The Astral Eyes

Hiding Place

"I'll get him. You get dressed."

Everett dropped my robe on the ground and turned for the front of the house, where his pickup truck is usually parked.

"Stay human," I told him through our mental link. "He may faint on the spot if you chase after him as a wolf."

"Would make it easier to catch him." Everett's voice bounced with a chuckle, but he then turned to face me from over his shoulder. "Don't worry, Delilah, I have no interest in making it any worse than it already is."

I whimpered with frustration, but trusted he would be the best future brother-in-law he could be.

With Everett turning the corner of the house, I sighed and transformed back into a human. Going from wolf to woman was always easier than the other way around since I knew how it felt to be human for far longer than as a wolf.

Wolves by birth have a leg up on those who come to it later in life. For them, having two identities is as natural as breathing. For me, grasping this second half of myself was hard and even a little terrifying.

Once I was bipedal again, I snatched up the robe and had the belt tied around my waist just as I reached the front door of the manor.

"How'd it go?"

My beta, and Everest's half-brother, Damien rested against the foyer wall, waiting for the end of our little experiment with Victor. He didn't look surprised when I flashed him a nervous smile.

"Well, he didn't faint."

I headed up the stairs to where the master suite sat on the third floor. Damien, however, remained in the entranceway, speaking with me through our link.

"What direction did he run?"

"Definitely went toward the main road, the question is if he's heading to town or back to the woods. As awful as the experience will be for him in town, it was cause a lot less problems for us than if he went into Graham's coveted woods."

I heard Damien growl within my thoughts as I reached the second floor and turned for the next flight of stairs. As my beta, he might have been a little biased towards Graham, but it was nice to have him to vent to. I trusted Everett enough to tell him anything on my mind, but his responses were still measured with caution thanks to his decade of being an Elder and thus a diplomat. Damien, however, has a sharp tongue and a quick temper. Two features which were a real pain in the ass when his ire was directed at me, but were utterly delightful once he swore himself to me. It was nice to have someone to talk shit with.

"Everett took his truck out after him. I'll check in with him once I'm dressed."

I threw on whatever was in reach, paying little attention to coordinating my attire. It took only a minute to make myself presentable and then I was racing down the stairs.

Damien tossed me my well-loved pair of sneakers, which I slipped on without bothering to retie them.

"Everett," I called out to the aether that acted as an invisible communication system between wolves, "did you find him?"

"He's headed to town. Probably thinks he'll be safe surrounded by people. Hopefully he doesn't think to run into a store to hide. If he went into Tuck, Victor might be irreversibly traumatized."

I shivered at the thought while Damien held the front door open for me to sprint through. My beta followed after me, but then diverted to the side parking lot to retrieve one of the pack cars. I remained by the driveway, ready to hop in once he pulled out into the road.

"I take it you notified the station about this," I said to Everett without moving my lips.

"Yeah, those out on patrol are all keeping an eye out for him and a couple left the station to join the hunt. They won't intercept him, but will track him and make sure he doesn't slip into any place that might scar him for life."