Chapter 31 - Blood
Nathaniel Black
I had had a sleepless night thanks to the mark on my neck burned, in fact both marks burned. They were both Alice’s marks, staining my skin like silver, making me and hers and I wasn’t even made that she had somehow marked me again. I was mad that she wasn’t safe, that I couldn’t keep her safe.
The pack was livid, everyone was on high alert and every single warrior and guard across the entire pack was looking for her. However there was one thing I knew, I knew that she hadn’t crossed the pack boundary, because I had never lifted the command from her. I had regretted it when she came back to me, I had thought about lifting it but I now was thankful I hadn’t.
She was still here, I knew it. I could feel it in my bones.
Jamie walked back into my office and let out an exhausted sigh, sitting down on the couch next to me, “the teams up North found nothing, no tracks because of the snow, no scents or fingerprints. They said that the bedroom looked like it had been trashed and some bleach looked like it had been poured on some blood.”
“That would be theirs,” I growled, “Alice managed to get a couple of kicks and punches in.”
Jamie nodded and they grey bags under his eyes told me he hadn’t slept since I came back. The grim scowl on his face told me he hadn’t eaten either, “go home Jamie,” I growled, “there is nothing you can do right now.”
“It’s fine Nate,” he sighed, rubbing his face, “I was in charge, I don’t know how they slipped into the pack, but they did, and it’s on my head.”
“And I was sleeping next to her,” I said looking up at him, “I couldn’t even protect me own mate.”
“Can you feel her? Do you know where she might be?” He asked, but we both knew.
I shook my head, “she’s still alive, I know that much,” I sighed as I clasped my shaking hand in the other, “but they didn’t know she was my mate, they called her the white wolf. I jumped a little as Jamie placed his hand on my shoulder, I wasn’t used to having my wolf suppressed like this, I longed for the comfort he would provide me, for the strength he gave me.
“We’ll find her,” Jamie said, trying to reassure me.
“I wonder if this is what it has been like for her?” I said looking at him, “to be separate from your wolf, to not feel whole, to feel empty and weak.”
Jamie swallowed uncomfortable and stood up, “I think it’s time you had your next blood transplant.”
* * * * * * * * * *
I could hear their voices echoing through my head, like soft whispers inaudible and not clear. Staying on the hospital bed, I just listened, listened to the voices filling my mind, I could hear Jamie’s voice and some guards, I thought I heard Alice’s name, but perhaps I was listening too hard for it.
“Alpha Black, Beta Jamie says that they caught a scent of the Luna,” a nurse said, stepping into the room. “They think she’s in Eastern Central.”
My eyes flew open, and I pulled the cord out of my arm, making the nurse flinch as the needle came free of my skin and blood continued to drip from the tube, “tell him I’ll meet him there,” I growled as I pushed my way past her.
I sauntered down the hallway of the hospital and quickly out the front doors, towards the pack house and my office. I was after three things, revenge, car keys and that dammed silver knife. Two of the three things could be found on my desk, and I strapped the blade to my thigh like Alice had once done, I didn’t want to take any chances in my current state - and I had seen Alice wound and kill many with this blade. I planned to be able to do the same, in fact I planned to inflict so much more pain.
As I exited my office, Gina stood at the other end of the hallway, standing too cockily, too defiantly. I had hoped she had nothing to do with this, but the rock in my stomach told me she had her hands over this, I should have never told her that Alice was the White Wolf. I sauntered down the hallway towards, her confidence shrinking as I sauntered closer and closer, “where is she?” I spat.
Gina swallowed as I towered over her, “I don’t know what you’re taking about,” she lied.
A growl ripped from my lips which surprised me, but I was happy that the connection to my wolf was still there, no matter how weak. She jumped at the growl and took a couple of steps backwards as I grabbed at her neck, another growl ripping from my lips.
“Where is my mate.”
She grasped at my hand around her neck, “your mate? I thought-” she stopped and looked up at me, the sudden realization setting in. “She’s your mate.”
Another growl ripped from my lips, and I cast her to the side, I didn’t have time for this, I needed to find Alice, it had already been a day – a day too long. Grabbing her by her hair, I dragged her down the staircase and into the dungeons, despite her protests and screams.
“Lock her up,” I growled as I shoved her towards one of the guards, “call me if she speaks of the Luna.”
She tried to grasp at me, but I stepped out of the way, “be lucky I have to killed you,” I hissed, and I walked away. I let my hand rest on the silver knife as I headed for the garage – perhaps I had been too harsh on her, after all, I couldn’t know for sure that she had been involved. Pushing the thought out of my mind I hoped into one of my cars and roared out of the garage and down the street.
It would take me five hours to pass into Eastern Central, another two from their to get to the pack house. I looked down at my phone and called Jamie, hoping he would pick up, or actually have his phone on him. I needed to know more, what did they know?
“Hey mate, how are you going?” Jamie said and I exhaled as he answered and I chucked the phone on speaker and placed it on my lap as I drove out of the city.
“I’m driving towards Eastern Central now,” I said, “what did you find?”
“The Betas down here think they picked up her scent, I came down with Patricia to confirm. It’s her alright, but it’s weak.”
I could have sworn my heart was going to burst out of my chest, “let me know, keep me updated.”
“Of course,” he replied, “how are you?”
“A bit better, but still like shit,” I grumbled as I turned onto the highway.”
“I’ll get Pet to call if we find anything, okay?”
“Okay.”
The drive was long, and I only stopped when Jamie called, telling me that they hadn’t fond anything, nothing but her scent lingering in a few places. The worry and sickness steeping into my bones as I leapt out of the car and hurled the last meal I ate onto the side of the road. They could have taken a piece of her clothing and waved it around the city, that’s all it could have been. How could she be no where?