~Jonah~
I broke through the tree line running as fast as I could, leaving the clearing we had been standing in. My vision narrowed, tunneling in my single purpose of getting my mate back. So, I was not paying attention to my surroundings.
Before I could get a few feet into the trees a heavy force of another shifter's wolf slammed into my side. I snarled in anger even as my body flew sideways through the air, only stopping once it slammed into a tree.
My wolf's feet scrambled to get purchase underneath my body so I could shove at the other wolf who landed on top of me.
With a forceful shove of four paws, I launched the other wolf across the clearing. My mind narrowed and my vision faded into tunnel vision as anger coursed through me. Anger at whoever dared stop me from going to save my mate, no matter who they were.
As the other wolf landed and spun around to face me, growling in warning with his hackles raised I saw something in the corner of my eye. Someone else was here.
I snarled, stepping to the side to try and keep both the threats in my line of sight. Vaguely I realized the newcomer, Silver, was still in his human form. But I knew it did not make him any less dangerous.
Tilting my head towards the wolf, I allowed myself a moment to inhale. Scenting the air I realized the wolf was Eric. This served to confuse me and anger me all at the same time.
How dare another alpha attack me and keep me from rescuing my mate. The only way so many alphas and packs can be here is we all respect each other. But here he was not respecting me. I doubt he would have done anything differently if it was his mate who was missing.
Just that thought made me snarl at them again, taking a step forward with my teeth bared in anger.
"Wait! Wait-wait-wait." My head swung back towards Silver, baring my teeth at him in a warning.
So far he had not done anything to anger me, but he was not very far from it.
"Jonah... Alpha Jonah. Calm down. We aren't trying to keep you from finding her. But... please shift back. Both of you. I'm tired of being the one talking to fangs."
My nose scrunched up to show said fangs but I huffed out in irritation. I could not afford to wait on finding Emilia. But, now that I was not seething in anger, I realized they may have a point in stopping me.
With the smoke from the fires, I would not be able to catch her scent and I did not know his territory very well.
Snarling one more time I shifted back to my, now naked, human form. Once Eric shifted, I spoke in a clipped voice. Still angry but willing to hear them out. As long as it was quick.
"What was so important that not only am I wasting precious time, but you have the audacity to attack me."
Eric winced and rubbed a hand through his hair. His southern accent was stronger than I had ever heard it. "Attack is a little... strong. But I'm sorry about that Alpha. We just needed to stop you before..."
"Before what? What is more important than my Emilia?!" My voice raised at the end in a growl.
Eric glanced at Silver with a pained look on his face. A look, I suspected, was more about angering me further than it was about what they had to say to me.
Silver's dry tone answered me. "Look, as much as I just love having important conversations with naked men while knowing any second it can blow up right in front of me, this is important. You need to hear us. Not just listen, but hear what we are trying to tell you."
"All he told us was that Emilia and Clarisse hadn't been seen in a while. We don't know where they are or if they're even together! So you can't just run off. You need to think about this clearly."
I sighed in disappointment. Eric was right. They both were. "But I can't just sit around here doing nothing! You're right, we don't know what's going on. But that doesn't mean she's safe. She could be out there needing help!"
"Yes, I'm not arguing. But she could also be still in the house for all we know. We need to plan. Ask around."
Silver nodded and agreed with Eric. "You know I care for Emilia too. Come on, not like that." He said in exasperation when I growled. "I'm just saying, I will... no, we will help you find her. No matter what's happened. But not only do we need to plan if it comes to it, but we also shouldn't rush into things without finding the facts."
"You'll all help me find her? Now? I understand what you're both saying and I'll try to wait as long as I can. But I have a bad feeling about this. I had one earlier and didn't realize it. I can't wait here a moment more."
Just then the human from earlier, O'Connor stepped from the tree line silently. I glanced over, startled. I had not heard him coming. Glancing at the others, I wondered if they heard him but they looked just as startled.
"Don't mind me. Took a while to catch up but I'm glad I did. After you three left someone came. They found Clarisse. She's in the main clearing."
My eyes widened and I started to turn to run there when his voice stopped me.
"Just Clarisse. Not Emilia."
I turned back towards him. "What do you mean, not Emilia. They were together. They shouldn't be separated."
"Well, that's just it. Clarisse said they split up to cover more ground when they were searching for the kids. She says she took the house and Emilia insisted on looking outside."
Frowning, I shook my head. "No, that can't be right. I told her to look upstairs. I saw her go upstairs. And she knew better than to go outside."
"Well, that's what Clarisse said. But I'm not sure I believed her. She... she was acting very twitchy."
