The Heartless Alpha

DIMITRIS POV

I was in the kitchen, going over a map of the surrounding areas with Ben, Luke, Killian, Miguel and Gideon. My office was uninhabitable; My whole floor was actually. Staff were working to repair the mess I’d caused, making me feel even shittier. I’d run for hours with no sign of my mate. Eventually, Ajax had gotten through to me, telling me to go home and work out a plan of action. But when I’d gotten here, Gideon was waiting with more bad news. As if the worst hadn’t happened already, I had more s**t added on top.

Somehow, word had gotten out about Lilys kidnapping. The entire pack was in panic, rumors spreading that we were to be attacked. The f****d up part? I couldn’t tell them they were wrong, because I didn’t know. The thing that pissed me off more was that I had loose tongue in the packhouse, someone who couldn’t keep their mouth shut. More than likely, it was one of the staff, and when I found out who it was, they were gone. I’d had enough bullshit.

“You can look at all the maps you want.” Gideon said to me now. “It won’t help. I’ve searched this area. And the ones beyond. I’ve been to different states even.”

“Well, what do you expect me to do?!” I snarled. “I can’t just sit around with my thumb up my a*s! Why don’t you stop being so damn pessimistic and f*****g help!”

“Why can’t you just see where she is through your Orb thingy?” Luke asked.

“You don’t think I’ve tried?” Gideon threw back at him.

“Well, what haven’t you tried?” Ben threw his hands up in exasperation.

“I don’t know what you want from me. I’ve tried everything within my limits over the years, and I never found him, or my mate! You don’t think I’m just as desperate as you are?! Do you not remember that that bastard now has my mate and my daughter?!” Gideon shouted.

“All the more reason for you to stop doubting yourself, and help us come up with something to find them!” Ben shouted back.

“All of you, calm down.”

We turned to see Clara entering the kitchen with Thara, and Isabelle trailing behind. What the f**k? This wasn’t a meeting for children. Aside from that, looking at her innocent face just brought to life the fact that my children were in danger and I was helpless to find them. That wasn’t Isabelles fault, but I didn’t want her around me right now.

“What is she doing here?” I asked Clara.

“Everyone in the house is in a state, and Ben is with you. I had nobody to leave her with.”

“Hazel-“

“Is on her way here with Clint.” She interrupted me. Sure enough, the couple walked in a second later. I sighed.

“Fine. Whatever.” I refocused on the task at hand. “Maybe you can give us some new ideas.” I shot a dirty look at Gideon who returned it with an equally nasty one.

“First, you all need to stop fighting with each other. We won’t find Lily or Rosalie if we’re spending time being at each others throats.” Clara glared at all of us.

Ben picked up Isabelle at her request. Her tiny face examined each of us in turn, taking in the tension in the room. Her gaze landed on me.

“Your mate is missing.” She stated.

“Yes.” I ground out.

She looked at her mother. “So use a locator spell, like you did for Charlie.”

Clara shook her head. “It’s not that simple sweetie.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“That’s too easy. Bastian wouldn’t leave a giant hole like that. And Gideon already tried.”

My face fell. It was starting to feel like Lily was lost to me for good.

“Why are you looking like that?”

I looked at Killian, who was looking at Gideon. He was shuffling his feet, looking at the ground.

“Wait, have you tried that already?” Hazel asked.

“Uhm, no.”

“What?!”, “Why?!”

Everyone shouted at him in outrage. I knocked the map off the steel counter, ready to jump over and strangle him. Clara looked like she wanted to set him on fire, and Thara had her fists balled at her sides.

“Why the f**k not?!” I roared at him. Isabelle covered her ears, hiding her face in Bens shoulder. I attempted to control my anger.

“Because of what you just said!” Gideon told Clara. “There’s no way he would make it that easy.”

She threw her hands up. “That is literally the first thing you should have tried, you f*****g moron!”

“Mama, don’t swear.” Isabelle scowled.

“Sorry Isa.” She bent down, scooping the map I had off the floor. Examining it, she looked at me. “Do you have a world map? Or a globe?”

“There’s a globe in the library.” Thara answered.

“I need it.”

Thara nodded, racing out of the kitchen. I pinned Gideon with a cold stare.

“Anything else we should know?” I spat.

