Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future
Chapter 141

Chapter 9

Bronx's POV

Mrs. Miller, our head chef, has her staff bring burgers and fries out to the garden gazebo next to the pool. I didn't even have to ask, she knows it's my favorite comfort food combination. She even adds a cup of chocolate pudding on my plate like she did when I was a little kid. It all looks and smells delicious, but I have no appetite.

I just feel numb inside. All I can think about is Kas. Her mesmerizing violet eyes that practically glow and her glittery silver hair that she always fusses over, even though I think it always looks perfect. Her sweet laugh that makes my heart beat faster every time I hear it. And the adorable little growl she lets out when she's frustrated about a recipe she's testing doesn't come out the way she wants. What if I never get to see her beautiful face or get to hold her in my arms again? What if I never get to hear that giggle or her melodic voice call my name again? Will the last memory I have of her be losing my temper?

Goddess, help me.

I'm not sure how long I sit there staring at the uneaten food. It may have been five minutes or five hours. Eventually, Milo moves my plate away and sits down beside me, pulling me out of my thoughts. I rub my hands across my face and sigh with a frustrated growl when I feel his hand on my shoulder. I look at the ground, avoiding his gaze. I can't bear to look him in the eye right now.

"Bronx, we're gonna replace her. You gotta have faith," he reassures me, "It feels like you're giving up, man. Asking for help is not defeat. Think of it more like pulling together additional troops."

"Milo's right. You didn't feel your mate bond break, and we didn't feel our pack bond break with Kas.

She's alive out there, Bronx. We just have to figure out where. Knowing Kas, she is fighting for her life to get back to you," Reggie chimes in.

I look up at his icy blue eyes when he mentions Kas by name, and he continues, "Reaching out to the human media outlets is the right thing to do. Think about it. After your honeymoon and how successful the bakery has been, everyone knows who she is, anyway. Ashley says the paparazzi have already started theorizing on their websites why she hasn't been at work all week." "Cut it out, Reggie. You know she hates that kind of attention," I sigh helplessly.

"It's not me, man. Social media is already buzzing. How will they react when they replace out the wife of Bronx Mason is missing? They are gonna run far and wide with it. No offense, but Kas sticks out like a sparkly silver thumb in a crowd of pinkies. Someone has to know where she is. Once they broadcast your message, everyone will be looking for her. And at this point, the more eyes, the better," he tries to talk sense into me.

Milo takes control of the conversation now, "Bronx, we need you to think of this as a battle. For all we know, it is a battle...or will be..."

His eyes get a little starry and a smile crosses his face as he thinks about getting to be in a battle again. He blinks a couple times as he comes back to his senses, " Sorry, I got distracted. What I'm trying to say is, we need you to fight for your mate. Your Luna. Our Luna. This is not the warrior Bronx we all know and cower from. You need to get mad. We want the moody, growly, settle for nothing less than perfection, ruthless Alpha leader we know you are, to come back. No one is denying how much you love Kas. We know you're hurting without her. Reggie and I are here to support you behind the scenes, but for the pack and the public, you need to put on the show."

He stands up and starts pacing, gesturing with his hands as he talks as he gets excited, "You need to be the guy people aren't afraid to be afraid of, because they all know they had better be. Be the powder keg people are worried about standing too close to. Whoever has Kas needs to know you mean business. You need to go out there, kick 'em in the nuts, and make them shit their pants through the television screen. Make someone call and beg you to take Kas back before the end of the day."

I lean back in my seat while I watch Milo. He has stopped pacing and is standing in front of me with his arms crossed in front of him. His steel-gray eyes are full of a best friend's worry, but there is also a sternness that he knows I need from my Beta when I am unsure of myself. In their own eccentric way, he and Reggie always know how to give me the best pep talks. I'm grateful to have them at moments like this.

"you guys are right," I say. Their little sermon has worked because something inside my mind begins to stir. It feels like a tinderbox sparking. I can't just lay back and cry like a baby because Kas is missing. I need to make whoever has her pay for even thinking they could take my mate with no consequences.

I stand up and roll my shoulders like I'm readying myself for a fight, "Enough with the pity party. I need to go upstairs and pick out a suit and figure out what I want to say tomorrow. Fuck what the PR team's script says. We're doing this my way."

"That's my boy," Milo says, clapping me on the back with a huge smile, "Wear one of the eye patches Kas has given you."

"Good idea," I nod and stand up, feeling much better than I did when I came outside, "Thank you guys. I don't know where I'd be without you."

"Six feet under," Reggie laughs, "Come on, let's get these dishes back to Mrs. Miller.”

I collect the plates to take back to the kitchen. I already know I'm going to get scolded for not eating, so I mentally prepare an apology to Mrs. Miller.

As we are stepping out of the gazebo, the energy in the air changes, like it's supercharged with electricity. The hairs on the back of my neck all stand up and Saint starts pacing in my head.

"Do you feel that?" I ask Milo and Reggie, making sure I'm not going crazy. I feel my fangs and claws extend as Saint reacts to the change as well.

"Yeah," Reggie says, looking around. Just like me, he and Milo's eyes turn black with fangs and claws extended. They take defensive stances. Standing guard in front of me in case there is a surprise attack. My heart begins pounding in my chest, causing me to stumble forward. The plates fall to the ground, shattering into a thousand pieces. I grab Milo's shoulder for support. My entire chest feels like it's going to explode. A fear that is not mine overwhelms me. It can only come from Kas.

"Alpha! What's wrong?!" Milo growls, looking around for the attacker.

"It's Kas! She's scared," I groan, clutching my chest as my heart goes wild.

"Our mate," Saint whimpers as he paces in my mind, "Help her."

"I don't know where she is or I would, buddy," I try to calm him down through my own increasing anxiety and pain.

"She's coming. Help her," he says more urgently. He doesn't sound like his usual self. He almost sounds like he's scared. Saint isn't scared of anything. Great, now I am worried about Kas and Saint.

Out of nowhere, the water in the pool bubbles and steams like it is boiling. A soft white light forms in the deep end and gradually starts growing brighter. The ground around the pool shakes violently, practically knocking Reggie off his feet. He jumps back up and tentatively steps forward to the edge of the pool. "what the Hell?" he asks, to no one in particular. His voice is full of confusion.

I look up, still using Milo to support me, to see what Reggie is looking at. The water is roiling and splashing over the edges onto the cement. The soft glow grows wider and brighter at the deep end of the pool. As it gets brighter, Reggie tilts his head.

"Guys? You need to see this. I think it's a portal," He

calls out to Milo and me.

We step forward to see what he is looking at. Sure enough, there is a large circular light emanating from the bottom of the deep end of the pool. We can feel the heat being generated from the surface of the water. Suddenly, the light gets so bright that we have to shield our eyes and look away to avoid being blinded. The heat coming off the water is searing now. It's like an atomic bomb going off underwater. All three of us step back to avoid getting burned by the steam.

As fast as it started, the light dissipates, the ground stops shaking, and the water stops boiling. It's replaced by the sounds of water thrashing and a woman's high pitched screaming.

"HELP!" I hear the familiar voice shriek, garbled by water, "HELP ME!”

We look back at the pool to see a small woman struggling to keep her head above water. Her violet eyes are wide with terror as she chokes on water. She tries to reach for us but quickly sinks beneath the surface. The purple aura is glowing around her brighter than I have ever seen.

"Kas?" Reggie says in awe of the impossible sight. One thought dominates my slow brain as I process that I am actually seeing her in the water: Kas can't swim.