Runaway Rogue

Chapter Forty: Caspian's POV

"What?" Indigo gasped, her mouth falling open. Caspian lunged to grab the final dish out of her hands before it clattered to the floor. "Where did they go? Why didn't you follow them?"

"I tried, but they were fast and we hadn't crossed back onto my lands yet. I didn't want anyone to take it as a threat. An alpha shifting on someone else's property isn't exactly a good look."

Caspian saw the gears turning in Indigo's mind, saw the fear flash through her amber eyes. He gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze, wincing a little at how tight her muscles already were.

"It's alright. Indigo had a similar reaction when the silver in her bloodstream started to lift. Werewolves aren't particularly good at being contained. Darling, you stay here in case they come back and Bentley and I will go and try to track them in case they got lost."

"No," Indigo blurted.

"I know this might be a little—"

"If Sasha's wolf is in control, she's going to lash out at any man who comes near her. And Paris has a . . . complicated relationship with her wolf and shifting. I can assure you she is not going to want to see either of you while she deals with it. If you think there is a chance they are going to come back here, then you are more than welcome to stay, but I'm going to go find my sisters."

Bentley's relief was immediate, but Caspian felt his jaw clench. Having a strong mate was incredible until it wasn't. Damn what he wouldn't give to have her smile up at him, tell him it was a great idea, then sit on the couch until he came back.

"I'm going with you. And I'm going to get Forest, too. They still smell like rogues and we don't want anyone trying to challenge authority today."

The four of them set off together. Caspian knew he should trust his mate. He also knew that finally having her, listening to her moans, watching her eyes roll back when he did just as she asked, only made his feelings stronger, wilder. Everything was so fresh. His need to protect her was beyond anything he could have imagined, anything he would have assumed he was capable of. He could feel himself converting into some primitive form of himself.

But Indigo would always have choices with him. He made that promise to her. And, even with his lustful, needy thoughts, he was not dumb enough to think he could get between his mate and the women she was closest to. He just stayed close to her as Bentley led the way back to where the girls left him.

"I thought a walk would be nice. Sasha seemed to be in a good mood and I didn't want them going home just yet. I didn't think—"

"It's not your fault. Wolves that have been restricted for so long are unpredictable," Indigo said quickly, her nostrils flaring in an effort to catch their scent.

Even Caspian struggled a bit. The wind and the humid weather were working against them.

"They started going this way, maybe we can move in the right direction and hope their scents get stronger," Bentley suggested, sounding uncharacteristically nervous.

The four of them traversed over the forested landscape. Caspian's main focus was on Indigo. True, her wolf was the weakest, but she had the strongest bond with the girls. And Bentley was a frantic mess, his emotions overpowering his senses. But Indigo gave no sign that she caught a scent.

Forest let out a swear as he stumbled seemingly over his own feet.

"You good?" Caspian whispered, falling back to match pace with his alpha.

"Yeah, fine."

The poor man looked far from fine. His eyes were encircled in black, his hands quaking a bit at his sides.