Thank you for your review EC!

Hmm Mel or pierce's werewolf-killing crew...let's find out...but will it be in this chapter?

So...what started out as a comedy chapter of Elly tripping all over herself 60-odd chapters ago...was not just to add some comedy to the angst...it was all about leading to this - today of all days! Hope you 'love' the pay off!

The Chemistry In Darkness

Chapter Ninety-Two

Friday 25th July 2025 – New Moon

Three seconds.

That was the time between when Elly smiled over at Chloe then looked away at her, distracted by Bea, then followed her gaze back to the woman she loved only to find that she wasn't standing where she was three seconds earlier.

Elly's eyes darted everywhere across the other side of the dance floor looking for Chloe. But her eyes weren't how they usually were. Able to pick up every little detail from 100 meters away without even trying. Today of all days, Elly had lost her werewolf powers for the New Moon cycle. Elly was nothing more than a human being from the moment the sun rose in the sky earlier that day until the sun rose the next day, with the New Moon to be high in the sky that very night.

It took Elly longer to process that she couldn't find Chloe anywhere. She had only been standing beside the dance floor seconds earlier, watching Elly and Aster with the happy couple. And now she wasn't there anymore.

Chloe was more than seven months pregnant and in her own words, she didn't move quickly anymore, her pregnant belly getting in the way of most things.

So where had Chloe gone that was completely out of Elly's view in three seconds?

Elly looked down at Aster, then at Mark and Paige whom were dancing together next to them. Without even waiting for an answer, Elly asked the couple, "Can you mind Aster for a moment?" then took off to where Chloe had been standing.

Elly gritted her teeth as she nearly stumbled off the dance floor, struggling not to fall to the floor as her klutzily way of life as a human frustrated her to no end.

Of all the days…

Elly stood where Chloe had been less than a moment earlier, whirling around, looking in every single direction to find the mother of her child.

Elly didn't see Chloe anywhere and was quickly beginning to panic. The only supernatural beings at the wedding that Elly knew about were Yashvi, Dipi and Shane. They weren't affected by the New Moon as far as Elly knew, seeing as though that was connected to the werewolves' moon cycles. Elly wondered if something supernatural had happened to Chloe but what could it be?

Elly had spun around three times in a row, looking desperately in every single direction for any sign of Chloe. Suddenly feeling uneasy that Bea and Yashvi's decision to get married outside, despite the relief that the winter weather hadn't caused any concern to move the wedding to an indoor venue. The reception been held outside too and whilst it was a lovely area, Elly was right now wishing they were indoors because at the outdoor venue they were at, Chloe could be anywhere.

And so Chloe was.

Elly's face drained when her eyes fell to Chloe more than a hundred meters away, been dragged away by a man whom looked to be in his thirties, with long hair and scraggly beard, someone she'd never seen before in her life.

Elly set off after him, forgetting immediately that she didn't have her powers and getting a painful reminder when she tripped over and face planted on the ground. Elly was grateful no one was paying attention to her, screams from the wedding party telling Elly that something was happening with the happy couple that was distracting everyone.

That means no one else has seen that Chloe is been dragged away…how can anyone do this to my mate and baby?

Elly got back up to her feet, taking a few seconds to yank her high heels off her feet, tossing them to the side then running off in pursuit of Chloe to come to her rescue.

Though Elly remained upright on her feet, without tripping over once more, it soon became apparent that she was never going to catch up to Chloe. This guy was dragging Chloe by the arm with Chloe unable to fight him off. And he was moving quick.

Elly could see Chloe struggling to keep up with his pace but he was forcing her along faster than she'd ever moved, pregnant or not.

This man moved like a werewolf moved.

But that wasn't possible. Not today. Not on the one day a month that all werewolves lost their powers for 24 hours during the New Moon.

But he was and no matter how much Elly tried to catch up to them, it wasn't possible. Elly felt Chloe's eyes land on her, seeing that she was trying to catch them, knowing that her mate was doing everything in her power to get her back.

But am I?

Elly worried she'd made a mistake. She'd taken off on her own after Chloe and the man she didn't know without anyone else knowing. Whilst, she never wanted to ruin the celebration underway of her sister's wedding, Elly realized she could've at least told someone like Mark. Could Mark have helped her to chase after Chloe? Without realizing that the man was far from human?

As the stranger dragged Chloe faster and more aggressively than Elly could imagine, Elly was surer than ever that he was a werewolf. A werewolf whom hadn't lost his powers under the day of the New Moon. Elly wanted to know how that was possible, she'd never heard of such a thing. She had listened to countless stories from Romulus over the millennia that he had roamed the world as a werewolf and a werewolf having their powers during the New Moon had not been one of them.

Elly knew answers wouldn't help her right now, all she wanted was to reach Chloe and have the woman back in her arms. But with every step her foot planted on the grass as she ran after Chloe and the man, they got two more ahead of her. It felt like it was slow motion how far away Chloe was from her now.

