the kitchen. Same answer. A third near the playroom. Nothing.

Each blank stare fed the dread coiling tighter in my chest. Indie wouldn't leave without telling me. Not after last night. Especially not with Lila sick.

Unless she'd made a choice.

The thought made something violent and possessive flare up behind my eyes.

We were heading towards the front gates when Mason appeared, jogging toward us. His face was grim.

"Alpha. Leon."

"Where are they?" I asked before he could speak.

Mason exhaled. "No one's seen Indie or Lila since last night. The night patrol didn't report anything unusual, but... one of the outer guards mentioned seeing a man near the eastern ridge at dawn. Tall. Looked exhausted. Might match the description of West."

Leon's hand flexed at his side, the bracelet catching the light with a faint red pulse.

I felt the powder's buzz sharpen into something colder.

Indie had gone to see West.

And now both she and Lila were missing.

The dread solidified into something I recognized well. The calm before violence.

I turned towards the gates, already calculating how many enforcers I could rally, how fast I could move even in this state.

"Zade," Leon said beside me, his voice low with warning and protectiveness. "You're still weak. If this is a trap—"

I looked at him.

The vampire who had almost killed me. The one who had slept on my floor like a guard dog. The one whose touch on my forehead had made every possessive instinct in me snarl and lean in at the same time.

"I don't care if it's a trap," I said, my voice flat. "They're mine. Both of them."

Leon held my gaze for a long second. Then he gave me a single nod.

"Then we bring them home."

Mason suddenly stiffened.

"I just got new intel. She went back," he said. "Indie took Lila and left with West. One of the outer scouts saw them heading towards the old neutral territory line. She was carrying the girl.”

The words sank into me, cold and heavy.

Indie had gone.

After everything, after I told her I wouldn't let her leave, after I held her while she cried, she still went.

I pushed off the wall I'd been leaning against. My legs held, but barely. The unnatural chill was still there, gnawing at my marrow. I was stronger than last night, but not strong enough to chase them across half the territory if it came to a fight.

Leon stood a few feet away, his arms crossed, his golden eyes locked on me. He'd been quiet since we got the news, but I could feel the tension rolling off him.

"I need to go after them," I said, my voice low. "Now."

Mason shook his head. "You're still too weak, Alpha. The ridge is too far. You'll collapse before you get halfway."

I knew he was right. The thought made my jaw clench so hard it ached.

Leon stepped closer.

"I can help," he said.

I met his eyes. I already knew what he was offering.

"No."

"Zade," Leon pressed, his voice lowering. "My blood can give you the strength you need right now. You're wasting time arguing."

The refusal was on my tongue again, instinctive. I didn't want to need him. I didn't want to owe him. I didn't want his blood in my system, mixing with mine, making the bond between us even more tangled and dangerous.

But Indie was out there.

With West.

With our sick daughter.

And I was still too fucking weak to protect what was mine.

I exhaled through my nose, irritated.

"Fine," I growled. "Do it."

Leon didn't hesitate. He brought his wrist to his mouth and bit down hard. Dark blood welled up immediately, rich and potent. The scent hit me like smoke. Too fucking sweet.

He offered it to me without a word.

So, I grabbed his wrist roughly, ignoring the way my body reacted to the closeness. Then, I pressed my mouth to the wound and drank.

The first pull flooded my system like fire.

Leon moaned.

The sound went straight to my cock.

I ignored it. Or tried to. My body was already betraying me, hardening against my will as his blood surged through me, burning away the worst of the chill. Strength poured into my muscles, my veins, and my bones. The drain felt distant for the first time in days.

Leon's free hand gripped my shoulder, his fingers digging in as another soft, helpless moan slipped from his throat.

"Fuck... Zade," he breathed, his voice rough with pleasure. His hips twitched forward once, involuntarily, before he caught himself.

I drank deeper, my eyes closed, focusing on the power rushing into me instead of the way his blood tasted on my tongue. Instead of the way his moans made heat pool low in my stomach. Instead of how badly I wanted to shove him against the wall and take more than just his blood.

When I finally pulled back, my lips were stained red. Leon's wrist was still bleeding. His chest heaved, his pupils fully dilated.

He looked wrecked.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, forcing my body to calm down. My cock was fully hard now, pressing uncomfortably against my pants. I ignored that too.

"Let's go," I said, my voice husky.

Leon stared at me for a moment, clearly conflicted. Then he nodded.

Mason stepped aside without a word as we moved towards the gates.

Indie had gone back.

She had taken our daughter and walked into uncertainty with a man I already wanted to kill.

The powder hummed louder in my blood now, mixing with Leon's power. My steps were surer. My mind clearer.

Whoever had my girls—West, Varak, or some new threat—would learn very quickly what happened when someone took what belonged to me.