MISSING AXEL

Thane's world was a canvas of shadows, painted with the vibrant hues of his own despair. The morning sunlight streaming through the window was a cruel mockery, highlighting the confinement that had become his life. His gaze drifted to his legs, once strong and sure, now limp and useless.

He had dreamt of Axel again, his first love and fated mate. in his dream, they were hunting together under the full moon, they snuggled and kissed as they chased their prey, shifting from wolf to human forms and back again. Thane wished he never woke up from the dream.

How could Axel leave him, when he needed her most? Didn't their bond mean anything?

He recalled their first hunt together, their first kiss under the full moon. The memories now taunted him, a bittersweet reminder of what he'd lose.

Thane's thoughts darkened. What if he couldn't recover? What if he was stuck in this wheelchair forever?

Axel's words echoed in his mind: "I don't know if I can see my future with a mate in a wheelchair."

Was he no longer worthy of love?

Self-doubt crept in, its insidious voice whispering: "You are broken, Thane. Unlovable."

Axel's rejection still seared his mind, the wound raw and festering. Useless. Crippled. Unwanted. The words echoed in his thoughts, a relentless mantra.

A soft knock on the door broke him out of his depression, temporarily. He pretended not to hear. The knock sounded again, louder this time. Who could that intruder be? Thane hissed. Everyone in the packhouse knew not to go near him in the mornings, his mood were unpredictable, even to himself. He decided that whoever it was would eventually leave.

Painkillers and emptiness had filled his days, a hollow routine that brought no solace. Thane's gaze drifted to the bottle of pills on his nightstand, a constant reminder of his dependence.

The knock sounded again, followed by a gentle voice. “Thane? Are you in there?”

It was Theresa, his younger sister. She must have returned from her journey to Bloomberry pack. Theresa would drag him out of his dark mood and he wanted to wallow in self- pity for as long as possible. He kept quiet, maybe she would go away.

His reflection in the windowpane showed a stranger - pale, gaunt, and broken. The once-vibrant alpha now trapped in a fragile shell.

Thane's thoughts spiraled downward, suffocated by despair. His gaze fell on the pill bottle, its white plastic gleaming like a beacon of escape. One twist of the cap, and his suffering would end. The thought whispered sweet relief.

His hand trembled, reaching for the bottle as if drawn by an unseen force. His fingers brushed against the label, tracing the words "For Pain" etched in bold letters. Maybe it would ease the pain in his heart, permanently. He remembered River, his new mate, but she really didn’t matter to him. His escape would mean her escape too.

Thane's heart pounded, his breath catching in his throat. The room seemed to fade away, leaving only the bottle and his desperation. In that moment, the pills represented freedom from anguish, from Axel's rejection, and from his shattered dreams. Thane opened the bottle and lifted it to his mouth.

Just then, Theresa opened the door of his room slightly, to check on him. As her eyes landed on the pill bottle in his hand and his determined eyes, she burst in, her eyes scanning the room with a mix of panic and desperation.

"Thane, no! Don't!" she exclaimed, her voice cracking with emotion.

She rushed to his side, gently prying his fingers off the bottle as if handling fragile glass. Her touch was warm, a stark contrast to the chill of despair.

"Thane, look at me," Theresa urged, her voice soft but firm. "You are stronger than this. You have so much to live for."

Thane's gaze drifted to hers, his eyes dull with tears. The bottle slipped from his grasp, abandoned but not forgotten.

Theresa cradled his hand in hers, her fingers intertwining with his. "We'll get through this together," she promised, her voice a lifeline in his darkness.

For a moment, Thane's world narrowed to Theresa's compassionate gaze. Tears streamed down his face, scorching hot trails that mirrored the anguish in his heart. His body shook with convulsive sobs, each gasp ripping through his chest like a jagged knife.

“I am all alone now.” He managed to say between silent sobs.

Theresa's grip on his hands tightened, her fingers intertwining with his like a lifeline. Her eyes brimmed with tears, their bright blue dulled by shared sorrow.

"You are not alone, Thane," she whispered, her voice a soothing balm. "You are my brother, my strength." The warmth of her breath caressed his skin, a gentle comfort.

Thane's voice cracked, the words barely audible over the storm raging within. "Axel left me... I am a burden." The pain in his voice hung in the air like a mournful cry.

Theresa's face contorted in anger, her lips pressed into a thin line. "I never liked Axel," she hissed, her voice low and venomous. "She is not worthy of you, Thane. Let her go."

With gentle fingers, Theresa wiped away his tears, her touch a tender solace. "You are not a burden, Thane. You are family," she whispered, her voice filled with conviction.

The words wrapped around Thane's shattered heart, a fragile thread of hope. He breathed in Theresa's scent – lavender and warmth – and let her strength anchor him.

“You now have a better replacement for Axel, Thane. Father told me about your grand wedding to River of Nightshade pack. With her by your side, you will soon forget unworthy Axel. Don’t rush things, you have a whole lifetime to grow with her.”

As Theresa held him close, Thane's anguish slowly receded, like the ebb of a stormy tide. Her warmth enveloped him, a soothing balm that calmed his ravaged heart.

But the darkness lingered, waiting to pounce.

It lurked in the shadows, a patient predator, its presence a cold whisper in Thane's mind.

Theresa's gentle murmurings and the soft rhythm of her heartbeat temporarily held it at bay.

Yet Thane knew the darkness would return.

Its grip would tighten, threatening to consume him whole.

For now, he clung to Theresa, her love and support a fragile barrier against the crushing weight of his despair. If only he could run away from it all.

A knock sounded on the door, breaking the spell. Who could that be?