Chapter 148: Chapter 148

Chapter 59 – Wanting Her Found

“When you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.“–Theodore Roosevelt

Third Person POV

Wolves work hard, but the Garnet Moon Pack works harder.

In the past three days, Alpha Anthony fell into a flurry of activity. After bonding Mikhail and Isaiah as official members of his pack, he pushed most of his efforts into recovering his youngest sister. He had attempted to reach out to Kiya through the pack bond after Phoebe’s failed spell work but encountered blocks. She had multiple blocks preventing her from being found. It frustrated him. As a last resort, he sent alerts to his allied packs for additional eyes on the streets.

Alpha Neron informed him of his search attempts in Nevada with his pack members. If there was one thing both men can agree on is that they know Kiya isn’t far away. She had to be in the vicinity, if not in either of their states. It was a feeling neither could ignore. Both men were confident with their combined efforts that Kiya will be found soon.

Sitting in his office, he busied himself with paperwork. Investments in stocks to new construction in San Jose to sending aid to packs, all caught his attention at once. There was no shortage of his duties; he had a pack to run. However, an unsettling stone of guilt rests upon his heart, pervasive at its attempts to seize his focus.

Sighing, Anthony set a stack of papers down and propped his head on his fist. He recalled the talks he had with his parents and how he felt guilty for sending Kiya to Zircon Moon in the first place. That feeling refused to leave. It stayed like ink to jeans.

“If only I didn’t send her away… Anthony thought, rapping his nails against the wood finish. It didn’t sit right with him that one sister was safe and the other isn’t. Lyria is happy as Luna of the Thunder Moon, caring for her husband and newborn son. When she caught a whiff of Kiya’s disappearance, she and Alpha Dimitri sent their best soldiers to comb through the state for her, abetting in his mission. Anthony was thankful, but still felt guilty.

His hopes rests with the Moon Goddess that his baby sister is okay. Anthony knows she isn’t dead, but the unknown still hurt his soul.

Suddenly, he heard small taps against the door with tiny giggles. Mahogany swung open, and a trailblazer waddled in, hopping into the Alpha’s lap. Anthony laughed as his daughter nuzzled her face into his chest, happiness bubbling. Luna Alesia also stepped in, sporting a gracious smile and a plate of food.

“You need a break, my love.” The Luna remarked, settling the plate in front of him. Anthony sighed heavily, using one hand to smoothen Ximena’s auburn mane and the other to pop a baby carrot in his mouth. “Any news so far?”

None.” His hardened eyes glanced out the window to see pack members living, prospering, and training. He spotted Jacqueline sparring with more force and energy than usual. Knowing her well, it was her way of coping with stress. He mind–linked both Dwayne and Abigail to check up on her. “But I am hopeful. Mom and Dad are out searching. Something is bound to pop up sooner than later.”

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“Hmm.” Alesia walked behind Anthony’s chair and rubbed his shoulders. “Oh, mi amor. There is something on your mind. You don’t have to be strong around me.”

01:13

The dam threatened to burst from his eyes. Ximena detected her father’s melancholy and patted his cheeks gently for a smile. Anthony tried his hardest to give Ximey what she wanted, but the rock in his heart grew to a boulder. Alesia bent forward and smooched her husband’s face with the sweetness of sugar, hands caressing his biceps.

“You made the right decision.” She whispered. “This isn’t your fault. Kiya had to go back to face her demons.”

“She is in the clutches of another, my love.” He expelled an unsteady sigh, trying his hardest to not cry. “She didn’t want to go, but I made her. All I keep thinking about is if I hadn’t forced her to go back to Nevada, she’d be happy and safe here. I made a lot of choices as Alpha that I regret, but this is the one I regret the most. What if… Anthony bit his lip. “What if she hates me for this?”

“Are you kidding? Do you think Kiya would ever hate you?” Alesia chuckled, sifting some papers to the side so she can sit. “You acted out of love and you’re still acting out of love. The both of you don’t share blood but have a powerful bond of brother and sister. It is not your fault that some evil bastard became attracted to her. There would’ve been that risk anyway if she’d stayed. However, you aren’t helping her by beating yourself up over something beyond your locus of control.”

“I could’ve protected her.”

“And that still wouldn’t have stopped Osiris.”

“I’ve never despised anybody like him, and I haven’t met the piece of shit.”

“Bad word, Papa!” Ximena exclaimed with a giggle, covering her ears.

“Oops! I’m sorry, pumpkin.” He kissed her tiny cheek. “Will you forgive your old man for saying a nasty word?”

“Yes!”

Alesia laughed, running her skillful fingers through her Alpha’s hair, earning soft growls from both him and his wolf. Unconsciously, she crossed her legs to shield her womanhood from the effects of Anthony’s sexy growling. “Kiya would never hate you, Anthony. The love you two share for each other is beautiful; use that as your motivation to find her. You will get your sister back, but you have to take care of yourself.”

Anthony knew his wife was right. Amber–colored eyes regarded her with a soft look, and a tug on her arm said all he needed to say. He wanted his family back together. His phone and his laptop were awaiting reports from his allies, but the anticipation subsided by the warmth of his sweet mate and sweeter daughter. The Alpha held his diamonds close, their warmth seeping into his heart and soul, calming his wolf Axel.

He will find his sister. He is sure of it.

Just as he is sure of how sublime the lone pork sandwich on his plate looks.

+10 The tires of Nikolai’s car screeched as they entered San José, joining in the statewide search. He sent the Bond damaged passenger van away for repairs, settling for his black Honda Accord. Lyra’s luminous eyes are g

01:1 to the window, hoping to catch sight of a familiar bundle of ebony curls. Her heart constricted at the thought of Kiya and her unknown condition.

