Return of the Lycans (part 1: The Lycan's)

"Bang, bang, bang."

I wake up and look at my alarm clock. It's 5:12 am, never a good time to wake up. And certainly not when a worried Beta storms into your room.

'My queen. Damon...is...'

"Is he dead?"

'No, not that. Hopefully not. But we can't find him."

I stand up and put on my kimono. 'Lana, Damon and Thor are still alive. I just can't reach them,' my wolf says, sounding far too concerned.

'They're still alive. Damon and Thor are still alive. But Zoë can't reach them.'

I walk past Chris in a brisk pace and immediately go to Damon's desk. Chris follows me.

I'm calling the only person who's close to me right now. My mother. After a few rings, my mother picks up. She asks in a sleepy voice, "Lana, are you in labor?"

"No, mom." I start sobbing. "Damon, is missing."

"I'm there," she replies, wide awake. When I put the phone down, I can't hold my own anymore. I cry and look for a chair. Chris helps me onto Damon's office chair. Damon's sweater, with his scent, is still hanging on it. I take it and take a deep breath of Damon's scent.

My mother storms into the room not much later, with Gamma Dirk behind her. Meanwhile, Jonathan and Jonas have also joined. My mother tries to soothe me. The men begin calling around and linking up with other wolves. The many voices around each other make my wolf nervous and before I know it I growl and call them to silence. It was not my intention, but I had no choice.

When they all stare at me in silence, I ask, 'Where was he? I want to go to the kidnapping scene.'

“But Lana, this isn't for you. You have to think about your cub,' my mother says worriedly.

'No, mom. I want to see the place. Beta Chris and the Gammas are coming with me. Gamma Dirk would you like to keep an eye on this here.'

"Yes, my queen," he replies before looking worriedly at my mother.

"Then we'll be gone in an hour."

I leave the office and rush to my room. I put on a T-shirt and long pants. I put my hair in a ponytail and run downstairs.

Chris and the twins are waiting for me and we drive in silence to where Damon was last seen. I rub my stomach and whisper, "Don't worry. We'll find daddy." Then I look worried outside until we get to the house.

The many people in front of the door and the body bags on the floor do not bode well. When you open the door you smell the smell of the old blood.

One of the men comes to us. "My queen," he says, bowing. "I'm Doctor Dejagere. Eight people have been killed and traces of violence have been found. Parts of wolfsbane have been smelled in a vial. Probably put in their soup. The werewolves were too weak to to raise the alarm." There's a small pause before he goes on: "Your husband, on the other hand..." He stops and looks at Chris, who is signaling him to stop.

"Tell me," I order.

"I think your husband must have been in a fight or they'd...had a hard time taking him."

'Do you know who?'

"No, sorry, my queen."

'Where?'

"Queen I don't think..."

"Don't think, show it to me. Now!"

The man rushes into the house with me behind him and shows where they beat him up. I walk on to the room where Damon's scent still lingers and examine everything until I find a folded sheet with my name on it, under a glass of water. I tuck these behind my back when I turn to my Beta.

"Lana, did you find anything?"

'No nothing. Would you leave me alone for a while. I need some time.'

"Sure," Chris replies.

When I'm alone in the room I open the letter.

Dear Lana.

Thanks for the blood.

I heard you're going to be a mother.

So nice.

Damon is with me.

You know where to find us.

And come alone, I don't want intruders.

Love, your father.

John, King of the East.

A shiver runs down my spine. That he still calls himself my father! I ask the others if we can stay somewhere with the excuse that I'm too tired. After much hesitation and asking if I shouldn't go home after all, they finally give in. We stay in a hotel and when I see that the coast is clear I leave. I'll take Chris's car. He will surely find me when they find out, because there is a GPS in his car.

It's a long drive to the silverback pack house and when I arrive two men are already waiting for me.

They make a hand gesture for me to enter. I walk into the pack house and continue to the living room. It still looks the same as before, only everything is so much smaller now. Jan sits in his red high chair and a smile appears on his face.

'Oh, Lana. Nice to see you," he says with a broad grin.

“It's Queen Lana and quit your theater. Where is my husband.'

'So direct. Leadership suits you, daughter.'

'I'm not your daughter. Where's Damon.'

'Good good. Follow me.'

I follow my so-called father, but I don't have a good feeling.

"By the way, you have a nice round belly."

'Mhm, I'm not here to have conversations. I'm here for my husband.'

We walk to the back of the house and when we go outside we arrive at a small square. A young guy is standing against the wall of the barn. He smokes a cigarette. When he sees us he throws it in front of him and extinguishes it with his foot. He walks over to us and nods at me.

"This is my Beta."

I nod back at him, but I have the feeling that nothing is right at all. Jan's young Beta looks at me with disgust. My wolf sees this too and says, 'No aversion. Watch the corner of his mouth twitch. He is afraid of his king, and his aversion is directed at his king."

But I mustn't think too quickly before Jan says, "Bring the mutt my daughter calls a friend." My father's old gamma, whom I know all too well, comes to the square with a chained Nell and slams her brusquely to the ground. I rush to her and notice changes in her appearance. '

Did you turn her into a Lycan without her permission,' I yell angrily at Jan. 'Why would I do that. She's worth nothing to me.' I look angrily at Jan, but soon catch sight of his Beta. The man looks anxiously from his king to my friend. I would think that guy has feelings for Nell.

"Don't say his Beta is my Mate, Lana," Nelly whispers in my ear.

'Come, my daughter, we have something to celebrate. You have a grandson in your belly. Come on.' I walk with the man and we sit at the table where a feast is served. Jan gives a toast and we drink the wine. Even though I'm pregnant, a small sip won't hurt.

"Can I see my husband?"

"Almost, Lana," Jan replies with a grin. I feel sleepy and feel like I might pass out any minute. Everything is running and I'm getting way too hot. I try to stand up but fall through my legs. I try with all my might to move, but see black and fall to the ground.