Adriano's POV
It's been a day and still no sign of my little runaway mate. I could've sworn I smelt her scent by the mountain, but I thought it strange that her scent leads to a dead-end at the foot of the mountain. Not only that but for a split second, I caught her smell higher up the mountain again inside a cave. But, as soon as I entered the cave, her scent went missing again as if she just vanished into thin air.
Maybe our little mate is more than meets the eye?
You might be right, Daco. It's not every day you come across a wolf that could mask their scent completely. It's a rare power.
Indeed. But it's still strange as to why she ran away. Do you think she doesn't like us?
I'm not sure, but I'll have to find out. Something tells me it wasn't just my appearance sending her into a wild run.
Do you think it might have something to do with her pack?
Yes. Yes, I do. Did you hear the way the people were talking about her? The way Alpha Wann lied about who she truly was?
Hmm. There's more to this story than it seems.
Yes, and I'm going to find out what it is.
With that said, Nox remains silent as I continue to stare at the forest from the packhouse patio. The forest seems quiet. It seems to be the only peaceful thing right now.
I look around me only to see wolves training on the training grounds, children running about playing with each other and the trackers coming from the forest...wait...The trackers!
My full attention diverts to them as they near the packhouse. Hopefully this time with some helpful information. The last time they came to say that they lost her scent. At first, I didn't believe them, but after I went to track her myself, they were proven to be correct.
As they passed me into the mansion, they all greeted me courteously before entering the house. I followed them because I wanted to know their newly discovered information.
They enter Alpha Wenn's study and I follow suit going in after all of them have entered. As soon as Alpha Wenn saw me, he greeted me with a handshake.
"Alpha Adriano. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit in my study?"
"I'd also like to know about their newly discovered information."
"Ah, I see, well," Alpha Wenn turns his attention to the trackers, "do carry on. We'd like to hear what you found."
"Alpha Wenn," one of the trackers step forward and bow his head in respect, "we indeed lost her scent. She's no longer in our reach and thus no longer on pack grounds."
"Well, we already know that! Give us something to work with here!"
"We got a hint as to where she might be."
"Don't keep me waiting. Get to the point!"
"One of our local friends in Los Angeles spotted a girl with the same features as Nadira. Saying he saw a girl with long brown hair with a ginger head girl shopping for clothes."
"Impossible. Nadira doesn't even have money. It can't be her."
"Not only that Alpha, but the girl who supposedly could be Nadira was wearing a wine-red tube top with a black high waist knee ripped jeans and a pair of black ankle-strap heels."
Alpha Wenn sighs, "So much more reason as to not believe that is Nadira. She was wearing that excuse of a maid outfit when she went on the run from the party. Who would possibly be as kind as to offer the girl some other clothes and hide her off."
"Alpha," another one of the trackers steps forward, "we have reason to believe that Nadira shifted while on the run."
"WHAT?!"
"Yes, Alpha. We found the maid outfit, or at least what was left of it, on the ground where her footprints end and then wolf footprints emerge from the material pile further into the forest where we tracked the footprints to the bottom of the mountain where her scent disappeared."
"That's impossible. Nadira couldn't change. She doesn't even train with the rest of the wolves so who told her how to transform and control herself?"
"We don't know Alpha. It might as well be that last night was the first time she changed."
"If so, then she is as good as dead. No one will help her and she will soon lose herself to her wolf and become a wild animal. A threat to us all."
There fell a heavyweight of silence into the room. No one dared to speak up until one of the trackers cleaned his throat.
"Then what do you suggest we do, Alpha?"
I look at Alpha Wenn. He looks deep in thought rubbing his hand over his chin continuously. He sighs dreadfully before answering.
"Well, I would have really wanted that little minx for myself some or other time but she's going to be of no use to me now."
"What are your plans, Alpha?"
"Well, for starters, I would like you to find her. I don't care how long it takes you, just find the damned girl and bring her here."
"Understood, Alpha."
"Secondly, if you bring her back," he looks up and stares maliciously into the poor soul of the guy, "tie her to the white oak."
"Alpha, you don't mean to say..."
"Yes," he gives a slight pause, "she's going to be our offering."
The tracker looks shocked about the new information but nods his head and he and his buddies leaves the room. I remain standing in the same position, because I'm trying not to let Nox emerge to the surface. I don't have the time nor the ability to clean up his mess if he goes into a killing rampage. They're planning on harming my mate. OUR MATE!