She spotted members of her original pack, Diamond Moon, blending in with the humans on the streets. It brought ease to her heart to see familiar faces searching for her daughter, but she couldn’t sit around and do nothing. She didn’t want to sit in her home and wait for answers.

As the car drove, dread suddenly entered her heart.

“Something has happened to her, I know it.” Lyra muttered, worried. “It is like before we went to Zircon, but

worse.”

“I feel it too, mi cielo.” Nikolai replied, his car picking up speed. “But, Kiya is a survivor. She’ll be okay.”

“I just want her found!” The former Luna groaned, rubbing her cheeks to alleviate the pressure in her face. “We don’t know what is happening to her! What if she ends up like the people who go missing for years, never

to found, if at all?”

“We can’t give energy to that kind of thinking” He gripped her trembling hand, planting a tender kiss on her supple skin. “Our Moon Goddess wouldn’t let that happen.”

“How could I let her slip out of my arms like that?” Lyra sniffled, wiping her tears with her white handkerchief. Every head of curls she spotted sunk her heart into despair because none of them were Kiya. “My love, when I looked into her eyes, I saw something that shouldn’t be there, and it was hurting her.”

“When did you see that?”

“Before you went to kick Jonathan’s ass.” She chuckled small. “My mother’s intuition was going crazy. I don’t know what it is, but it was dark and destructive. There is nothing good about it at all, and how she spoke about killing that man and how she nearly killed that girl…what if that is not the end of it?”

Nikolai grew silent as his wife’s words marinated in his mind. He couldn’t deny that his daughter’s energy shifted, but he assumed it was because of her declining mental stability. After listening to his wife, however, he is wondering what else was there. And with Osiris a new contender in this madness, it only amplified his

worry.

“Kiya wouldn’t kill unless she is pushed too far. She’s too pure.” As he pulled to a stoplight, his eyes darted around for a sign of his child but found none. “However, I wish we knew more about who Osiris is and where he came from. Why did he want Kiya in the original place?”

“Power.” Lyra rested her head on the headrest, expelling her stress through huffs. “Osiris took her for that. And isn’t that why Jonathan was adamant about her staying?”

“It’s more than that. Phoebe spoke about the first kidnapping, and how there were many other avatars held prisoner. It was clearly about power then, but it’s different now. Wouldn’t he have tried to take Phoebe again if all Osiris wanted was power? There is something specific about Kiya that he wanted.”

“If only we knew what it is…

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Red flashed green and the black car rolled down the lively streets, sparkling under the glow of the sun Lyhin resumed her silent search. The parents marinated on their brief experience with their attempt to bring 01:07 back home. They mistakenly thought the concerns would vanish if everybody remained in their forever home until the chaos was sorted out.

But Nikolai had his suspicions. He distinctly recalled how distressed, yet enraged Jonathan was when he declared Kiva’s departure. The former Alpha acted as if he was stealing his treasure away from him: possessive and controlling. What else had he done, or tried to do, that Kiya hadn’t told him about? His heart ached terribly for his child’s suffering but burned in anger at Jonathan–a man turned monster.

An inkling in the back of his head told him he might have some fault in the crash. Alphas don’t let go of their possessions without a fight, but he was warned that if he tried something, Garnet Moon would declare war. That crash could’ve killed them all. Abigail especially. Would Jonathan Prince go that far to get Kiya back in his hellscape?

Nikolai shuddered. A deep part of him had hoped that his old friend would correct the errors of his ways. Faint, dwindling hope.

But the other part of him differs. The inkling refused to leave. He made a mental note to contact Alpha Neron. In his mind, Nikolai believed it must be old age getting to him; he didn’t want to accuse Jonathan of something he didn’t do. I’m not that type of man‘, he thought to himself.

But if this unfounded suspicion had any truth to it…

“STOP THE CAR!!!”

Startled, Nikolai pressed the brakes, jerking the both of them forward. Cars behind them honked in irritation along with some pressed yelling. He hurried his car to the side so the drivers can pass. “What is it?!

“I saw her!” Before Nikolai could stop her, Lyra hopped out of the car. As they were driving, Lyra could’ve sworn she saw her baby girl seconds before. Kiyu stood on the street, dressed in a solid black skater dress, and waved when she spotted her mother. When Lyra blinked, she saw her being hauled into an alleyway. Ignoring Nikolai’s protests, she bolted to where she last saw her.

“She has to be here! I know I saw her!” Lyra shouted in her mind, swerving past the human pedestrians. “Isabella, I’m not insane, right? Was it her?”

“It was!” Her wolf replied with enthusiasm. “A mother always knows their child.”

In less than a minute, Lyra ran inside the alley, head darting around for Kiya. But all she found were dumpsters, muddy puddles, and rats dragging food wrappers to their home. Her nostrils flared to pick up her fragrant scent, but rotting garbage burned her olfactory receptors. Her chest heaved in her heavy panting and her eyes welled with tears in complete devastation.

“Lyra!” Nikolai huffed, walking behind her. “Don’t run off like that!”

“She was here…” She whispered; voice lodged in the base of her throat. “She…looked different. Her hair didn’t have her coils and…she waved and…I know she was here! Someone dragged her in here!”

Mi cielo…

Found

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“Kiya! Please, answer me if you can hear me!” Lyra’s cracked voice screeched in sorrow, tears raining hardeonus than a wild storm. “Mi rayo de luna, please let me know if you’re okay! My heart can’t take this anymore.

01:05

Nikolai pulled his beloved mate into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder so she can cry her heart out. His eyes swam with tears, and soon, he cried along with Lyra. Their hearts throbbed and ached in sync. The pain of parents was powerful as it rolled into the air is cataclysmic waves with reckless abandon.

Their daughter was so close, yet so far.

And they’re back to square one.

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