Rouge's Trail

XI

The bed left a kink in my neck that I rubbed all through my walk down to the lobby of the hotel after soaking in a 2 hour long bath and covering myself with hotel provided lotion and a quarter of a bottle of drug store perfume, my replacement bag swinging from my shoulder.

I had bought a whole new outfit that still smelled like the plastic bags it came from. I was wearing a grey turtle neck and a black skirt with tall, grey boots to help me blend in. On my way to the elevator, I took the time to stoop down and stick the bag of my clothes in a potted plant.

Guess we'll have to stop again in New York.

Ajax, Sofia, and Isabella were all waiting for me outside the building. Ajax and Isabella were smoking a pack they shared between them. They must have gotten it while they were waiting for me. Sofia had a map.

Isabella offered me a smoke but I snarled at it and went to  Sofia to look at the path she was drawing on the geographical map that showed the United States of America.

It looked like she planned to head over to Lake Superior and use the waterways to our advantage, traveling by water over half the way. After we get out of the great lakes then we would land at a port in New York state off of Ontario. All we have to do is get to New York City.

"Do you think this would be faster," I ask her. She turned to look at me, brown eyes squinting in the cold, Canadian sun.

"I think it's worth a shot," she said, folding the map," It would take us weeks to get there on foot. We have to meet up with this guy in a week and a half."

"Let's go to the harbor and find out how long it'll take."

Ajax and Isabella both take a last drag before flicking their cigarettes off into some nearby corner. Sofia waited for her sister to start walking but I went down the walk ahead of them, glancing at signs every now and then to see where we were going.

The wind was bitter cold, I brought my hands up to my mouth and rubbed them together while I blew hot air on them. Goddess, I wish I bought a jacket with this outfit.

Luke's POV

"You have to hand it to her," Thomas chuckled from his spot against the wall," Your rouge is a smart one."

I picked up the bag she had shoved behind an f-ing  plant to distract us. I had been looking for her for almost 10 minutes before seeing the strings peering out from behind the vase. Honestly, my wolf doesn't know whether to be mad or impressed and I don't either.

My legs straightened under me and I looked my "companion" up and down again. I can't get over the fact that the Alpha sent Alpha Thomas to watch over me while I looked for my mate.

He was a tall man. Easily over 6 feet. His shaggy hair hung low, near his shoulders and it was almost as dark as November's but not quite. He had a large build and broad shoulders and seemed to enjoy wearing regular shirts with an unbuttoned flannel over them. Maybe it was for warmth or something.

I don't appreciate being babysat.

At all.

We could just leave him. Alpha will understand.

He might, I internally sighed, but he'll be pissed. We might as well keep him and find November.

"She can't still be in the building," I said as I brushed past him and hit the button on the elevator. The slightest scent of her lingered in the small room but I knew it would be almost nonexistent outside.

He reached his hand to touch me but stopped halfway through and let it drop. Instead he stared ahead in the elevator until the doors closed.

"What if she doesn't want to be found."

I stared ahead.

Honestly, I  had been asking myself the same question ever since she left the bathroom at my sister's house. Then again when I found myself on her trail I wondered every single day. What if she didn't?

My wolf constantly repeated that she just needed to feel it. To feel me. To understand what I felt and to know how good it is that we could be great together. Obviously, she hasn't been loved like I can love her. My wolf and I could take care of her. 

We would worship her as if she was the goddess herself.

I have never wanted anything more than I want her.

I didn't even know I wanted a mate until I saw her fall in the forest and picked her up in my arms. I moved a strand of hair out of her face and saw how beautiful it was. It was like the moon had kissed her.  It was like the sun lent her it's glow. It was like all the world stopped turning. 

Most importantly, it was like she was mine.

I knew then I had to make her mine.

"I don't remember giving her a choice."

His bright eyes stared at me as I exited the elevator and headed out of the building in search of the person the goddess meant for me to love for my entire life.