**Axel''s POV **


    "What the fuck is happening?" Theo curses as we run out of the infirmary.


    "Guys, this is bad, very bad," Luke says, his eyes wide with fear as he looks up at the night sky. I follow his gaze and dread fills me at what I see. The dark sky has jagged blue lines spread across it. It almost looks like cracked ss. Another rumble shakes the ground and I see more lines appear in the sky.


    "We need to get back inside now," I slowly back up, making sure Luke and Theo are inside before I follow them in.


    "We need every healer you have working on Mason and Deacon now. We need them both on their feet as soon as possible. Do whatever you have to," Luke tells Art as we pass him.


    "What''s happening?" Mason asks, struggling to sit up.


    "Erm, the sky is breaking," Theo says.


    "What do you mean?" Mason frowns, probably thinking Theo is exaggerating.


    "What he said," Luke nods.


    "Where is Josie?" I ask when I realise she is not in the room.


    "She went to get clothes, she should be back by now, second door on the left," Mason says and I turn to find her. Dread begins to fill me as I search for my bond. I have a sense that something is wrong with her. I push open the door that Mason had said she went through and I find her discarded gown but there is no other sign of her. There''s no way out of this room apart from the way I came in unless... I run back to the room the guys are in.


    "Luke, are the wards lifted?" I shout before I''m fully through the door. He closes his eyes and


    nods.


    "I think someone took her," I growl. My wolf surges forward, almost forcing my shift but I manage to hold my form. He''s more in control right now though, his animal insticts to simr so simr to my own that it''s difficult to distinguish which thoughts are mine and which are his. Someone took his mate and he is pissed. We will burn this whole realm down to get her back if we have to.


    "There''s CCTV in the halls. I''ll go check it out. She might have just gone looking for us,” Luke says calmly, but I see right through him. I see how fucking terrified he is.


    "Hey, Big Guy, let''s just breathe, we will find her," Theo approaches me cautiously. He can clearly see how close I am topletely losing it. "We aren''t going to find her if we don''t keep our shit together,"


    "Someone try to heal him," Mason grunts, finally getting to his feet and moving towards


    Deacon.


    "Luke told Art to get all the healers in to heal you both," Theo tells him.


    "Good, let''s start with you two. Josie healed us, so we all should have the ability," he says breathlessly.


    "Oh, that''s helpful, now if only we knew how the fuck to use it!" Theo throws his hands up dramatically. The stress finally putting a chink in his armor.


    "It was fucking rrisa and Mason''s Dad! They took her!" Luke shouts as he runs back in.


    The world seems to detonate around me. Fury takes over and my wolf forces the shift. He runs and runs. Searching for her scent. He won''t stop until he''s checked every inch of this realm. I don''t know how long he runs for, hours turn to days, days to weeks, time bes meaningless without her. His only focus is on finding his mate. He searches every house hees across. Breaking down doors without a second thought. He doesn''t care about the scared children who scream at the sight of him. So many people try to stop him but they''re no match for him like this, their gifts are useless against him now. He deflects them all, it''s an amazing development. A gift so rare that it''s considered a myth, but what does it matter now? He couldn''t protect his mate, couldn''t stop her from being taken. I had left her for a few minutes and he was never going to forgive me for that.


    All I have left are my memories, and I rey all my moments with her on repeat, starting from that first moment I''d seen her. She had walked into the dining hall with Dot and the world seemed to stand still for a moment. Her beauty was like no other. Her plump lips had called to me. I''d had to fight the incessant urge to run over to her and nt my lips on hers. It had been so bad I''d had to leave the hall without eating. I''d skipped my next four meals after that. Not sure I could stop myself from making a fool of myself. By dinner the next day I''d been starving, I couldn''t survive off of snacks in my room any longer. I''d known the moment she walked into the hall, it was as if my every nerve ending sparked to life at just her presence. I kept my full focus on my food, avoiding looking in her direction. Then Josh, another unbonded had nudged me. "Looks like someone is very interested in you," he had whispered and I couldn''t help it. I''d looked up and locked my eyes with hers. They were stunning eyes, I could have stared at them forever. It had taken a gargantuan effort to break the eye contact and focus back on my food, I was too shy to just go over there like Luke and Theo had. I''d only make a fool of myself. I''d say something stupid or I''d identally touch her and get myself suspended. I couldn''t keep the smile from my face though and I''d felt my cheeks heat under her attention. Since then she has shown me what it was like to love and be loved,


    unconditionally.


    I wish I could go back to that day. I''d have kissed her, I wouldn''t have wasted a single second of my time with her. I''d do anything for her, anything to get her back. Whilst I still have breath in my body I''ll fight for her, to get back to her. My heart beats for her, literally. So I don''t stop fighting my wolf for control. Whilst her heart still beats, I''ll keep fighting.