chapter 50:Aiden’s POV

I winced as the blade slightly grazed my skin drawing a bit of blood, "Sorry love." She cooed as she smoothed the tiny wound with her finger. She ran the blade along the edges of my new bear growth giving it neat lines making me wonder where she had learnt it from. The shaving cream slowly diminishing as she ran the cuts.

"You look less like a hermit now." She took the towel and wiped off the excess cream before taking some water and rinsing it, droplets of water ran from my jaw down to my bare chest. I stared at my reflection in the mnirror and a shadow of myself stared back at me. I looked better now that my beard which I unwilling kept was well kept but my eyes still carried the same hooded sadness with bags under them.

"Do you need anything else?" Feminine hands clasped my shoulders lovingly.

"That will be all mother." I nodded, "Thank you."

"How are you feeling?" She asked me the same question she had always asked ever since Gabby went missing. It has been twO weeks now and there was no lead on where she was. It was all my fault, if only I had marked her earlier, she would have been easier to find. Now, I can't even feel her anymore, she was slowly slipping from me and it scared me, what if I never find her again? Why would the moon goddess send me someone only to take them away?

"I am fine mother." I replied gruffly before taking her hands off me. I walked away entering the bathroom and then I lay on the bed staring at the ceilings. I was getting weaker, I couldn't even function properly, I have been avoiding pack duties for sometime. I couldn't get myself to care even for my self any more, I just wanted Gabby, only her. I wanted her back. I had been playing the role of consoling myself while trying to keep her daughter from crying, assuring Willow that we would find her friend and telling the pack members that their luna would be returned soon but all of it was just gibberish. Every single plan we had made proved futile even my mother using her powers only worsened things. We had researched all the kingdoms and packs but there was no lead. We had searched for fay as she was my prime suspect at the moment but she wasn't found. Laya and all other high rankers had brought about plans and ideas but they all failed.

"You are being too hard on yourself." I heard my mother's footsteps. The bed dipped and she was sitting next to me with her legs crossed, "I assure you we will find her."

"Gosh, it's hard." I breathed, "You know how it is being away from your soul mate, from someone you love, you feel dead inside like you have no purpose and at the momentI am nothing. I am

nothing without her."

"I know." She said taking my hand squeezing it, "I know how I felt when your father died but our cases are different dear." She looked at me meeting my saddened black orbs, "In my case, he is gone! Never coming back but in your case, she is still alive and you shall find her."

"And Akanther is out there looking for her, what if he gets her first? He will murder her!" I could hear the frustration in my voice as I balled my fists against the bed.

"He isn't smart enough to get her before you son.'

She said smoothing my hair lovingly like she did when I was a kid, "Do not fret more, I know it's hard, you will be alright."

I had nothing to say and she stayed with me for sometimes consoling me with words or just sitting in silence and later she left to make me dinner."Did she leave because of me?" She asked me as I tucked her into bed. She looked up at me with her teary bright eyes, "You said she will come back."

"She will Kate." I said trying to compose myself,

"She didn't leave because of you I promise."

"Pinky swear?" She pulled up her pinky raising it at me.

"Pinky swear." I did the same for mine and interlocked it in hers witha smile forming on both our lips. She closed her eyes as I began to stroke her hair and soon her eye lids started drooping. It wasn't long till she fell asleep, placing one last lingering kiss on her head I left the room and went down to the kitchen. The coolness of the water hit my tongue and so did memories of Gabby and I in the kitchen together. The water suddenly turned bad to me and I dropped the bottle letting sadness over come again. I was about to go up the stairs when I heard creaking of the door. I immediately went back into the kitchen to see who was still up that late. The door opened and in walked in the Beta. Our gazes met and she looked instantly startled, dirt bag she held.

"Laya?" I raised a brow at her as I watched her lose her fingers shooka bit as she clutched onto the tiny her composure.

"Good mor- I mean evening Alpha." She greeted stuttering a bid, "I didn't know you will be up so late."

"Where are you coming from?" I asked regarding the weird outfit she was on which consisted of a black hoodie, black jeans and equally dark boots,

"And why do you look disturbed."

"-i ehm." She couldn't say anything and I took steps closer to her which made her more unnerved.

"And what do you have in that?" I pointed to what she held and she hid it behind her almost immediately. I felt the strong urge to know about her business a she had been missing of lately, she was hardly seen around the pack house except when we had meetings and always looked tired and on her toes. I frowned feeling my anger build at her behavioral patterns. She was giving me the body language of a turncoat and I didn't find it pleasing.

"It's nothing Alpha, I promise. I should go upstairs now, I am tired and my mate awaits me." She said her words in a rush and moved but I stopped her pushing her back to her present spot.

"What is in there?" I gritted before reaching out to snatch it but I could only get hold of the string which opened it.

"No!" She cried holding onto it like her life depended on it. I growled dragging it with my Alpha strength. It toppled open and a tiny bottle fell from it to the ground shattering into thousands of pieces. Her face turned white in fear and a strangled cry left her as familiar yet strange scent permeated the air