Felix
My Baby Chasity was pregnant. What should have been one of the greatest moments in my life was a living nightmare. My baby was having my baby and both of them were somewhere unbeknownst to me. All I knew with any fraction of certainty was that they were alive. My wolf was in panic mode and so was I. There was a constricting pain in my chest as though something was trying to stifle me, like a band tightening around my lungs and my heart. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The feeling was intensified through the link I had with my triplet brothers. They were feeling it too. Being separated from our mate and our pup was a physical pain as well as a psychological one.
I tried to calm myself by focusing on the fact that Chasity and the pup were alive. They were alive and we would get to them soon someway somehow.
I know she’s ok, I murmured to myself and my brothers over mind link. She has to be, she has to be, she has to be, I chanted, thinking I could will that thought into existence.
Fuck. When I got my hands on those kidnappers, they would wish for death.
I knew it was futile but I had to try calling out to Chasity.
CHASITY! I yelled over mind link so loudly the whole pack probably felt the echoes of it. Chasity! Chasity!
I couldn’t reach her. I couldn’t locate her but I could feel that she was out there. I sighed. She would need me. What if the pregnancy was a difficult one? What if she had morning sickness? What if she was cold at night or extra hungry during the day? What the fuck were they feeding her? Were they even feeding her? My anger burnt white hot at the thought. What if those disgusting motherfuckers were starving her? My heart was beating erratically. I was close to shifting but what good would that do right now? I had to struggle to hold my wolf back.
We’re gonna find her, said Calix, his tone reassuring. And once we do, we’ll never let her out of our sight again.
That was for damn sure. When I got my Baby back, she was going to be on lockdown indefinitely.
Yeah, we’ll find her and the rest of her pregnancy will be spent safe with us, added Alex, trying to be comforting.
Even though they were trying to say optimistic things, I knew my brothers were just as horrified as I was because their words felt hollow. There was no solid conviction in their statements. They were trying to will those reassuring thoughts into existence too.
I wondered what my Baby’s mindset was like right now. I could only imagine how terrified Chasity herself must be. I wondered if she even knew that she was pregnant. She was so inexperienced. What if she was nauseated and tired and hungry and unaware of why?
I had not even realised I had been projecting these thoughts over mind link until Alex interrupted them.
Felix, stop torturing yourself with questions, he said calmly but firmly. Let’s focus on the investigation. The sooner we find Chasity, the sooner we can put this all behind us and make her kidnappers pay!
I hated to admit it but my elder brother was right. We had to pour every ounce of our energy and attention into getting Chasity and the pup back safe and sound.
Calix
I was trembling slightly but I folded my arms tightly to try to mask it. My wolf and I were devastated. We were being robbed of these milestones with Goddess. She deserved so much better. I could not believe she was spending the early weeks of her pregnancy in such a situation. We had totally failed her. My lip quivered. I had to hold it together. Breaking down wasn’t going to fix anything and it certainly wouldn’t help Chasity. There was no time for blubbering or moping about. Every second counted and Chasity was counting on us. I couldn’t fully feel the connection between us. I knew the fiends who stole her were tampering with her ability to mind link somehow but I could still feel her essence faintly. She was alive. I knew that much to be true.
I glanced at Chance. He had turned away from us. I heard a sniffle. He was hiding his tears. I put a hand on his shoulder. This was hard on him too. He had been deprived of every moment he should have shared with Chasity. I didn’t think I could have coped with what he had been through: being kept from your loved one for nine years by spiteful people. My stomach churned when I recalled the fact that those “spiteful people” were my very own Mom and Dad. I took a deep breath to steady myself. I really didn’t think my parents had anything to do with the kidnapping but my wolf was begging me to contact Mom and tell her Chasity was pregnant. My wolf thought that if we told Mom about the pregnancy and she happened to know where Chasity was, she would give Goddess back for the sake of the pup, her very own grandchild.
I know you don’t agree but something inside of me just knows Mom didn’t do this. She wouldn’t go this far. She’s behaved awfully. I know that. It’s hard to admit but it’s true but she’s not this cold. No way, no how, I said to my wolf.
My wolf closed himself off from me. He had only ever behaved like this a handful of times. I sighed inwardly. I shut my eyes tightly. I could feel a migraine coming on. Usually only Alex and Mom got those, sometimes Dad. I felt Alex’s hand on my shoulder.
