The Wolf

Ch. 16: Nico gone AWOL

~Alex~

It's finally time for the Moon Run, and I'm excited. I may finally get to talk to Nico after so long. In the amphitheater, my dad delivers his normal speech and updates. I'm unable to pay attention as I crane my neck to look for Nico. I can't spot him on the omega benches, and I wonder where he could be. Maybe he's running late.

"...Now without further ado, let the Moon Run begin!" My dad thunders.

Hundreds of people start running towards the forest at once. Laughs and hollers echo around me. I stand and watch for a minute, waiting to see if I can spot Nico. But the crowd is thinning and I wonder if he's already in the woods.

My wolf revels the feeling of being in its natural form. My mind is a bit preoccupied, but I can't deny that it feels good to run freely. I sniff at the air and run through the ranks of wolves. Still no Nico. Did he skip the Moon Run? Maybe he's just avoiding me again. Something feels off.

When I get to the beach at the end of the woods, I sniff out Dominic. He's swimming in the lake, having a good time. He catches my eye and I wave him over. Dom wades out of the water. He drips water all over the sand as he walks over.

"Hey, what's up?" He asks, wiping his wet hair out of his eyes.

I glance around the others. "Have you seen Nico?" I inquire.

Dom's brow scrunches in thought. "Hm, I don't think I have. He was getting ready the last time I saw him. You should probably ask Blake about it though, he and Nico are pretty close." Dom kept glancing back at the water, so I wave him on.

Him and Blake, close? What have I missed this past week? Following Dominic's advice, I walk around in search of Blake. I find him by the cooler drinking a cherry soda. His face lights up when he sees me.

"Hey, man, what's up?" Blake asks.

I shrug, "Nothing much. Have you seen Nico?"

"I was just about to ask the same thing," Blake says.

"What do you mean?" I look at him, confused.

"Well," He says, "Nico said that we could run together tonight, but then the ass never showed up."

I feel a sting in my heart at the fact that he and Blake were going to run together. Shaking my head, I push the thought aside. Could he still be at the omega cabin? Is he feeling sick? Or maybe he is staying in camp to avoid me. Would he really go this far to not see me?

A bitter taste is left in my mouth at the thought. I give Blake a tight smile and tell him to say hi to Nico for me when he sees him. Tonight is the night of the full moon, and I mine as well not spend the entire thing stuck on Nico. 

I spot a group of my friends hanging around the water. A grin spreads across my face and I run over to them. It's been a while since I've had some good old fashion fun. 

The rest of the night consists of gorging myself on barbecue, swimming with the guys, and talking about the hottest girls. The thoughts of Nico subside, and I enjoy myself, worry-free. It's not until the moon starts to set before everyone picks up their belongings and returns to the camp. 

Exhausted, I plop down on my bed. The warm shower I took makes me feel fresh and relaxed. Now that the festivities are over, thoughts of Nico start intruding into my thoughts. How come he's always on my mind? 

I wonder if the new Nico doesn't like parties. I wonder if he doesn't like me anymore. It's understandable to be a little distant after years of being out of touch, but I could never have conceived that he and I wouldn't be friends anymore. Maybe I'm just misunderstanding everything about him. How can I come to understand the new Nico?