Chapter 50
**ELENA**
The more time passes, the less Eric interacts with me, and the stranger he becomes. He seems to lose his mind more and more as time goes by. Plus, the food must be running out because what he brings me is increasingly basic and less substantial. I've lost weight since I've been here, I can feel it in my clothes.
I feel less and less compassion towards him, even if I understand his situation in view of what I've been through with Arthur. I feel weaker and weaker, and my concern for my child health. The absence of my mates isn't doing me any favors either. At the beginning of my captivity, I could sense that they were looking for me and that they were doing well, but not anymore. The more time I spend away from them, the less I feel our bond and I know they must feel the same. The poor things must be losing it. Having lost all sense of time, it could well be 2 weeks since I've been here or even longer.
"Eric! Eric!" I call and he enters the room shortly after. His clothes are dirty, his too-long hair is dishevelled and his beard has grown too.
"What?" He asks in a weak voice, the dark circles under his eyes betraying his lack of sleep.
"I've got to walk. My legs are starting to hurt and I want to wash, I feel terribly dirty."
He pinches the bridge of his nose as he closes his eyes. "Okay."
My eyes widen but I try to control my surprise as much as possible. I didn't think he'd grant me that. He slowly approaches me and pulls a key out of his jeans pocket. I know I won't get another chance, this is the only one I've got. He slips the key into the small keyhole of the handcuff hanging from the bed and as soon as it's free, I grab the spoon I've hidden under my pillow. I use every ounce of strength I possess to drive the handle of the spoon into his eye. Taken by surprise, he screams and falls to the ground. I don't think twice, just run out of the room and quickly find my way out of the cabin. The sunlight dazzles me but I run straight ahead without looking back, stumble, but regain my balance and run. I'm surrounded by trees and there's no way of knowing where I am. I hear footsteps approaching behind me and branches creaking, but I keep going without looking back, drawing on my last reserves. I run without thinking and my legs weaken, I can't transform and I end up finding a sunken spot behind a tree. I try to catch my breath but I feel like throwing up. I hear branches cracking behind me and a shadow appears above my head. I turn around slowly to see a huge black wolf behind me with piercing green eyes. He approaches me and licks my face. I burst into tears. He's found me.
**FINN**
Caleb found her. This is the only information we got from him via mindlink. I didn't think a simple sentence would relieve me of so much of my life. "I'm taking her home."
We immediately told the doctor to meet us at her house, as we didn't know in what condition we would find her. I thought my legs were going to collapse when I saw Cal come through the door with our sleeping mate in his arms. She looked so frail, had obviously lost weight and clearly hadn't showered since her disappearance. Relief gave way to worry and then, anger. The doctor prescribed vitamins and told us to come to the mediacl pratice the next day for an ultrasound, but he heard the baby's heart beating, which was reassuring. We have to make sure she's sufficiently hydrated and nourished. She woke up briefly to give us a hug, but as soon as the doctor had finished examining her, she went back to sleep. Now we're just waiting for her to give us all the information we need to find out who took her. But goddess what it can hurt to see her like that, curled up in the big bed. Caleb hasn't left her side, literally enveloping her with his body, which looks even more enormous next to our tiny mate.
As Theo and I stand in front of the half-open door, he nods for me to follow him downstairs. Once we're alone in the living room, he runs his hand over his face and paces in front of the sofa.
"I didn't think it was possible to feel so many different feelings at the same time. We're going to have to support her through this but also find the asshole who did this and make him pay."
"I couldn't agree with you more." I reply before sitting down on the sofa. Legs spread, I rest my elbows on my thighs. "Whoever it is, the punishment must serve as an example and the judgment must be public."
"We agree on that too, brother." He replies before sitting down next to me. He sighs. "I want to be with her, to touch her, but I don't want to invade her space. Only the goddess knows what she's been through."
"So do I. I'll go to the bedroom. At least I'll be close to her. She needs us as much as we need her."
We both go back upstairs and enter the bedroom, where Elena and Caleb are still in the same position. After undressing, I lie down behind her and Theo moves to the end of the bed. Soon I feel his hand on my thigh to draw me closer and I approach, relieved. Together we can face anything and protect our baby.