Celestial Bodies: Of Runts and Lycans

Chapter 53 P.1: Intimidating Force

Happy Reading!

Xavier's POV

'Xavier.' Her voice wakes me in the middle of the night, morning really. A brief glance at the clock tells me it's about four in the morning.

'Celeste!' I reach for her through our link. I find myself doing this most mornings. It's never real. I put my head in my hands, rubbing my temples in circular motions. Just once, I want her to be there. Need her to be. 'Celeste,' I beg, 'please tell me you're there.' Nothing comes in response, of course.

I shove myself out of the guest bed I'd been sleeping in. I suppose three hours of sleep is better than the no sleep I'd grown used to these past few weeks. I need a shower.

'Xavier?' I stumble over the rug placed between the bed and the door.

'Celeste!' There's a slight laugh in my voice, a momentary relief flooding me. Just hearing her voice. . . 'Baby, it's really you.' I need to tell Jared or Josh. Both of them need to know. But I can't, not right now. Right now, she's all mine.

'Xavier,' she repeats. 'Is this real?' I can hear the longing and relief in her voice. To know she's been needing me as much as I've been needing her brings a sense of relief to my wolf and I.

Reality is quick to set it. I don't know how long we'll stay in contact. I don't want to think about the truth. I know they've got to be using wolfsbane to keep our link shut. It's the only way to block a mindlink. I want to tell her how I look for her every day. How I talk to her every day, even though she's not there to hear me. I want to tell her that I love her and as soon as I get her back, I'll put more work into us and our future. A very aware but slightly embarrassed part of me does not want to mention how I've been thinking of how I can't wait to have kids with her. How I want to know how she'll be while pregnant with my children. If her skin will glow or if she'll throw things at me, cursing me to the Goddess for making her miserable for nine months.

'Where are you?' I sound panicked. I feel panicked. I should try to remain calm, for her sake. But I can't. 'I - I can't find you,' I admit. I should be able to find her. I have the resources, I have the will. But it's been almost three weeks and she's still gone.

'I don't know.' My heart clenches. Think Xavier. What can I say to her? To narrow it down. To reassure her that I'll reach her. 'The caves!' That's my girl. 'We're in a series of caves.' Caves. . . Caves. The mountains! Goddess, they're in the mountains. We've never been able to track the rogues through them because they're not going through them. They're in them. I need to tell the guys now. 'Oh Goddess, Xavier. He's coming.' My hand stills on the door knob. He. Malum. She sounds so scared. My Celeste. . .

'Celeste, it's okay!' I can get to the mountains in four days, less than three if I run in wolf form with minimal breaks. I can get to her. I just have to find the entrance, I can do that. I have the resources. I can do this.

'Xavier. Please,' she begs. She begs me to find her. And dammit, I will.

'I will find you,' I assure her.

She doesn't respond. I can feel my heart beating in my throat. I'm out of the guest room in less than a second.