Chasing Tails (Original)

27. Fillers part 2 (short)

Julie tossed and turned in her sleep again, mumbling unknown sentences, waking Dresden from his slumber. He leaned over, watching her face contort into all sorts of emotions. He recognized fear and pain but it was the first time he saw her make such an expression as anger. Even though she was only dreaming it was fierce like it was meant for someone she absolutely hated. He couldn't believe that though. She didn't seem like the kind of person that could hate anyone so easily. He leaned back, sighing and pulled her close. She unconsciously fought against him but after a few seconds, she calmed down and nuzzled her face against him. He rubbed her arm and her head softly, hoping to keep her soothed through the rest of the night. He did not need her to go on another sleep run - especially when tensions are high between the packs.

~~~

Zach panted, taking a moment to catch his breath as he fell down onto the ground in exhaustion. He breathed deeply, wanting to get in as much oxygen as possible. He felt deprived of it, as if he had been holding his breath under water for five minutes too long. His body was heavy and his head was light. His stomach was empty, sending him into a state of agitation that only added onto his heightened emotions. He could feel his strength leave him, his sight turning blurry before darkness settled in.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself in the same place. It was bright out, early morning. He guessed that meant he had blacked out sometime in the last hours last night or the night before - he wasn't sure. He didn't care. As soon as he could, he stood and raced forward, feeling dizzier than ever.

For the past three - or was it four? - days he has been searching everywhere for Trisha. He inhaled the air around him so much, his nose started to irritate and bleed from it. He couldn't tell the normal scents apart from each other any more. Whether there was a bird nearby or a bear, he didn't care. His mind was focused entirely on the scent of apple trees - sweet and woodsy all at once. It was tattooed into his memory, hanging around him like a reminder that he failed to protect what was most important to him. But he couldn't get a trace of it and it only made him go insane.

He hadn't returned to the pack house since he left. He could sometimes hear his pack calling for him in the distance but he was too focused to answer them. He wasn't sure how far he was from home. All he knew was that her scent was nowhere to be found near it and he had to go farther, risking crossing the borders if it meant catching just a bare drift of her scent. Every moment he spent eating or sleeping or even thinking was a moment wasted. It took his whole being to keep thoughts off the worst case scenario.

His brother had found him during the day not too long ago. Andy tried to talk some "sense" into him, to convince him to return home and rest. Without meaning to, Zach had snapped at him and continued on. The only "sense" he thought was was clear was searching for his mate. He didn't care about the situation with Dresden. He didn't care about his sister's possible disappearence. He couldn't care about Ian or even Rose. He only wanted Trisha. If he could just get a hint of her scent - just enough to get him going - he'd be able to relax some.

Zach! 

Zach froze unwillingly, feeling the Alpha force drip over him like rain, soaking him to the bone. He whimpered and growled at the same time, turning to see Ollie's brown wolf looking at him.

I can't get anything. Zach told him, his whole being panicking at his worst nightmares. Guilt and grief threatened to take over and he constantly shook them off, shivering in fear. Ollie nodded.

I know. But even now you aren't doing any good. Come back home and get some food and rest.

That's not going to make Trisha appear any faster. Ollie growled, taking a menacing step forward. Zach bowed his head in submission, knowing he had angered Ollie.

She's my sister. Don't act like you're the only one who cares she's missing. Get your ass back to the pack house now! Zach nodded, knowing that, despite his wants, he couldn't go against the Alpha force. Exhausted and weak, he followed Ollie back the long distance. His chest was heavy and it pained him to think about doing anything but look for Trisha. She had to be waiting for him, wanting him to find her as much as he did. He wanted so much to inhale her, to feel her against him, to hold her as tightly as possible and to never let go. He wanted to hear her laugh and hear her say anything - even a soft mumur that he couldn't understand, even a death curse to blame him for taking so long.

Andy saw his Alpha and his twin walking towards the pack house, both in their human forms. His brother looked terrible with blood shot eyes and dark circles. He looked thinner than before and paler, almost reminding Andy of Julie. He didn't know how much longer Zach would last. He knew they needed to find Trisha soon. He had to think harder. There must be something he could think of that might help!