The Broken Myth

Chapter Eight

                                                                           Axel

I was about to head off to bed but I'm stopped in my tracks by the sudden noise of threats. The thing that catches my attention is a scream that sounds like Maxines. Is there a threat in the pack? This is not good. Before I know it, Ruben comes up from behind me asking "Did you hear it too?" I nod my head. 

We sprint down the hallway towards the noise. It was in the direction of Maxines den which made sense but also makes this situation ten times worse. The only other people besides me that would know her secret are them. The fairies. They've figured it out.  I thought we had more time. They can't leave with her. Collin won't be prepared for this though. Fairies are manipulative and will know he likes her. They'll use it against him. We need to get their fast. 

I speed up and Ruben follows suit but I come to a Halt. Ruben almost crashes into my back because it  was so abrupt. I get a quick glimpse of the two fairies around the age of 16-17 running down the hallway with Maxine in one of their arms! Not good- We're too late! I hear Ruben yell out to them "Hey get back her you-" his words are cut short because he slips onto his back as his breath is taken away with the fall. There's a Slippery green consistency on the floor. They new we'd be coming and drizzled soap on the floor. Classic. He manages to  stand up but just falls over again. He mumbles "Gross" under his breath and I hold back my chuckle. 

I need to find out what they did to Collin. Figure out how much he knows. "Enough playing around. We need to find Collin." I say and continued on a light jog further down the hall. I can hear a slight groan and muffled mumble from Ruben as he rolls his eyes. He has dish soap dripping from his shirt and down his pants. On the bright side, the floor and him will both be squeaky clean. Ruben treads  slowly beside me as we reach Maxines den door but it's a mess. There's a couple drops of blood on the floor and a hunched over figure in the corner. 

                                                                            Collin

I need to focus. I look up and see two figures. One looks like Ruben...the other looks like Axel. I blink a couple times to clear my vision and notice I'm correct.  How I wish I wasn't. I was ready to embrace the fact that I failed my mission. I didn't keep her safe and now she's in the hands of those- those things. It's my fault. 

Ruben looks disgusted. However Axel looks understanding. How would the chief be understanding that I'm this big of a screw up. I try to say something but before I can, Axel beats me to it, "Are you okay?" he asks. I look up at him in shock. I failed and that's what he's worried about? 

"Forget about the mission Collin. I'm asking, are you okay?" he repeats. I nodded. "She isn't though" I mumble. 

"No duh idiot" Ruben jumps in. I squint at him. His back is covered in some weird goo. 

"Want to explain why you're covered in dish soap?" I ask. He rolls his eyes and goes back to looking at the blood. Her blood. "That's what I thought" I mutter. 

Bringing my gaze back to Axel he asks me "What happened here exactly?" I'm ready to answer that question out loud. I don't know if I ever will. 

"They held a knife against her throat ...and threatened to kill her or let her live but let them take her away to I don't even know where." My voice was shaky as the rest of me.

 "I know it was fairies Collin. Ruben and I passed them on the way here." That's a small relief.

 "We will need to take you in for questioning and alert the other packs as well." he states looking around. 

 "Where are they taking her?" I ask. I can't hold back the question anymore. Axel has to know something, anything that will help us to locating her. 

"Fairy colony most likely, to meet the queen. It's north of here but farther up." Ruben answers still pretending to examine her blood even though there is no need. That does help though. Now I can find her.

 "Don't you dare think about going out there to get her back" Axel cuts in, intruding my thoughts. I nod in a lie. My throat feels scratchy so not talking is probably better for it. We Can't keep wasting time though, every second that passes is another step farther away that Max gets. 

"Keep up the small talk guys you're doing great. Especially since you're letting Maxine get away from you with every second that passes." Ruben States standing up. It's like he was reading my thoughts. I nod agreeing with what he says for once. 

"Ruben go call the other packs back and tell them to go to the questioning room." Axel says in his very 'I'm in charge' voice. Ruben nods and goes around the corner to start making the calls. That's such an easy spot for someone to ease drop in on conversations. I remember I would sit around that corner and listen to Max's rare giggles. Wether she's reading a book or painting. I hope Ruben isn't the kind of person that ease drops on things their not supposed too. 

Axels attention snaps towards me and I feel the hairs on my neck stick up and prickle. "Collin it's about time you learned who you truly love. Not the Maxine you think you know. I'm going to explain everything. After you explain everything that happened with the fairies to me and the council. Deal?" He asks. It sounds like a good deal. I wouldn't know when my thoughts were screaming inside my head. Even then, I nod to the deal. He reaches out his hand to help me up and I take it. 

Hang in their Max. I'm going to find you.