Dark Moon

26

Ashton's POV:

We found the camp nearly six hours ago; camp being the most accurate term because it was one concrete building with sleeping bags all over the outside so the Alphas could patrol. We found the group of kidnapped Omegas, but my mate and Charlie weren't among them.

Nolan nearly killed their Alpha, demanding to know where they are, but the Alpha laughed.

He told us that my Sage and Charlie had been purchased by a client from the city and that we didn't have the ability to take down someone from the city.

My heart is throbbing, aching, and crying for my mate. I've been hiding in one of the spare rooms back at Bay's pack because I cannot fathom trying to formulate a plan right now. My head hurts, my gut is aching, and I've already vomited twice.

Nolan isn't much better; from what I heard when Zach and Owen ran down the hallway, they had to stop Nolan from destroying one of the spare rooms. He's never been that expressive when around Charlie at our pack house, but losing his mate and his pups has really worn him down to his instinctual, primal Alpha.

I think that's what made it all the more real for me; watching someone who I admire that is usually so composed break down completely. It reminds me that my angel isn't safe... and I need to start entertaining the idea that I may never see him again.

Of course, I will fight tooth and nail to find Sage, but unfortunately, Dayton, the Alpha who controlled me for so long, is right. The city life is so wildly different than the more traditional pack life and they don't follow natural instincts the same way we do out here.

They rely on technology and develop the world around them. Packs use money for imports and exports, but it's not what we primarily rely on; packs use the bartering system and work to keep our community prospering. Our pack is considered a rich pack because we have a big population and keep a lot of wealth saved, but it isn't a necessity the same way it is for people who live in the cities.

There is a knock at the door to the bedroom I'm in and Owen opens it, holding a pup in his arms.

"Hey... I'm sorry to bother you, Ash, but can you hold her for a bit? Zach and I are trying to cook and balancing a pup while cooking is pretty difficult. I'd ask Nolan-"

I get up and take the three year old Alpha from his arms. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her," I say, forcing a smile. "Why isn't she with the others, though?"

"She's been severely neglected and needs to be held or she'll throw a fit and fall into a panic attack," Owen says, sounding exasperated. "And she just woke up from a nap."

The pup squirms a bit to get comfortable in my arms, but she relaxes quickly when she sees I'm going to hold her and keep her safe.

"Alright, no problem," I say, sitting on the bed with the pup in my lap. "I'll turn on a movie."

Owen smiles as sympathetically as he can before vanishing down the stairs.

I feel horrible for being so useless toward my pack mates, but I'm also in so much emotional pain that I supposed I can take a break. We searched and didn't find mine or Nolan's mates, so I have a bit of time to mourn.

"Do you have a movie preference?" I ask the pup, but she stays quiet.

I turn on some animated film and her eyes stay glued to the screen. The tiny baby hands are gripping my bigger ones and she seems scared I'm going to randomly get up and leave her all alone, which I won't do. I'm going to hopefully get Sage back and be a parent someday, so I have to get used to hanging out with pups, which isn't a horrible fate for me.