"Twitchy?" Eric asked and crossed his arms.
"Yea, she couldn't really meet my eyes for any length of time and kept licking her lips. I don't exactly know what you guys do to tell lies, sniff each other's butts? But, I know someone who's lying or making something up when I see one."
Silver barked out a laugh. "Sniff each other's butts. Yea sure. Says the human. You wish you were as cool as us."
Eric and I growled at the same time, silently telling him to be serious.
"So, what are you saying? Clarisse knows where my mate is and is lying about it? Why would she do that?"
"Remember how adamant she was about how we weren't to be trusted?" Eric reminded me. "Maybe she still thinks that?"
"Or maybe she just was nervous by O'Connor's dazzling smile over there and that's why she was acting nervous."
I snarled at the same time O'Connor grinned at Silver and flipped him off. "Stop it! Please. I'm barely holding on by a thread and I'd hate to find my mate only to tell her that I murdered her taco maker because he was testing my patience."
Silver's hands flew up into the air, surrendering even though I saw him and O'Connor flash one last grin at each other.
Looking at the human warrior I asked, "So, could what he have suggested be true? That there was another reason why she was acting nervous?"
He shook his head. "No. I mean there could technically be another reason. But I really don't think so. She was agitated, kept looking around and towards the woods like she was expecting something to happen. Most likely, it was what Eric suggested. Sorry. Alpha Eric." He shook his head a little; I'm assuming at correcting himself since Emilia didn't like saying titles either.
"But if she was lying, even if it was because she didn't think we could be trusted... how would she have convinced Emilia to leave? And why would she put her friend in danger? At least, that's how Em sees her."
I glared at Silver for him talking about Emilia casually. But I shook my head. Now was not the time. Besides, I had to keep reminding myself not to kill him. Emilia, Mine, would really not like that.
Despite not liking how he talked about my mate, I did agree with him. "He's right. I don't think she would do something to hurt Emilia."
Eric nodded slowly, looking like his mind was miles away. "No, I agree. But what if she convinced Luna Emilia, somehow, to leave with Clarisse herself believing she was saving her. What if she knew she wasn't putting her in danger..."
Confusion filled me at first. What Eric said was not making sense. What would be so important that Emilia left during an attack and how would Clarisse know it was fine to do so.
My eyes widened as realization dawned at the same time O'Connor spoke up, nodding his head.
"I had the same thought. We know someone here told some mysterious person about us. And that mystery person told the town's people. We were having a hard time finding out who would be able to get that close to the territory undetected, or get out and back in unnoticed... but after her blow up everyone gave Clarisse her space. No one messed with her, hoping she just needed some more time."
"It makes sense... she had the opportunity to leave without anyone realizing and if she was the one who told that woman in town then she also would know it would be safe to convince Emilia to leave the main house." Silver agreed, serious once more.
I growled out in anger and frustration. "So, it's probably her who started all this. But that doesn't answer where my mate is."
Eric nodded. Straightening up from the tree he had been resting against he spoke up once more. "Okay. You go search the forest in the north. Silver, search the south. I'll go back to the house and have a talk with Clarisse to see if she'll talk. Try and get her to tell me where your mate is."
"What about me? I can help."
Wincing, Eric looked over at him. "Sorry. I'll have other shifters scouring the East and West parts of the forest but we can't afford to have you slowing them down. You can come with me to talk to Clarisse. Or help the others in the main clearing."
O'Connor shook his head. "Listen, I know I'm just some human to you guys but that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing. I know none of you heard me arrive. That wasn't because you all were talking when I showed up. I know how to hunt. More specifically, I know how to hunt humans. It was kind of my job. So, I can help. But I will go back with you before I go out. They can go ahead and start searching and I'll go when I've scouted exit points from the main house."
"Exit points?"
"Yea. We know Clarisse and Emilia, presumably, both escaped the main house without anyone seeing."
We all gave him a confused look. But I also had irritation beginning to course through my body with the undeniable feeling that I was wasting time.
"With how many shifters and humans all running around outside and at least one human woman left the biggest, most central building in the territory unseen? If I can find out how, and where the main house hides from the view of everything else, I can maybe figure out which direction she went into the forest if she is in the forest."
My eyes widened. "Yes, please do that. Now, can I go look for my mate? Or will I be slammed into a tree again?"
I glanced at Eric with narrowed eyes.
He grimaced and nodded. Stepping to the side he jerked his head. "Go, the two of you. I'll send shifters to the other sections. Find your mate."
With that, for the second time in what seemed like the longest day of my life, I shifted to my wolf form and ran.