Dragon Alpha's Special Mate

31. Anything To Find Her

Maxson

I can’t just sit here and wait anymore; I must do something. I stand up from the couch, causing Damari and Rina to shoot up after me. Everyone else went home late last night, and I haven’t slept a wink despite Damari’s insistence that I should. I just can’t go to our room alone.

I start pacing around the room, and I can see the looks that Damari and Rina are giving each other, but I can’t find it in me to care. I can barely hear them as Avian is pushing to come free out of me. I shake my head as a puff of smoke leaves my nostrils, starting to fill the room.

“I need to fly. I need to find her.” Avian presses in my mind again, and I’m trying to hold him back. I’m trying to prevent him from forcing the shift, but with each passing minute, it becomes more challenging. I have to keep my head straight, but he’s causing me to lose control, and I realize it won’t be long until he forces the shift despite what I try to do to stop it.

“I’ll be back.” I finally say as Damari tries to grab me. But he can’t because I sprint from the room, using some of the tactics I learned in my speed class to get around him and run into the open yard outside.

I run away from the house and jump, letting the shift rip my clothes as Avian finally releases himself and takes to the skies. We break through the barriers around the school in an instant, going higher and higher.

The school is but an ant in the distance now as we keep climbing to extraordinary heights. When he’s sure no one could possibly see us, he releases a plume of magic from his mouth, the water, fire, earth, and air coming in a deadly stream facing directly up. It’s been a while since we’ve lost control like this, letting all four of our elements out.

Since declaring ourselves as a fire dragon, we’ve only dared to release the other elements in complete privacy inside. But it doesn’t matter now; Avian is losing it, and I can’t be bothered to try to stop him.

Honestly, it feels good to let go like this; it’s releasing a ton of tension and anger I had building inside as Avian swoops through the air at increasingly scary speeds, continuing to release the deadly magic that lives inside of us.

After letting Avian get more of his frustration out, I finally focus on something in the distance. The white glow of her scales gives her away immediately.

Mom’s here.

She flies toward us, swooping around with us, and I finally open my link to her, sure she’s been trying to contact me.

“Let’s go talk and figure out how to save her.”

Avian immediately swoops down, and he and Syry speed back toward campus in a race. It feels good to be close to my mother despite how badly I wanted to get away from her.

While she may be my mom, she’s also one of the most powerful Alpha’s to ever roam our Earth, and if anyone’s going to get my mate home, it’s her.

~

It’s completely silent as I sit with Mom, Dad, Damari, Ryder, and Rebecca at my kitchen table. I was surprised my mom actually agreed to bring her parents; they’ve never seen eye to eye, but I guess this is quite a unique situation we find ourselves in.

I had just finished telling them about the last time I saw Sophia, the last time I heard her voice before M stole her from me.

“Has there been anything new you’ve learned about M? His whereabouts, anything?” I beg, breaking the deafening silence.

“Not as much as we’d like to admit,” Dad finally answered, gently reaching out and holding Mom's hand.

“What has grandma said?”

“Not much that we can go off of. Just that M considers himself someone to keep balance.”

“What balance is there in stealing my mate?” I snap at my mom, wishing I hadn’t been so sharp. I was waiting for her wrath at my tone, but it seems she understands I’m not totally controlling my emotions.

I turn toward Rebecca and Ryder, immediately turning my head down when I see Rebecca’s red, puffy eyes. She hasn’t stopped crying since arriving. I can imagine it’s been happening since she found out Sophia’s missing.

“So what’s the plan?” Ryder finally says, breaking the silence that seems to keep finding its way into our conversation.

“I have some scouts looking around campus for any clues on where M was holding out. Hopefully, we can find where he’s been and get an idea as to where M took her.”

So nothing. We can’t do anything about her missing.

“What do we do in the meantime?” Rebecca asks through a break in her sobs.

“We have no choice but to wait. I’m afraid he’s got us on our back foot. His magic is unlike anything we’ve seen. I have my researchers trying to see how he uses magic, but…” Mom trails off, not saying anything else, only causing my rage to grow. She finally makes eye contact with me, and dread fills me as she sighs.

“Maxson, can we talk with you alone?”

“Anything you have to say, say it in front of her parents. They deserve to hear it.” I can tell that Ryder and Rebecca appreciate that. I don’t want them left out of anything. This is their daughter. It wouldn’t be fair to discuss plans with me only.

I notice my mom and dad sharing a look before finally settling back on me.

“Fine. We’ve decided that we’re going to take you home with us until this clears up. We can’t risk M coming after you next.”

“No. She was taken from here, it’s the best place for me to be to find her.” I look to my dad who immediately averts his gaze. Clearly, their mind is made up.

“You’re going to have to drag me from here. I won’t let you take me willingly.” Mom stands up to face me, and I do the same. Is this it? Is this where we fight? I remember her telling me about the time she went against her own father in a one-on-one fight. She didn’t win that fight, but I won’t let that be my fate. It happens to all of us who are supposed to take the Alpha position. We all eventually challenge our predecessor. I just didn’t think it would happen so soon. But if I have to fight my own mother to prove my strength and stay here, I’ll do it.

“That’s enough.” Dad finally steps in, looking between us. “Let’s all take a breath and go to our rooms for the night. We can get back together tomorrow. Maxson, you must be exhausted after staying up all night. We just need a break, and we can regroup in the morning.”

“Fine.” I admit not wanting to fight my mom at a time like this. I can’t be recovering from a fight with her while trying to save my mate. I storm off toward a guest room, already knowing I won’t be able to sleep in the room I shared with Sophia.

After getting to my room, it isn’t even a few minutes until someone’s knocking on my door. I swear if it’s my mom, I’m going to lose my mind. I stomp over to the door, throwing it open, when I see Ryder push into my room.

“I’ve been doing my own independent research on this M character. I haven’t found much, but I might have a lead. Your mother won’t listen to me, but I figured you’d do anything to find my daughter, right?”

“Yes.” I immediately answer him. We haven’t always seen eye to eye, but the one thing we have in common is our love for Sophia. Who knows, this could be a chance for us to bond and put all the petty disagreements we’ve had in the past behind us.

“I’ll come to you tonight after everyone’s gone to bed, and we’ll check out the lead. Leave your room unlocked. Don’t tell anyone.”

“Thank you, I won’t.” I quickly agree, my heart fluttering at the possibility of getting to see her. At least he’s trying to find her.