Not mate, mute. There's a difference

NMMTAD- 7

Troy’s p.o.v.

           

            She was gone, completely gone. I followed her scent with Lucas and Daniel following me. I was her mate. I should have been able to find her no matter where she went. Yet, her scent blended into the trees. Ash’s scent went on farther into the woods heading towards their house. Bluebell’s scent stopped completely. It just disappeared as if she had. Maybe she was riding Ash?

            No, Ash wasn’t big enough to carry her. Even if he did her scent would still be there. She was here somewhere. We spread out searching everywhere trying to find out where she went. Even the trees were empty so she wasn’t hiding in the trees, and she wasn’t hiding in the underbrush. There was no way anyone could just disappear like that. She was here.

            I knew she was here. I could almost feel her watching me. Yes, she was here somewhere. “Keep looking. She is here.”

            “Dude, I smell her to, but there’s no way she’s here. Not unless she can disappear.” Daniel said leaning up against a tree looking tired.

            “This is my mate we’re talking about. I know she is here. I can’t be wrong.”

            Lucas shook his head in disbelief. “Don’t get so big headed. You don’t know everything.”

            I snapped at him making him jump back. “I know she is here. I just don’t know where.”

            Daniel shook his head. “She isn’t here.”

            I held myself back from attacking him and sat looking around. “You’re wrong. Lucas, follow Ash’s trail to their house and see if she did somehow go that way without a scent. Daniel you and me will keep looking.”

            Lucas seemed glad to be excused and ran after Ash quickly without hesitation. I watched him disappear and then looked at Daniel who was watching me carefully.

            “What?” I was annoyed and frustrated.

            “This is going to get difficult. Your dad just attacked her dad who is now with the pack doctor. Do you really think she wants to see you of all people right now?”

            “My father isn’t Alpha anymore. His temper has been affecting his judgment for a long time and now he’s been knocked off his pedestal. I didn’t hurt her dad, he did. My Dad has taken his punishment served by ME.” I couldn’t sit. I started pacing in front of Daniel my eyes being drawn to the tree behind him continuously.

            “Doesn’t matter, whether she is here or not, she doesn’t want to see you.” Daniel looked wary like he was ready to spring away at any minute should I attack him.

            “I guess not. I’ll just wait then.” Plopping down on the ground still in wolf form I put my head on my paws ready to wait.

            Daniel shook his head and started walking away. “You’re waiting alone then!”

            “Fine with me!”

            Daniel swished his tail in a dismissal to my words and kept on walking away leaving me laying in the woods waiting for my mate. Surprisingly I found myself looking at the tree the whole time. Several times I got up to circle it and then plop back down. There was something off. I knew my mate was still near. I just had no idea where.

           

Bluebell’s p.o.v.

I wished I could scream in frustration at him. He was so annoying and stubborn! Who waited this long staring at a tree? I was a tree! He couldn’t know I was here. It was impossible for anything to detect me in here except the dumb squirrels. Stupid tree creatures like to intrude on everything, nosy things. The inside of the tree hollowed in my presence so I was standing in a small circular area. It was like being in side a wooden pipe set standing on its end instead of on its side. You had to be careful picking trees because you only got the amount of space they gave you. If not well… fitting into a tree trunk smaller than you felt like putting yourself in a compacter.

But now I was in a good sized tree sitting down and swatting at the nosy squirrel that kept jumping onto my head. I kept my eyes locked on Troy as I leaned against the wall of the tree. It would get late soon and I didn’t want to spend my night in this tree. Not only was it uncomfortable but it the squirrel jumped on me again I would surely strangle it which was a big no no for land dryads. For any dryad you couldn’t purposely harm a creature of your domain. It certainly ruled out ever hunting not that I wanted to anyways.

Beating my head against the tree I found myself getting a headache. Dumb wolf, why did he have to be so fluffy? It was seriously adorable. Maybe he just needed a hair cut because his wolf looked more like a chow. I was probably exaggerating in my boredom but he really was fluffy. I had nothing else to look at but him so I had to painstakingly examine every visible inch of my mate which was mostly his head with those big blue eyes.

This was so not good for the no accepting my mate thing. I stood up stiff and ignored my body’s protests as I sat back down with my back to Troy. I would not let him get to me. No matter how hot he was he was still a dumb dog out for my pack. In the back of my mind I wondered when Grandpa would get here but that was pushed far aside as the sight before me over powered all thoughts.

Troy was circling the tree and the sight of him chased away all thoughts but how I wanted to leave the tree. I stayed sitting telling myself it was just the pull of him being my mate that made me want to reveal my location. It was what was happening and it was the problem. I could not be his mate. He was selfish and greedy and wanted power. No, no, no, double no, triple no, he is circling the freaking tree again and the stupid squirrel is back.

I could not take this any longer. Swatting the squirrel away I pressed my hands against the side of the tree. Taking a deep breath I took a step forward and quickly pulled back. Another wolf entered the clearing and I held my breath as the two began a silent conversation in their heads. It frustrated me that I had no idea what they were saying. Troy growled at the other wolf looking upset and came to the tree. I pulled my hands back shrinking away.

It felt as if he was looking right through the bark of the tree at me. It felt like he was staring right into my soul and seeing all my secrets, all my worries, and dreams and fears and feelings. Then just like that he turned and walked away with the other wolf looking upset. I sighed in relief and stepped out of the tree. There was no one around so I took off running towards home. The sun was setting when I heard the howl that tore my heart in two. It sounded of death and of pain and sorrow. I gulped and turned around looking at the way I had come.

Was my Dad dead? Was that what the howl was about? It scared me to no end and I almost ran back to the Quill house. Yet, that would be like walking into a pit of snakes. I would just be asking to be bit. I ran again still towards home and made it to the gates without problem. No more howls haunted the air and only the moon hung in the sky. The stars didn’t show for some reason. I could relate to the moon as I stood at the gate. I was completely alone in a huge world right now. What was I to do only part full and without any other stars to shine with me?

“You’re back?” Basil’s voice came from behind me and I turned to see him watching me.

Yes. I was thinking about the moon.

“It’s pretty tonight. Come inside. Have you seen Dad?” I shook my head. “Well then let’s wait till morning to go back. What do you say?”

That’s a good idea. I’m sure he’s fine. I had no clue if Basil had heard the howl or not. I wouldn’t say anything. I would go to sleep and not think about it till morning. When I laid in bed for the next few hours all I could think about was dad. Another bad night of sleep for me as shadows danced on my bedroom walls. I stared at them trying to make sense of them and their origin. They had no meaning it seemed and the origin of the shadows could not be found by my eyes. The sky was getting light making the shadows evaporate in the dim shine of the sun. I finally fell asleep for the little time I had left.