Chapter 134: Chapter 134
Axel POV
It is silent in the kitchen as Kane and I help Elara clean up the kitchen. Today must have been the longest day of my existence. All Kane and I did was mope around as if we had already lost the twins. Mason locked himself in the room and only came out when one of the twins was crying.
And heaven helps us when he sees one of us caring for the twins. Talk about a death glare! We would have been six feet under if Mason had his way. So, out of guilt and pity, we stepped aside and let him care for them.
“At least Mason finally ate something,” Elara murmurs, putting the last plate away.
“On the bright side, there is enough food for two days,” I try to cheer her up. Elara has prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner. But we were all too upset and worried to eat. Except for dinner, because she forced us to eat.
“Tomorrow will be better,” Kane smiles sadly, and I know he does not believe his own words.
“Yeah,” I add. “Mason would’ve calmed down, and we can discuss this like adults.”
“Maybe we can convince him to come live with us,” Kane says. “He can raise the twins, and we can still see them daily.”
But we both know that’s almost impossible. Mason hated us before he knew about his children. Now, it is multiplied by a thousand.
“We should go to bed,” Elara sighs, taking my hand. “The sooner this day ends, the better."
Together, we walk to the kids. Kane and I quietly tuck in the twins, kissing them gently. It has been hell not touching them, and it was only one day.
“Come on,” Elara whispers, taking my and Kane’s hands and leading us to our spot on the floor.
Kane POV
I wake up abruptly and sit up. It is two in the morning, the room is eerily quiet, and I do not hear or see anything. But the hair on the back of my neck is standing up. Something is wrong, I can feel it.
I look down, and Axel and Elara are still sound asleep. Quietly, I stand up and tiptoe to the babies.
I check on Stella, stroking her hair, which becomes curlier by the day. I move over to Lanie and Isaac and then I freeze.
The
twins are gone.
I run to the room and yank the door open. It is empty. Like an idiot, I open the cupboard and look under the bed. Even before looking, I knew they were not there. But I am irrational with panic. I do not want to face the glaringly obvious. That son of a bitch took them!
“Axel,” I hiss, walking towards him. “You have to wake up!”
“What’s going on?” Elara groans, sitting up confused.
“Dammit, Axel, wake up,” I shake him, and finally his eyes flutter open.
“Mason’s gone!” I whisper-scream, not to wake Stella. “And he took the twins.”
Axel jumps off the floor like his body is spring-loaded.
“Maybe he didn’t leave,” Elara says, hopeful. “Did you check outside?”
“No, that’s why I’m waking Axel,” I reply. “The room is empty, and the twins are gone. We must track his scent.”
“Hopefully, he didn’t get far,” Axel says, sprinting for the front door, and I follow him.
I sniff the air, but there is not even a whiff of him or the twins. They must have left at least an hour ago. How the hell did he sneak out so quietly?
“Mason!” Axel yells as we split off and run the length of the enchantment line. But even in the dark, we can tell that he is gone.
Panic rises in my chest, and I take long, deep breaths to keep my wolf at bay. Giving in and giving up is not an option.
A roar breaks free from Axel’s chest, and he throws himself to the ground, his back rising and falling with heaving breaths.
“He fucking took them,” Axel says, his voice heavy with fury and sadness. “And I have no idea where they went.”
“I do,” Elara says. We both whip around, and Elara is standing on the porch holding Stella, her gaze distant and unfocused. “I know where he took them.”
“Where?” I ask desperately, running towards her. “We need to get them back.”
“Stillwood,” she replies stoically, and I nearly barf.
“Is he insane?” Axel snaps. “How could he possibly keep them safe in a rogue city?”
“It’s where he grew up,” Elara says. “He knows the place by heart and has plenty of friends. They will hide and protect them.”
“That selfish bastard,” I grunt, clenching my fists. “He claims he loves them so much, but he’s willing to raise them locked up like prisoners. That’s not love.”
Axel sprints to the edge of the enchantment line, his whole body is vibrating, ready to shift and run after Mason.
“Axel, don’t!” Elara’s voice snaps him to a halt. “You can’t go. Not without risking me and Stella.”
My stomach lurches, and a lightning bolt of pain rips through my chest. Hunter is pacing fitfully, pulled in one direction by the need to hunt down Mason and get our babies back and in another way to stay with Elara and keep her safe.
“This is bullshit,” Axel growls, stalking back towards us. “How are we supposed to choose who to save?”
“I have an idea,” Elara replies. “We have to call Braden back here. If we can’t leave, then we need someone else to track Mason down.”
“Any idea how we can do that?” Axel snarls. “I don’t have his number, do you?”
“I’m a hybrid with powers,” she smiles wryly. “I don’t need a phone.”