My eyes flicker from my usual brownish colour to the golden orbs of Nox and then back again. Nox is giving me a hard time not to shift.
WHY WON'T YOU LET ME OUT!
Nox, if I let you out, they'll know I have a weakness. That WE have a weakness. If they find out that it's her, we're putting her life at more risk than it already is. Not only will the trackers of Alpha Wenn be after her, but also other wolves and hunters all to get to us. You know we can't risk that.
BUT THEY PLAN ON KILLING HER ADRIANO!
I know! I know! We'll figure something out. Just calm down, please. We'll figure something out.
ADRIANO, THEY'RE GOING TO KILL HER! THEIR GOING TO KILL US!
NOX! Enough! Calm down. They're not going to kill her. Not if I can help it.
You better keep to you're words Adriano. If she dies, you'll know what will happen.
Yes, I do. Now please, calm down and let me handle things.
Nox doesn't say anything back so I take it as his approval. After I calmed down as well, I turn to Alpha Wenn who's already waiting to talk to me.
"How may I be of service, Alpha?"
"This girl you're looking for, who is she really to you? Why is it so important to send your best trackers after her?"
"Alpha, you're mistaken. She is of no importance to me. She embarrassed us in front of you and she's been very disobedient. She's a threat if we let her run wild."
"Oh, I see. She's of no importance yet she doesn't practice with the other wolves, it came as a shock to you that the trackers told you she's shifted and no Alpha in his right mind would send his best troups to search for a girl of no importance."
I can see that Alpha Wenn is starting to look uncomfortable looking around for another excuse to use. I'm sick of playing his games!
"Come clean Alpha. Who. Is. She?"
I could see him swallow cautiously while diverting his eyes. He doesn't seem like he wants to speak. Well, if I have to, I'll force the information out of him.
"SPEAK!"
"I'm sorry that I lied to you Alpha. I didn't mean to."
"Who. Is. She?!"
"She's our adoptive daughter."
"You mean to tell me that you treat her like a slave, enslaving her to the house and forbidding her to train with the rest of the other wolves like your daughters do?"
"Yes, Alpha."
I want to kill him so badly right now. He treats her like she's nothing. I wonder how much suffering she had to go through in this pack because of them.
"Why? If she's your adoptive daughter that means you cared enough for her to take her into your care. What happened now?"
"We didn't adopt her because we wanted to. She stumbled into our grounds one night. She was fragile, almost just bones. Qua took her in and took care of her. We adopted her because she was packless. We gave her a place to stay and food to eat. We didn't love her. We only did it because Qua felt too bad to send her back out again."
"How old was she when that happened?"
"She was about 3."
I walk around the room with my hands folded. As I do this, Alpha Wenn's eyes never left me. He was waiting for my response, I know that. But I didn't know what to say. I was clueless for the first time in my life.
"I see," was all I managed to get out. I hated the fact that they treated her so unfairly all her life here. I just wanted to be with her right now, tell her I'm here, but I can't. She needs to be kept safe in my sight but far away from my heart. That way, I can keep her safe. She's not safe with me. Being with me will only cause her harm.
I straigthen myself up and look at Alpha Wenn. He looks puzzled. Like he's trying to put my pieces together but failing doing so.
"Well, Alpha Wenn, I bid you a due."
"Are traveling back north again, Alpha?"
"Yes. I only came to congratulate you after all. I hope you the best for your live forward."
"Thank you, Alpha. Please, allow me to escort you out."
"No need. I could do so myself. As it seems to me, you're going to be too busy so good luck with that."
"Thank you, Alpha."
With that said, I walk out of his office while mindlinking my driver that I'm ready to leave. I move out straight out of the pack house and into the car, but before I could climb in, someone grabs my arm. I'm caught off guard but when I see who it is, I just stand there standing at her.
"Are you leaving?"
"What does it concern you whether I leave or not, Arilyn?"
"Did I not please you last night, Adriano?"
"I'm Alpha Adriano to you and no. We merely shared one dance. There's nothing between us and neither will there ever be."
Arilyn looks completely shocked but keeps clinging to my arm. I take the initiative to remove her hands from my arm and climb into the car. Once I closed the door, I look at my driver in the rearview mirror.
"Drive."
He nods his head and drove off into the forest which we came in from.
"Where to, Alpha?"
"Los Angeles," I say while looking out of the window. I'm coming for you mate. I'm coming for you.