Callie POV ...
I made sure to keep to the shadows. My red hair was tied into a bun and covered by a black cap. It blended into the darkness and my all-black tights and hoodie made it easier to melt into the night as well. Years of being on the run taught me to be quiet, sneaky, and agile.
When I got to the main center of Kameron's pack grounds, where there was a huge house that I was sure was the packhouse, I froze. Patrol wolves were moving around the house. Many of the lights were off, seeing as it was in the early hours of the morning.
I counted six wolves that I could see. There was enough dark cover to keep me hidden in the shadow. I just needed to remain cautious and move in silence. The patrol worked in sequences-that was one thing I noticed. If I moved when they did and stuck to the shadows, then I knew that I was going to make it past them.
The first wolf moved and I moved with him and went down the path along the side of the house. I made sure to jump over any twigs that had fallen onto the ground and keep to the shrubs so that they could mask my scent.
When I was finally clear of the first wolf, I moved on to the second, and then the third.
Finally, I was on to the last one.
I could see the tree line in the distance. If I was able to get past him, then freedom was only one more stage away. I moved along the shadows, making sure to keep hidden among the odorous undergrowth to stop them from smelling me too easily. I stepped around one of the small bushes that decorated the surrounding area.
My foot landed on a twig and it snapped.
The wolf whipped his head in my direction and I froze. His eyes narrowed in my direction, and I quickly hid behind one of the taller bushes. His eyes began to glow as he used his wolf eyes instead of his human ones. He scanned the area and then went over it again a second and third time. When he was satisfied that there was no intruder, he turned back to patrolling.
I breathed a silent sigh of relief as I stepped back out from the bush and moved through the shadows. I could see the tree line drawing closer and I knew that I was well on my way to being in the clear.
l and no idea what was next after I made it through the woods. I still had to get past the border patrols because I couldn't stay within Kameron's territory-if I did, he would find me and all of this would have been for
nothing.
There was a nagging ache in the center of my chest but I ignored it. My 10 minutes of crying and mourning were over and I needed to move forward.
The Great Pine Pack was not my home. I was a lone wolf; I didn't belong to any pack or anyone. That was how it had been for the last eight years and that was how it was going to continue.
I moved swiftly into the tree line without being detected and made sure to keep my footsteps light.
Thunder boomed in the distance and my spirits lifted. Rain. I smelled the faintest hint of rain in the early evening when Rex wheeled me to Kameron's house. This was exactly what I needed.
The rain would mask my scent from the patrol wolves, giving me enough time to make a swift get away without being noticed. The thunder would also cover my footsteps as I moved along the forest floor. just needed to wait it out a little bit till the rain started pouring. I felt the faintest hint of raindrops on my face, but it wasn't enough to mask my scent yet.
I needed to remain where I was for the time being because if I moved, the border patrol would smell me immediately. I waited for what felt like hours but was most probably less than thirty minutes. When I felt the rain come down harder and the thunder grows angrier, I knew it was time to move.
I weaved through the trees, making sure to keep an eye out for the patrol wolves. There was something familiar about this area that I couldn't place my finger on. It was only when I saw the familiar trees and smelled hazelwood in the air that I realized that this was the same place I crossed over into. This meant that the border was close by.
The closer I got to the edge of Kameron's territory, the heavier my heart felt and the more detached my wolf was becoming. I hated disappointing her and hurting her was the last thing I wanted to do, but this was a necessary evil I had to perform.
***
Kameron POV ...
l jolted awake as the lighting flashed and the thunder shook my windows. I rubbed my sleep-filled eyes and looked at my bedside clock.
3:29 am ...
The sun was still a long way from rising and the majority of the pack wouldn't be getting up at least until 7:30. I laid my head back down on the pillow in hopes of going back to sleep but I couldn't. There was a heaviness on my chest that had not been there before.
I tried to close my eyes, thinking that maybe it had something to do with Flo's arrival in the next few days. But I knew that wasn't it.
My heart was restless and I had a pretty good idea as to what-or, rather, who-was the cause.
Callie.
Her name echoed throughout my mind. My heart picked up its pace as if confirming my suspicions. I looked at my clock again and it read 3:45 am. She was sleeping and Il didn't want to have to wake her up so early in the morning when her wolf was trying to heal.
She needed all the rest that she could get. I would speak with her in the morning. Whatever it was it would wait until then.
I tried to close my eyes again, but every time I did, my mind was plagued with Callie's voice. She sounded panicked and scared. I couldn't shake the restlessness that overtook my heart.
'Kameron!' Her voice sounded so real in my head like she was actually there.
I shot up in my bed, completely shaken. Something was wrong.
I moved in a complete panic unable to think straight. This was all just the stress of everything that happened within the past few days. Callie was fine; she was in her room sleeping and I would barge in there just to see her sleeping form.
I repeated that statement over and over again in my mind. I was fighting the urge to run straight to her room and rip the door open. If she was in her room, which she had to be, and I woke her up, I didn't want her to see the crazed deranged look that was probably in my eyes.
I took a few calming breaths before I left my room and headed down the hall to her door. I moved with haste and ended up in front of her door in less than five seconds.
I knocked on her door and waited. Nothing. I knocked again and waited. Nothing.
"Callie?" | called from behind the door. "It's Kameron. I just wanted to check if you were okay?"
I waited but heard nothing. Maybe she was deep in sleep and couldn't hear me. At least, that was what I was hoping for.
I opened the door slowly, just in case she was in her room and deep in sleep. The light was off in the room, but one very prominent thing was very noticeable.
Callie's bed has not slept in-and the bedroom window was wide open.
"F*ck" I cursed, moving to the window.
I closed my eyes and waited. Her scent came to my nose naturally and then I leaned out of the window and caught the faintest hint of her. It was slight but it was there.
Had she been captured? Images of those wolves I had seen on Byron's border played in my mind. Had they breached my lands?
That wasn't possible; my patrol officers were thorough when it came to the security of the land and especially their alpha's home.
But Byron had also said that his men were the finest patrol officers who wouldn't let a single thing breach the borders.
Someone was going to pay dearly for allowing rogues into my property if my suspicions of Callie being taken were correct. For now, I just needed to focus on finding my mate and bringing her back home.
I rushed out front, not even bothering to put on a shirt or shoes. When I bounded out of the door, the guards stood at attention. The rain was coming down hard and they stood under umbrellas staring at me.
"Alpha Trent, one of my best warriors greeted, "Is something wrong?"
"I need to find the girl who was in my house"
l ordered. "She's missing."
His eyebrows furrowed. "But that's not possible, Alpha. We have been standing guard here for the whole night. We haven't seen anyone come in or out"
"Then you are either terrible at your job or you were outsmarted by a crippled woman"
I seethed. "You are all meant to be some of my best protectors but yet you couldn't detain someone half your size?"
The men shrank back as my wolf tried to push forward. I felt like I was losing my mind. I needed to find her.
I breathed a calming breath and focused my energy on Callie.
"l need four search parties. Each will cover a different border. We need to find this woman and we need to find her alive" l ordered. I turned away from them and started in the direction of the east border.
"Alpha," Trent said from behind me, "What if we see her kidnappers? What do you want us to do with them?"
I looked over my shoulder and said, "Kill them."
With that, I took off in a sprint towards the forest. The only thing on my mind was Callie and her safety.