Antiope

I wake up completely disoriented but satisfied as Hell. I sit up and I look around. I am by the lake still. A smile blooms on my face. The day had been one of the best in my life. It would have been the best if the threat of something ominous wasn't looming over us. Other than that, it was perfect.

I stretch my limbs and enjoy that sweet fatigue I still feel on my body. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that we are both virgins that makes us insane with want and uncontrollable passion. I simply can't get enough of him, of every inch of his body, of every little expression on his face. And my body can't get enough of his, no matter how many times he makes me come screaming his name.

Thinking of the delicious things he did to me all through the night, my body comes to life. There is one thing missing: Magnus. He is not by my side. I glance at the lake hoping to see him swim in the water with his strong arms and then come to me - hopefully naked - with droplets of water running down his perfect body. But the lake is still like a mirror. Perhaps he has gone to get some breakfast. I mind link him but I get nothing.

"No!" I spring up.

"I can't reach Henrar," Maximo is worried too.

"That's cause they are out of the borders," I scream in my head and go hunting for my clothes.

And there on the carefully folded pile of my clothes, I see a note. I grab it and see Magnus's careful, calculated handwriting that I had traced with my fingers when I read all those files he gave me. Even when I thought I hated him, I loved his handwriting. I unfold the paper.

"Little girl,

Once more I had to deceive you. But you are my everything and can't stand the thought of anything happening to you.

Stay close to Thane, help Egil.

And think of me. I will be thinking of you.

Jag älskar dig,

Magnus"

"GODDAMN IT!"I yell into the morning sky.

"Are you dressed?" I hear Thane behind some bushes.

I grunt and I put on my clothes quickly. I head for the house and I feel Thane fall behind me.

"You will be guarding Celia," I order.

"Celia will be staying in the packhouse where she is safe," Thane fires back. "And I know she will cause she is not a stubborn female determined to give our Alpha a heart attack."

"Your Alpha will hope to have died of a heart attack before he faces me again."

"Still, he will be haunting me from the grave if anything happened to you. I fucked up once. I am not doing it again. Mostly because it will hurt Celia to see your sorry ass in pain or dead."

"Glad to know you like me that much," I spit and go faster as soon as the packhouse is in sight.

I go up to the Alpha office only to find Egil there. He is over some steaming cup of coffee and looks at a pile of papers in despair.

"Great! You are here! I can go back to sleep now."

"The eternal sleep is more like it!" I yell once more.

"Why am I getting an earful for what was clearly Magnus's idea?"

"You were in on it!"

"And I support him 100%. He would have been distracted and more in danger than he is now."

"He is in danger alright. From me," I say rubbing my eyes. "You arrogant freaking males with your ego and hero complex. I swear to the Goddess I could- Where do you think you are going?"

I turn to see Egil tiptoeing out of the office with the coffee mug close to his lips. He stops and eyes me like a kid caught doing something naughty.

"Not to my bed?" He smiles nervously.

"Certainly not. Wake the Council. I want a full status report. This all could have been a distraction to get Magnus away. If they - whoever they are - think that they are going to find us unprepared, they made the wrong bet. Call all families here and get provisions."

"You know how we can be better prepared? Get more sleep!"

"Egil!"

He huffs and shakes his head making his long braid shake as well.

"Yes, Luna," he mocks me. "He had to," he mumbles, "he had to go and choose her, that idiot."

"I heard that!"

He says nothing just closes the door still mumbling. I can't help but smile. And the smile withers from my lips. Magnus is in danger!

"He will be fine. Both of them will," Max is just as anxious.

"I hope that they are."

***

This is exhausting. Not the work, not the responsibilities, not the tons of paperwork. All that I can handle just fine.

But this soul-wrecking agony is crashing me. I can't sleep, I barely eat. There is a deep-seated pain cooling deep in my soul and with each passing moment it consumes more and more. I can't stand being away from him anymore. It's been two days. Two torturous days of radio silence, of no news. Two days I haven't seen him.

Why? Why did he have to go when we just found each other? Why did I waste all that time fighting him? Why did my stupid brain had to make these connections and send him away? I couldn't care less for what happens to the Alpha King. I want Magnus back to me, safe, whole. I need him. I need him so bad. I beg of you, Goddess, I pray.

Anything? I mindlink the Sentinel.

I have doubled the patrols, changed routes and schedules randomly, had hidden scouts all over our borders. Everyone is on high alert and I brought everyone in the pack house, especially children.

Nothing, Torhild answers.

No sight of Magnus at our border, no news of him or the warriors he took with him. He chose unmated warriors for this secret task force. He wouldn't risk any more widows and orphans. But that meant younger, more inexperienced fighters. With nothing to lose. A mated warrior would fight tooth and nail to come back to his family. But no... Magnus has to be gallant. And stupid.

Luna!

I feel a perturbed scout in my mind and I let out a whimper. No no no.

I am coming.

I go down the stairs and don't even glance at Thane that falls behind me. As soon as I am out of the pack house I shift, tearing my clothes apart and I hear Thane do the same. I run to that scout's direction though I half want to run in the opposite direction. If it's Magnus hurt or-

I push harder and I let Max wash us with the sentiment she has chosen to prevail: rage. Much better than the crumbling fear that is taking over me.

I reach the area and I slow down. I sniff and I smell only members of my pack. I follow the scent only to find the scout over someone's body. Only the legs are visible but I know it's not Magnus. That is neither good or bad.

"Luna!" The scout bows.

"Who is he?"

I glance down at the man. I flinch but I keep my strong face. His is mangled, his nose almost cut off, three deep winds running across his face. Blood is staining his clothes and he is whizzing.

"Peterson," the scout says. " One of the Alpha's team."

I clench my jaw. This is not good. The mission didn't succeed, I can tell is much. What I need to know is if this man is the sole survivor.

I kneel down beside him. When he feels me, he stirs and opens one eye. The other is too badly damaged.

"Call the doctor and the nearby patrol. Do not raise a full alarm," I order the scout.

"L... Luna," Peterson tries.

"Shh," I comfort him.

Part of me doesn't want him to strain himself. The other part is terrified of what he would say.

"I am sorry, Luna."

No, Goddess, no.

"They caught him."