The Alpha’s Guardian

Chapter 14

Around nine pm someone starts banging on my door. I get up and walk into the living area. Jordon is standing at the coach. I can see his laptop open, and some type of internet search was pulled up.

“Are you expecting anyone?” Jordon asks.

“No.” I move to look out the peep hole. I groan.

“What is it? Who is there?”

I wave my hand at him and open the door. Brad is standing there looking furious.

“Brad, what are you doing here?”

He pushes past me and storms into my room. “What the hell, Ana? You have been avoiding me and we need to talk.”

“Talk?” I am confused. I will admit I have been avoiding him, but with Beth missing, I have been pre-occupied.

Brad turns and sees Jordon and his face turns red, “Who the hell are you?”

I shut the door and move between the two men. “Brad, Jordon. Jordon, Brad.”

“Jordon, your brother’s friend? Why is he here?”

“He is staying with me, while we look for Beth.”

“Beth?”

“My roommate who is missing.” Really, he doesn’t remember my roommate’s name. I am staring at him in complete shock. I shake my head, “What do you want, Brad?”

“You and I need to talk.”

“Okay, then talk.” I wave my hand in front of us.

“Alone!”

“Fine.” I usher Brad into my bedroom. I turn back to look at Jordon who gives me a little salute before he settles back on the coach.

Brad turns on me as soon as I shut the door. “Why is he here?”

“I told you. He is helping me look for Beth.”

“Why are you looking for her?”

“Because she is missing, and I am worried about her. Why wouldn’t I be looking for her.”

“She is human and only your roommate!”

“She is also my friend,” I cut him off.

He huffs angerly and paces around my room. He goes to sit on my bed and stops when he sees books and paper scattered everywhere. He shifts and decides to lean on the windowsill. He is looking out the window when he finally sighs and asks, “Why are you avoiding me?”

I sigh. I knew this was coming and I am not sure what to say. “We are getting too serious. I liked the friends with benefit thing we had going. I am not going to stay here after I graduate, I can’t do anything more serious than that.”

“Why?” He stands up straight and moves towards me. “Is it because of him?”

“Jordon,” I laugh. “No, I am nothing but his best friend’s little sister. He is doing a favor for my brother and keeping my dad from coming down here and making a scene. You know how well that will go over with this territory’s pack leader.”

He shakes his head. “So why won’t you stay after graduation.”

I groan, “I can’t Brad. I have to go home.”

“To save your lands. Is that all?”

I debate for a second on telling him, but I remember my mother’s warning, “Yes, that is all. I have to protect my people.”

“Your brother is older so he will be alpha, what will that leave you, his advisor? Don’t you want to be a Luna?”

“Actually, no I don’t. I do not want to lead a pack. I want to be an advisor. I want to help and guide them.”

“You are being so naïve.” He begins pacing my room again, “Other than that, is there any other reason you don’t want to get serious?”

“That is a pretty big reason. But no, if you were free to go home with me after graduation, I would have no problem with getting serious. But as you told me before you are fated to be your pack’s Alpha.”

“It can’t be easy for a lower wolf to marry the alpha’s daughter. So, what if going back means you could never get married, never have a family?”

I shrug. From all the stories, the wise woman always finds a mate. There is always someone fated for her, someone who does not mind what she is destined to become. So, I really am not worried. If for some reason I am not fated to have a mate or children than I will guide my niece (whenever my brother decides to mate and have children) in the ways of the Angkkuq.  “Then I remain unmarried. If that is my fate.”

Brad is fuming and points a finger at me, “This discussion is not over.” He pushes past me and storms out of my room slamming the front door as he leaves. I walk out and feel the waves of anger circling the room. Even Jordon can feel the energy and turns to looks at me.

“Everything alright?”

“Yes, he is not happy about our relationship.”

“So, who wants to be more serious?”

“Him.”

Jordon nods.

“Wait,” I ask. “How did you know one of us wanted more than the other?”

“Investigator, remember?” He turns back to his computer. “Anyway, anytime someone states ‘the discussion is not over’, it usually means someone is trying to convince someone else that what they want is more important than what the other person wants.”

I move to sit next to Jordon.

“Why don’t you want anything serious with him?” Jordon asks.

“He is going to be his pack’s alpha here in Georgia. I am needed back home in Canada. How is that supposed to work?”

“You could figure it out, if you really wanted to be with him.”

“What if I don’t know if I want to be with him?”

“Only you can determine that?”

“Ugh, why is this so hard?”

Jordon laughs. “Everything that is worth anything is hard.”

“Where did you get that line? A motivational poster.”

He laughs again. “Actually, I think I did.”

I put my head in my hands and sigh, “So did you find anything out?”

“Not really. Officer Rider called earlier and asked if you could find something with Beth scent on it. The local pack is going to send out hunters around town and see if they can get a hit. If they do, then we can get an anonymous tip that someone saw her there and go in and investigate.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were studying, and they are not starting till tomorrow morning. I figured I would ask you when you emerged.”

I huff and settle back into the coach with my arm crossed. “I can help with this.”

“Do you know the town well enough to know where to go?”

“Um. No”

“Exactly. It would be best if we stayed out of their way. If they find something I will let you know. Now, can you go see what you can find?”

I stand and move into Beth room. I see her laundry basket and bring it out. “How many pieces of clothing do you need? I see a few shirts and pants in here.”

“I’ll take him the whole basket. I do not know how many teams they are sending out.”

I set the basket by the front door. “So, we just wait, again?” 

“Yes, that is the nature of the beast. We do a lot of hurry up and wait.”

“Why didn’t any of this get done today or yesterday?”

“Well, you reported her missing on Sunday afternoon?”

“Yes”

“The first step is to check out all the places she went, call all her friends and family and see if any of them have seen her or know where she is. Over the last couple of days, Officer Rider has been canvasing all the place students usually go, calling everyone associated with her and getting the US Marshal to request a court order to trace her phone. All that takes time. Now that her parents have signed off on the phone trace that is planned for this afternoon. Between the phone ping and the hunters, we should have a lead tomorrow. I hope.”

“What if nobody finds anything?”

“Then we widen the search net.”

“I feel so helpless.”

“Everyone does at this stage.”

I lean back on the coach and lay my head on the back of it. Why is this hard? Why can’t I sense her? What good will I be as the Angkkuq, if I can’t even protect my roommate?

I feel Jordon bump my shoulder. “Why don’t you head for bed? We will have a long day tomorrow.”

I nod and stand and move to the bedroom. I see Jordon follow me and I turn to look up at him. He is standing right in front of me looking down into my eyes. He reaches out and tucks a stray hair behind my ear. “We will find her,” he tells me.

“I know. Thank you.” I look down suddenly shy. 

He kisses my forehead and then physically turns me by the shoulders and shoves me towards my room.

“Now, sleep.”

I laugh and go into my room and close the door.