9. The Missing Child

Luca

Luca swung his axe, the blade biting deep into the trunk of the tree with a satisfying thunk. The forest was alive with the sounds of his labors, the crack of splintering wood and the rustling of fallen leaves underfoot.

He could feel that there was a tension in the air, a sense of unease that prickled at the back of his neck like a warning.

And then, as he paused to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his eyes, Luca's sharp werewolf hearing picked up on a conversation in the distance. His ears perked up, his senses straining to make out the words over the sound of his own labored breathing and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

"Did you hear about the missing child?" one of the betas asked, his voice low and urgent.

Luca's heart skipped a beat, his breath catching in his throat as he listened intently.

"Yeah, I heard," the other beta replied, his tone grave and somber. "It's the third one this month. The pack is starting to get worried."

With a heavy sigh, Luca pushed himself off the tree and retrieved his axe from the ground. He would finish his work here, would gather enough wood to last the pack through the long, cold months ahead. And then, he would return to the village and offer his help in any way that he could.

As he swung his axe once more, Luca's mind was already racing with plans and possibilities. His first instinct was to drop everything and join the search for the missing child. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to take action, to use his strength and skills to bring the little one home safe and sound.

He couldn't leave his mate alone, not now, not when he was defenseless, unable to protect himself from the dangers that lurked in the shadows.

As he approached his house, Luca was surprised to see a thin wisp of smoke curling up from the chimney, a sure sign that someone was inside. His heart leapt with a sudden, irrational hope, a fleeting thought that maybe, just maybe, his mate had awakened, that the curse had been broken by some miracle of fate or chance.

He found his mother sitting at the kitchen table with a steaming cup of tea cradled in her hands, was his mother, her face etched with lines of worry and concern.

"Mother," Luca said, his voice rough with surprise and emotion. "What are you doing here?"

His mother looked up at him, her eyes soft and filled with a quiet understanding. "I came to check on you," she said simply, her voice warm and gentle.

He sighed. "I don't know what I would do without you."

His mother smiled, her eyes crinkling with a hint of mischief. "Well, for starters, you'd probably forget to eat and sleep and take care of yourself," she teased, her voice light and playful. "Speaking of which, when was the last time you had a proper meal?"

Luca laughed, the sound startling in the heavy, somber atmosphere of the room. "I honestly can't remember," he admitted, his hand rubbing the back of his neck in a sheepish gesture. "I've been so focused on everything else that I guess I just forgot."

His mother tutted, her expression stern but filled with a fond exasperation. "Well, that simply won't do," she declared, rising from her chair with a determined air. "You sit down and rest for a moment, and I'll whip up something to fill your belly and give you strength for the journey ahead."

Luca opened his mouth to protest, to insist that he didn't have time for rest or food, that he needed to get back out there and keep searching for answers. But something in his mother's eyes, in the set of her jaw and the strength of her stance, made him pause.

"Okay" he said, his voice soft and filled with a quiet gratitude.

As his mother busied herself in the kitchen, Luca took a moment to check on his mate, his heart heavy with worry and concern. He made his way to the bedroom, his steps slow and hesitant, as if he were afraid of what he might find.

He was relieved to see that nothing had changed. His mate lay on the bed, his face peaceful and untroubled, his chest rising and falling with the steady rhythm of his breath.

With a gentle touch, Luca brushed a stray lock of hair from his mate's forehead, his fingers lingering on the soft, warm skin. "I will find a way to save you," he whispered, his voice low and fervent. "I swear it on my life."

He pressed a soft, reverent kiss to his mate's forehead, his lips whispering a silent prayer to the moon goddess for strength and guidance. And then, with a final, lingering glance, he turned and made his way back to the kitchen, his heart heavy but filled with a newfound sense of purpose and resolve.

Luca was greeted by the rich, savory scent of his mother's cooking, the warm, familiar aroma filling the air with the promise of comfort and nourishment. He felt a pang of nostalgia wash over him, memories of countless meals shared around this very table, of laughter and love and the unshakable bond of family and pack.

"It smells amazing," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "Just like when I was a pup."

His mother turned to him, her face breaking into a warm, loving smile. "Well, someone has to keep you fed and healthy, you big, strong wolf," she teased, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

Luca felt a flicker of warmth and amusement at his mother's playful words, a momentary respite from the heavy thoughts that weighed on his mind. But even as he savored the comfort of her presence, he couldn't shake the nagging sense of unease that had settled deep in his gut.

