Aurora
The memory of the previous day that etched itself to my heart rushed to my memory at the creak of dawn. I wasn't fully awake yet but I caught myself smiling and chuckling quietly.
After Arne had his bath, we, Ethan inclusive, had lunch -the one the maids brought over- and watched the famous Lego show Arne wouldn't stop talking about. Arne slept off before the credits could roll in, I put him to bed and took a walk in the garden with Ethan.
Yesterday was a reminder of what my life with Ethan could have been and though there was this nostalgic pain that ran through my heart in-between hours, I was happy I got a second shot at experiencing life with Ethan.
With my eyes still closed, I reached to the other side of the bed to pat Arne. It was something that has become a routine, since the day he was born, I would make sure to check that he was still there and that nobody had taken him from me but my hand fell to an empty cold bed. I felt around the bed more hastily, nothing and I sprang up to see if what my senses were telling me were true.
And they were. The bed was empty and cold. Arne was not in that bed.
“Arne?” I called as I got down from the bed and headed to the bathroom. Maybe he had gone to take a piss or perhaps, drink water. There was no way Arne wouldn't be in the house. “Arne!” I called again when there was no response. I checked the kitchen and the bathroom but he wasn't there. I checked the balcony, he wasn't there either.
Where had Arne gone? My mind raced. I was certain he was in bed when I returned last night. Had someone taken him while I was asleep? That wasn't possible, I couldn't have been that asleep.
Was it Ethan? Did he find out Arne was his and decided to make good of his threat? My heart was in my throat, I felt nauseous and dizzy. I risked Arne's life once more, I led him directly to the devil's chamber.
Tears trickled down my eyes as I searched for my phone and dialed the only person who could help me, even though it may be him who put me in my present condition.
“Ethan,” I said amidst sobs, “Arne is missing.”
ETHAN.
I held a frantic Aurora close to my side to keep her from running off to God knows where. She had been restless since she found out Arne was missing and no amount of reassuring word I said to her could calm her down.
I sent Sam to lead an army to the whole palace and the pack in search of Arne. The day was coming to an end and they were yet to return. The news of Arne's kidnap has spread like wide fire and we had members of the pack trooping in and out to show their support. They brought different homemade meal and snacks but no aroma of homemade meal nor crinkling of chips wrapper made her take her mind off the main course.
Fuck! I cussed. I was panicking internally, Arne was dear to me and I wouldn't forgive myself if anything were to happen to him, but for now I had to act strong for Aurora.
“Sam would come back with Arne, I promise. Arne would be found and he would be fine.” Just as the words left my lips, Sam and a few guards approached us, a sullen expression visible on their faces.
“I'm sorry, Alpha. We searched the whole pack but we couldn't find him.” Aurora broke out crying again. I bit my tongue, I had spoken to soon. “I am sorry Dr. Rory,” Sam continued, “but we still have some guard out there. They would keep searching for him till he is found. We would bring Arne back to you alive and well. I promise.”
“Let me go out there and look for him myself. He must have gone out and missed his way back. I need to go find my son.”
“Aurora, I don't think Arne just left this place, I think he was-”
“You think Arne was kidnapped? Why would you say that? Why would anyone want to kidnap Arne?” I wasn't sure it was a kidnap but I was certain Arne wouldn't just leave the palace at the early hours of the day, with or without informating his mother.
Arne was out there waiting to be found. No matter what Sam said about searching the whole pack, I know he was still out there and I was going to find him and bring him back home.
“Sam, could you be with Aurora till I come back.”
“What? Where are you going? You can't leave me here and expect me to stay, if you leave, I would go looking for Arne myself!”
“You don't need to worry, Aurora, I am going to look for Arne and this time, I would bring him back to you. I promise.” I turned to Sam, “Make sure she eats something. She has refused both food and water since morning.”
“Yes Alpha,” Sam said and I rushed up to my room to prepare myself. I needed to get ready, I was going to find Arne no matter that it would cost me. And I was going to bring him back alive.
I burst into my room, looking around for anything I could take with me. Anything at all and my eyes caught a white paper lying on my bed. With furrowed brows, I quickly snatched it up and tore it open, it was a letter from an anonymous person. My eyes skimmed through the content of the letter hastily. I had an important issue at hand and it was only curiosity that made me pick the letter but on seeing that the letter had direct connection to the issue at hand, I took in a deep breath and slowly began to read the letter;
‘I have Arne under hostage…’