The Alpha's Slave

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: FOUND

Aurora's pov:

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in angry shades of red and purple, a fitting backdrop to the dread that coiled in my gut. Amelia’s absence hung heavy, a suffocating presence in the otherwise peaceful evening.

It wasn't just her absence, it was the unsettling way she’d vanished poof, gone, like a wisp of smoke. And that creepy feeling… like someone was watching, a prickling sensation at the back of my neck that wouldn't go away.

I swirled the ice in my glass clinking a brittle counterpoint to the frantic rhythm of my heart. I'd grilled everyone at the party, but their denials felt hollow, like carefully constructed lies. The memory of that shadow, flitting through the dimly lit corners, the unsettling flicker of eyes… it wasn't just my imagination.

BAM! A harsh knock on the door jolted me. My breath hitched. It wasn't a polite tap; this was urgent, demanding.

"Jaxon! Jaxon, open up!"

Jared's voice, usually easygoing, was strained, laced with panic. He was one of Jaxon's pack, but what could be so urgent? Jaxon wasn't even here, he was at his parents' house.

Trembling, I opened the door. Jared stood there, his face pale, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He looked like he'd run a marathon.

"Where's Jaxon?" he blurted, his voice raw.

"He's at his parents'," I said, confused. "What's wrong?"

Jared's eyes darted around, his gaze frantic. "We found someone… near the lighthouse. She's unconscious."

My stomach plummeted. "She? Is it Amelia? Oh God, is it Amelia?" The words tumbled out, a desperate prayer and a horrible premonition all at once.

Jared nodded, his face grim. "Yeah, it's Amelia. She's… she's hurt badly. We need to get her to the Clinic."

The world tilted. The beautiful sunset, the peaceful surroundings, it all faded, replaced by a wave of icy dread. The unsettling feeling from the party, the shadow, the frantic knock… it all clicked into place, a horrifying puzzle complete.

"What happened?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Jared shook his head, his eyes filled with a mixture of worry and confusion. "We don't know. She was found near the rocks, unconscious. There's… there's blood."

Blood. The word hit me like a physical blow. The shadow, the eyes, the metallic glint I’d dismissed as my imagination… it had all been a terrifying premonition.

"Is she… is she alive?" I croaked, the question hanging in the heavy silence.

Jared hesitated, his gaze flickering towards the darkening sky. "She's breathing," he said, his voice tight. "Barely. But we need to get her to the hospital now."

He grabbed my arm, his grip firm and urgent. "Come on."

The drive was a blur of flashing lights and racing thoughts. The city lights were streaks of color, mirroring the chaos in my mind. The party, the unsettling feeling, the shadow… it all pointed to something deliberate, something planned. But by whom? And why Amelia?

At the clinic, the air was thick with antiseptic and hushed whispers. The room was a chaotic scene of flashing lights and hurried footsteps. Jared guided me through the maze of corridors, his presence a steadying force in the storm of my fear.

A grim-faced nurse stood guard outside a room. Jared asked, his voice tight, "Amelia Rey Hexson?"

The nurse nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of pity and sorrow. "She's in surgery," she whispered. "It's… it's serious."

"Serious?" I repeated, the word a hollow echo in the suffocating silence. My legs felt weak, my knees threatening to buckle. The sunset, the party, the unsettling feeling… it all paled in comparison to the terrifying reality of Amelia's fight for her life.

The wait was agonizing. The rhythmic beeping of heart monitors filled the silence, a relentless counterpoint to the pounding of my heart. Finally, a doctor emerged, his face etched with exhaustion.

"She's stable," he said, his voice weary but reassuring. "But she's suffered significant injuries. She'll need extensive care."

Relief washed over me, a wave of gratitude so intense it brought tears to my eyes. She was alive. But the questions remained, unanswered and chilling. Who had done this? Why? The answers, I knew, lurked in the shadows, waiting to be uncovered. The hunt had just begun.

I was jolted back from my spiraling thoughts by a gentle touch, Jaxon’s hand, warm and reassuring, covering mine. His eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, were clouded with worry. He looked utterly exhausted, the shadows under his eyes deep and pronounced.

“She’ll be alright, Aurora,” he said softly, his voice a low rumble that somehow managed to soothe my frayed nerves. “Don’t worry so much.”

A shaky breath escaped my lips. Worry? I wasn't just worried, I was terrified. The image of Amelia, pale and lifeless, flashed before my eyes.

“She should be alright,” I replied, my voice trembling. “But… she has a lot of explaining to do.” The words were laced with a bitterness I couldn't quite suppress. Amelia's disappearance, her injuries... It felt like a betrayal, a deliberate act of deception.

Jaxon squeezed my hand, his touch firm but gentle. "What do you mean?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern. "What's she got to explain?"

I took a deep breath, trying to organize my chaotic thoughts. "Her disappearing act at the party, for starters," I said, my voice rising slightly. "And then… this. This attack. It all feels… connected. Like it was planned."

He nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "I know," he said quietly. "It's… unsettling. But we need to focus on getting her better first. Then we can figure out what happened."

"But what if… what if it happens again?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. The fear was a cold knot in my stomach, a constant, nagging dread.

Jaxon pulled me closer, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. "It won't," he said firmly, his voice a reassuring balm against my rising panic. "We'll find out who did this, and we'll make sure it doesn't happen again. I promise."

His words, though comforting, didn't entirely quell the unease that gnawed at me. The lingering questions, the unanswered mysteries, cast a long shadow over the fragile hope I felt for Amelia's recovery. The attack had been brutal, deliberate. It wasn't random, it was personal. And until we knew who was behind it and why, the fear would remain, a constant, chilling presence in the back of my mind.

“We need to talk to Liam,” I said, breaking the silence. “He was one who found her. He might know something.”

Jaxon nodded in agreement. “We'll talk to him and the others as soon as Amelia is stable enough. But for now… let's just focus on her. She needs us.”