"I overheard something in the forest today, something about a missing child. Is it true?" He said, his voice low and hesitant.

His mother's expression grew somber, her eyes clouding with a mix of sorrow and concern. "Yes, Luca," she said, her voice heavy with emotion. "A young pup, barely old enough to shift, was discovered missing from his bed just last night. The whole pack is in an uproar, searching the forest and the surrounding areas for any sign of him."

Luca felt his heart clench at the news, a sickening sense of dread washing over him. He knew all too well the dangers that lurked in the shadows of the forest, the vicious predators and treacherous terrain that could spell doom for even the most experienced of wolves. The thought of a innocent child facing those perils alone, without the protection of his pack, was almost too much to bear.

"I have to do something," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "I can't just sit here and do nothing while a pup is out there, lost and afraid."

His mother reached across the table, her hand warm and comforting as she clasped his own. "I know, Luca," she said, her voice soft and understanding. "But you have to think about your mate, too. He needs you now more than ever, and you can't leave him unprotected, not in his current state."

Luca closed his eyes, his jaw clenching with the effort of holding back the howl of frustration that threatened to tear from his throat. He knew that his mother was right, that he had a duty to his mate that he could not ignore. But the thought of doing nothing, of sitting idly by while a child suffered, went against everything he believed in, everything he had been raised to value.

"How's Father handling this?" he asked, his voice tight with barely suppressed emotion. "Let me guess, he's barking orders and throwing his weight around, as usual."

His mother sighed, her eyes filled with a weary sadness. "Luca," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "Your father is doing the best he can. He's under a lot of pressure right now, and he needs our support, not our judgment."

Luca snorted, his lips curling into a bitter smile. "Support? Where was his support when I needed it? Where was his understanding, his compassion, when I was struggling to find my place in the pack?"

He shook his head, his eyes hard and filled with pain. "No, he's never been there for me, not really. All he cares about is his own power, his own authority. And now, with this missing pup… I guarantee he's more worried about how it makes him look than he is about actually finding the poor kid."

His mother's eyes flashed with anger, her voice sharp and filled with reproach. "That's not fair, Luca," she said, her words clipped and precise. "Your father loves this pack, loves every wolf under his care. And he would do anything, sacrifice anything, to keep them safe."

Luca felt a twinge of guilt at the hurt in his mother's voice, the pain that he had caused with his thoughtless words. But he couldn't bring himself to take them back, couldn't ignore the years of neglect and dismissal that had left their mark on his heart.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice low and filled with regret. "I know you love him, and I know he's doing his best. But I can't pretend that everything is okay between us, can't act like the past doesn't matter."

His mother's expression softened. "I know, Luca," she said, her voice heavy with understanding. "And I'm not asking you to forget, or to forgive, if you're not ready. But I am asking you to try, to give him a chance to make things right."

Luca closed his eyes, his jaw clenching with the effort of holding back the howl of frustration that threatened to tear from his throat. He knew that his mother was right, that holding onto his anger and resentment would only poison his own heart, his own soul. But the thought of letting go, of opening himself up to more pain and disappointment… it was almost more than he could bear.

"I don't know if I can," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know if I have it in me, to give him another chance."

His mother reached across the table, her hand warm and comforting as she clasped his own. "You do, Luca," she said, her voice soft but filled with conviction. "You have a strength and a resilience that even you don't fully understand. And I know that, in time, you'll find a way to heal, to forgive, and to move forward."

He had always known that his mother believed in him, that she saw the best in him even when he couldn't see it himself. But to hear her say it out loud, to feel the strength of her love and support in every word… it meant more to him than he could ever express.

"I'll try," he said, his voice rough and choked with emotion. "For you, and for the pack. But I can't make any promises, can't guarantee that things will ever be right between me and Father."

"I know, Luca," she said, her voice soft and filled with understanding. "And that's okay. All I ask is that you keep an open heart, and that you never forget the love that binds us all together, no matter how strained or broken our relationships may seem."

Luca felt a surge of emotion wash over him, a wave of love and gratitude so strong that it threatened to bring him to his knees. He had always known that his mother was his rock, his anchor in the storm of life. But to feel the depth of her wisdom, the strength of her compassion, in moments like these… it was a gift beyond measure.

"I won't forget," he said, his voice rough and filled with promise. "I swear it, on my life and on my honor."

His mother smiled, her eyes bright with pride and love. "That's my boy," she said, her voice warm and filled with encouragement. "That's the wolf I raised, the warrior I always knew you could be."