t u e s d a y | chapter 09

It felt as if another headache would occur to Atticus when Onyx informed him of Octavia's state. He was silent for a while, just staring at the dark green orbs of his best friend. His thoughts were in shambles as a deep frown settled on his bewildered expression.

"What do you mean she's gone?" He finally managed to speak.

"Allison came to Octavia's room to serve her breakfast, only to find that the female Alpha's gone."

"How the fuck was she able to leave?" Atticus asked, his tone laced with irritation as he motioned his Beta to step aside, in which the latter did so without hesitation, knowing full well that there's no room for him to hold Atticus back.

The Alpha opened his punctured door and went straight to his mate's room in haste with Onyx following closely behind him.

"Take a look for yourself." Onyx spoke before Atticus opened the mahogany door of Octavia's temporary room, leaving the both of them stupefied.

Although Onyx Aion had seen the condition of the room, he still cannot help being shocked at seeing it once more.

The room was a complete mess; every furniture in the room was broken, the beautifully printed walls were tainted by claw marks, the curtains and bed sheets were in tatters, the bulletproof glasses were shattered to bits, and the silver bars that once lined the threshold of the balcony were ripped off of the ceiling and floor with no traces of Octavia Avalon.

It was as if a monster had come in and swept her away.

Atticus stood in the middle of all these, not knowing what to think or how to react as his thoughts started racing again. His hands balled into fists when he realized that he had been sleeping and dreaming about her and Onyx wouldn't stop stalling earlier, when his mate must be in grave danger.

He turned to give Onyx, who stood by the doorway, a deathly look and before he could say anything, his Beta spoke up. "We already have wolves scouring everywhere for her hours ago. There was still no sign of her."

"Have you tried contacting her pack?"

Onyx shook his head. "I thought that maybe you'd want to do the honors."

"I do." Atticus replied as he exited the devastated room, striding toward his office with his Beta, Gamma and Maxima in tow.

When Maxima had finished tending to Ludovic's injury, the two had followed them to see the wreckage themselves. The female Beta had let out a small gasp upon seeing it, while Ludovic let out a small whistle.

Atticus spared no time to get his car keys that hung on a hook attached to his office's wall near its door and continued his swift steps to the garage, climbing into a sleek black vehicle when he reached his destination.

He waited for the three to catch up as he brought the car's engine to life. He even honked its horns when he thought they're already wasting too much time just to follow him.

"Woah, I thought you're only going to them a call." Onyx stated as they reached him.

"If they do have her back at the Lycan Shadows pack, I will take her back."

It is as if Ludovic had sense the finality and determination in his Alpha's voice that he let out a small sigh and silently climbed into the car. Looking back at Onyx and Maxima. "You guys coming or not?"

"Oh no, I have to continue my course to the Primal Darkness pack as I am already behind schedule." Maxima said with a small jolt, suddenly remembering that she has somewhere to be. "I heard Alpha Steele doesn't like to be kept waiting and Alex will have my head if I ever fail to somehow 'please' him. Good luck though and I do hope you find her. I want to meet the scary female Alpha everyone's been talking about soon. Toodles!"

She leaned over the car window to give Atticus a small kiss on the cheek before leaving the garage, waving goodbye to Onyx and Ludovic.

Atticus smiled at her retreating figure and looked back at Onyx with a blank expression. The latter sighed and climbed in the car. "You haven't even taken a shower yet, Atticus."

Fuck showering. I need to get my mate back.

～ ※ ～

"What?" Ignatius Avalon was confounded. "Why are they here?"

"I have absolutely no idea, Nate." Answered Xiomara with a roll of her eye. "Do I look like I'm psychic to you? I'm just as clueless as you are."

It had been five minutes since Xiomara Evett waltzed into Octavia's office, announcing that the Alpha of the Broken Blood pack, along with his companions, had crossed their borders and was currently on their way to the pack house.

"Do you think it has something to do with Octavia?"

"Undoubtedly."

