Running Out of Time (BoyxBoy)

Twenty Seven

Disclaimer: this chapter includes lots of violence.

Tobias

My limbs ached, but I pushed myself to run faster. I could hear the growling and shouting from my pack members behind me. I could feel the tingles on my face and throat. He was hurt. Gill said they didn't go far, but their scent was nowhere to be found. All I could smell was the stench of unfamiliar wolves, and I followed it.

  "Alpha! Over here!" I followed the sound of one of the warriors shouting. There, in the ditch, was Jax's jeep. All of the windows were shattered, and the car was empty. I shifted into my human form, already feeling the tears run down my face as I opened the door. I could smell the blood. Mostly from Jax, but I could smell Gill's too.

  "Any pack member not able to fight needs to take shelter immediately. I want every inch of the border covered. Not a single person, wolf, or fucking squirrel is going in or out of the pack lands until we find them." I ordered. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and looked up to see my father with sad eyes.

  "We'll find them, son."

  "Gill, love? Can you hear me?"  I knew he wouldn't answer. He hadn't answered the last seventeen times I'd tried to link him. Same with Jax.

  "I shouldn't have let them leave! God, this is all my fault." I collapsed into my father's arms, my shoulders shaking with sobs.

  "This was not your fault, Tobias. There was no way you would have known this was going to happen. They took every precaution. Some of the trackers found paw prints miles back, and another abandoned camp. They were followed. They've been sitting there waiting for days, if not weeks." He hugged me tighter.  "Do you still feel the tingling?" I nodded.

  "All over the right side of my face and my throat. They hurt him, Dad." 

  "You still feel it, though. That means he's alive, and it hasn't been long since he linked you. They haven't gone far. We will find them." He cupped my cheek and  wiped my flowing tears with his thumb before letting me go.
  "Is there anyone else missing?" I rubbed the tears away, even though they were still falling. My father shook his head.
  "Not that we know of. Your mother is gathering all the people in the shelters and they'll take roll as soon as they can." I nodded and took a deep breath.
  "Let's go find Gill and Jax." As if on cue, one of the trackers nearby interrupted our conversation.
  "Alpha! We found a scent trail heading North. Seems whoever took them tried to mask their scents as much as possible, but didn't take into account that blood is the easiest scent to track. Mostly from Ajax, but we've caught wiff of Gill as well." Both my father and I began running, shifting into our wolves mid sprint, ignoring our clothes now in shreds.
  Eventually, I also picked up the scent of my best friend's blood mixed with Gill's. They were on foot.
  "Son, this is one hundred percent your call, but I think we should wait to ambush."  My father's voice echoed in my head.  "I know all you want to do is run full steam ahead toward your mate, and I will follow right behind you if that's what you choose to do, but we have no clue what we're running toward. This could be a trap, we could be dangerously outnumbered." I sat back on my haunches in frustration, knowing he was right.
  "What do you suppose we do instead?"
  "Send our stealthiest group. Have them follow the trail, get eyes on the situation, possibly confirm if this is an actual lead or if we're headed right for a trap. In the meantime, we wait for our allies. We'll have a much better advantage with several packs and their alphas, as well as the council and their warriors behind us. Our close allies are already on their way, and the farther ones will be here within a few days. Even if we do have to fight before then, at least we'll have the closer ones." I let out a whine. He was absolutely right. The last thing I wanted to do was wait. I wanted to run as fast as I could toward the scent trail, but I knew it was risky.
  "We need to keep a close eye on everyone. If anyone makes a phone call, I want to know. Someone is doing this, and it's someone close to us. I want to be updated every minute. The second anyone has any information, I want to know."  A chorus of  affirmations echoed in my head before a small group of trackers separated from the rest, following the trail. I reluctantly turned back and followed my father to the pack house to wait for the allies.
  "Gill, please, if you can hear me...I love you...please talk to me." I tried once more to link him, but I got nothing back. I could still feel the tingling on my face after a couple hours, which concerned me. I tried to keep my father's words in mind. If I still felt them, it meant he was still alive.
***
  I sat alone in my father's study, crying once again. I had just gotten off the phone with the council. They were sending their best trackers and warriors our way. Some of our closer allies had begun arriving, and the looks of pity and curiosity was enough to drive me mad.
  "Alpha Tobias, we've reached the end of the trail. There appears to be a large camp, but it's empty. They were definitely here though. We're canvasing all around at once."
  "Thank you. Are you near any other pack territories?"
  "Still on ours, but getting closer to a large area of unclaimed land. We've been canvasing the entire border, but we'll venture out just to be safe." I sighed and rubbed at my eyes. Hours had gone by, and we still hadn't gotten any closer to finding them. That is, until the most beautiful voice finally echoed in my brain.
  "Toby? Can you hear me?"  I shot up to my feet and immediately left the room.
  "Gill?! Love, it's so good to hear your voice. Do you know where you are?"
  "I don't know how long I was out...I think they drugged me. It's really dark. I think I'm in a house?"  I gestured toward the first pack member I saw.
  "Get my father, Gill is linking me." The young man's eyes widened as he nodded and hurried away.
  "Is Jax with you?"
  "Yes, he's still unconscious. They must've given him more."
  "Is there anything else you remember, love? About where you are, the people that took you?"
  "Lots of wolves. There were at least fifty of them at the car. I think I hear water nearby? I don't see any light, so I think I'm in a room with no windows, or at least they're covered up. I haven't seen anyone yet. I linked you the second I woke up."
  "Okay, we're going to get out out of there as soon as we can pinpoint where you're at, alright? I love you so much."
  "Has anyone...does my dad know?" 
  "My mother is with him now. He's safe in lockdown with the rest of the humans and weaker wolves. He's worried, but he knows we'd do anything to get you back safely."
  "Will you...tell him I love him? That I'm okay?"  I saw my own father rush toward me as yet another tear dripped down to my chin.
  "Of course. I'm on my way, Gill. I love you. Tell me whenever you see or remember anything at all, okay?"
  "I love you too. I have to go, my head is pounding from whatever they gave me. I'll link you as soon as I know anything more."  I looked down at my hands and had an idea.  I took the skin of my wrist and pinched it lightly, enough for it to sting a little.
  "Did you feel that? Anytime you feel that, know I love you and I'm thinking of you, okay?"  I soon felt a small tingle in my own wrist as a response.
  "I love you more."