Finding Adelaide

Chapter Two

Chapter Two
Cains POV

Present day

"You're not running fast enough!" Corbin shouted at the new trainees as they ran past. I stood back watching as he instructed them. Corbin looked over his shoulder with an exhausted look.

"Keep going." I ordered. Corbin groaned falling into step with the trainees.

"Alpha." The courier called, running up with an envelope. I took the letter and dismissed the boy. I drug my claw under the flap and tore it open. The letter was from the pack in the next state requesting a meeting with the new Alpha. I groaned at the thought of more formalities. There have already been a few small near by packs that have dropped by to introduce themselves.

Corbin jogged by and stopped, throwing his sweaty arm over my shoulder, "What you got." He noisily asked, shoving his head in front me to looks the letter.

I growled and crumbled the letter in my hand, "Did I say you could take a break." I barked. The trainees jumped back into a run.

Corbin rolled his eyes, "Why don't we go? We haven't left since the coronation."

I cracked my neck and thought, it wouldn't be a bad idea. I could look for Adelaide along the way.

"We leave at daybreak." I said walking out the field and towards the house.

——

After a six hours of driving Corbin finally pulled the car into the neighboring pack's territory.

"Oh man, I really have to piss." Corbin complained, bouncing his leg.

"Why didn't you use the bathroom at the gas station like I told you to." I sighed.

"Who would want to use some funky gas station bathroom. Yuck!"

"Probably the person who got an extra large icee three hours ago." I muttered. Corbin pulled up to the pack house and we both got out. Corbin raced past me and up to the house door.

Knocking repeatedly against the door, a woman answered letting Corbin in.

"I apologize for my Beta, he isn't well in the head." I told the woman, Luna Veronica. Veronica smiled.

"We always dreamed of having a son, but only birthed girls." She chuckled, letting me pass through the door, "Terrance is on the phone now but please make yourself comfortable."

I walked into the entryway and passed a small wall with a painting on it, I glanced towards the painting and took in a breath. My vision sharpened and my nose began to tingle. Roses and honey.

Adelaide loved art. She was always painting or drawing something, paint smeared on her cheek or her palms darkened my lead.

I stepped closer to the painting and looked closer at it. It was a watercolor of a waterfall, on top of the cliff was a black wolf howling at the moon.

"Where did you get this painting." I strained. I had to maintain my composure, this could be a step closer to Adelaide. Veronica stepped closer, analyzing the painting.

"I got this a few years ago from a street painter." She said rubbing her cheek, "A sweet young girl..."

"Please," I asked, voice cracking, "Tell me everything you remember about his girl."

Veronica looked shocked by my desperation, "W-Well, she was maybe about twenty or so years old." She explained, running her fingers along the edge of the painting, "She had a few pieces she was selling, not for much. I bought this painting and tipped her well, I thought that the price did not amount to the paintings worth."

"Where?" I almost growled, my patience wearing thin. If she bought this from Adelaide that meant she was alive, she was somewhere.

"The human town east of the pack. Winter Falls."

"Corbin." I called. Corbin came out of the bathroom and walked over, looking over the painting.

"That's a pretty nice painting." He remarked looking at it closely.

"Adelaide made it." I stated, pulling him away from the painting to look me in the eyes, "Can't you smell her on it?"

Corbin shook his head, "I haven't scented her in years."

I growled, "You lay mere feet away from her room and can't even scent her?" Corbin frowned and pushed my hands from his shoulders.

"You think I don't know what you do at night when you stay at my house?" Corbin growled, "Ade is gone, Cain. I don't think she's coming back. You have to let her go." I shook my head.

"That's not true. She's so close, Corbin. We have to find her." I turned and headed for the door, "I'm sorry, Veronica, please let Terrance know I'll be rescheduling."

Veronica smiled, "I will."

Corbin stomped behind me, "Cain, I want Ade back just as much as you do. But why do you think she left." I turned to look at him, hand on the handle of the car, "I don't think she wants to come back."

——

I parked the car on the side of a street as soon as we entered Winter Falls. I stepped out and took in a deep breath, searching for any sign of Adelaide.

"Cain, what if you find your mate? Are you still going to look for Ade like this?" Corbin questioned me as he followed behind me as I started walking down the street. I would walk down every street if that meant bringing her home.

"If Adelaide isn't my mate then I hope I never find my true mate." I replied looking through a shop window.

"You're obsessed, Cain. You've always been obsessed with Adelaide since we were kids." Corbin growled.

I stopped in my tracks and looked Corbin in the eye,  "Why are you so against this? Do you not want to find your sister?"

"Because," Corbin shouted, "She left. She left when I needed her! She didn't tell me goodbye and she never looked back!" Corbin's hands balled into fists, "You know how my dad is. You know how much of an ass he can be. Maybe if..." Corbin hesitated. I grabbed him by the shirt.

"Maybe if what?" I growled, "For years I've asked you what happened that night and you refuse to tell me." I could feel the dominance begin to ooze out of me. If Corbin wouldn't tell me on his own, I was going to make him.

I watched as he fought against the pheromones, his eyes starting to glaze over, "She got into an argument with my dad and then she went to her room and disappeared." I fought the wolf inside me for control. The threads of Corbin's shirt began to snap and pop.

"You're going to tell me exactly what happened that night. Now."