Chapter 16

Carlisle stared at Asher, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You want to buy the entire town?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Asher merely nodded, his expression calm and determined. "Yes. This place has potential, more than you can imagine."

They walked into the small, dimly lit lobby of the hotel, where a sleepy-eyed man at the counter barely acknowledged their presence. He handed over two keys with a yawn, gesturing vaguely towards the staircase. The bellboy, a lanky teenager with a disinterested look, shuffled over to collect their luggage.

As they began making their way towards the stairs, Carlisle couldn’t hold back his curiosity any longer. "But why, Alpha? Why buy a whole town in the middle of nowhere?"

Asher glanced over at him, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Do you know the history of this place?"

Carlisle shook his head. "Not really. Just that it’s isolated, and there’s not much going on here."

Asher’s tone became more serious as he explained, "Eighty years ago, the last wolf pack of Alaska was destroyed. Alpha Rex, who was in charge of them, went insane and endangered not only his pack but also the entire supernatural community in this area. The council had no choice but to step in and eradicate the pack. They were primitive, living in complete isolation. No one’s established a new pack here since."

Carlisle listened intently, his confusion slowly giving way to understanding. "So, you’re thinking of setting up a new pack here? But why now?"

"With the packs thriving in the mainland," Asher continued, "we need a place to send the redeemable rogues. Somewhere far away, where they can start fresh rather than facing execution. This town is perfect for that—remote, forgotten, and with no pack interference. We can build something new here, something that could benefit our kind in the long run."

Carlisle nodded slowly as the pieces began to fit together in his mind. "So, the trip isn’t just about acquiring mines. It’s about laying the groundwork for a new beginning."

"Exactly," Asher confirmed. "But we need to be sure it’s safe for wolves. There could be other beings around—vampires, werecats, or who knows what else. We’ll investigate the forest tonight during our run. If there’s anything out there, we’ll find it."

"And you’re sure nothing dangerous turned up in your initial investigation?"

Asher shook his head. "Nothing so far, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be cautious. We’ll explore every inch of that forest tonight. But first, we need to rest and get some food."

"Understood. Let’s get settled in, then."

***

Asher’s powerful legs propelled him forward through the dense underbrush, as a wolf he weaving effortlessly between the towering trees. The summer night was alive with the sounds of the forest—crickets chirping, leaves rustling in the warm breeze, the distant hoot of an owl. The forest floor was soft beneath his paws, the scents of earth and pine filling his nostrils as he pushed himself faster, harder.

Suddenly, Asher’s pace quickened, his head snapping up as he caught an unexpected scent in the air. It was faint at first, just a whisper on the breeze, but it was enough to send a shock of recognition through him. His heart pounded as he inhaled deeply, the scent growing stronger—sweet, enticing, utterly irresistible.

Without a second thought, Asher surged forward, his focus narrowed to a single point. Carlisle called out behind him, his voice tinged with confusion and concern, but Asher barely registered it. He knew that scent, knew it with a certainty that shook him to his core.

He tore through the forest, the world around him a blur as he followed the trail, his wolf instincts in full control. The scent led him deeper into the woods, into a part of the forest they hadn’t yet explored. It was wild and untamed, the trees growing thicker, the shadows darker.

Finally, Asher reached a dense thicket, a tangled mass of undergrowth that blocked his path. He skidded to a halt, his claws digging into the soft earth as he frantically searched for the scent. It was still there, lingering in the air, but it was fading, slipping away as quickly as it had come.

"No," Asher growled.

He scOliviad the area, his eyes glowing in the darkness, his breath coming in heavy bursts. But there was nothing—no sign of anyone, no movement, no trace of the source of that intoxicating scent.

Carlisle finally caught up, shifting back to human form as well, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. "Asher, what the hell—"

Asher cut him off, his voice tight with frustration. "It was her, Carlisle. My mate. I could scent her."

Carlisle’s eyes widened in shock. "Are you sure? Here, in this forest?"

"I’m sure," Asher replied, his gaze still locked on the thicket in front of him. But the scent was gone, as if it had never been there at all. She had slipped through his fingers.

"But where did she go?" Carlisle asked, looking around as if expecting someone to appear from the shadows.

Asher shook his head, a deep growl rumbling in his chest. "I don’t know. But I’ll find her. I have to."

"But you said there were no other wolves in this area ?"

Asher’s eyes narrowed as he scOliviad the surroundings, his senses on high alert. "There shouldn’t be," he muttered.

"It means the information that I got was wrong."

Carlisle nodded, though his heart was heavy with uncertainty. "Whatever you say, Alpha."

As they turned back towards the town, Asher’s thoughts were consumed by the scent he had caught, by the overwhelming certainty that his mate was close. And this time, he wouldn’t let her slip away.

***

Olivia landed lightly on the wooden floor of her bedroom, her breath coming in rapid, shallow gasps. She quickly shifted back into her human form, but her heart was still pounding in her chest. A shiver of anxiety ran through her. Asher was here.