Chapter 26

[Greyson]

My limbs, numb as the rest of my body, felt like stone-heavy, cold and unable to move. There was a kindling pain in the side of my chest that rippled throughout my body. I felt being pinned underneath a hundred ton truck. It hurt to just breathe.

I noticed that my body had transformed back to its human form while I was sleeping.

My arm rubbed against the side of my chest and I could feel a tight piece of cloth wrapped around my upper body. Then the ache made my memories came back as quick as the bullet had hit me in the chest.

Celeste!

A screeching voice made me aware of the environment around me. "You're part animal, why can't you sniff the thing out! It's been three days!"

"That rogue knew how to mask its scent within my territory. That's how he was able to get in and out undetected." Dad's gruff voice made me a tinge bit nervous, because what he said meant bad news. "We can't trace him; that rogue is very crafty."

Rogue.

The man in the woods, who attempted to hurt my mate, made every cell in my body scorching. My fingers wanted to feel its canine jugular pulsating in my grasp as I squeeze the life out of him.

He was going to pay for trying to hurt Celeste.

For the past week I've been sensing a strange disturbance while patrolling and it had been him all this time. I feel like an idiot not finding him sooner. Maybe if I had, Celeste wouldn't have been placed in danger. I'm glad she was nowhere near that stray now.

If only my body would comply with my desire to get off this really stiff bed.

"You've done nothing!" Celeste's mom voice was loud enough to break glass when she screamed. In the back of the room, two women were weeping. One more exasperated then the other. "She's gone again! I lost my baby again!"

Her exclamation had me holding my breath. What did she just say? For my father's sake I hope Celeste's mother was talking about her other children. Because if she was referring to Celeste...

"I can't take action without a plan. Our best chance is to wait for him to get better because he's our only chance of finding her!" Dad yelled back.

"We will save her. Don't doubt my husband, he isn't Alpha of this pack for nothing." Mom answered.

My body felt like it was shaking. Not from the cold, but my wolf was pressing into skull as if demanding I needed to get up. My senses analyzed the room. Because I couldn't move, I used my nose and ears to scan the perimeter of the house. By mapping out the whole house in my mind.

I can draw who is here and where they are. Everything felt the same except for one thing.

Celeste was nowhere.

My eyes forced themselves open and the light of the room burned my vision. My bullet wound protested when I moved, making me groan, which casted everyone's attention my way.

"Greyson!" My mom kneeled at my bedside grasping my head into her hands. "How are you feeling?"

Like crap. "Where's Celeste" I growled.

Everyone in the room went quiet. Their silence was enough for me to know the answer.

"Where the hell is she!" I looked at each person one by one with menace.

Celeste's mother faltered a little, but she reached back to hold Charlotte's hand to keep her feet planted where she stood.

"She's been kidnapped again." Celeste's mother muttered with hushed spite. "It's your fault for bringing her into this." She glared at me.

Averting her gaze, I looked at the bandages on my chest and cursed. In this state I was useless and Celeste could be miles away from my grasp. I had to think quickly and find her before that rogue could hide her from my trial.

Celeste kidnapped? How could that be possible? She was safe the last time I was conscious. It felt only minutes ago, we were outside and wrapped in each other's embrace.

Fate was being cruel allowing me only few minutes of bliss with her before she was stolen from me.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Tracy stood at the foot of my bed.

I didn't have time for this. She was my mate's mother but right now, she wasn't my concern. Lifting myself by the elbows, I got up and swung my legs off the edge of the bed. The pain rolled up and down from my head to toes. Before I knew it, I was merely inches from kissing the ground.

"Got you." Leo held me on both side of my shoulder lifting me up like a baby.

I wasn't very thankful for his help, but at least he saved me from more pain.

The careful pressure he placed on my arms slightly squeezed my ribs together causing the pain to gradually shake my thoughts. No matter how hard I tried to stomach the pain, my body was still not completely healed.

He retracted his hands when he saw me wince. "Shit, sorry Grey."

"Why aren't I healed? I thought my wolf would have helped me get better faster?" I said, assuming Dr. O'Dell was silently standing in the room where I couldn't see her.

