Christian's P.O.V.-

"What are you doing?!" "How many men do you have on this case?!" "Why haven't we heard anything yet?! What's taking so goddamn long?!" "How could she have been "snatched up" on festival grounds like that?"

Paul and I weren't giving the sergeant or any of the other police officers a chance to get a word in edge wise. We were both demanding answers to numerous questions- all centring on where Anastasia might be now and what's happened to her. The sergeant raised both his hands up to wave calmly in the air out in front of him.

"Look, I know you're worried about your friend; I get that. But you gotta trust that we're doing everything in our power to find her," his voice was infuriatingly tame considering the severity of the situation. My hands banged down loudly on his desk. "That's not good enough!" "There's gotta be something we can do," Paul was quieter than me- a tiny bit. "We you boys can do is go back to school. Your principal will let you know if there's any news," the sergeant told us. Now, he was panther and I strongly believed against using my claws and teeth for any sort of violence, but man- right then I had to fight the mounting urge to rip his throat out. This asshole wasn't letting me do anything; this isn't just some random animal picked up off the street. This was my mate we're talking about- my one and only mate. The only mate I'll ever have… The very notion made my hands ball into fists unconsciously as I let out a low, menacing growl.

"I don't understand it. Why would anyone want to kidnap Ana?" Paul pondered out loud. Oh right, I blinked to him in realization. He doesn't know…. "I cannot say for certain, but my best guess is that Miss Steele was abducted to be sold on the black market," the sergeant said. It took everything I had not to kill him right then and there for even daring to suggest that such a thing could happen to Anastasia. But Paul…. He merely blinked confused. "Wait? I thought the black market was only a myth? One of those rumours….?" "I assure you, it isn't. And you two better stay clear of that god-forsaken hellhole- you hear me? That place is dangerous even for apex predators who don't know what they're doing." "Wait, so… Anastasia's at the black market?" My eyes began to instinctively widen. I know where that is; I've been there before.

The sergeant folded his arms and sighed. "We can't be sure. The Dollars have been acting up in the area for some time now. My sources are fairly confident that they're responsible for the previous deaths and disappearances these past few weeks." Hold on, Dollars? Like some sort of gang? Thankfully Paul asked for me. "Are these "Dollars" at the black market?" The head of the police division shook his head. "They're a local gang- very deadly. Their leader is a grey wolf by the name of Eric Lincoln." Wait…. wait a second. A wolf? A grey wolf? Why does that sound so familiar? "Didn't you hear? Apparently a grey wolf was calling all the shots after all!" Gasp! No, could it be? That same wolf who killed that girl- the one I heard about on the news the day I met Elena- could he be the same carnivore who stole Anastasia?

Oh, how the blood drained from Paul's face; and mine as well I'm sure. I don't really know; I was kind of numb to my body at this point. Like I said, you could chop off one of my hands now and I likely wouldn't notice. "We have to find him! This Lincoln creep! Find him and we'll find Ana!" Paul stated his flawed logic. The sergeant and his men eyed us for another moment, then he stood up out of his chair.

"Like I told you boys before: go home. Let us do our job- we'll find your friend." That's when something inside me snapped. I'd had enough of this asshole and his composed demeanour. My mate was out there and needed our help. Like hell I was going to sit by while my woman was in danger- oh, hell no. I think everyone knew what was up when I suddenly- and silently I might add- spun around to march straight towards the door out of the room. "Christian?" Paul watched me stunned. "Hey! Don't go doing anything stupid now! There's nothing you can do. I'm sorry, but that's the reality of the situation." That's when I shot back a very threatening glare; I didn't hold back any emotion on my face. My eyes must have been glowing red, they felt like they were on fire.

"We'll see about that."

With that, I left them all there with their mouths agape. Who gives a damn if I'm a carnivore and that was perceived as a threatening act just now? I'm a wolf, and like I've decided a little while ago, I'm going to be a wolf god dammit.

"Christian! Christian, wait up!" My feet didn't pause at the clatter of Paul's shoes clashing onto the floor. He ran over to me, breathing heavily. I didn't even acknowledge his presence now at my side, trying to keep up with my pace. "Dude, what was that? You totally just bore your fangs at them." "I don't care. I'm going to find Anastasia." "Your protective instinct is going into overdrive; you're fuming like a radiator," Paul noted with somewhat surprise in his tone. "You think yours isn't?" "Well, yeah; but it's understandable for me. I love…."

That made my feet screech to a halt, followed by Paul's feet. I looked at him and him at me. "What did you say?" I asked him, trying not to sound like I was about to kill him. Paul wavered for a bit, as if registering to himself what he just said out loud. "I…. I love her; I love Ana," Paul's eyes drifted out into nowhere. I, meanwhile….

No, don't attack him; don't attack him, Christian. He's your friend; he doesn't know that you've imprinted on Anastasia. I had to close my eyes to physically steady myself; breathing normally suddenly began a laborious task. But Paul glanced back at me as if he had no clue what was going on with me presently.

"Christian…." No; no, don't say it; I don't want to hear it. I can't hear it! "Paul!" My lips cut him off before he had the chance to continue. My body turned in such a way I was directly facing him; our eyes locked. "I'm asking you, as a friend, please…. please help me find Anastasia." Of course Paul blinked startled but I continued my plea. "I'm begging you. Nothing can happen to her- not a thing. We need to find her, and we need to do it now. I know where the black market is. We'll be able to learn something faster if we both go. Please Paul, please…." My eyes softened onto his.

Paul merely stared at me for a moment; his eyes very wide and stunned by now. Eventually however, they lowered a bit in understanding. "I think I get it. You're in love… with Ana?" No use in hiding it any longer. "I've imprinted on her." This made his eyes grow even larger, but I don't think he grasped the full concept of imprinting. Judging by what he said next, I know he didn't. "I… love her," he uttered in a whisper this time.

Paul and I looked at one another for a brief second before we both relaxed our postures a bit; only a bit, mind you. "You want to save her?" "More than anything," though I wouldn't call it a "want"; more like a "need". "Yeah, me too," Paul's eyes lowered slightly. Then he stuck out his hand to me. "Let's do it." Realizing what was happening, I reached out to shake Paul's hand. Then we let go and straightened up our backs again.

"So? Where's the black market?"