Alex
As scared shitless as I was, I had to be strong for my younger brothers. Felix always pretended to be a tough guy but underneath that tough exterior was a soft sensitive interior. I knew this was destroying him. Everyday without Chasity, he got weaker. We all did. Calix was more open with his feelings usually but even he was holding back nowadays. Everyone was acting a bit out of character due to the stress of the situation.
Chasity, my Luna, wherever you are, please hold on. Please. We’re on our way, I promised her, knowing the mind link most likely wouldn’t reach her.
Time to finish searching the house! I commanded. Look at it this way! This is the biggest lead yet! Even though we discovered something worrisome, we also know that Chasity and the pup are probably on our lands still! We have a home-court advantage, I said.
This isn’t basketball, grumbled Felix. It’s not a game. My mate’s life and my child’s life are on the line!
Our Luna’s life and our child’s life are on the line, I corrected him.
I half-expected him to argue further but he just made a disgruntled noise and folded his arms.
Let’s search this place from top to bottom, said Chance, a determined look in his eyes though they were brimming with unshed tears.
I nodded. The residence had three storeys including the attic. It was a huge property, almost as large as the pack house, and we painstakingly searched each and every room. I didn’t believe in splitting up in these situations if it could be avoided so we went from room to room together, combing through every inch of the place: opening every drawer, looking in every cupboard, sifting through every letter and file found. We pushed against the walls and floors in random places, looking for any secret passageways. We looked behind every painting in case there was a security camera there or a trapdoor.
I kept that someone would come home soon. In fact, I hoped that someone would show up. Then, we could question them.
“Ugh!” Grouched Felix aloud. “It’s useless!”
Calix sighed, looking defeated. I wanted to tear this place apart in frustration but I had to hold it together and go about this methodically. This house was the biggest clue thus far. Chasity’s scent was here. Chasity had been here. That had to count for something. Her scent was altered by her pregnancy and that was a new development. She hadn’t been far along enough to smell any different the last time I had held her. That meant this house had to be affiliated with the kidnappers in some way.
“Find out who owns this house and if they were renting it out to anyone!” I said sternly to Danny.
Danny nodded eagerly.
“Will do. Also, I’m arranging for us to meet Dexter Sharpe in the interim while we’re tracking down Deidre Binx,” said Danny.
Calix raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“That’s the conspiracy theory guy who was friends with Chase, Chasity’s father?” Asked Calix.
Danny nodded. I resisted the urge to down cry the idea. Beggars could not be choosers. We needed every lead we could get. I had promised to leave no stone unturned so I knew I had to talk to this Dexter guy. I just hoped it wouldn’t be a waste of time because with the baby on the way there was no time to waste whatsoever.
Calix
Lucky for us, Dexter Sharpe agreed to meet with us that same day. Not that any of us felt lucky right now though. When Danny gave me the address, I realised it was just a little way past Domino, the lookout point where Chasity had marked me. I told myself I wouldn’t look as we passed it but I did. The memory was bittersweet now, tainted by the present. The mark on my neck tingled as we drove by. I trailed my fingers over it. The permanence of Chasity’s mark comforted me. We would always belong to each other no matter what happened. The memory of that day was so vivid I could almost smell her floral scent. Everything was burnt into my brain: her smile, her voice, the taste of her skin, the way she looked at me. I hoped the memories stayed just as vibrant over time. I was petrified that the memories would fade and then I would feel like I had lost her twice. I had to placate myself with the hope that she was not lost to me forever. We were doing everything we could to find her. I just hoped we were on the right path. Our story could not end this way. It just couldn’t. Chasity deserved better. Much better. The best actually! A proper happily ever after.
Alex
If Dexter’s house was any indication of the type of person he was then I already disliked him. The place was a run-down looking mess. The one-storey house was narrow but long and the wood was bare as though it had never been painted or treated in any way. Perhaps, the pain had peeled off, I reasoned. Perhaps, he had fallen on hard times. I shouldn’t be so harsh, so judgemental. I didn’t know his circumstances.
The front yard was blanketed with knee-high sludgy snow. This was not the work of a fresh snowfall. This was negligence. Hmph. My eyes couldn’t help but trail over some suspicious-looking spots on the wood. I held in a gasp. Black mould!
