Chase (Chasing Tails Rewritten)

Nineteen - Lost

 Julie leans against the windowsill, her gaze watching as her pack members make a game plan, shift and then run off, most likely continuing their search for Trisha. As soon as their party ended late last night, everything went back to normal and Dresden has been running his pack hard. Even before sunrise, he was up and giving out orders and making every able body search for anything they could find regarding Trisha. Jack, on the other hand, left for their southern borders to look into the rumors and hasn't been back yet. His absence has left the pack feeling more tense than usual. Apparently, he's been the one keeping Dresden's temper at bay and now that he's gone, there's no one there to talk him down when he's in the middle of one of his moods.

Of course, Julie tried to offer to help in any way that she could. Her guards wouldn't let her leave, though. They argued excessively for her to stay in the room and so, she's been stuck watching and listening as closely as she could, hoping that someone might find something soon. Luckily, her pain has lessened. Her bruises really seem to be healing nicely although Dresden would say differently. But this is the best she's felt in a long time and she's restless. She's dying to leave this forsaken trap room.

She shivers and wraps the wolf hide around her tighter. The animal fur keeps her nice and warm, comforting her whenever she wakes up from a nightmare. Dresden doesn't seem to mind. She often finds herself waking up to find it draped over her even though she didn't pull it.

She doesn't know what to do about her actions from last night. Dresden didn't seem to think anything of it but she can't let it go. She shouldn't have initiated contact like she did. Touching his arm like that and leaning towards him was a huge mistake. She completely disrespected him and his mate - wherever and whoever she is. Even now, she can feel herself shivering as she remembers the feeling of his warmth, the heat of his gaze as he drew her in. Everything.

And she's completely embarrassed. Maybe mating season still has an effect on her after all. Maybe that's why she felt so...needy in that moment and fell victim to that feeling.

Quickly shaking herself off, she focuses on what's important. Trisha is missing and now there's a serious threat of war between her pack and her brothers' pack. She can't let that happen. The idea of war makes her feel even colder and despite how deeply she slept last night, she can't shake off the nightmares that haunted her. They're more memories than nightmares - scary realities that haven't let go of her yet. She can still feel its claws digging into her shoulders, watching over her and trailing her wherever she goes. She can't escape it and now, it seems like the monster will only grow with new memories.

Refusing to stay here any longer, Julie drops the wolf hide back onto the bed and opens the door. Her guards jump in surprise and stand to greet her, narrowing their eyes dangerously. Each of them refuse to really look her in the eye as if she has some kind of mind power over them and even then, they don't trail over her like the others do. That could only mean they all have their own mates and can control themselves over the season. It does make her feel safer but even then, she has to figure out some way to sneak pass them.

But what's the trick?

"I'm scared. I can't stay here any longer."

She tries her best to prove her words are true and her guards scrutinize her carefully. She wraps her arms around herself, giving off a little shiver or two and settles uneasily on her feet.

"Please. Just..." She hesitates, shaking from the fear of being caught in her lies. "Just let me have some fresh air. I just need...I can't breathe in here."

Dresden shifts and pulls on a pair of gym shorts. Jack greets him on the back porch, drinking a third bottle of water as he pants and his Alpha gives him a moment to calm down before reporting back to him. All morning, his pack has been running trails and laps around his territory. Some have even left his lands altogether and gone onto unclaimed territories, searching and attempting to track down Trisha but no one has been able to catch her scent. It's driving him nearly as insane as Ollie is now.