Luminous (I)

Chapter XXIV

QUESTION FOR TODAY: CEREAL (MY BAE) or CEREAL (MY BAE)?

Hard choice, I know.

All it took was another two hours of searching for Neil to pick up on Alexis' faint scent.

I'd long since fallen asleep to the rhythmic thud of Damien's footfalls, and it was his ear piercing howl that aroused me from my heavy slumber. I gasped and slackened my grip on his coarse fur, which of course sent me tumbling into the floor. Damien, unaccustomed to the lack of my feeble form, immediately turned around. Ryan howled- quite literally- with laughter, and my mate growled.

I rolled onto my stomach and groaned, cradling my arm. Damien licked my face with worry etched across his features. I almost laughed at his evident concern and rose on shaking legs.

We've found her scent, Thea. Neil offered me a wolffish grin.

That was motivation enough to clamber back on to Damien's back. A soft growl rumbled through his form and I pressed my face into his fur, revelling in his warmth.

Let's go. I ordered.

The wolves took off like bullets. I couldn't understand how they could see; it was pitch black, and we were so far from civilisation that there were no streetlights to encroach on the darkness.

6 Hours Later

"She's here. I can smell her." Neil said, wrinkling his nose.

The boys had shifted in an alcove of trees whilst I had stood awkwardly at the sidelines, looking anywhere and everywhere else. Now, as we stood discussing tactical advances, Neil continued to survey the area.

"What do you mean, here? In the immediate vicinity or closer to the town?" Damien growled, pulling me into a protective embrace.

"If I knew that, Alpha, I would tell you." Neil said, somewhat impatiently.

RIP Neil.

Damien began to tremble- his wolf, from what I could gather, was less than pleased by Neil's show of disrespect. I blocked his view and placed a hand on his chest, exhaling deeply. My legs had carried me forward unconsciously- it was as if my body knew what to do even if I didn't. I watched closely as his muscles loosened.

"DO NOT disrespect me again." Damien paused for a second. "Next time, my mate won't be here to save you."

Neil looked like he was about to cry. I couldn't blame him; Damien's voice reverberated throughout the forest, startling the birds into flight. He truly was an Alpha.

"If Alexis was anywhere near us we would've spotted her by now. She must be hiding in the town. It makes perfect sense- there, we can't touch her. You guys can't risk exposing yourselves." I explained.

Jacob pondered my words. "What do we do?"

I took a deep, steadying breath. "I'm the only human. If I go in alone-"

"No fucking way." Damien spat. "You're my mate. There's no way I'll risk losing you."

"If you don't send me in we'll have lost anyway. I need to do this. Alexis won't suspect anything- this was my home, after all. I'll pretend that I ran away and then lure her into the forest."