She was. "The bullet that was lodged in your body was especially made to paralyze you. Once the projectile hit your body, the harmful particles within the bullet merged with your cells. Although it will not kill you, it has decreased your strength momentarily. You can't move until your body has completely healed itself. Dr. O'Dell grasped my shoulder.

I shook her hand away. "I'm not going to wait for this wound to heal before I save Celeste."

"Don't be an idiot Greyson." Dad flicked my forehead with his index finger. "You will only get yourself killed. That rogue wants you dead!"

"Do you think I care?" I shouted at him. "If Celeste is gone, this whole Taking was pointless! Our stupid family tradition would have been for nothing! I don't even understand why we still go by some rules our ancestors made!"

My blood was boiling at this point, I just said whatever came to my mind.

"Oh ancestors, hear his cries!"

Everyone turned to the imploring voice.

My mom face palm herself and shakes her head. "That woman..."

"Mom, what are you doing?" Tracy asked her mother.

Gran was on her knees, hands clasped together and staring at the sky. "I've been praying all day and nothing good has happened yet. He mentioned ancestors so I decided to add them into my prayers too."

This was the most ridiculous time to be joking.

"I need to find Celeste-

Without warning a fist slammed into my stomach, forcing my knees to weaken and my body slumping downward.

"Leo, you traitor." I hissed through the pain.

"I'm sorry man, but you can't go out there hurt. Besides, we already sent out scouts to search the area. You just woke up, maybe waiting one more day to rest wouldn't hurt."

Dad nodded in agreement.

Celeste's mother, grandmother and sister didn't look happy with the plan and neither was I.

Punching him in the nuts was my best way of revenge, but instead I elbowed the side of his legs. He almost tripped backward, but he was able to save himself from the fall.

"Okay, I probably deserved that." He frowned backing away from me to avoid another almost-stumble.

"Dad, if mom was kidnapped, would you just stand aside and wait?"

"No." Was his solid answer.

"Then let me find Celeste."

"You're injured, you can't take on that rogue by yourself. And he used to be a member of our pack not so long ago."

My eyes shot up in surprise. "What do you mean?"

He proceeded to tell me the details of our packs past. I listened intently and he also informed me that the very rogue I wanted to choke to death was none other than Celeste's grandfather. By the time he finished, I was staring at the ground with wide eyes.

"I can't believe it."

"We haven't really accepted it either." Tracy sighed. "I'm not sure if my husband knew about his father. He never mentioned anything that related to...werewolves. With all my heart, I want to believe that Nicholas was as innocent in all this. He would never hurt our children."

"I couldn't have not known about his father being a werewolf. It's impossible that he didn't, because he had kept his father close to him up to his death." Dad said.

"Maybe dad didn't know that grandpa was a bad guy." Charlotte whispered, wary about interjecting into the conversation.

"Don't call that man your grandfather." Tracy scolded her daughter. "That dog is no related to us." She hissed.

Stunned by her mother's reproach, Charlotte nodded her head feverishly like a child who got reprimanded.

"Glad that you are not in good terms with that rogue. Because once I have my claws on him, he will forever live a miserable life." When I find that crazy son of a dog, I'm going to make sure he is six feet under by the time Celeste is safe and back in my arms.

"You will have your chance Greyson, but now is not the time." Dr. O'Dell motioned to me.

"You can't tell me what I can or can't do! I'm your future alpha!" I roared at her and she stopped moving.

"Do not abuse your authority!" Dad said angrily.

"Please, you do it all the time when you get angry!" I spat back.

He grinded his teeth and kept his mouth shut because he knew I was right.

"Greyson, please just relax." Dr. O'Dell muttered softly.

"No."

"You know what?" Tracy smirked. "I think I agree with you for once." She looked at me and nodded her head. "I'm not going to stand here either while my daughter could be god knows where with that crazy dog that used to live in my backyard." She looked at me. Her eyes were blood shot red and her complexion was of a person who hadn't slept a wink in days. "Heck, if you bring my daughter back and promise to make her happy, I approve of you being with her."

My mom gasped. "really?"

Tracy nods. "I hope I don't regret this later."

Gran had to cut in and throw in her thoughts. "Please tell me if you two ever have children, they won't look like balls of fur!"

"Technically, if they had sons...they'd look like balls of fur." Leo stated.

I shot him a glare.

"We procreate just the same as humans. Their children will be born human and their sons will turn when they are around sixteen." Dad explained.

