Ocean Kisses

Missing

Doc pov

It was a quiet morning when my phone rang, Marissa’s name flashing on the screen. My heart sank as I picked up, already bracing myself for whatever storm she was about to unleash.

“Hello?”

“He’s gone!” Marissa’s voice was frantic, her words rushing out so fast I could barely keep up. “I can’t find Doccy anywhere! He was just in the backyard, and now he’s gone!”

Panic shot through me. “Wait—slow down. What do you mean he’s gone? Did you check the neighborhood? The parks?”

“Of course I did!” she snapped, her usual disdain creeping into her tone even in her panic. “Do you think I’m stupid? He’s nowhere! I swear if something happens to him—”

“Marissa,” I interrupted firmly. “Take a deep breath. I’ll help you look for him.”

She huffed, clearly exasperated but too desperate to argue. “Fine. Just hurry. And if that mutt of yours is involved in this—”

I didn’t let her finish. “I’ll be there soon.”

As I hung up, I glanced over at Ren, who had shifted into his humanoid form and was already watching me intently, his sharp eyes reading every ounce of tension in my expression. “Doccy’s missing,” I explained quickly. “Marissa’s freaking out.”

Ren’s ears twitched, and I could see his concern flicker across his face. Without a word, he moved to grab his jacket, clearly ready to help.

“Thanks, buddy,” I murmured, grateful for his presence.

We headed out, the both of us moving quickly through the streets as I tried to piece together where Doccy could’ve gone. Ren stayed close, his wolf-like instincts on high alert as he sniffed the air and scanned the area.

The search was on.

The drive to Marissa’s place was tense, the silence hanging thick in the air. Ren sat in the passenger seat in his humanoid form, his sharp features unreadable. His gaze was locked on the road ahead, shoulders stiff, as though he was bracing for something unpleasant.

I kept glancing at him, hoping for some sort of reaction or reassurance, but he remained stoic. Ren wasn’t much of a talker at the best of times—especially in his humanoid form—but now, he seemed like a statue, unyielding and unreadable.

When we pulled up to Marissa’s house, she was pacing in the driveway, her phone gripped tightly in her hand. The moment she spotted me, her expression twisted into a mixture of relief and anger.

“About time you showed up!” she snapped, storming over to the car before I even had the chance to park properly. Her eyes immediately darted to Ren, narrowing in suspicion. “And who the hell is this?”

I sighed, stepping out of the car and holding up a hand to stop her tirade. “This is Ren. He’s helping.”

“Helping?” she scoffed, crossing her arms and glaring at him. “Why is some stranger—some mute—helping you find my son? He doesn’t even look like he knows what’s going on!”

Ren’s jaw tightened, his golden eyes flicking to hers before he turned his attention elsewhere, clearly uninterested in engaging with her.

“He’s not a stranger,” I said firmly, stepping between them. “And he’s damn good at what he does. If anyone can help, it’s him.”

Marissa let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “This is just like you. Always bringing random people into our business. My son is missing, and you think some silent weirdo is going to help?”