She's Gone

She's Gone
\[Lucian’s POV\]
“Why me?”
What the hell was Owen even thinking, saying that I would be the one to help him with the bastard lying unconscious on the ground? Clearly I would stay here with Pandora’s father and help him get Pandora and the other children out of that damned room.
“Because you’re useless here.” He responds, taking me by surprise. “Look at you! You’re hurt, and you still haven’t recovered from the last injury you suffered. I don’t know if you have a death wish or not, but with the way you’re going, you’re going to end up getting yourself killed before you get to be an adult.”
I already lived to be an adult. I think, hating the man’s harsh words. And I did it all being reckless.
But back then you didn’t have much to lose. The small voice in the back of my head says. You were alone with no one that you cared for.
It was true. At the time I was just coasting through life, fighting one battle after another. Of course, there was the desire to destroy Lux and my father, but if I had died, I wouldn’t have died feeling like I didn’t accomplish anything. But then, I found Pandora, and after that, my way of thinking changed completely.
“Just stop being stubborn and help me.” Owen says when I don’t respond. “Alpha and Victor have things covered here, and if they don’t, there are more warriors on the way.”
“What about the grounds and the interior of the packhouse?” I push. “Has everywhere been searched already?”
“It has.” Owen confirms. “The area is secured and safe. The enemy retreated after their secrets were discovered.”
Was that really it?
It was kind of hard to believe that Lux and my father would give up that easily. Something else must have happened to make them call off their men, but what?
Pandora.
As her name appears in my mind, I turn my gaze to where her father continues chipping away at the wall, and when I hear the sounds of the children within, I feel my heart drop to my feet.
“It can’t be,” I gasp, moving forward so that I can look through the small hole that Pandora’s father has created. “There’s no way.”
“What’s wrong?” Victor asks, coming beside me. “What is it?”
“I think I know why the enemy retreated.”
Goddess, please let me be wrong in my assumption because if I was right, then we had a whole new issue to deal with, and I would be damned if I was just going to sit back and do nothing.
“And why is that?” Victor pushes as Pandora’s father grabs a piece of the wall and pulls, creating an even bigger hole. “What the hell is going on?”
Instead of responding, I dive through the hole that has been created and find myself staring at many children who cower together along the walls. They stare at me in such fear that I know that my assumption is correct, but even then I get up and start to look around.
“Where is she?” I demand, raking my angry gaze along the children. “Where the hell is Pandora?”
“Th-the princess,” one young girl who has red marks along her throat. “Sh-she was taken. It’s all my fault. She let him take her to save me.”
Instantly, I feel a wave of dizziness slam into me as the child's words settle in.
“No,” I growl, turning toward where the door should have been so I can watch the others come forward to join me. “This can’t be happening.”
How could this be? How could she have been taken so damn easily, and why wasn’t I here with her when it happened?
“I need to go.” I gasp, beginning to move toward the exit. “I have to go and…”
“Lucian.”
Owen’s voice erupts in my ears as a hand juts out and wraps around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks while the world around starts to turn red.
“Let me go.” I hiss, snarling. “I need to go to Onyx Moon.”
“And do what?” Owen demands. “Do you think that you’ll be able to defeat them alone?”
“I DON’T CARE!” I roar. “THEY HAVE PANDORA!”
At my words, I feel the shift in Owen’s demeanor, and when I turn my gaze to him, I can see pure fury on his face.
“What did you say?” He demands, beginning to look around the room. “Did you just say that they have the princess?”
“They do.” I confirm.
“And how do you know that for sure?” Pandora’s father asks, joining in on the conversation.
“Because a witness confirmed it.”
Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. This was the worst-case scenario, and I was certain that Lux and my father wouldn’t end things here. Who fucking knew what they were doing to Pandora right now while we wasted time?
“Then we will all go to Onyx Moon.” Pandora’s father announces. “It’s that simple.”
“We can’t be that reckless.” I counter. “If other packs get word of what is happening, then it could break the delicate peace that we’ve all worked so hard for. Don’t you realize that was the reason my father and Lux used mercenaries and mages? That way their hands were clean when things ended.”
“Do you think I give a shit about that balance?” Pandora’s father snarls. “They have my daughter! I’m not just going to sit around and not do a fucking thing. I don’t give a shit if this turns all the other packs against me. My daughter’s safety is much more important than that. If you don’t want to get involved, then you can stay here, but know that I make no promises of allowing your father and brother to survive.”
Kill them. I think, knowing that there is no fucking way I would stay here while he went to save Pandora. I would definitely be going along with him, but we had to be smart about our movements.
“There may be a way to sneak in undetected.” I murmur, remembering the underground routes to the packhouse. “But once we are within, the real battle will begin.”
“Just lead the way.” Pandora’s father says. “We will handle the rest.”
“Alright.”
Even though I knew that Pandora would be angry at me for bringing those she loves into enemy territory, I didn’t have any other options. Saving her was now the main priority, and in the process of doing so, we would possibly be able to take down my father and Lux once and for all.
“Then I’ll show you the way.” I say now, my determination growing. “But you must bring along those you trust the most, and while you do that,” I continue, remembering that Pei and Chihara, along with a few others I trusted, were within Onyx Moon’s walls. “I’ll do my best to create a diversion within. While they’re distracted, we will save Pandora.”