SWNOVELS Chapter 39
Silence is deafening.
It is all-consuming.
My mind tries to link with Andrew for the hundredth time, but there is nothing.
If there is anything I would wish upon my worst enemy it would not be this. The feeling of helplessness and complete uselessness Hunter and Andrew have been gone for more than two hours and I cannot communicate with either one of them.
I called Hunter and Andrew’s cell but there is no answer. At first, I tried calming myself but this has gone on for far too long. They would be back by now and since there is no news about them my insides churn and I feel sick to my stomach.
Zipping up my jacket I get out of the house I am done pacing. I am about to walk to the door when “Alpha!” Stops me in my tracks and I turn to come face to face with the cook.
“What?” I snap it is my agitation and worry that makes me lose it with her.
“We all know that something must have happened to Alpha Hunter and Andrew since none of us can get hold of Andrew and Alpha Hunter isn’t with you.” Her worried eyes speak volumes that I do not want to admit to myself.
The pack must find it weird that Andrew and Hunter are not with me so they know that something is wrong. I am never without one by my side.
I sigh and look over at her, “I can’t get hold of them either.”
“I ask an old friend of mine to come and maybe help you with this.” She gestures for me to give a moment to elaborate.
An old friend? Why would she do that?
“Who is your friend?” What if they want more than I can offer?
“He's a tracker. He can tracks down anyone that you want to find which is his specialty. His name is Trent. He’ll be here in a couple of minutes.”
A tracker? Should I trust a stranger with finding Hunter and Andrew?
"Does he know that Hunter is an alpha and that Andrew is my beta?" I narrow my eyes at her. The cook shakes her head.
"I asked him that you're looking for two good friends of yours." An injured alpha is like a gold mine in these parts. If he wants to get his hands on Hunter he will have to go through me.
We need as much help as we can get. You don’t know the first thing about tracking.
True.
“Thank you.” She turns around and walks into the kitchen. Just then there is a knock at the door. I open it and there is a male in his early thirties standing there.
“Alpha Blake?” He looks at me unsure.
“That’s me,” I say sarcastically, everything seems to be hitting a nerve today.
“I’m Trent, the tracker, here at your service,” he is tan with dark wavy brown hair and brown eyes.
“I am looking for two but most likely more people,” I state remembering that Angie and Ken are with them but I have no idea of how to get hold of them.
“That’s fine I need something to connect me to them.” He looks at me and I stare back unsure of what he is asking, “I need something with their scent.”
“Well, you can probably get Andrew’s scent from the couch pillows since he seems to always be there and Hunter...I have his beanie.”
I signal for him to give me a minute and I run upstairs and straight into my bedroom. Upon entering I see the second box that Hunter sent and I never opened. I grab it and open it up. There is a note on top and it reads:
Dear Melany,
This is a picture of me when I was younger. When life was not so complicated and it seems that I was just happy to be a teen and do what I want. Andrew gave me a picture of you when you were younger and it helped me through some long nights so I am giving you the same token hopefully it is helpful.
Yours truly,
Alpha Adrian Hunter
I put down the note and look at the box. The picture is a dark wooden frame with a young-looking Hunter.
It seems as if he is laughing at something and then is caught off guard by the picture. The picture caught a genuinely happy moment and I feel my heart tighten.
“Oh, Hunter where are you?” It comes out a sob and I swallow down my emotions. I cannot break down right now. I need to be strong for them.
I place the picture on my nightstand and open my dresser to get Hunter’s beanie. I run downstairs and see Trent waiting for me at by the door. “Let’s go!”
Trent decides that we need to stay on the main road so we stay in human form as we run down the road towards the club.
I would rather be in my wolf form but that makes it more dangerous running into humans. Trent keeps sniffing the beanie as I breathe through my nose trying to catch one of their scents.
I catch Hunter’s scent but that is not all. There are sirens and talking as well. Trent looks over at me as he catches their scent as well. I run towards the noise and Hunter’s scent gets stronger.
The scene in front of me makes my stomach uneasy. There are people gathered around the tape trying to see anything. There is a wrecked car that crashed into a tree and my Jeep with all the doors open just left there. The scene is roped off and the cops are sniffing around.
“Is that their car?” Trent asks.
“It’s mine.” He nods.
“Do you smell that? Blood...” My wolf takes a deep breath and it smells of Hunter.
Oh no!
He’s fine, he is fine, he has to be fine.
“That belongs to one of them,” I say to Trent as I cover my nose not wanting to smell it anymore.
“An alpha,” he remarks.
“Yes Alpha Hunter,” I stare at the scene before me and cannot help but feel angry.
“Take a deeper breath,” I do as he says and there are many more scents. Andrew, Ken, Angie...and rogues. I take another breath there were at least seven of them.
“Rogues,” I hiss.
“Not just any rogues but the bloody rogues that have taken the southern mountain terrain,” he smells again.
“The what?”
“The pack is the most notorious, violent, and ruthless rogue packs on this side of the hemisphere. Your friends must have done something to piss them off or they want something and they can help them get it.”
“So they are still alive?” I ask hopefully.
“I believe so but we need to move it we don’t have much time.”
Trent takes one last look around and nods his head towards the woods and runs off into the trees with me behind him.
Trent runs through the trees as if he knows exactly where he is going.
“I’ve had a lot of training which means that I don’t have to stop and smell the scent as often as a newbie, and I know how to hold on to the smell that way I don’t get lost.” The cold air runs through my hair and my hands start to feel numb as we make our way through the trees.
Trent grabs my arm and stops me in my tracks. His eyes dart around.
“What?” I ask.
“They’re close by it seems that one of your friends is putting up a fight. Alpha Blake, we are going to need as many people on our side. These wolves are willing to kill whoever gets in their way. A dead alpha is like gold to them.”
I nod I have never sent out for a pack attack in my life so I need concentrate.
One of our allies and two pack members are in danger we need to help them.
The buzzing comes in loud and clear.
We’re on our way.
I cannot just stand there and do nothing I pace as I wait for the pack to make their way towards us.
The scream makes my flesh fill with goosebumps.
Andrew’s voice makes its way to us, “Don’t hurt her!”
“Stay here and wait for my pack I need to help them.”
Trent looks at me unsure but everyone knows not to go against an alpha. I run up a hill and see a lot of people surrounding my friends.
Andrew and Ken are tied together and a rogue she-wolf has Angie by her throat holding her up in the air. Angie struggles to breathe. She kicks at her and tries to scratch at her face but nothing helps.
Hunter is a lump in the ground next to Andrew and Ken.
“Leave her alone.” Andrew tries to push himself up but Ken seems to be hurt badly.
The she-wolf throws Angie on the floor as she whimpers keeping her face close to the ground.
A male rogue walks over to Andrew there is an evil gleam in his eyes.
“Can’t you protect your girlfriend?” He says his voice reminds me of nails on a chalkboard.
The male leans close to Andrew’s face and Andrew spits in his face. The man growls his movement is quick as his leg swings back and then flies forward with speed and force his foot connects with Andrew’s cheek. His body flings like a rag doll to the side.
Andrew groans as his face smash against the ground. Ken topples over Andrew as he struggles to breathe, the bruises against his ribs indicate that he might have some broken ribs.
“Andrew!” My voice falters but at the same time, my wolf is surfacing as well.
“Finally,” the male rogue turns to look at me. His blood-red eyes land on me and it is as if I am looking at death right in the face. "She's here!"
They wanted me.
Well, I am here now.