Cain's POV
"She left, Gabriel. She ran away," Cain said through his link to Gabriel, his wolf.
"You let her slip away. Our mate is carrying our blood," was Gabriel's harsh reply.
"She chose to leave. I won't chase after her," Cain retorted.
"Foolish human. She's in danger. Our pup is in danger," Gabriel growled.
"I won't let anyone harm them," Cain snarled.
"You need to find her. Our link is weak, but I can guide you," Gabriel stated.
"Guide me then, but I won't forgive her," Cain replied through gritted teeth.
"She's our mate. Protecting her is our duty," Gabriel said in a sad, soft tone.
"Duty or not, she'll answer for leaving," Cain ended in a defiant tone.
—------
The journey from Idaho to Chicago unfolded in a whirlwind of last-minute decisions, the urgency of the chase electrifying the air.
"Jace, where exactly did you see her?" I demanded, my words laced with a growl.
"At a children's park a couple of blocks from our hotel," he responded.
Upon reaching their hotel, Jace guided me to the park. I scanned the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, but she remained elusive. Frustration brewed as I activated my enhanced senses, attempting to pick up her scent. An irritated growl echoed through the air when Jace suddenly shouted.
"I caught her scent."
Annoyed at my failure to detect my own mate's scent, I pressed, "What does it smell like?"
"Citrus with strawberry and, uhmmm..." He hesitated.
"And what?" I probed.
He gulped and finished his sentence. "Vanilla."
"Vanilla?"
"Yes, vanilla."
The thought of her potentially carrying another werewolf's child ignited my wolf's fury. I couldn't contain the growl that erupted from me. Whether I could or not was inconsequential—I was upset, and my wolf was downright furious.
Before long, I caught her scent too, leading us to a colossal hotel. Her fragrance mingled with others in the lobby, complicating the search. Defeated in my efforts to isolate her scent, I approached the receptionist.
"Good day, sir. Welcome to The Blackwood Hotel. How may I be of help to you?"
"Is Skylar Cole currently staying here?" I inquired.
"One minute, please." She checked the computer. "Yes, and she's expecting a visitor, which I'm guessing is you?" she said, her eyes fixed on the screen.
"Yeah, she should be expecting me," I replied with a smirk.
"Top floor, room 345," she directed.
"Thanks for the help, Halyna," I said, acknowledging her name tag.
Reaching the top floor, finding room 345 was straightforward. It was the first room on the left side of the hallway. I stood before the door, attuned to any sound within when the opening theme of Family Guy began. Skylar's voice, singing along, echoed through the door.
"It seems today that all you see is violence in movies and sex on TV. But where are those good ol' fashioned values..on which we used to rely? Lucky there's a Family Guy! Lucky there's a man who, positively can do all the things that make us ...Laugh and cry! He's a Family Guuuuuuuuuuuuy!"
As the song ended, her giggle resonated but was abruptly cut short when I knocked on the door. I heard her approaching, the rhythm of her footsteps betraying a mix of surprise and irritation.
"Mariah, I thought I told yo-." She began but halted, looking up to find me standing at her door.
"C-C-Cain," she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Miss me?" I queried, my tone softening. The irony of struggling to recognize her scent churned in my mind, creating an internal conflict that mirrored the turmoil outside the hotel room.