Pain ripped through just then, radiating out of my chest. I gasped, clutching the counter for support. It was so strong, I felt like my bones were on fire.

“Dimitri?!”

Luke grabbed my one arm and Miguel caught the other. Together, they lowered me to the floor where I sat, dazed. What was happening to me? Another wave hit me and I screamed, clutching my chest. It hurt so much, I would gladly rip my heart out to escape this pain.

“It hurts!” I shouted. Suddenly, Claras face appeared before me. The expression on her face said she knew exactly what was happening to me. “Make it stop!” I begged her.

“I will.” She placed her hands on either side of my head and closed her eyes. After an excruciating minute, the pain eased, faded, and then stopped altogether. Sweat coated my body, running into my eyes; My whole body shook.

“What… what was that?” I gasped.

Clara looked at me with sympathy. “That’s what happens when your mate is intimate with someone else.” She whispered.

Her words clicked into my brain, one by one. But I still didn’t process them. Lily wouldn’t do to that to me. She wouldn’t. No, someone had to have forced her… I didn’t realize I speaking out loud until Ben spoke.

“She was willing. You and I both know mates don’t feel pain if the other is forced.” He spoke to me, but his eyes were on his mate.

“It’s true. It’s the choice to stray from your bond that causes the pain for the other person. Rape isn’t a choice. I’m sorry.” Clara said.

“I don’t believe it. Dimitri is right, Lily wouldn’t cheat on him.”

“Especially not with Bastian. Isn’t he her Uncle? She would never consent to that.” Clint spoke for the first time.

“Well.” We all looked at Gideon, who was taking measured steps away from me. “He’s not her Uncle biologically.”

Luke was tossed backwards, along with his mate as I jumped over Clara. I propelling myself over the counter and tackled him to the ground, my hands around his throat.

“Talk! NOW!” The walls shook under my wrath.

“Ben, give me Isa.” I briefly acknowledged him passing her off and Clara leaving the room. But my main focus was on the a*****e underneath me.

“He’s adopted. He came to live with us when I was little. I didn’t think it was relevant!” Gideon rasped.

“Not relevant?! The f*****g prick is sleeping with my mate!” I roared.

“Maybe! You’d feel the same pain even if they just kissed…”

I punched him so hard he was out cold. Useless, he was f*****g useless. I looked at Ben.

“Go out with Isabelle. I need Clara in here.” I ordered. He nodded, walking away.

Thara came in as he left, holding the globe I kept in the library. Clara came in after her, both looking at the passed out man at my feet. My sister raised her eyebrows but didn’t comment; She simply set the globe on the counter and went to stand with Killian. Clara motioned for me to join her, holding her hand out to me. I placed my hand in her smaller one, waiting for instructions on how this worked.

“Since you’re Lilys mate, you’re the best thing to find her; You hold a piece of each others souls. There is nothing stronger than that, so it will make this easier, if it works.”

“If?”

“It is possible to block your location from this type of spell. Still, he should have tried it.” She shook her head at Gideon. “Okay, I want you to close your eyes and focus on Lily. Think of the best memories you have with her, her face, her smile, everything that draws you to her. And, most importantly, focus on your bond. Let your wolf help you if you have to.”

She closed her eyes and I did the same. I brought up Lilys face, smiling at me the way she did when she was happy. I heard her laugh, her giggle. The way she looked when she told me about the pregnancy; How much she was over the moon that we were starting a family together. Ajax helped by remembering the way she felt in our arms when she’d called on him to make love to her. The way it felt when him and Aya chased each other through the forest. Cuddling under the stars and nuzzling each other. I remembered the first time I saw her, a mixed memory. The way she outshone everyone in the room, and how her eyes captivated me. Even if I hadn’t wanted her then, I knew inside she was the one who was going to bring me back to myself.

Together, Ajax and I let the bond flow, remembering every happy moment, some of the not so nice ones, and how much we loved her. Everything that made us, us. The day at the beach. Lilys Luna ceremony. The first time she told me off. Everything.

“Dimitri.”

Clara called me out of my reminiscing. She was looking at the globe, eyes wide. A spot on the sphere was glowing slightly; I leaned closer, dropping her hand.

ISLE OF SKYE

“She’s in Scotland.” Clara whispered.

“Then that’s where we’re going.” I replied.