Losing Hope

Chapter 32

(Him - Ryder) Now...

Everything was so confusing at the beginning. I was thinking it was one of my weird dreams... A nightmare. But that voice, I have heard it before... Then I felt it, the torture and the abuses. It was not a dream, I was in someone else's body. Hope's tiger tried to calm me down, took a part of the pain, guided me and comforted me when I was the one who should've done all of this. She is alive and she has been tortured for months without anybody looking for her. And I knew, she asked for my help months ago and I just ignored it! That makes me feel so sick, so livid... Enzo convinced me to show him what I saw as he wanted to understand, to find a clue. And now he's stuck in his Leopard.

I know I need to shift back, that the pack is worried and they need me but I can't pass over my rage, the horror that's not leaving me now. I still can feel what he did to me, to Hope. She has been suffering for months now. We're feeling so sorrowful right now. My wolf wants his blood but at the same time he's ashamed of himself. We knew she was not dead, we should've looked for her. We should've trusted and followed our instincts. They're never wrong.

My parents and grandparents are back now and all of them tried to knock some sense into me and Enzo but we're past that.

"That's enough! Staying in your Wolf and Leopard will change nothing and will not help Hope at all. If she was here, I'm sure she would be kicking both of your asses!" Sam yells at us. We are in a clearing not so far from the pack house.

"I want my mate and my brother back NOW! If not, you will regret that." She demands.

After 5 minutes, she gives up, throwing her hands in surrender. "I'm going to kill you both!" She mumbles leaving.

Maybe an hour later, Dad comes to see us. Dan is with him. when he sees us, he runs toward me and Enzo and hugs us.

" Sam is furious. You're in big trouble, both of you. You're never gonna learn, don't you? Never pissed off a female, particularly your mate or sister. They always find a way to make you pay at the moment the less expecting." Dad comments.

"I want my daddy and my Unclezo back too. I need you. Mom needs you." Dan whispers.

I huff if only it was so simple...

"Unclezo, you always say mommy is the stronger person you know. That she's strong for the others when they don't have the force to fight anymore. Now it's your turn to be strong for her." He adds.

Damn, my 5 years old son just has been more mature than me. It's like he just slapped me in the face.

"Pup needs us!" My wolf comments give me back more control. Enough to shift back.

"He's right. Every minute you pass in your wolf skin is a minute you're losing to find her and free her." Dad mindlinks as soon as he feels that I'm not blocking him out anymore.

"We know." I reply before shifting back.

I wish I've Hope's force and determination. Her tiger shielded me and calmed me down. Both of them are so strong but I don't know how long she will last. We're running out of time and I can't lose another second of self pity. I take Dan in my arms.

"Sorry, it took me so long to come back. You're right, for now I'm going to be as strong as your mommy is." I tell him. When I look at Enzo, he has turned back too.

Dad throws us clothes:"Suit up, we've a lot of work to do."

"I still can't believe Hope is alive and was able to possess you. Well to exchange your bodies. How is it even possible?" Ethan asks.
We're in the meeting room as we're too many people for my office. Ethan, Leyla, Sam, Enzo, my parents and my paternal grandparents, Ethan parents, his 2 grandfathers and his grandmother. Good thing we have a big meeting room.

"I think it's the spell Phoebe casted one on Hope to reinforce our bond. As you're her soulmate, I think the spell was casted on your bond as it's more powerful than our. This is how she was able to possess your body but that also means Ryder can do the same and possessed her body too. " Enzo explains.

"Simple to say! I don't even know how she was able to do that and I'm not sure she did either... She would have done it earlier if she knew. How do I do that!?" I groan, frustrated.

"I don't know but now that we know you can, we can work on that." Mom comforts me.

"She did it once before but it was not the same. I was sleeping the first time. It was 4months ago more or less." I say.

"Dude, you were sleeping this time too!" Ethan comments,

"I know but it was just a dream or I think it was. She didn't possess me, not really but When I woke up I had written "Somebody help me" and it wasn't even my writing." I explain.

"So it's the same, she also had control over you." Ethan affirms.

"Do you still have that message?" Enzo asks and when I nod, he adds: "May I see it, please?"

After I went to my office to pick up the paper, I gave it to Enzo.

"It is Hope writing." He confirms.

Then he roars:" I asked you if something weird happened and you told me no! Do you know how many weeks we lost!"

"Don't you think I know that! It slipped my mind! I had a lot on my mind!" I hiss, not liking his tone.

"Like what! What could be so important that you forget that message!"

"I discovered I have a son! Son, you helped my mate to hide from me!" I snap.

"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU! We need to focus on finding Hope not what we did or didn't do in the past!" Sam booms.

Sin adds:" With if we can remake the world but it's not the reality and it's certainly not this that will help to find my granddaughter. We need to work together."

Enzo sighs and pinches his nose: "Sorry Alpha. It's just knowing that monster has her for 6 months now and knowing all the things he can do to her. It's driving me crazy. But I shouldn't have taken my frustration and anger on you."

"I know.. I was there. I felt it, what he's doing to her... And the only thing I know is his face. As we already know who he is, it's not helpful. I'm feeling so useless!" I groan.

"You're not." Enzo contradicts.

"We should call Louis to see if he can find Anatoli's hideouts." Ethan proposes and few of them are nodding.

"I already called to update him before the meeting." I inform them.

"Good, we need as much help as we can find." Ivy says.

"Alpha Vitaly told us you and Hope have powerful allies, can they help us?" Ethan asks Enzo.

"They will. I need to call Phoebe and Ezequiel... but there is something else you need to know before..." Enzo warns us.

"Another secret!" Ivy complains.

"The last one he's holding but don't forget he's just the messenger so don't kill him. He didn't say anything to respect everyone's wishes and to avoid overwhelming you even more." Sam defends her mate.

"We know princess. Go head Enzo, what is it this time?" Dad inquires.

"There is no easy way to smooth it out so I will just go straight to the point. Ezequiel is Nikolaï's son and Nikolaï is Dariya's son, making Ezequiel your cousin Ethan. He and his sister - Masha - are Tiger shifters and before you asked Nikolaï is your brother, Roman. Darya was pregnant when she left the pack."

"WHAT?!" Stan and Roman scream in one voice while Ethan and Ivy are speechless, their mouths open in shock.