Elly watched as the man dragged Chloe past the one and only building that was in the area. They'd all gotten ready for the wedding in that building. But when she got to the edge of the building a moment later, Elly came to a stop, realizing that Chloe was nowhere to be found. Elly was exhausted but she stood there, holding her hand against the building wall, trying to regain her composure after her run. Without her powers, Elly was completely unfit and she hated it.

The feeling of helplessness that had passed through her as Elly stared out at the vacant land, with Chloe and the man nowhere in sight. Elly panicked, feeling like everything she knew about her future life with Chloe, their baby and Aster, had slipped from her grasp the second that Chloe had disappeared from the side of the dance floor.

As Elly continued searching in every direction to where the man that she was sure was a werewolf had taken off to, the feeling that she'd failed her mate and her future child draining her as every second passed that she couldn't see Chloe anywhere.

Elly hyperventilated for several minutes at the realization that Chloe and her unborn baby had been taken from her and she had been powerless to do anything.

How could this happen today of all days? How could a werewolf retain his powers during the New Moon? Why couldn't that be me? Spurred on my love for Chloe and our baby to bring my powers back so I can save them…?

Accepting within minutes that Chloe had been taken from her and she wasn't going to be able to find her without help, Elly turned back to the wedding reception. Though she was already carrying a stitch to her side that was excruciating by the time she had run back to the group of people whom were her family and friends.

Elly's eyes darted around as the guests were all grouped together.

They're watching Bea and Yashvi leave for their honeymoon…bit early in the evening to leave…but then I don't want to be the one to ruin their wedding day by telling them Chloe has been kidnapped by a werewolf whom should not have his powers!

Elly saw Paige holding Aster with Mark next to her, rushing over to the couple, she walked up behind Mark, grabbing him by the arm, surprising him by dragging him backwards, gesturing her apologies to Paige, "I need to talk to you."

"What the hell happened to you?" Mark demanded, seeing the state of Elly's knee-length bridesmaids' dress and her dirty feet.

"Chloe was taken!" Elly announced as she got Mark several meters away from the rest of the guests, also aware that she didn't want to upset Aster just yet with the news.

"What?" Mark said in confusion at Elly's claim about his sister.

Elly took a breath, knowing she needed to be clear about the situation to Mark, "Chloe was standing at the edge of the dance floor and then she wasn't there three seconds later. I rushed over to where she had been and then I saw this man dragging her away, in…that direction," Elly pointed to where she'd run after Chloe and the wolf man, "I ran after them…I tried to catch them…but I couldn't and…he took her, Mark."

"Do you know who it was?" Mark asked first, seeing the desperation and anguish in Elly's eyes, knowing without a doubt that Elly had seen his sister been taken.

Elly shook her head, "I've never seen him before," then quickly rattled off a description of the man, before pleading with Mark, "We need to find her, Mark. Now. I can't cope without Chloe and our baby…aside from Aster…they're my whole life."

"We'll find her okay," Mark reassured, "We'll get Chloe and your unborn baby back before you know it."

'Before you know it' wasn't as soon as Elly wanted, as later that evening, Chloe found herself been dragged kicking and screaming into a house she didn't know. Having been dragged to a van, parked on the outskirts of the reception venue, bundled into the back of the van, with the side door locked and unable to find a way to escape, Chloe's abduction had left the mother-to-be horrified.

After more than an hour of been in the van, unsure where he was driving her to, the unknown man had dragged her into a house. A house that didn't seem to have any neighbours living close by because her screams attracted no attention. The man yanked her towards a bedroom at the back of the house, throwing her inside the room towards the bed in the middle of the room.

Before Chloe could manage to use the edge of the bed to drag herself back to her feet, the bedroom door was slammed shut, and the sounds Chloe heard were that of numerous locks on the other side of the door been jammed locked.

Chloe panicked as she stared around the empty room. There was nothing in it except for a queen-sized bed. A door to the side of the room, with just as many locks on the outside of the door – a walk in wardrobe that she wasn't going to be able to access. Next to it was an opened door, walking over to it, Chloe realized immediately it was simply the ensuite bathroom and with nothing in it except a bar of soap on the basin and a small hand towel, not even enough to manage a shower and dry herself comfortably.

As Chloe shifted back, leaning against the edge of the bed, she thought back to when the man dragged her into his van. He had growled at her in an inhuman way. The way of a werewolf. Chloe had been around Elly and The Pack long enough to know the signs of a werewolf and this man was one. Yet he had his strength and agility on the one day of the month that none of his kind did.

Chloe sunk down onto the bed, crying heavily as she worried when she might see Elly and Aster again.

Next time - Elly's lost Chloe and their future ChellyBaby - her life couldn't get any worse...and yet it does...