Runaway Rogue

Chapter Forty Two: Caspian's POV

Caspian knew his body was begging him to stop, but it was sort of an absent thing, something in the back of his mind that he felt he really didn't have to acknowledge, like a name you were trying to recall or a song you couldn't remember the name of. In fairness, it was hard to notice anything beyond the aching in his heart, the panic in his head.

Still, he needed water and he needed to tend to his paws. He had been running for so long he had torn the tender footpads in more than one place. He knew he needed a break. He couldn't sustain this forever.

But Anabelle was being brought back. And if any vehicle even came close to his pack boundaries, Caspian was going to chase it. He was going to follow it until he couldn't any more or until it brought him to his mate.

Other pack members had also been asked to contribute, to do their rounds and report anything and everything back to Forest. Caspian didn't care. He knew some of these people better than he knew himself, but in that moment, all he saw were flaws. They were too slow. They were starting to get exhausted. They didn't have the drive, the need.

Because it wasn't their mate who had been taken. It was his.

Indigo was out there. And Anabelle was not back yet.

His mate was gone. His luna was still missing.

Caspian did one more lap and decided he needed some bandages more than he needed to risk an infection. He was able to nose open his back door, disregarding the blood he dripped over the floor as he slunk to his bedroom to shift.

There, he tended to his wounds now on his hands and feet, wishing he could wince at the pain, but feeling nothing aside from the suffocating tightness in his chest. Part of him wanted to just rot on his bed, to bury his face in his bloody hands and sob until he could feel something, anything, again.

But he could not be idle. He drank as much water as his body would allow and pulled on some warm clothes. The sun had long set bringing a chill to the air and he could patrol just as well in his human form as his wolf form. This way he could bark out orders if he needed to and carry a small water bottle and some snacks with him. Less reasons for him to go back to the house this way.

He just stepped out of his bedroom when Sasha was on him.

The two girls opted to come here, stating that they felt the most comfortable here, that their clothes and personal belongings were here.

When he first left, the two girls had been hysterical. He thought he should try to calm them, but he had walked right out the door, leaving them with Bentley. Calming was not something he felt would be his strong suit right now.

Now, Sasha would not be ignored, stomping up to him.

"You let her fucking go!" Sasha screamed, jabbing an accusatory finger in the center of his chest.

"Sash," Bentley rumbled, following behind in an effort to disengage his mate.

For the briefest second, Caspian wanted to punch Bentley. Because Bentley's mate was still here. Because Indigo had given herself up in exchange for Sasha. Because Bentley did not have fear squeezing his heart so hard it felt like he was dying.

"You let her go back to him!" Sasha wailed, tears streaking her cheeks. "You didn't even try to stop her!"

"Sasha, you know it's not his fault," Bentley said evenly. "She made her own choice."

"He didn't even try to fight for her! He let her walk away like it was nothing!"

Caspian stared down at the beginnings of a bruise winding around his wrist. He should have fought Forest harder. Surely Forest would have let go sooner if Caspian had been brave enough to swing on his own alpha and break his nose. Caspian should have pleaded and begged with Indigo more, made her see how devastating her choice was for him. And if that had failed, he should have grabbed her and dragged her back home.