Claim of the Wolf

Chapter Seven: Sinking Feeling

“You want us to do what?” Sergio asked as he stared at his best friend, Iker was determined to find his mate but he didn't know how to react to the alpha’s decision especially since Iker hadn't slept since Isabel had disappeared.

Iker sighed as he ran a hand through his hair; it had been three weeks since his mate had disappeared from the ball and he hadn't been able to find her.

“I’m going to start a public search, I can’t just sit here anymore,” Iker said making his beta stare at him, he knew that everyone was telling him to relax but he couldn't sit around doing nothing anymore; he had to find and claim her.

Sergio swallowed as he stepped towards his friend; there was nothing that he could say would change his mind and he hoped that when they did find Iker’s mate that his friend wouldn’t end up hurt.

“Okay, so what is your plan?” Sergio asked knowing that if Iker was going to track down his mate then they were going to need some sort of plan that would allow them to narrow down their search; he didn't want to travel round the entire country looking for one woman.

Iker moved to collect his laptop, he wasn’t ever going to give up until he had her back; he wanted to know why she had fled when she had and hoped that he hadn't scared her away.

“I have a list of every women that was at that ball and I thought I could go and see each and every one of them until I found her,” Iker said hopefully making Sergio stare at him, he nodded his head slowly as he realised that his friend knew exactly what he was doing.

***

Faith sighed as she looked down tiredly at Oliver, she hadn't been feeling herself since she had escaped from the ball and left Iker behind.

Faith had found herself struggling to find shifts to pay the bills and with everything starting to pile up on her, she knew that something was going to snap sooner or later.

“Gracias for doing this,” Faith said as she handed Oliver over to Nadina, she yawned as she smiled weakly at her best friend who watched her; Nadina knew that she was burning herself out and she didn't know how much more Faith could take before she made herself ill from exhaustion.

“It’s no problem… it’s the least that I could do,” Nadina said as she cuddled the six week old, if she wasn’t watching Oliver then Faith would have to leave him with her father and there would be no guarantee that the little boy would survive the night.

Faith yawned as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she had to go to work; she wished nothing more than to go home and sleep but it wasn’t an option.

“I’ll see you later,” Faith said making Nadina nod her head concerned, she worried for her best friend since it was clear that Faith was struggling but the brunette couldn't take time off since she was the only source of income that her family had.

Leaving Nadina’s apartment, Faith hurried down the stairs she couldn't be late otherwise they would give away her shift something that they wouldn’t hesitate to do.

***

Faith closed her blue eyes as she felt the world around her spin; she rested against the wall for a moment as she tried to calm the dizziness, she swallowed as she opened her eyes slowly.

Faith knew that if she collapsed then she would be turned out onto the street and left there, there was no point in calling a doctor for her; no doctor would touch her with a ten foot pole.

“Just two more hours,” Faith murmured as she carefully moved away from the wall, her body felt weak and it wouldn’t take much to cause her to collapse onto the floor; taking a couple of deep breathes Faith headed back to work before her boss stopped her.

“You needed to get out of here,” he hissed as he started to drag her towards the back door of the club, she looked at him confused wondering what was going on; she saw a couple of the other waitresses smirking as she was ushered through the back of the nightclub.

“Several of the elite are here and I can’t have them knowing that you work here,” the man said as he pushed her out into the cold rain, she shivered slightly before he thrust some money at her as if she was a whore.

“Here’s your wages and don’t come back here,” he said gruffly then he slammed the door behind him as he hurried back to cater for the elite; Faith stood shivering for a moment as she realised that she had lost work.

Sighing as she started her walk back to Nadina’s apartment so that she could collect Oliver, she sniffled as her body was slowly soaked with the cold rain; she swallowed as she realised that she was going to feel like hell the following day even worse than she felt at that moment.

“Excuse me,” someone called after Faith making her start to walk quickly, turning around wouldn’t end well for her; since she became untouchable, Faith had found that it was like having a target on her back for the low life’s of the clan.

“Señorita,” the voice called again as Faith cursed her father under her breath, there was nothing that she could do that would throw him off; she swallowed as someone grabbed her and turned her around.

“Are you okay?” the man asked as he looked at her concerned, Faith blinked as she realised who had stopped her; she suddenly felt sick as she realised that he was touching her.

Sergio stared at the woman before him concerned as he wondered why someone so young and beautiful had been tossed out the back of a club like she had; he looked at her worried as he took in her sickly pale skin, dull and greasy brown hair, she seemed a little too skinny to be considered healthy and her clothes were hanging off her body plus she was soaked to the bone.

“I’m fine,” Faith squeaked as she looked down, she knew that if he figured out that she was not only untouchable but she was Iker’s mate then she was in trouble.

Sergio tilted his head confused at her actions, he had never seen anyone like this before and it worried him that someone was suffering; he couldn't believe that someone in his clan could be suffering like this.

Sergio was sure that there were rules in the clan against things like this and right now none of them came to mind as he looked at the woman that he had stopped.

“Sese, what are you doing?” Fernando called as he looked at his friend; he tilted his head as he looked between Sergio and the young woman that was with him.

Faith took the distraction as a chance to slip away from Sergio and hurry down the back streets; she knew that it would only bring her more trouble if she was caught with an elite, she was nothing but the dirt on the bottom of their shoes.

Sergio furrowed his brow when he realised that the brunette had left, he tilted his head wondering why she looked familiar; Fernando approached him concerned as he wondered what had gotten into him.

“Did you see her?” Sergio asked as he looked at his friend, he knew that he hadn't imagined the brunette but he had never seen anyone in her state before and it was clear that she wasn’t well.

Fernando nodded his head curious about why his friend seemed so interested in someone that they had never met before.