Fractured by N.O Darling

Chapter 304

**|osie’s POV **

| don’t have the tor patience to sugarcoat what has happened. These kids are not delicate flowers that need

coddling. They have lived through hell and are still fighting so they can handle my abruptness.

Harper comes to stand besideonce she is over her initial shock.

“If you know anything that can help find my dad, you need to tell us now,” she calls out to the group, as

determined as | to get answers from them.

“Who put you in charge?” a teen boy with short dark curly hair snorts.

“We did. Do you have a problem with that?” Mason snarls, stepping up to stand withand Harper.

“Look. | know sof you don’t want to be here, but you are. Do you really want to go back to those people who

just buried sof our own alive? My dad was only there to save us from that life, so if you know anything, it's

the least you can do to speak up. He has jet-black hair and was at breakfast this morning with another man. He

then ported sof you back here before the bunker was filled in,” Harper says, and | realise at that moment

just how much she has grown up.

She is no longer a little girl, she is becoming a woman, and she carries the traits and confidence instilled into her

fromand my bonds. She is a leader. My heart swells with pride.

“I didn’t see him, but | did see Mandy and Brent creeping around moments before | was found,” a boy offers.

“I saw them too,” another chimes in.

“Do you know what they were up to?” Harper asks.

“No, | just thought it was odd they hadn't ported out. | thought they were coming back for us, but they ignored

us as if they had another goal,” the first boy says.

“Did you see if they had a syringe?” Deacon asks, and both boys shake their heads.

“Okay, thank you for your help. Did anyone else see anything?” Harper asks.

“I think I heard something,” a familiar voice says, and | barely recognise Harrison now that he has had a chance

to wipe sof the dirt from his face.

“What was it?” | ask him.

“Just before the roof cdown | thought | heard a scuffle, but | can’t be sure,” he says with an apologetic smile.

“Thank you, Harrison,” | nod at him.

“Anyone else?” Harper asks and everyone shakes their heads.

The kids haven't given us any clues as to where Luke might be, but they have given us sinformation that

points more towards a kidnapping than Luke betraying us. | want to make this point to Mason, but now is not the

tfor ‘I told you so’ that can wait until we have Luke back.

“We will find him, Mum,” Harper says softly, taking my hands in hers.

“I'm sorry you have cback to this mess. | had thought everything would be fine now that we had you back,

but we’ve gone from one missing straight to another,” I sigh, doing my best not to cry.

1/2

~ +25 BORUS

Can't you just talk to him? The way you guys do... with your minds,” she whispers, looking around nervously to

make sure no one is listening.

“No. | can’t get through to him,” | admit, but I hold back the part about not being able to feel him at all. | don’t

want her to even consider what that might mean. | can’t even consider it myself.

“Con, we should get home. The kids need to see Harper, and we need to shower and decide what to do

next,” Deacon says and Harper and | both say “No,” at the stime.

“I can’t go back there without Luke. | can’t upset them like that again,” | shake my head.

“I'm not going back either, not until we find him. | can’t lie to my brothers when they ask where he is. Besides,

you're going to need my help with these,” she gestures towards the room full of teens.

“Okay, but we at least need to make scalls, we have to let family know we have Harper at least, and we

have to talk to Luke's parents and tell them what is going on,” Deacon sighs.

| nod and we start making calls. Letting Harper speak to her brothers and her grandparents. Whilst Deacon goes

to pick up Luke’s parents. Dread pools in my stomach at the thought of having to tell them.

The moment Luke’s parents arrive, | know Deacon has already told them, which is a relief. Luke’s mum pulls me

into a hug and breaks down in uncontrollable sobs, which breaks the dam on my own tears. By the twe get

ourselves under control, she is just as filthy as me. The dirt transferring over to her and | know | should shower,

but it’s low on my list of priorities at the moment.

“I'm going to get him back,” | promise his parents.

“We know you will,” one of his dads says.

“We have no doubts,” his mum nods.

/

TIT

“That's if he wants to cback,” Mason says toin the mind link and | scowl at him. | can sense he and | are

going to have a big falling out very soon.

“Cand get Mace away fromand Luke’s parents before things get messy,” | say to Theo in the mind link.

” The last thing we need is for them to hear that certain members of their son’s own bond group are doubting

him.”

“On it,” Theo says and approaches Mason.

Harper returns from her shower and she is quickly embraced by Luke's family, giving them sjoy and hope in

such a worristime. If we can get Harper back, who was powerless and had no way of defending herself,

getting Luke back should be easier.

word

word

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