The Mark of an Alpha

Chapter 15

Noah's POV

"Alright listen up! I want everyone searching in groups. Five of you will be with me, and another five with Beta James. We will search all sides of our territory, and if you find anything you let me know immediately. We don't have time to waste!" My voice boomed over the small crowd, of pack fighters, signalling to my beta as I talked. Authority poured out of every pore as I observed my pack.

I looked down in my hands at the small fabric I held and clutched onto it tighter once my beta, James, started speaking. "Alpha Noah has an article of Skylar's clothing, it's quite dirty from when we had found her, but it will get the job done. DO NOT leave this spot until you have memorized the scent." He ordered to the men that made up the crowd. I held up the top I had in my grip, show casing it to the pack members.

Once I had discovered Skylar was gone, I immediately informed James, ordering him to get our best fighters together for sunrise. That night I didn't get any sleep, I searched every corner, every inch of area where Skylar had been. I had almost given up, walked into my room to be alone when I caught her scent. It was faint, barley there actually and I knew it was because she had slept in my room. She had curled up in the black sheets and spread her scent all over them. I had immediately bunched up the bed sheets in my hands inhaling deeply before slamming my fist against the wall in frustration. It wasn't until I remembered Skylar had been going through my drawer when I first marked her. It wasn't until I realised she was going through my drawer because she wanted clothes that I remembered she had taken a shower. It wasn't until I realised she had changed that I remembered she would have put her old clothes somewhere.

When I had discovered this I had raced into my washroom, and sure enough in the corner by the door laid a small pile of muddy stained clothes. I nearly collapsed with relief when I had found them, but once I inhaled the aroma that surrounded the fabric, my relief was cut short as I remembered where she was. For the reason that the strongest scent on the clothes was not in fact dirt. But blood.

The minute the sun had shown its first signs to a new day I had all fighters grouped in the forest clearing-where Skylar had been last. James had gathered our best soldiers, our best trackers and our best defenders. Skylar would be saved, because no matter what she'd done it was already forgotten. My mate had been kidnapped, was being tortured, and I hadn't even realised. The thought itself sent me rigid with anger, tense with dread, and distracted with pain.

What had I done?

"Now let's get moving! Your Luna is in jeopardy!" James's voice shook me back to reality and I was once again starring at the faces of my pack members. I had told Jame's who Skylar was to me-to the pack- and he insisted we tell the pack exactly that, so they would be more adrenalized with determination. I agreed.

The small group had already inhaled her scent and had divided between James and I by the time the sun was shining full above us. I didn't waste no time, everyone knew what to do, so with that I took off, my fighters in tole.

The windy air whipped against my fur once I had shifted, the world fading away as I kept only one goal in place.

Save Skylar.

My nose was always inhaling, my eyes always searching for a flash of chestnut hair, my ears always listening for the pain I knew she was in.

Green. Everywhere. Green trees, green grass even green moss-but no chestnut. I sniffed the air for any indication that my innocent mate had been dragged through the grass. I looked everywhere, smelled everywhere, listened everywhere. Yet no matter how hard I concentrated or how hard searched it was like she had never been there-had never existed.

The wolves I had taken with me had a slouch to their step, as if they too could sense the absence of there Luna-the small chance of finding her.

I never stopped, even when the sky got cloudy and the sun made it's way down. I checked every spot of my territory-twice. She was gone-taken away forever. I gave a glance behind my shoulder, giving a slight nod to my men behind me. I huffed through my nose, small puffs of fog angry in the darkening light. And soon enough I could hear my pack members paws becoming more and more distant-until it was just me and the woods around me.

I shook my head in frustration, tiny flakes of dirt falling upon the forest floor.

What had I done?

That was the question I seemed to ask myself, and it was more than true, because if it wasn't for me Skylar would still be with me, still safe on my territory.

I shifted out of my wolf, throwing on some shorts hidden behind a nearby tree. I began to make my way back, the crunch of the leaves accompanying my step.

I made my way to the clearing, the one where I had Skylar with me last, and as I slouched to the ground, fisting the green grass in my palm I couldn't help but stare above me into the grey sky.

"Why?" The question could have been for anyone, to any being-any soul, but I knew exactly who it was for.

The Moon Goddess.

She was the one who handled my fate, and this was not how it was suppose to go, this was not what I would accept. So as I looked upon the fleeting sun, watching it hide beneath the dark clouds, I starting speaking. I didn't know why, nor have I ever done such a thing, but I just needed to let it out.

So the next words that left my mouth were not calm, or innocent like my previous question, but loud and angry. "You did this! You've ruined everything, how will I find her! She's gone!" My eyes had shut half way through the yelling and before I knew what I was doing my fist had started pounded into the grass.

Chunks of dirt and blades of glass blew everywhere beneath my anger clench, yet I didn't care. I didn't care that I was yelling into the air, I didn't care that anyone could see me, I just didn't care.

I looked upon the greying sky and I asked for one thing, and only one thing. For I knew if The Moon Goddess would answer my request I would never ask again.

"Help me find her." The crack in my voice had me standing up and walking away, clearing my throat and clenching my fists before emotion could break through the surface. I had a pack to run, and no matter how much pain flooded my body, I could not ignore them.

It was dark in the woods once I was shielded from any remains of the sun, and as the familiar crunch of the leaves filled my ears again I could help but feel..sad. Because as I looked upon the ground I couldn't help but think about Skylar, about how she would never get to walk this path or see the beauty of it in the winter. How she would never get to watch the leaves turn into wondrous colours only to litter the ground months later.

I kicked the leaves out of my way, trying to rid my thoughts. But if it hadn't been for those thoughts I almost would have missed it.

It was faint, but as I crouched down to my knees and removed the remaining muddy leaves around it, it became promenate.

The mud had ridges along the side, sinking lower in the centre, deeper at the start and more fuller as it ended. I could have kicked myself a dozen times for missing it, because as I traced my hands along the ground I knew this was my key to Skylar, because I knew what laid under my hand were the marks of her resistance.

I only starred at the deep groves in the mud that only heels could create before I flew in that direction.

Skylar had tried to resist, she had tried to break free and I wasn't there to protect her, to help her.

I would save Skylar for all that she is, whomever that may be, and then I would simply never let go.