The Right Girl

SEVEN

RICHARD

I breathe heavy and plunge my snout into the cold stream. It has been three days since Audrey disappeared. Three whole days, no clues, nothing. Vanished! I complete one last lap of the packs territory, sit on my hind legs and let out a pained howl. My tracking team returns the favor and race to meet me. “It’s done fellas, three days with nothing. It is time to return and start a damage control.” I link the team. It has felt good being in my primal form for three days. I had forgotten the exhilaration of hunting, stalking then catching, being with my pack and working closely together. Mostly this has taught me the value of a strong Alpha presence and it isn’t what I am and I haven’t been that person for a long time.

My feet smash against the hard dirt, as we race towards the pack house. My tracers are off the hook, they are free to return home and go about their business until I require them again. Me, I have to face the wrath of Margie. I shift at the door and slowly creep up the stairs, opening the door to the apartment and then tiptoe over to the guest shower. I don’t dare use the ensuite, for fear of waking the sleeping beast.

The hot water rushes over my sore muscles, the dirt of the past three days racing down my body and slipping into the drain. I stand with my arms against the wall, resting my head on them. The steam comforting me and soothing my body. My mind is racing, planning my next move, I am in desperate need of sleep, but I am not sure my body will allow it to happen. Time is of the essence and I have already wasted enough. I eventually come to the conclusion; I am no good when I am tired.

The bathroom door creaks open and I slide out, trying to sneak my way across to my room, slide into bed and hopefully not wake Margie. No such luck, the lamp snaps on and a cranky she wolf sits there, arms folded.

“I take it Audrey is safely in her bed.” Margie’s voice is short.

“My love, she unfortunately is not.” I try to sooth. I look to the ground, scrunching my toes in the shaggy carpet trying to release some of my agitation without her noticing.

“Why are you here then?” Her voice is tight with anger.

“ It has been three days, love. It is time to take a different approach. There isn’t a clue out there, no scent. Nothing.” I plead with her.

Her tongue clicks and she moves to stand in front of me, hoping I am about to get the hug I am so badly craving, I lean in towards her.

“ No you don’t, I am still mad at you. Spare bed, until I am ready to see your face again.” She turns and slams the bedroom door behind her. The click of the lock signals the end of discussion.

I mope into the guest room and flop across the bed, dragging my hands down my face for what seems to be the 1000th time this week. I sigh, this won’t be a restful sleep at all, it never is unless Margie is tucked up next to me, he scent flooding my senses.

The sky starts to lighten, dawn is here. I wouldn’t call it sleep, but at least the rest was more comfortable than the previous nights. I try my luck on the door handle of the master bedroom, to my surprise, it opens. Margie is nowhere to be seen. I gather my clothes and head to the bathroom. Time to make up for lost showers. The warmth engulfs me and I find myself asleep on the floor in no time at all.

“ This is how you look for Audrey is it.” Her cold voice cuts through my peaceful slumber.

“ Wha… No, love, it has been a rough few days, cut me some slack. Haven’t I suffered enough?” My tired voice croaks out.

“You have suffered enough when I say you have suffered enough.” In our 38 years together, I had never seen Margie so mad at me. She always the peace maker, always rational I don’t actually remember a time she has been this mad. I have really done it now.

I meander towards my office, I guess the first conversation I need to have is with Graham. We haven’t spoken in years. He left so abruptly when Mary was pregnant with Audrey. There were many little visits here and there, until Audrey’s 10th birthday, I had grown tired of my Alpha duties and wanted him to come and take his rightful place. He laughed in my face and told me that he would never take power of the Crystal Lake pack and I would just need to find another schmuck to take the job. It hurt to hear him denounce his birth right this way. The argument was fast and furious, he screamed, I screamed, in the end, Margie and I left. We haven’t spoken with Graham since. Until Mary called us. Audrey has been getting out of hand, drinking and doing drugs. The final straw was when she fell into a lake and almost drowned. She was intoxicated. They knew she needed to be removed from the situation and start fresh. And I was meant to be that hard authority she needed. Instead, I did nothing and no she is gone.

My heart rate rises with each ring of the phone until he answers, “What has she done this time?” He bites through the line.

“ Good Morning Son, how are you today?” I try to lighten the mood with some pleasantries

“Don’t son me! What is it that she has done this time, I told you I didn’t want any contact with you?” His voice is bitter, still harboring all the resentment of 7 years ago.

“ Well, there is no easy way to say this, so I may as well just come out with it. Audrey has gone missing.” I brace myself by holding on tightly to the edge of the desk.

Silence fills the line and I can hear his haggard breathing getting louder.

“You incompetent FOOL.” He explodes

“I sent her to you so she would be SAFE, how did you lose her in less than a week!” He wasn’t wrong. I was meant to keep her safe and I failed.

“About that….” I begin, but he cuts me off

“OH don’t tell me, this isn’t a recent development, is it?” His voice, icy cold

“We tried to search first, but...”

“BUT WHAT!? You thought I didn’t want to know my child was missing? Or you thought your pathetic trackers would find her? He had cut me off again. I could feel the agitation building deep inside me.

“You know what you ungrateful little s**t, if you had not have hidden her family from her, what we are, how a pack works. This wouldn’t be an issue because she wouldn’t have become overwhelmed.” I spit back, my anger bubbling over the sides.

His laugh said it all; I knew he was shutting down now.

“ Ah huh, well, I guess I will be seeing you tomorrow old man.” He slams the phone down. I rest my head back onto the chair. I guess I should prepare for my Son’s arrival.

Margie’s, intoxicating scent begins to flood the room and I heard the soft tapping of her shoes along the hall. I sit forward in anticipation.

“That can’t have been easy.” Her voice much softer than it was this morning.

I shake my head “No, it wasn’t, they will be here tomorrow.” I reply resting my forehead against my palms.

She moves behind me rubbing her hands skillfully across my shoulders and neck.

“Let me make the preparations, you just work on getting some of our allies on board with the search party.” I melt back into her touch and relish in the tingle of the mate bond, the stress melting away with every circular motion of her thumbs.

She leant down and placed a soft kiss on my cheek, her forgiveness evident.