The Twisted Links

Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

After everyone left Jonathan sighed. "Maybe we should build a hotel.

Tracy looked over at him in askance.

"We keep having all these 'guests' who could at least pay rent while they're here."

Rolling her eyes, Tracy started to reply when the telephone rang. "Hello?" she answered, picking up Jonathan's landline.

'Tracy?! Thank goodness!" GinGin's voice came through the speaker. "Is Shula at the packhouse?"

'Um. No?"

"I can't find her. When I went outside the day she was here, she had already left. I know she said that she wanted to go shopping one day. So I didn't think anything of her not coming yesterday and then she didn't show up this morning. I've tried to link her but I couldn't reach her so I thought that she might still be asleep. I just tried again but still is not responding. King Athens linked me just a minute ago and said that he couldn't connect to Shula. So now I'm worried. Luke is leaving now to check her house."

"If I see her I'll call you. I'm going to inform the patrol to check our borders and Dameon so he can use his men to search outside of packlands."

'Thanks! By the way, could you ask Asya if she's seen her?"

"Aysa?" Tracy asked puzzled. For the time being, they were keeping Asya's disappearance quiet because of the distrust of some pack members towards the fox. Rumors were flying about and they decided not to add fuels to the cloud of suspicion.

"Yes. They usually meet up after Omega training is over."

Tracy took a deep breath, "Asya is missing."

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Pulling into an empty space and gathering his things, Dayton breathed a sigh of relief. He was glad to be home. He figured that he would spend the night before leaving again for the Indigo Sky Pack and his mate. The front hall was empty which was somewhat unusual. Hearing a child squeal caught his attention. Curious to see if it was one of his nephews, he followed the sound.

The scent of wildflowers and autumn leaves hit him like a freight train. Shocked, couldn't begin to describe what he felt. Sitting on the floor of the rose parlor was his mate playfully nipping at a small boy in her arms.

"Again Carrie!" he cried.

"No more right now Ander." she laughed. "We'll play again later. Now go find Night."

He placed a big wet kiss on her cheek and ran off the other exit calling for his dad.

"Carrie?" Dayton said, watching his mate freeze as she was getting up.

Their eyes met and their wolves were immediately drawn to each other. Dayton walked towards her but stopped when he saw her step back.

"Shade told us that you didn't want to see us and that you had already left."

Carrie tried to calm her racing heart and the lump in her throat prevented her from speaking right away. She remembered his scent when they were children but now it was stronger and more masculine. When they were young she only saw them as her friends. Now he was grown and very much a man. Her fears began to rise and she felt helpless. What if he attacked her? Shoving the thought away. She nodded.

"Why?"

Swallowing hard, she said, "I don't want a mate."

Dayton's brows furrowed, "I don't understand."

Carrie took a deep breath and looked away. He smelled like a warm fire and cedar wood. Her wolf whimpered in her head wanting to get closer. "I can't be your mate. I'm... not fit. You need a strong and pure Luna that can give you pups and..." Stopping her jumbled speech, she ran off.