Love and Fear

8-Where is Lucy?

Ellen POV

I heard Lanie cry out in pain, and it radiated through me like I was feeling it too. I reached for Maddox but forgot he was on patrol hours away near the border. I ran down the eight flights of stairs instead of taking the elevator, hoping I was fast enough. I wasn't. Anna was in total control, I saw more fear than rage in her eyes. I went to spell Anna to sleep, but Aunt Bonnie said to let her feel her emotions. If we always stepped in, she would never learn for herself.

Axel was trying to calm Anna, get her to breathe before he could touch her but she was shot with something and Lanie fell to the ground. The wolfsbane worked. Anna was in retreat. Axel lost all control killing the guard with the tranquillizer gun. Before I could even open my mouth to speak, he killed another guard, and then the warriors showed up to stop him. "The only reason I am not killing you right now is out of respect for our new Beta female. You piece of s**t!" the general spat at Axel. Lanie was starting to move and wake up. Two warriors grabbed her, laughing, " not so tough without your wolf, are you?"

I couldn't stop crying, couldn't say anything. Then Lucy came running in the front door. I knew things were about to get a whole lot worse really fast. I had to think of something, anything, because that's when I saw the moment when Lucy's loving, understanding eyes turned red, full of fierce protectiveness and anger. Those were not Lucy's eyes; they were Astrid's! And She. Was. Pissed!

"What in the hell is going on? Get your hands off of my brother and sister, you disgusting mutts!" She roared so loud I felt my whole body shake in fear, and she wasn't speaking to me.

I froze in place, no tears, no sounds, just awe. Astrid was mighty; she was still in human form but in total control. The warriors let go of Axel and Lanie. Lanie grabbed on to Astrid, sobbing, " I couldn't find you. I looked all over. Then Anna took over and hurt some of their warriors. Axel tried to calm her but they tranquillized Anna with wolfsbane, and Axel killed their guards"

I could see Astrid changing. She was getting taller, her hair longer, but she wasn't shifting, she just looked regal. Her long ice blonde hair grew a few inches and I swear her posture got straighter, she looked like a queen. She looked like Lucy but there was no sign of Lucy trying to fight through. Cold, dead, red eyes, emotionless and utterly terrifying, stared at the shaking guards.

"Who injected my sister with wolfsbane?" no one spoke. Everyone, even Axel, was afraid to speak.

"Did I f*****g stutter???" again she roared so loud it woke the whole house. "Axel killed him already." I choked out with a voice I didn't recognize, dripping with fear and the very little strength I had left.

"Good. Saves me the bloodshed Lucy will feel guilty about later," Astrid turned and grabbed Lanie and carried her to the pack hospital, a still silent Axel right on her heels.

No one moved. Once they left, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I fell to my knees again, unable to stand any longer. Treena came running down the stairs to find out what had happened. "I need some coffee if I am going to explain this to you." I moaned. With that, she helped me up, and we walked to the kitchen.

While explaining everything to Treena, a very angry Alpha Killian walked in.

"I spend one night away, not even one night away, and the pack loses their minds. Treena, what the hell happened?" I noticed how he softened when he spoke to Treena, the hard, cold exterior lifting for a split second before noticing me.

"Ellen," he nodded in my direction.

"I was just leaving` Alpha" I bowed slightly and got out of there as fast as I could. I needed to find Astrid before she did anything else.

Luckily I had a feeling they'd all be in the pack hospital waiting for Lanie's wolf, Anna to work out the wolfsbane. I prayed it didn't do any damage except knock out Anna. When I arrived, only Axel was beside Lanie's bed. Head down, holding her hand. I had never seen Axel so deflated and hopeless. I doubt he had ever killed anyone in his life. He was a skilled fighter but never fought in a war or needed to defend a territory. He and Lucy basically grew up as humans who shift. Aunt Bonnie and I tried to teach them how hierarchies of packs worked but never living it firsthand can be so difficult. Astrid was nowhere to be seen. I thought about doing a locator spell when Maddox walked in. "Thank God you're alright!" He held me so tight I couldn't breathe.

"Yes, I'm fine, Lanie, not so much. The wolfsbane is having a hard time working its way out of her system. They had to put her in a medically induced coma. Axel is a mess, I am exhausted, and I can't find Astrid."

"Astrid? As In Lucy's wolf?" He looked down at me, perplexed.

"Ok, What do you know?" He was definitely missing some information.

"I came back from Patrol and Garret said there was a crazy fight in the packhouse, and Alpha Killian was looking for Axel. When I asked where you were, Treena said, pack hospital, I thought you'd been hurt."

"No, not physically, although I can feel Axels' pain full throttle. I haven't felt his emotions before, it's like our twin powers are on the fritz."

"Ok, Angel, start from the beginning." So I explained everything all over again.

"Hmph. Wow, that's a lot! I knew I should have sent Mason with Patrol instead of going myself. I'll talk to Alpha Killian and explain everything, and hopefully, get Axel out of being challenged."

"What do you mean 'challenged'?"

"Right, witches, you don't know our laws. When a pack member or family to a pack member kills someone, friends and family may challenge them for retribution. Jenkins's brother will likely want to challenge Axel to the death as punishment, but Alpha Killian can stop it if he feels it will hurt the pack further.

"Well, what are you waiting for? I can't have anyone killing my twin, especially since I think we are linked, somehow."

"What do you mean 'linked'?"

"Well, at first, I just thought I was feeling his emotions, and we were connected, but now my arm is asleep." They both looked over to see Axel hunched over with his arm wrapped around Lanie.

"I don't think it's my arm that's asleep..."

"Well, s**t!" Maddox's eyes clouded over, meaning he was mind linking someone. A few minutes later, five guards stood outside Lanie's room.

"No one will touch him if it means it could hurt their Beta female."

"We have to find Astrid, there is no telling what chaos she will cause."

"Let's find Alpha Killian, he can track her better than we can."

I pointed at myself with both thumbs, "UMMM White witch over here!" I felt a little insulted that he thought his....our mighty Alpha could track her better than me."

"She didn't tell you? Alpha Killian is Lucy's mate. He can track her scent as far as 4 states."

"HOLY MACARONI!!! That's.....well....I....OMG!"

"Haha sorry Angel, Alpha Killian's been my best friend since we were pups. Let's go find him."