Chapter Sixty-One His

My chest had felt tight all morning. Something wasn't right with Nyx. I could feel it. After our conversation the other morning, I was a shell of myself, too deep in thought to concentrate on much else. Neal and I had only been here an hour, but neither of us could focus on anything that needed to get done today. I set my pen down on the stack of papers before me and threw my head back into my office chair. I was staring up at the ceiling, feeling the pressure compacting on my lungs from the imaginary weight of this off feeling. Nyx's conversation from the other morning plagued my thoughts. One moment, I would stubbornly decide it didn't matter if I didn't produce an heir. All I needed was Nyx. Then guilt and responsibility would creep in, and I couldn't do that to my people. 

"Neal?" I closed my eyes and waited for a response. I swallowed the acidic ball that zapped its way down my esophagus and burned my stomach. Andrew sent word he had captured his father, Darius, and would be escorting him to me. A small drop of relief had eased some of my nerves with the news. Once he was here, I could get some answers from him, one way or another. The sadistic side of me shook with anticipation of taking out my pent-up stress on the traitor. My chest burns more than it had all morning. My heart raced, my palms began to sweat, and my throat went dry. I licked my lips, "Neal?"

When Neal doesn't respond, I glance his way. Neal sits in his usual spot on the couch, staring at his phone with a furrowed brow.

"Neal?" He doesn't look up. He continues to stare at his phone, moving his fingers at rapid speed. I stood and approached him, my hackles on high alert. I realized this wasn't my fear I was feeling; it had to be Nyx. Something was definitely wrong. My voice took on a demanding tone: "Neal."

Neal's head snapped to attention when he realized I was next to him, "Sorry, Alpha. I, ah." 

A look of uncertainty rose to the surface, and he shook his head to clear it. "I was notified when Luna got to her shop, but since then, the security feed has been weird." 

I instantly looked over his shoulder, watching the video of Nyx and Finn moving about the shop. Five minutes later, I see what Neal is talking about. Nyx and Finn seem to glitch briefly, then continue with the same motions. Pain erupts from my arm and the back of my head, and my face scrunches as my cheekbone burns. Nyx was hurt. My heart dropped to the floor as I growled, "It's a fucking loop!" 

I pull out my phone and call Finn. It goes straight to voicemail. I call Nyx; it rings a few times and then goes to voicemail.

Both of us were on our feet instantly, rushing toward the door and down the elevator to our vehicles. I could get there faster in my wolf form, but it was far too busy in the city to not be spotted by the human world. I didn't have time to be stopped or hunted today. Neal jumped into the passenger seat when, out of nowhere, Hugo was in front of the car. He held up his phone, then rounded the car to get in the back. 

"Finn called me. I heard the sounds of a fight before a large crash, screaming, and the line went dead. I think they are in trouble." Hugo quickly reported, confirming what we thought. The traffic seemed to clear as we raced and weaved through the short drive. I gripped the steering wheel as waves of pain, fear, and nausea traveled through our link. Nyx was in real trouble and I prayed to anyone who would listen for me to get there in time. I had promised nothing would happen to her. My breath caught when the link suddenly went silent. I feel nothing from Nyx, and I gulp at the reason why. Is she dead? Fuck, if Nyx is dead, I was going to follow her right into the death's abyss. I couldn't imagine a life without Nyx in it.

"I can't feel her anymore." I could barely voice the words, but Neal touched my shoulder and grounded me momentarily.

"Breath, Ollie-boy. If you calm yourself and reach out through your link, can you feel her heartbeat?"

I took a few deep breaths as I turned another corner. I was so close to her shop. I focus all my energy on our bond, feeling a small glimmer of a heartbeat so far away. "Yes, but it's so fucking faint it's almost non-existent."

Neal sighs heavily and sits back, "She's unconscious. Now focus on getting to her."

When we got to the shop, the front door was unlocked, and the door leading up to the apartment was swinging on only one hinge as if someone had broken it. I called out for Nyx, my voice sounding hoarse even to my own ears. I took the steps two at a time and found the room in complete chaos. There was blood splatter against the wall, tables were overturned, and the chair was smashed in half.

Hugo sniffs around the room at each blood spot and looks at me, "This blood is Finn's and Chad's."

I also let my wolf sense take over and examine the scene. Nyx's scent is everywhere, causing that fear to grip my throat and heart again, but only one spot toward the hallway has her blood scent. I shuffle toward that spot, finding Chad, Nyx, and... I try to place the familiar scent that is mixed in with theirs. My heightened sight catches Nyx's chain near the busted couch, but it doesn't have her pendant on it. I couldn't hold back my grin, "That's my strong girl."

Hugo crouched down next to me, smelling what I'd found. Although I was more powerful overall as Alpha, the Cordeau family's nose was beyond my abilities. Hugo Cordeau was in a category all his own as the best scent tracker in the last three generations. His nose scrunched like he smelled something sour: "Alpha, Chad, and Nyx's mother were here, but also Callum. The scent is faint, but he was here."

Anger seized my body and I ran toward the bedroom in the back, finding it empty. I knew Nyx wasn't here, but I needed to do something, anything, or I'd lose my mind in the anger pithole. As I turned, Neal appeared in the doorway. His face ghostly white as he clutched something in his hand. I stalked to him and grabbed a pregnancy test out his hand. After reading it, I stumbled. I braced myself on the wall, afraid my legs wouldn't hold me up, "We have to find her.”