His mate was missing.
He'd failed.
Incredibly and miserably failed and he'd only been an official Alpha for less than an hour when it'd happened.
She had disappeared within a matter of seconds. Vanished from his instincts and swept away like the wind.
He had little explanation of what had happened, he'd been playing a game with her and he'd lost her in the process. He'd let his wolf run him, he could have mated her naturally but he had been craving a shifted mate.
If looking for her didn't kill him then her uncle would. Which at that moment in time, either option was fine with him.
He stared across the meeting table with anger in his eyes as his Beta briefed the rest of table from the past six hours of searches.
“We believe the perpetrator has been watching Crest closely. Perhaps moving in amongst the dead time on the territory, waiting for his next opportunity to attack. This came in the form of Ella--”
Braxton's eyes snapped to Aaron and beta cleared his throat.
“Your Luna, which means we will not be taking no as answer this time, our guard will not be dropped again. We believe now he could be after Crest's territory and pack, this could be invasion tactics...”
Braxton stopped listening, tapping his fingers on the desk top, he'd been done with the meeting, much before it'd begun but now he was indefinably done with it. He wanted to be back out looking for his mate, as searching for her came above all else. Aaron had pointed out several times though, that forming tactful plans and widening their searches were dire to brining Daniella home and that was all he wanted. So he sat, as Aaron went on and formed new search plans.
The last final word was to come from Braxton and the table turned to him in silence.
He stood, realizing the meeting had finished and said, “I don't care who it is or what it is, if you find my mate or her blood on him, he's slaughtered on site.”
#
Aaron paced in his shifted wolf on the snow covered ground. This new snow fall is too heavy to scent through.
Braxton growled, his head low as he stood facing away from his beta. It's not impossible.
You're right. Not impossible, just difficult. Aaron was shaping up to be a meticulous Beta, one Braxton had been expecting but now their rein all depended on if they found Daniella. He knew his best friend wasn't taking the situation lightly.
Aaron pawed the snow, shoving his muzzle to the frozen ground beneath. A few short puffs of his hot breath were the only sound in the unearthly silence.
Braxton hadn't moved and he didn't dare, he was waiting for Aaron to alert to something of promise.
The Beta lifted his head with a sway, shaking the snow from his fur. Nothing.
This is exhausting my patience. Braxton growled, now taking his first few steps. There must be something!
There's no way he was after just Ella. He is attacking Crest.
I get that, Aaron. Braxton begun to walk back into the thick underbrush of the lush forrest. Even in winter, Maine's costal trees stayed hydrated and thick. He moved in and out of the low branches and bushes, finding a clear path where ever possible.
Aaron trailed behind. I wasn't trying to insult you.
I know. I'm afraid of what's happened to her.
They both ascended a mountain side and Braxton took the fastest exit, a steep slope, which ended with a padded stop in the snow. If not given the circumstances, it might have been classified as fun, but with his mate missing, fun would not be in the cards till her return.
He understood more than ever his father's grim outlook on life, it would have been impossible to enjoy even something simple with a mate dead.
The hours of searching turned up with nothing and he felt like he was missing something. It should not have been possible to disappear. They were shifters, wolves enhanced with smell and sight, the ability to stalk and attack to a higher level than any other on the planet. So why was it he was being fooled, coming up short... it made him livid.
He shifted on the back deck beside a stone encased change room, where he slipped into the pressed beige slacks and white t-shirt.
Though the house was warm and a welcome comfort, he was unable to appreciate it.
The spiced scent of cinnamon and hot sugars filled his senses as he walked bare-foot into the kitchen, where his mother was baking.
He opened the fridge and found the jug of milk, not feeling like he deserved the cold beverage.
Azalea had already turned toward him but had not spoke. The entire pack was on edge around him, he felt like he really had adapted the role of Gale Hall.
“Someone called.”
“Who?” He had just finished the glass of milk when his mother spoke.
“Colten Turner.”
The thumping in his chest he recognized as panic, but he tried not to let it show.
“It's Christmas, Braxton, they want to talk to her.”
“That's going to be a bit hard.” He dropped the empty glass to the sink.
“Are you going to tell him?”
“If you're okay with me dying, then yes I will tell him.”
Azalea sighed. “He cannot be that big of a--”
“Personally, Mom, if I was kidnapped while at my new pack, wouldn't you be coming to hunt them down.”
“Maybe he will help...”
“After he kills me.” Braxton finalized. “If he calls again, tell him we went away for Christmas.”
“You're making a mistake.” Azalea snapped right before he had a chance to flee the kitchen.
He spun to his mother, anger coursing his veins. “Don't question me--”
“As much as you want to believe you're an alpha, you lost your mate, so until she's back – I think we should be appointing new leadership.”
