Life Straight Up (reposted - feedback wanted)

Chapter Thirteen

Cole's POV

The words didn't even have time to sink in before I shot off towards the pack house. What scared me was I felt nothing, I couldn't feel my wolf and I couldn't feel hers. It would make sense that I would feel her less if she was a fair distance away, but I should still be able to feel something. My wolf should still be present. As I rushed through the crowd, I could hear people trying to talk to me, but all I heard was the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I felt sick to my stomach, knowing my stupidity allowed her to be taken. This is all my fault, it's all my fault. What kind of mate was I? Her scent was faint in the air, I followed it all the way into the house and to one of the guest rooms. What was she doing in here, why would she come to this room? I tried to pick up any other scents, but all I found was Helena's, she must have been the one that discovered she was gone. As I stepped further into the room another scent hit me, it wasn't strong and it wasn't one I was familiar with. I knew the scents of every Alpha, Luna and Beta that came onto my land. All except Jude's Luna hers was new, but I made sure to familiarise myself with it while she was here. This wasn't hers, but it did share some traits, it was mainly the scent of pine. The scent of Jai. It angered me that I had never noticed it earlier, she was right something was going on. I should have done more to protect her, I should have done more. I walked over to the nearest wall and punched a hole straight through it. I was losing it, I needed to get a grip if I stood a chance of finding her. I knew Alec would be taking control of everything right now, setting up search parties and setting up interviews to question everyone here. Everything needed to be shut down, no one in and no one out. Taking a deep breath, I walked purposely out of the room and headed to mine. I gasped as her scent was still fresh in the air, it choked me knowing I may never see her again if I couldn't find her. I pulled on some jog bottoms and raced down the stairs. I found Alec in the kitchen with a group of my guards, Chris, the twins and Trent. As soon as I entered the room, they all froze and turned to look at me slowly. I could see the fear in their eyes, the fear that I would snap.

"Tell me what we know so far and make it quick. The quicker we get out there looking, the fresher the scents will be," I said as Alec stepped aside to let me be front and centre.

"Helena went to look for Ray about half an hour ago as she hadn't come back down since...your fight," Alec replied looking nervous.

"So, we have no real idea when she disappeared?" I asked feeling my body shake, although my wolf was still shying away.

"No, it could have been anytime in the last three hours," Chris answered, worry laced all over his face.

"Ok Trent take some of my trackers and start the search, see if you can pick up any scents," I ordered.

"On it," he replied before running out the French doors.

"Chris, Markus and Jared I want you to start quizzing everyone, someone has to know something. Someone must have seen something," I said turning to all three of them.

They all nodded before following Trent outside.

"I want the rest of you on the borders, I don't want any of our guests leaving until I get some answers," I continued.

"Yes Alpha," they replied in unison.

Once they had all filed out, I turned to Alec.

"Do we know anything else that might help?" I asked.

"Jude and his party are missing." He replied looking tense.

With those words, I saw red.

After I had finished talking to Alec I decided to go out and join Trent. I couldn't just sit around doing nothing, I needed to be out there in the thick of it. I left Alec in charge, right now he needed to be with Helena. She too had taken Ray's disappearance badly, she was stressing herself and it was affecting the babies. I sensed it in the air those babies were coming soon. It took me about two hours to catch up with Trent, which by then the sun was rising in the sky. It took so long because I couldn't shift, I tried and I kept trying, but it just didn't happen. My wolf was more than absent. Despite this fact all my senses were still heightened. It would have taken me longer if I were human, but thanks to my genetics I was fast. I was more tired than I normally would be, but I didn't care I wouldn't sleep and I wouldn't rest until I found Ray. As I caught up to the wolves I was looking for they all stopped and turned to me. Looking amongst them I spotted Trent quickly.