The Blazing Betas (Book 2 of the Garnetmoon series)

Chapter 9:

Cole P.O.V



As the minutes ticked by without any response from Domonique, my worry grew into an all-consuming fear. I had sent her countless messages and called her repeatedly, but there was no answer. Her mother's frantic pacing around the house and backyard only added to my anxiety. We had no idea where she was, but we knew she was not on the pack lands. The thought of her driving alone, especially in this weather, made my heart race with panic. I had always expressed my dislike of her venturing out by herself, and she knew how much it worried me.

Jarrod's voice was tense with worry as he urged me to call Domonique again. I nodded in agreement, my fingers trembling as I redialed her number, hoping beyond hope that she would pick up. With each ring, my heart sank lower and lower until her phone finally went to voicemail. I glanced over at Jarrod, who had heard the voicemail as well. The disappointment and fear in his eyes mirrored my own, and I shook my head in despair, acknowledging the grim reality that we were unable to reach her.

"What are we going to do?" I said with a heavy sigh that escaped my lips as I voiced my growing sense of helplessness. I felt utterly powerless, with no way to track or locate Domonique. If we were mates, or even marked, I could have easily found her, but the cruel reality was that we had no such connection. I turned to Jarrod, hoping for some semblance of a solution, but he remained silent, his eyes searching mine for answers. It was a rare sight to see him speechless, and the gravity of the situation was not lost on either of us.

I knew that we were out of our depth, and the realization hit me hard. It was time to call in some reinforcements. I turned to Jarrod, and he knew exactly who I was referring to when I said we needed extra help. Our fathers were the first people that came to mind. My father was one of the most skilled trackers in the pack, while Rick's father was known for his incredible speed. And then there was Jarrod's father, who had a special bond with Domonique. With the three of them working together, I felt confident that we could find her in no time. However, the look of defeat in Jarrod's eyes was disheartening. He pulled out his phone, no doubt calling his father, and I did the same, dialing Rick's father's number. We needed all hands on deck to bring Domonique home safely.

Within a few short minutes, all three fathers had arrived at the house, their faces etched with concern and determination. They wasted no time in getting down to business, peppering us with questions and gathering all the necessary details. My father, with his sharp intellect and keen sense of smell, took charge of the investigation, leading the discussion with a steady hand. Rick's father, with his impressive speed and agility, offered to scour the surrounding woods for any signs of Domonique. And Jarrod's father, with his unique connection to Domonique, offered to use his special bond to try and locate her. The room was filled with a sense of urgency and purpose, and I felt a glimmer of hope that we would find her soon.

My father's voice was laced with concern as he turned to me, his eyes searching my face for any sign of worry. "When last have you seen her? Did she look alright?" he asked, his brow furrowed with worry. I gave him a pointed look, frustration bubbling up inside me. What the hell was he suggesting? That Domonique had willingly run away? She would never even think of doing something like that! She was happy here with the pack and happy with me. "I saw her just before she left, and she looked extremely happy. Oh...and no...dad...it's absolutely impossible that she wanted to run away. Everyone here knows how happy and go-lucky Domonique is!" I said, my voice tinged with annoyance. He just nodded at me, his expression understanding but still concerned.

"I just wanted to rule out all the other possibilities, son. There's no reason for you to get upset. I understand that you're worried about her...all of us are. Domonique is like the small bundle of joy that runs through the pack," my father said, his hand resting on my shoulder in a comforting gesture. I looked up at him and sighed, feeling the weight of the situation settling heavily on my shoulders. He was right. He was thinking logically, and I was only thinking with my heart. But the thought of Domonique out there somewhere, alone and scared, was enough to make my heart ache with worry.

The room fell silent as Rick burst in, his face contorted in terror. My heart leapt into my throat, and I could feel the tension in the air thickening. "What is it?!" Jarrod boomed, his voice laced with anger. He didn't want anyone else in the room who wasn't actively helping in the search for Domonique. We couldn't afford to risk her mother finding out, and every extra person in the room increased the chances of that happening. Rick's eyes darted around the room, taking in our anxious faces, before finally settling on me. "I saw her," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I saw Domonique." My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a surge of hope flood through me. "Where?!" I demanded, my voice shaking with anticipation.

Rick's hands were shaking as he frantically searched around the desk, his eyes scanning the cluttered surface for the remote. Finally, he let out a triumphant cry and pulled the remote from the mess, quickly turning to the TV and switching it on. The room fell silent as we all watched, our hearts pounding in our chests, as the news channel flickered to life. The anchor's voice was somber as he reported on the accident, his words painting a picture of devastation and tragedy. I watched in horror as they showed footage of the crash, the truck mangled and twisted beyond recognition. It had gone over the barriers and crashed head-on into a tree, the force of the impact enough to make my stomach turn. The stormy weather only added to the sense of dread that hung heavy in the air. As I looked closely at the truck in the footage, my heart sank. It was the same make and model as Domonique's car. Fear ran high as we all waited for more information, our minds racing with the possibilities of what could have happened.