MY MATE IS MISSING

MAGNUS

The traitor's body convulsed for a moment, then went limp in my grasp. I let him fall to the ground, watching as his lifeless form shifted back into a mangled, broken wolf. His once proud fur was now matted with blood, his eyes staring blankly at the sky.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, as if on cue, I heard the sound of howls in my ears.

Out of the forest, they came—werewolves unlike any I had seen before. They moved with a terrifying speed, their bodies larger and more muscular than any pack wolf. Their fur was a sickly grey, and each bore a distinct mark on their foreheads that looked like a Greek symbol. But it was a symbol I didn't recognize.

"Magnus!" one of the pack members shouted in warning, but it was too late. The invaders were upon us.

"Defend the pack!" I roared, my voice booming through the night. I shifted instantly, the familiar sensation of bones cracking and turning into my wolf form. My claws dug into the earth as I prepared to launch myself at the nearest attacker.

The rogue wolves attacked with a ferocity I hadn't anticipated. They were swift, their fangs snapping at throats, their claws tearing through flesh. The place was filled with the sounds of growls, howls of pain, and the sickening thud of bodies hitting the ground. Blood spattered across the ground, and the scent of it was overwhelming. I could see the bodies of my pack—old and young alike—littering the ground. Some had managed to shift, but even in their wolf forms, they were no match for these beasts.

One of the invaders lunged at me, jaws wide, aiming for my throat. I sidestepped at the last second, my claws slashing across its side. It yelped in pain but didn't stop, turning on me with fury. Another came at me from the side, but I was ready. I leapt, sinking my teeth into its neck, feeling the satisfying crunch of bone beneath my jaws. I tore it throat out, watching as it crumpled to the ground in a heap.

All around me, my pack was falling. The invaders were relentless, showing no mercy. I saw a young wolf—a pup, barely old enough to shift—get ripped apart before my eyes. Rage surged through me, a blinding fury threatening to consume me whole. I threw my head back and howled, the sound piercing a call to any remaining pack members to regroup.

To all guards: protect the pack at all costs. Fall back to the main house and defend the weak.

I felt the responses come in quickly, each guard acknowledging the order; they moved swiftly, closing ranks around the vulnerable members of the pack, those too old, too young, or too injured to fight.

"We won't let them take us down!" one of the guards, Roderick, mind linked back, his voice fierce. "For the pack!"

"For the pack," I echoed, my voice cold.

As I tore through the battlefield, my claws ripping through fur and flesh, I couldn't shake a troubled feeling in my consciousness. My wolf was agitated, more so than the battle warranted. It tried to tell me something, but I couldn't focus. Not now, not with the bloodshed all around me.

Another invader charged at me—this one larger, with cruel eyes. I snarled, meeting its attack head-on. We clashed in a storm of fangs and claws, each trying to tear the other apart. My wolf urged me to shift fully, to give in to the beast within and let it take control. But I held back, knowing that if I lost myself now, I might never return.

Amid the chaos, I saw him—a figure more prominent than the rest, with the same mark on his forehead, but his eyes glowed a deep, nasty red. He stood still, watching the fight with a cold, calculating gaze. And then, sensing my gaze, he turned those dark eyes on me.

Without hesitation, I lunged at him. He was ready, meeting my attack with a speed and strength that matched my own. We collided with a force that sent shockwaves through the ground beneath us.

His claws slashed across my chest, leaving deep gouges in my flesh, but I didn't falter. I retaliated, my teeth sinking into his shoulder, ripping through muscle and sinew. He howled in pain but didn't back down.

We were evenly matched, both of us shifting between forms—human and wolf—each trying to gain the upper hand. He was a formidable opponent, and every time I thought I had him, he would slip away, his eyes red with a twisted pleasure at the challenge I presented.

"Who are you?" I snarled, my voice a guttural growl, even as I swiped at his face, drawing blood.

"The end of your pack," he replied, his voice cold and emotionless.

His words only fueled my rage. I charged at him again, but six more wolves launched themselves at me from the side before I could reach him. They were too fast, and I barely had time to react. One sank its teeth into my hind leg, another into my shoulder. Pain shot through me, but I didn't stop. I threw one off, slamming it into the ground with a force that broke its spine. The others continued to attack, but I fought them off one by one, my wolf howling in fury and pain.

Blood was pouring from my wounds, but I didn't care. I couldn't stop. I had to protect my pack. The leader watched; his expression unreadable as I tore through his soldiers. He moved in once they were down, claws slashing across my back. I howled in pain, spinning around to face him again. Our battle was brutal, each of us fighting with everything we had.

My wolf was trying to get through to me, its voice frantic in my mind. *Magnus, something is wrong! We need to—* But I couldn't focus or understand what it was trying to tell me. The fight was all that mattered. I pushed the voice aside, determined to finish this.

Finally, I managed to land a blow that sent the leader crashing to the ground. I was on him instantly, my claws at his throat, ready to end it. But before I could strike, he looked up, his eyes gleaming with a dark satisfaction.

"You're too late," he whispered, a cruel smile on his lips.

I hesitated for a split second, and at that moment, he drove his claws into my side. Pain exploded through me, but I didn't let go. With a final, savage growl, I ripped his throat out, watching as his body convulsed and then stilled.

The battle was over. The invaders lay dead around me, their blood staining the ground. My guards were finishing off the few still alive, their expressions grim. The pack had suffered heavy losses. The bodies of our fallen were lying across the field, their blood soaking into the earth. I shifted back to human form, my body aching from the wounds, but the pain in my chest was worse. The mate-bond was throbbing painfully, a dull ache that spread through my entire being.

Something was wrong. I had to find her.

I didn't even wait for the guards to finish clearing the field. I turned and ran towards the main house, my heart pounding. The halls were quiet, the usual buzz of activity gone. I opened the door to her room, hoping to find her safe. But the room was empty.

"Astrid?" I called, but I was still waiting for an answer. Panic clawed at my chest as I searched the room, tearing through it. Her scent was faint, almost like she hadn't been there in hours. I checked the closet—her clothes were gone. Only the new ones she'd gotten recently were left, hanging limply as if mocking me.

I called for the maids, and they came running, their faces pale with fear. "Where is she?" I demanded; my voice harsh with desperation.

They looked at each other, then back at me, their eyes wide. "We don't know, Alpha," one of them whispered, trembling. "She was here earlier, but… we haven't seen her since the attack started."

I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to tear the room apart. She was gone. My mate was missing.