Xiomara fumbled with the hem of her shirt anxiously. "Do you think they've found out?"

"I hope not." Ignatius mumbled, a scowl forming on his handsome face as Atticus' scent reached his nose before the Alpha waltzed into his sister's office. Though, Ignatius picked up a pleasant scent mixed in with Atticus Grady's and he couldn't help but feel a bit unknowingly drawn to it.

"Where's Octavia?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" Ignatius raised a dark eyebrow before his expression changed into something between inquisitive and anxious, realizing something. "She's not with you? You don't have my sister and you don't know where she is?"

The Alpha of the Broken Blood pack rolled his earthy azure eyes. "Do you honestly think I'd drive for 3 hours at 7 o'clock in the morning without even taking a damn shower to talk bluff with you?"

Atticus' words were left unheard when Ignatius snapped his sharp gaze to an alarmed Xiomara Evett. He then stood up from his seat to exit his sister's office with the Lycan Shadow's Gamma in tow, ignoring the angered calls of Atticus Grady.

"The fuck is wrong with those people?" Atticus seethed out as he followed his mate's brother and best friend.

"It's possible that they may know something about the female Alpha that we don't."

Atticus gazed into the dark green eyes of Onyx. "Didn't you used to date my mate? Care to share to me what you know?"

"Look, Tic. I don't know anything." Onyx sighed at the menacing tone of his Alpha, putting his hands up in a surrendering gesture. "I would've told you from the start if I did. You need to calm down."

It is just in that moment that Atticus noticed his semi-shifting form. His hands were covered with white fur, his sharp claws were visible, and his canines were showing through his lips. He forced his lycan to retract into the depths of his mind as Ludovic counted down from 50, telling him to breathe in and out while doing circular movements with his hands.

I honestly wonder how the hell am I friends with this guy. He thought to himself.

"We should get moving." Onyx spoke up when he had calmed down, gesturing to the figures of Ignatius Avalon and Xiomara Evett in the distance.

Reaching zero on his countdown, Ludovic nodded in agreement before walking in the direction of the Beta and Gamma of Lycan Shadows.

"Ah, Beta Ignatius. I was wondering when you'll decide to give me a visit." A stunning young woman with ginger hair and an odd pair of eyes smiled at Ignatius Avalon once he and Xiomara passed the threshold of the witch's cabin on the outskirts of the main territory.

Ignatius returned the woman's smile with a warm one. "Tuesday, you look beautiful as ever. You've been practicing your magic well, I suppose."

Tuesday Adrastos was beautiful indeed, even without the magic. With her fiery light reddish-yellow hair, peculiar yellow and blue eyes, dark red lips, and youthful glow, one would've never thought that she is a 115-year-old woman who loves to use magic to clean her house and make potions in her free time. Messing around with the everyday lives of the pack's werewolves is also a hobby of hers.

"Indeed, Beta." Her gaze shifted to Xiomara Evett, who stood by the doorway awkwardly. "Gamma Xiomara, what a surprise to have you here."

"Hello, Tuesday." Came the Gamma's curt reply. Xiomara was never a fan of witchcraft. It simply gave her the creeps and the way Tuesday Adrastos was looking at her with those strange mismatched eyes of hers, like the witch wants to gobble her up didn't ease the knots in her stomach. "Nate, I'm just gonna wait outside."

Tuesday Adrastos watched her retreating figure in silent mirth, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She looked back at the electric blue eyes of Ignatius' before busying herself in making her tea. "How is the Alpha? It was a full moon last night."

"She's missing." Ignatius said with a somber expression on his face, worry filling his entire being when he thought of his older sister. "We need your help to find her."

"Yes. I know where she is."

〜 ※ 〜

n o t e

Short. I know and I'm sorry!

There are a lot of things going on in my life right now and I am legitimately stressed af.

I couldn't bring myself to write in a bad mood, because well the chapter will turn out badly.

I also have problems with internet connection which really sucks.

Help me be happy by commenting and voting?

Pretty please with a cherry on top?

Much love,

Tonie