Mate Mysteries

Chapter 14

Pip watched the tracker on Krey's laptop for what felt like hours. When he checked the time, it had been hours. Something was wrong, he felt it the moment Krey tore after the rogue wolves. The silence of the office loosened his thoughts and Pip soon started to worry.

Not wanting to worry alone, he found Makena discussing with Omega wolves about what actions they had to take. "Nobody is back yet, but they haven't moved from the edge of the territory, you need to go and tell them to come back. If there's a fight, break it up. Remind Krey that we need him here."

The Omega's nodded and made sure to stare oddly at Pip before leaving. Pip fought with his facial muscles, wanting to look unbothered by their judgement. As soon as Makena turned to him, he crumbled. "Why aren't they back yet?" he asked.

"I don't know. I'm worried they're fighting. Do you feel any different?"

Pip held a hand to his heart. "Krey just feels far." The edge of their territory was fifteen miles away. That was the furthest Pip had been from Krey in a long time. "I feel kind of cold inside."

Makena seemed troubled by that. She ran after the Omega wolves, yelling at them to hurry up.

Pip then waited and waited. When another hour past, he sat with Makena on the front steps, staring hopelessly at the gate. "I'm more than worried," he admitted.

"Me too. We have half the wolves we had before, all because Krey couldn't keep calm. Idiot." Makena scowled at the sky, watching the sun sink towards the horizon. "If they're not back soon, I'll go myself."

"I'll come with you."

Makena didn't argue against it, but Pip barely waited ten minutes before he stood and stomped down the steps.

"Where are you going?" Makena yelled.

"To get Krey before it's dark."

Makena motioned for the lingering Omegas to follow. Those who followed were a part of Pip's running club, and they were arguably some of the strongest wolves in the pack. Pip felt safer when they shifted and surrounded them as the two most vulnerable people left the Packhouse.

"I feel so exposed," Makena said, suddenly wishing she had eaten that day, or stuck with her training, or better yet, still had her wolf.

Pip anxiously glanced around. His heart throbbed in his throat. He motioned for the wolves to be closer, and one was so close to his side, her fur tickled his legs. They can smell my fear. Calm down.

Pip concentrated on his breathing until Makena reminded him that the edge of the territory was still miles and miles away. If they wanted to get there before dark, they would have to ride on wolves. Pip felt better about that, but gripping onto a wolf's neck and holding with his knees was no easy task.

The last time a wolf, that wasn't Krey, carried him through the woods was when Pip and Sid had escaped from Sea Claw Packhouse. The Southern Alpha had tried to pin Beta wolves against northern Alphas. That felt like a lifetime ago now.

Pip gripped the wolf's fur tightly as they moved deeper into the woods. Each mile, the sun moved a little lower in the sky, and the woods dulled until the leaves all looked the same.

The Omegas stopped when they had less than a mile to go. Some even whined and Pip's stomach churned. He watched Makena sniff the air too and grimace. They smelt something he couldn't, but his bad feeling had turned into a terrible one.

The wolves pressed on slower than before, taking their time to quietly step through bushes and over rocks. They stood closer, moving as a group. Pip and Makena rode the wolves in the middle of the group with a strong circle of wolves all around them.