Second Chance Mates

-51- 🌹 To Save A Life

^ Picture of Mateo Pérez

"Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness. And I would have stayed up with you all night, had I known how to save a life."
~The Fray, 'How to Save a Life'

~~~

*Landon's POV*

Blood rushes behind my ears; my face paling as Mateo's announcement echos in my mind.

'Leon's missing.'

Haunting memories of similar words come rushing back to me, as this isn't the first time Mateo has made such an announcement.

'Easton's missing,' is what Mateo had said to me so many years ago. My breathing accelerates as the panic rises.

No.
This can't be happening.
Not again.
Not Easton's brother.

"What?" Ryland gasps, eyes wide with shock. "For how long?"

"A few days," Mateo says grimly.

"A few days?!" I shout, making everyone spin around to look at me. "Why are you guys here, and not looking for him?"

"Silas has been looking," Mateo calmly informs us. "He told us to stay at the pack in case Leon comes home, but we can't wait anymore."

"What happened?" Ryland inquires. Mateo glances at Lyn, and she sighs.

"Leon's been... obsessing over what happened with Easton," she begins, locking eyes with me as I sharply suck in a breath. "Trying to track down the remaining rogues that were involved in the abduction. It's all Leon's been focused on since he became Alpha. A few days go, he started rambling about how he thought he finally pinpointed their hiding place. I told him that we could organize a sector of our army to scope out the area, but apparently that wasn't going to be quick enough. When I woke up the next morning, he was gone, leaving behind a note that stated he was going to hunt down those rogues and finish the job."

My jaw hangs open. Leon's plan is to confront a group of psychotic rogues by himself? Is he insane?! We all saw the state Easton was in when we found him. He could never bring himself to open up about what happened, which led me to believe that whatever they did was too horrific for him to repeat.

"That idiot!" I growl, feeling my eyes flash angrily. "He's going to get himself killed!"

More tears pour down Lyn's face, but she nods her head. "Silas took the majority of our army with him to search for Leon. The rest stayed behind to guard the pack, in case of a surprise attack. But I can't keep sitting around and waiting. I need to find him. Now."

"I'm coming with you," I decide firmly. "We're going to rescue him, and then I'm going to kill him."

"Not if I beat you to it," Lyn grumbles, tucking her wavy hair behind her ear.

"Uh, sorry," Kai awkwardly chimes in. "Does someone want to introduce the strange man in our house?"

Lyn laughs, wiping her tear-stained face. "This is Mateo Pérez. Our Beta."

"And he used to be my Beta," I note stiffly. Ryland raises his eyebrows, immediately joining me at my side and taking my hand protectively.

"I swear to Goddess, if you're one of the bastards who agreed to throw Landon out..." Ryland growls.

"No!" Mateo objects. "Landon, I would never. No matter what anyone said, I never supported their decision to kick you out. Easton... he wouldn't have wanted that."