The Alpha

Chapter 29

Axton POV

I race back to the pack house as fast as I can, but by the time I get there, I know I am too late. Again. My wolf growls in the back of my mind as I enter the house. The broken down door and the claw marks on the wall drew me back to seven years ago. It's almost identical.

I am about to follow the marks up the stairs when a small creak stops my movement. I look toward the closed kitchen door as another squeak sounds from that direction. Pushing the slightly ajar door open, I take in the scene of the kitchen.

My shoes squish as I step onto the floor covered in water and noodles and I growl down at a dead rogue who seems to have the skin covering his face burned and scarred. I can smell Ellie's scent all around the kitchen. She was always smarter on her feet when it comes to attacks than any other.

I hear another light creak come from the cupboards near the sink. Bending down to the doors, I pull the cabinets open to reveal my little girl.

"Zea, it's me," I tell her as I pull her out past the cleaning supplies and into my arms. I hug her close as she cries gently against me, "It's okay baby girl. You're safe now."

I pull her back slightly, so she could see my face, "Sweetheart, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

She shakes her head quickly, telling me she is fine as I use my right hand to wipe away the tears that she had shed. I give her a light smile as she sniffles again, "The bad man took mommy."

My heart breaks as she says that. He had Ellie. He drew my focus to the border and used his rogues as a distraction so he could kidnap my mate. That's why they retreated instead of attacking. He didn't need to attack the pack. He knew Ellie would be here instead.

"Sweetheart, did he see you, when you hid under the sink?" I ask her quietly.

She shakes her head again at me, "No, I wanted to help mommy, but she told me not to come out. She didn't want me to heal her."

I hug my daughter closer to me as I try to call to Ellie through the link. I can feel her mind there, but it is like she is standing in fog and my call is echoed back to me.

I am so focused on Zea and trying to call for Ellie that I almost don't notice Walker and Reid come bursting through the kitchen door behind me. Neither says a word to as they survey the room.

It's Reid who finally breaks the silence, "They took her, didn't they?"

I don't reply since I don't have to. If I knew where Ellie was, I would have her and Zea in my arms right now. I would never have let either one of them go.

I hug Zea tighter to me as she rests her head on my shoulder.

"Can you reach her through the mate link?" Walker asks.

"No. She's cut off from me," I tell them, "I don't know what is blocking-"

I stop midsentence as Zea keeps tapping on my chest with her fist. I look down at her face to see fear and sadness in her eyes. Two emotions that I never want to see in my daughter and two that I swear I will make sure she never holds again.

She taps her fist again, so I look down at her small hand as her fingers uncurl around the vial that she has been clutching. I give her a questioning look before taking the vial from her.

It's empty except for a light purple tint to the glass. Lifting the open end up to my nose, I inhale the scent, almost gagging as I do, "Wolfsbane."

I hear Reid curse as Walker speaks, "That explains how they got her. She would have taken down a lot more guys than just one, even if they surprised her. But if they injected her with wolfsbane-"