“Are you out of your mind!”
“Don't get upset. Jay suggested it.”
Braxton fumed, the thought of his mother taking an opinion from a lesser male made irritated him more than he could express. “Gale is still missing and now Daniella, and you want to appoint another that has no alpha blood?”
“I'm trying to help you.”
He didn't believe that for a moment, his mother had never actively tried to help him except when it benefited her. Now that he was screwing up, she obviously didn't want the embarrassment.
“You're trying to help Jay.” He clarified in a cut throat tone.
She scoffed, “I didn't say it would be Jay.”
“Haven't you ever thought about the fact that you may have a mate--”
“What does that have to do with anything, Braxton?”
She wasn't going to be able to understand what he meant, so he decided to drop it. “I'm not going to willingly give up alpha, so whoever wants it, will have to challenge me just like any other outsider.” He turned sharply, heading toward the staircase which lead to his room. He didn't expect to sleep, he just needed to regroup and start the searches again.
#
“Braxton!”
He woke in his bed, his arm across his face and the forestry map across his lap. Sleeping hadn't been an option, but his body had won.
“Braxton!” It was Aaron and he didn't sound himself.
He threw the map to the messy quilts and walked to the door, unlocking and opening it quickly.
His beta almost fell into him on the other side but caught himself on the door frame. He was panting and Braxton felt the news coming. Then he heard it, in the form of his mother's tears.
“Tell me!” He almost shouted.
Aaron winced. “They've been killed.”
“Who!”
“The second search party.”
Braxton paused, “That was Jay's.”
Aaron nodded, “And this.” He held up a wrinkled piece of plain paper. “They, it or whatever – is playing with us.”
Braxton snatched the note from him and flipped it open.
Cease your searching.
The more you come after her.
The more I'll kill of you.
#
It smelt of musky dirt and pungent rot. She recognized the scent of deep earth and as her eyes opened, she was overwhelmed with dark. The panic that coursed through her, drove her to her feet but when she tried to stand, shackles on her ankles made her fall back to the cold ground.
This time she not only smelled but tasted the soil beneath her.
Focusing to see, no matter how hard she tried she was surrounded in complete darkness.
Her memory was a fog and she tried to recall the moments leading to her captivity. Someone had done this to her, the stinging cold metal around her legs was enough proof but why she'd hadn't been saved yet was the question.
The thoughts of her whereabouts frightened her and it made her scream aloud as she tried to move across the dirt, clawing her way to a stone wall.
She was actually in a legitimate cave.
“Help!” This time forming actual words with her screaming.
Would she die here? The thought crossed the darkest places in her mind. Generally not one to look on the bad-side of things, it was hard not to when all she could do was hear herself shouting for help.
“Please! Help!” She tried once more, before falling quiet.
That was when she heard a muffled groan.
A groan meant life, meant someone was there, whether good or bad – at that time, she didn't care.
“Hello?” She whispered out into the frozen air.
More groaning. This time is sounded closer.
Someone was there and so she started to army crawl. Searching the wide open ground for life.
“Please don't kill me, please don't kill me.” Chanting her way through the venture, it helped calm herself. She suddenly felt the touch of skin on her outreached fingertips and withdrew.
“Hello?”
There was a shuffle and more groaning. “Why don't you just end this!”
She stilled, sucking back her breath so she could take in what she'd just heard.
“Hey!”
She scampered away from him, his voice was enough to scare her and now that she was so close, she smelt the alpha all over him.
Which meant --
“You're a coward...” His deep voice was laced with pain.
“I don't want to kill you.” She breathed out the words and silence enveloped the room, just like when she'd woken up.
“Who's that?”
Maybe his senses were diluted, she must have smelt like a female and whoever had put them in this place, was not female.
“I defiantly didn't put you here.” Ella said.
“Who are you!” He demanded.
She tried to move away but his hand grabbed ahold of her nearest wrist and tugged her along the ground till she could feel his laboured breath on her face.
Moving close to her, he took a long inhale.
She too took that moment to scent him, not able to exactly place what it was about him that was so familiar, he was still recognizable.
He grabbed her shoulder suddenly and in a low voice asked, “Who are you?”
“Daniella Turner...” She barely got out.
“From what pack!” He wasn't asking anymore.
“F-forenone – well...”
“What!” He hadn't let her go and he used the opportunity to shake her to make his point clear.
“I guess not anymore.” She wasn't sure if she should give a stranger so much information, would her mate or uncle have approved?
He growled. “You smell like Crest.”
She tensed.
“I'm going to ask you once more, who are you?”
Ella whimpered at the thought of telling him what she was, but if he knew Crest... Her eyes went wide and she whispered, “Are you Gale?”