Tracy's face twisted when dad said the word procreate and mom slapped him across the shoulder.

"Bennett." She scolded him.

"Is this conversation really an appropriate time to discuss?" I muttered.

"Right, well..." He cleared his throat. "I still will not allow you to leave." Dad blocked the door from me. Besides him, Dr. O'Dell was right next to him supporting their clause.

"Fine. Have it your way." I turned my head and carefully sat myself back on the bed.

"What?!" Tracy literally wanted to slap me silly. Her hands were already ready to take a swing. "You're going to give up just when I told you I'd agree to your relationship with my daughter?"

"I'm not giving up, I'm going to follow the good doctor's orders and get better first." I smiled at Dr. O'Dell and the wise old woman knew I was definitely up to something.

She had taken care of me during all the sick moments of my life and she could easily tell when I lied in order to get away with not taking my cough medicine.

"Leo, you will be guarding him with Vincent." Dad also didn't trust me.

"If you're not looking for my daughter, then I'm going to do it myself!" Tracy pivoted towards the door.

"Me too!" Gran followed behind her but when they opened the door, Robert was standing there with his back facing us.

He looked over his shoulder. "Sorry, but I was ordered to watch you two."

"This is absurd." Tracy muttered. "You're not going to stop me Robert!"

"Debbie will be staying here for a while to keep you company." He tried to smoothen the situation.

Tracy crossed her hands over her chest. "You think I forgave her for keeping this a secret from me? I can't even decide whether to keep her as my friend. She lied to me all these years."

"It wasn't her fault. It's a pack rule." Robert defended his wife.

Tracy sighed. "Stupid rules. I hope they burn."

"I'll escort the three of you back to your rooms."

"I want all of us to stay in the same room."

Dad spoke up. "That can be arranged. "It's safer to have all of you together." In case something else happens...That's what he was meaning to say.

"Greyson, Stay in this room." Dr. O'Dell warned me again.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

"Don't worry, Vincent and I will watch him." Leo said.

"What a loyal boy. You deserve a treat." I mocked him and that earned me a glare from both of them.

Later that night, I asked both brothers to come into the room. And like always, they fell for the pillow under the blanket trick. When we were kids, I would do that to get them for trying to prank me while I slept.

Leo went in the room first and when I didn't answer his reply, he hovered over the bed. I was silently under the bed and when he was propped close enough to fall over the bed, I kicked his ankles and jumped over him. He struggled and gained an advantage with my being injured.

He was almost able to flip me over and get an advantage, but I pressed hard enough on his pressure point and knocked him out cold.

When I hopped over his body, my ribs stung again but it wasn't as bad. My obsession to save Celeste was much more painful than the pain the wound inflicted.

Before Leo lost complete consciousness, he was still able spit out a curse word against me. He earned an A for effort.

"Leo," Vincent barged into the room, eyes searching for his brother. When he saw Leo lying flat over my bed he growled at me. "Greyson, I called you dad he will arrive in less than a minute."

That's fine. I only need a second. "Tell him I said 'I'll be back with my mate'."

Being a newly turned wolf, he was no match for me. I had him on the ground before he could take another breath and as soon as I heard my dad's footsteps running across the hall with a group of people behind him, I was already out the window and running straight to the woods.

My choice of escape route made me think of Celeste. My mate and I had the same ideas: we should make jumping out windows our thing.

How ridiculous, but I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

"There he is!"

They were hot on my trail.

Using my handy dandy nose again, I sniffed out the most recent trail that had celeste's scent. I was headed towards the maze...

I was told never to leave the safety zone. Going through the maze was disobeying that rule. This once, I didn't care. I am going to get my mate back.

Celeste, wait for me!

I ran straight into the maze and didn't look back.

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A/N:

NOTE: Dec 24, 2016

HAPPY HOLIDAYS YOU FREAKISHLY AMAZING PEOPLE!!! I'M BACK!!! I've graduated and I'm ready to write again after a year of constant chaos. I have edited this book again so you will find some changes to the style of writing. This book has been closed off from the public but I have made it visible once more. SO YOU BETTER BE GRATEFUL, you marshmallows! Let's make one thing clear though IF YOU COPY MY BOOK...I WILL FIND YOU.

BE WARNED. xo