Of course Calix was walking right up to the largest patch of black mould to inspect it. Before I could call out to him, Chance grabbed his shoulder.
“Be careful, son, you could get sick!” Warned Chance, pulling him gently backwards.
Black mould was potentially deadly to humans. It could cause them to have respiratory problems. For werewolves, however, it would take an unprecedented amount of black mould to get us sick but that was besides the point. No wolf should let mould grow all over their house just because our lungs were tough enough to handle it. What about the pups in the area? It could affect them. I doubted Dexter had anyone else living here with him. I pictured him being a loner.
“Thanks, Grandpa,” I heard Calix say as he stepped away from the mould.
Chance actually smiled brightly in response to that. I was amazed that Chance was cautious about mould when his office looked like a good place to sample it.
Felix was ahead of everyone, stomping up to the door and making the rickety porch creak and shake under him. He banged on the door. Someone opened it rather quickly leaving Felix’s fist frozen in midair. Felix grinned awkwardly at the man behind the door before pocketing his fist.
Felix
I was not expecting to have the door opened mid-bang. I gave the guy an apologetic grin as I stuffed my hands in my coat’s pockets. He needed to understand that I was in a time-crunch here.
“Dexter Sharpe?” I said, raising my eyebrows expectantly.
The guy was tall and very thin. Even his face lacked the fullness of youth that most wolves had. He had large light blue eyes and brown hair. Although the hair on his head was thinning slightly, his eyebrows were flourishing. I almost thought they were fake or something. They were so thick and fuzzy, I wouldn’t be surprised if they vacated his face to go munch on leaves and build cocoons any day now. The guy fidgeted just as much as Mom had said. I had thought she was just being mean. I tried not to look at the wiggling movements of his fingers so as to not make him uncomfortable. It was the least I could do. I had already blatantly stared at his eyebrows.
“Dexter Sharpe?” Said the man.
Was he asking me?
“You are under arrest! You have the right to remain silent! Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law! You had the right to an attorney. If you can’t afford one, one will be appointed to you…” he launched into an episode of Law and Order.
“Ok,” I said, holding up my hands indicating he needed to stop.
I didn’t have time for this shit. This wasn’t a fucking joke. My baby was missing and pregnant.
“Our mate, Chasity, is missing!” I said pointedly.
It pained me to even have to say that. The man stopped being an asshole and nodded, taking on a serious expression.
“Time is of the essence,” I added, practically pleading with him. “Are you Dexter Sharpe?” I asked again.
“Yes!” He said finally.
I let out a sigh of relief. Dexter let us inside his house. He was a hoarder and Alex looked like he was having a fit over the state of the place. Calix and Danny were all polite smiles and Chance was right at home. I didn’t live here so I didn’t care. I refuse to describe all the stuff he had in there. Just picture whatever you want.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience if you were busy or anything…” said Calix, trailing off because that was a total lie.
We didn’t care who we inconvenienced during our investigation.
“Oh, no!” Said Dexter. “I am ready for this moment!”
Now, we were talking.
“So you have an idea of why we’re here?” Asked Alex, clearly intrigued.
“It’s all over the news! I have all of it recorded! Would you like to watch it?” Asked Dexter excitedly.
“No! That’s ok!” I responded instantly.
Didn’t I just inform him that time was of the essence?
“Your story…the triplet alphas…Chasity’s disappearance! It’s all over the news!” Repeated Dexter, wringing his hands nervously.
“What do you know about Chasity?” Enquired Calix.
“Past, present or future?” Clarified Dexter, gesturing behind him, beside him and in front of him respectively.
I wasn’t going to get away from a long speech, was I?
“Start at the beginning,” I said, frowning.
Dexter took on a sombre expression. He shrugged.
“Chase was my best friend. My only friend,” he said softly.
I felt sorry for the guy. It didn’t seem like he had found his mate yet so with his best friend gone, it must be a lonely life.
“I’m really sorry,” said Calix quietly.
“I’m really sorry! About your mate! Little Luna Chasity!” Said Dexter in earnest.
“Well, she’s not dead!!” Retorted Chance, clutching his chest in alarm.
Calix rubbed his back. Dexter held up his palms defensively, realising what he had implied. Chasity was NOT dead!
“I know, I know,” said Dexter in response to Chance. “Neither is Chase.”