Future

Chapter 31

*Chase's POV*

Six months.

That's how long it's been since Rocky ran away. Lexi had followed him for half a mile but only returned with his collar and the tags on it; his pup-tag, his locket and his crystal. Lexi gave Zuma his mate's collar but the lab gave her the crystal and locket for her to keep while we were searching,in case she found him alone and without him. The girl kept them on clips and they often were attached to the belt loop of her jeans, just in case we found him.

Six months.

Ryder, me and the other pups as well as Austin presumed him dead and stopped searching after five long and tiring weeks. Lexi and Zuma however, still believed he was out there. Even at the town's memorial for the mix, they didn't speak, they didn't look at anyone while they were given sympathetic glances. They were still adamant that he would return.

Six months.

Our pups had been asking where their Uncle Rocky was. Whenever they asked, we changed the topic. The look on their faces when we came to terms and had to tell them just broke me. Mostly because they were still too young to understand. Skye still cries in her sleep, even now. And I'm sure she's not the only one.

Six months.

Lexi hasn't had a full conversation with anyone other than the lab. She still went to work and helped with missions but I knew she was always on the look out for Rocky. We tried to focus her attention on other things that she enjoyed. Me and the older pups often made music videos with her and she willingly helped us but hadn't sung herself in a while. The last song she sang was with Zuma. Their 'raw' music video as the girl called it was a cover of 'wherever you will go' and was dedicated to the missing pup. That video went viral and soon became known as Rocky's song. Recently, we'd had a whole day of filming for a video and it was the first time since his disappearance that Lexi had smiled. It didn't last long because my idiot of a best friend opened his mouth.
"Who needs Rocky to have fun?" Everest slapped him good for that, even though the dally wasn't thinking about his words. I watched in sorrow as the human I called my mother stood up and walked away. Her yellow eyes turned empty once again.

Six months.

At night I sat by her door and listened to her cry. Austin was there to comfort her or at least try to. He asked her every night what he could do to make it better. What she wanted. For these six months, it's always been the same.

"Rocky."