Chapter Four: A Mother’s Worst Nightmare
NICOLE
The scream tore through the night, cutting through the stillness like a blade.
I was out of bed and halfway down the stairs before I even realized what I was doing, the sound of chaos pulling me toward the pack‘ s borders.
When I reached the clearing, the sight before me made my stomach churn. One of my wolves lay dead–his body broken and lifeless. A she–wolf knelt beside him, her piercing cries echoing through the
darkness as two warriors tried to hold her
back.
“Victor, wake up!” she sobbed, her voice raw with desperation. “Please, wake up!”
I closed my eyes, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. My heart ached for her, but I couldn’t allow myself to
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crumble.
Gerald appeared at my side, his face grim. Before he could speak, I exhaled sharply and gave the order. “Have him buried. I’ll address the pack at dawn.”
He nodded, and as he turned to relay the instructions, I cast another glance at the she–wolf. Her cries had softened into quiet, heartbreaking murmurs as the warriors. guided her away. The scene twisted my stomach with guilt, and a voice whispered in my mind: This is your fault.
Because I had tried to reduce the number of wolves I sent out but I still needed to scout the area so his death was on me.
I forced myself to turn away, unwilling to let the pack see the cracks in my armor. By the time I returned to my quarters, sleep was impossible. I checked on Daniel, as I always did when I couldn’t rest, gently brushing a strand of his dark hair from his tiny face. He was my anchor, my reason to keep fighting.
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Chapter Four: A Mother’s Worst Nightmare.
But tonight, not even his peaceful presence could soothe me. I lay awake until dawn,
staring at the ceiling, my mind racing with questions and plans.
When my phone buzzed, I sat up, a wave of relief washing over me at the sight of Ivan’s name. Finally, some progress.
“I’m sorry,” he said the moment I answered, his tone heavy with regret.
My stomach tightened. “What do you mean, sorry?”
He hesitated. “There is a law in the Kaldor faction–any alliance request must be approved by Nathan.”
I was aware of this but Nathan had never
cared.
“As far as I know, he‘ s never disapproved an alliance,” Ivan continued, his voice cautious. “But… once he found out it was you…” His words trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish.
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I gritted my teeth, struggling to keep my voice steady. “I understand. Maybe I‘ 11 try another pack.”
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There was a pause on the other end of the line before he spoke again, quieter this time. “Nicole… you won’t get anyone to help. He’s blacklisted you and no one will dare cross Nathan.”
My hand tightened around the phone as a wave of anger crashed over me. Without another word, I ended the call, the sound of my own heavy breathing filling the silence.
Even after all this time, he was still determined to make my life hell.
A knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I opened it to find Gerald standing there, his expression tense.
“The wolves are waiting for you,” he said, bowing his head.
“Tell them I’ll address them later,” I replied curtly. Before he could respond, I
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continued, “Have the car prepared. Two warriors will accompany us–we’re going to the Kaldor faction.”
Gerald hesitated, his brow furrowing.
“Nicole-”
Whatever argument he was about to make was interrupted by the sound of rapid footsteps. One of the omegas burst into view, her eyes wide with fear. She bowed deeply, her voice trembling.
“Forgive me for interrupting, Luna, but…” She faltered, tears welling in her eyes.
“Speak,” I ordered, my chest tightening with unease.
She stammered, her words coming out in broken pieces. “It was my turn to prepare Daniel for his bath. But… when I went into his room, he wasn’t there.”
The world tilted beneath me.
“I thought maybe he‘ d crawled out of his
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crib or some other Omega must have thought it was her turn,” she continued,
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tears streaming down her face. “But then I saw–the windows were open.”
My wolf surged forward, a low growl rumbling in my chest as I struggled to breathe.
The omega’s voice broke, her anguish cutting through me like a knife. “I’m so sorry, Luna. I’ve asked and searched everywhere. I’ve asked warriors to help.” She paused, meeting my eyes with a look of utter despair. “No one can find him. He‘ s not within the territory.”
The room seemed to close in around me, my wolf howling in fury and panic.
Daniel was gone. My son was gone.
And someone had taken him.
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