Located Her

Nolan:

“My apologies, Lycan. The girl you described… she’s not within any known Pack territory.”

My fist connected with the steel desk, the deafening crash echoing my fury as the metal buckled.

“What do you mean, you can’t find her?” My voice was a low, dangerous growl. “She’s just an omega. Intoxicated, isolated, defenseless. Explain to me how a single, insignificant girl becomes untraceable.”

My Beta, Marius, flinched, his posture rigid with unease. “Sir, with all due respect, it isn't simple. It’s as if she simply… ceased to exist. Her scent trail dissolves at the river. There are no witnesses. Nothing.”

It had been three days, and I was going out of my mind.

For three days, this girl was all I could think about. I woke up with this hazy memory of her, how she tasted like tears, the way she kissed me like she was drowning, and how her small hands held onto me like I was the only thing keeping her from falling apart.

I remember how incredibly sad she was. I remember how taste of every inchea of her.

But her name? Her face? It's all a blur. Except for her eyes. I can't forget her eyes. They were so full of pain, and I know I have to find her no matter what, and the one thing that made me freak out was I sowed my seeds in her drunkenly.

Logically, I should've just moved on. It was just a crazy night, right?

But I couldn't.

The way she whispered, “You look perfect,” like she couldn't believe I was real.

The way she fell asleep still holding my shirt, like she was scared I'd leave.

I'm not the type to get hung up on anyone. But I felt like I’d messed up. I let her walk away.

“Just keep looking,” I ordered, turning away from Marius. “Check the—“

“Boss.” Marius’s voice stopped me cold. It had that tone. “We heard something from the Moon Glazed Pack.”

I turned back. “What is it?”

“Their Alpha, some guy named Taylor, he had an Omega killed. Beheaded him three days ago for treason.” Marius looked down at his phone, reading the details. “The story is that the guy's daughter betrayed the pack by... and I'm quoting here... ‘sleeping with a rogue while she was supposed to be the Alpha's mate.’”

Everything inside me went cold. “When did this happen?”

“That's the thing,” Marius said, looking me dead in the eye. “It was the same night you brought that girl back here. The nights match up perfectly.”

It all crashed into place. It wasn't just a random hookup.

She wasn't just sad but running for her life. And the man I've been trying to find her for, is the same man she was running from.

“Wait, that can’t be right,” I cut in. “She wasn’t mated.” The words were out of my mouth before I really thought about them.

Truth was, I had no clue. I’d been too far gone to sense a bond, and she’d been too shattered to act like someone who had a mate waiting for her.

Marius gave me a grim look. “According to the story he’s telling? She was. Mated to Alpha Taylor himself. He’s claiming she ran off and slept with a random rogue just to spite him after some big fight.”

“What fight?” Things started to fall into place, and the picture it made made me sick.

“He’s not saying. But…” Marius hesitated, lowering his voice. “The gossip is, he never stopped seeing his ex. Flaunted her around in front of everyone. Apparently, his real mate wasn’t too happy about it.”

Well, no kidding. Who would be?

Suddenly, that night came back to me in a different light. The desperate way she’d grabbed me in the bar. That wild, hurt look in her eyes. She wasn’t just trying to have fun. She was trying to burn her own pain away, or get back at him, or just feel anything other than complete betrayal.

And I was just the closest, easiest way to do it.

“The father. The one he killed. What was his name?” I finally spoke.

Marius scrolled through his phone. “Thomas Sullivan. Just an Omega, a widower. Fixed things around the pack. Sounds like he was a quiet guy, just tried to stay out of trouble. Raised his daughter all on his own after his wife died.”

“So he’s dead because his daughter got drunk and made a bad call,” I said, the words sour in my mouth. “Because she wound up with me instead of going home to the guy who was cheating on her.”

“We still don’t know for sure it’s the same girl,” Marius said, playing the devil’s advocate.

But I knew. I felt it in my bones. The timing was just too perfect. The girl I couldn’t forget had her life destroyed over one night. A night I can barely piece together.

“Find her,” I ordered, my voice going cold and flat. “I don’t care what it takes. Search every rogue hideout, every neutral town, every last hole in the ground. Just find her.”

“Sir, if she’s been exiled, she could be anywhere. She could even be—”

“Don’t.” I cut him off before he could finish that thought. “Just find her. And Marius? Start digging into this Alpha Taylor. I want to know every damn thing about him. His pack, his money, what he’s afraid of.” I smiled, and it was all teeth. “Especially what he’s afraid of.”

Marius nodded and turned to leave, but stopped at the door. “Can I be straight with you?”

“Go ahead.”

“Are you sure about this? Starting a war with another pack over some girl you met once?”

“No,” I admitted honestly. “I’m not sure it’s smart at all. Do it anyway.”

After he left, I stood by the window, looking out at the city. Somewhere out there, she was running. Alone, with a broken heart, and probably scared out of her mind.

And I helped put her there.

I’m a Lycan. I’m supposed to be the top of the food chain. I don’t answer to anyone. I built my whole life on being strong and not caring about anyone.

But right now? I just feel like a total jerk.

“Just hang on,” I whispered to the dark. “I’m coming to find you. And when I do, we’re going to settle the score with that bastard.”