Shifting Love

Chapter 20: The One I Can Call My Own

Dante's P.O.V.

The sun peaked through the blinds and woke me up the next morning. I reached my arm across the bed to feel the silky skin of my mate but my hand hit the soft mattress. I sat straight up in bed more alert and aware of my surroundings.

Where was she? I took a deep breath and inhaled every scent in the room.

She was gone and had been for a while. I knew there was a chance she would leave without saying goodbye but I didn't think she would go through with it. I was going to try and stop her from going through with the plan this morning. She knew it. That's why she left in the middle of the night. She had no other choice.

I shoved my face into the pillow and muffled my loud yelling. I didn't want to wake up the entire house. My fists collided with the mattress and sheets. These were not exactly the actions of a twenty six year old Alpha male. It was more like a six year old who didn't get his favorite action figure at the grocery store.

I pulled my face away from the bed, "Cooper!"

He was in the bedroom in the blink of an eye. It was a little too fast for my taste. He must have been waiting for me to wake up. He was up to something.

Lately I noticed him and Arianna getting closer ever since she came back from the hunters. If she left last night he would know about it.

"Yes Alpha Dante?"

"Cut the bullshit, Cooper. When did she leave?"

He winced at my tone. His face was riddled with guilt. His hand rubbed the back of his neck like he was unsure whether or not he should say anything to me.

"She left around two this morning."

"She didn't even say goodbye to me."

"I'm sure she did man. You were just sleeping when she said it."

"I just don't understand why she wouldn't wake me up before she left. God only knows when the next time is going to be when I'll see her, if I ever will again," I choked out.

What the hell was the matter with me? When did I turn into such a pansy? Here I was sitting in bed about to cry over a girl. Well she wasn't just any girl she was my mate but still. Was this how it was supposed to be when you were away from your mate? Was this how it always was going to be like?

Cooper quickly placed a fist in his mouth. I knew he was trying not to laugh at how pathetic I was being.

"Get a grip on yourself man."

He reached out and whacked the back of my head.

Any other time I would have lashed out and hit him back. It was a bad idea and rude to hit an Alpha but right now I needed him to knock some sense into me.

"Stop whining and do something about it. Let's go get her back!"

"Right, round up the boys. We need a plan to get onto the Shadowlands. After all it is our new territory. Let's go fight for it."

"There's the Dante I know!" Cooper grinned and slapped my back.

When he told me to get her back it was the kick in the ass I needed to get out of bed. I had to do something about this rather than mope over her capture. The last time the hunters took her from me I was forced to lay in bed to recover from their attack. The moment my wounds healed I didn't take a moments rest until she was in my arms.

This time would be no different. My mate was my world. Nothing mattered more than her safety right now.

"Gather all our best fighters. I want everyone ready to leave in no later than thirty minutes," I ordered him. He quickly left.