Don't Flew Away, Little Wolf

Nolan:

Five damn months chasing shadows, and I had nothing to show for it but a pile of dead ends and a head full of one girl.

Marius slammed my office door open, breathing hard. “Boss, we got a break.”

“Where is she?” I was up in a second.

“Not her. But we found out why Taylor is losing his mind trying to find her. And why he killed her dad.” He dumped a folder on my desk, photos sliding everywhere.

I snatched one. It was a woman with silver hair, almost glowing. “Who's this?”

“Her mother. And she's not dead, she's been hiding deep in the Locked Forest this whole time.”

“Her mom's alive?” I stared at him. “I thought she died years ago.”

“So did everyone. That was a lie. And her mom is a full-blooded fae,” Marius said, his voice dropping.

The world tilted. “So that means…”

“Lycan, Fae blood is like winning the lottery on the black market. For shifters, it's a super-drug. It gives you strength, crazy healing, can even make you live longer. Some say it can break powerful curses.” Marius looked dead serious.

It all clicked into place. “Taylor knows what she is.”

“Of course he knows. We heard his men talking. They're already searching the Locked Forest for the mother. He figures if he grabs her, the daughter will have no choice but to come running back to save her.”

“And then he's got them both,” I finished, my hands curling into fists. The pieces were falling into a disgusting picture. “He can't just take her back after exiling her, not without looking weak. So he needs to trap her. Force her to come to him.”

“Exactly. Then he can do whatever he wants. Harvest their blood, force them to have powerful kids... with Taylor, it would be all of the above. It's a nightmare.”

A rage so pure and hot flashed through me that Marius actually took a step back. I felt my control snap for a second before I forced it down, locking it away into something cold and sharp.

“Sir, we can send our own team into the forest. If we're fast, we can-“

“No.” I cut him off. “Pull everyone out of the forest. Now.”

Marius stared, confused. “What? Why?”

“Think about it. If this girl is half-Fae and she's smart enough to stay hidden for five months, she'd know her mother is the biggest target. Would she ever risk leading Taylor right to her?”

“....No. She wouldn't.”

“Exactly. So she's not in the forest. She's somewhere Taylor, a proud pack Alpha, would never even think to look. Somewhere she could just vanish.” I looked back at him, the plan crystal clear in my mind. “She's in the human world.”

Marius’s eyes lit up. “Of course. The human world. No territories, no pack politics... her scent would be lost in a city of millions. She could be anyone.”

“Exactly. Get everyone looking there. Big cities where a young woman could blend in. Check shelters, cheap hotels, any place you can rent with cash.” I was already scrolling on my phone, my mind racing. “She’s been gone five months. She’s either figured something out, or…”

I didn’t let myself finish that thought.

“On it. I’ll get the teams started right now.” Marius gathered the papers but hesitated. “Sir, there’s one problem. We’ve been calling her ‘the girl’ for months. To search human records, we need…”

“A name.” I felt like an idiot for not figuring this out sooner. “What’s her name?”

Marius flipped through his notepad. “According to the Moon Glazed files… Loretta Sullivan. But she goes by Lori.

“Loretta,” I repeated. The name felt right. It suited the girl with the sad eyes I couldn’t forget. “Loretta Sullivan.”

“Should we search for that name?”

“Yes. But also look for fake names. If she’s as smart as I think she is, she wouldn’t be using her real one.” I turned to my desk, my plan already forming. “Chase!

My assistant appeared instantly. “Yes, boss?”

“Get the jet ready. We’re going on a trip.” I pulled up a map, circling major cities. “Book us suites in Boston, New York, Philly. Tell our human partners I’m doing surprise check-ups on our businesses there.”

Chase looked surprised for a second, which for him was a major reaction. “How long will we be gone, sir?”

“As long as it takes,” I said, my voice leaving no room for argument. “We’re staying until I find her.”

After they both left, I picked up the photo of Loretta’s mother again, staring at her strange, beautiful face.

Somewhere out there, her daughter was hiding, probably looking over her shoulder every second, thinking she was completely alone.

But she’s not. She just doesn’t know I’m coming for her yet. For a month, I’d hidden my hunt behind a facade of charity, fundraisers, business inspections. The perfect cover to search the human world without raising alarms.

And today, it worked.

The moment I entered the textile factory, her scent hit me. Citrus and berries. Loretta. My wolf went wild after scenting her smell here.

I forced myself to tour the facility, the scent a maddening, hours-old trail. She wasn't here now. I learned the evening shift started at six. I waited.

At 5:53 PM, the scent flooded my senses, fresh and urgent.

She appeared, hunched in an oversized hoodie, thinner than I remembered. She moved with a limp, a wince of pain she tried to hide. Five months on the run had hollowed her out.

She slipped inside. I waited, patience fraying.

When her shift ended, she emerged into the night and froze. Her head snapped up, her Fae-sharp senses locking onto my scent.

Our eyes met, and she looked at me like a deadass terrified for something crueler then she ran frantically.

“Lori, wait!” I shouted, chasing her. “I won’t hurt you!”

She was impossibly fast, dodging with a Fae-like grace despite her injuries. I chased her through the streets, my fingers finally brushing her wrist.

She spun. Under the streetlight, I saw the haunted eyes, the bruise on her cheek, the bandages peeking from her hoodie. What rough path’s she going through all this time?

“Please,” she gasped, her voice raw. “Don’t take me back to him.”

Before I could answer, she bit my hand hard enough to make me gasp and vanished into a dark alley. I followed, but she was just gone like she’d disappeared into the air.

“Damn it!” I roared, my fist cracking the brick wall.

Marius’s voice buzzed in my ear. “Status?”

“I lost her. She’s hurt, Marius. And she thinks I work for Taylor.” The failure was a physical ache. “Get everyone here. Now! She’s exhausted; she can’t have gone far.”

But the real fear took root because this public chase like we’d just lit a signal fire for every one of Taylor’s hunters in the city.

I found her only to lead her enemies right to her. And now, the girl I needed to save was more terrified of me than anything else.