Lost and Found

Three

There had been some excitement in the Jade Forest Pack about the mystery woman the alpha allowed in. It was such a rarity that members had attempted to get a glimpse of the woman in the hospital. Speculation ran rampant, and it took a few days of him handing out punishments for things to die down. By the time a week had passed, however, things were roughly back to normal.

Zane sat at his desk in his office. There were stacks of papers piled high, but he stared at the glass of whiskey that was half drunk in his hand. It was his third. Maybe fourth. It didn’t matter. His beta, Felix, had just left the room after their nightly debrief of the day. Felix would be overseeing the pack while he went out on a trip to the city to check in on their businesses. He had these trips regularly to ensure that things were running smoothly and that his pack would continue to be supported.

He also used this time to meet with a private detective that was looking into the disappearance of his sister. There had been a few promising leads he had followed, but nothing had panned out thus far. Once that woman woke up, if that woman woke up, then he hoped she would be able to shed some insight into what had happened.

Though he didn’t want to, his memory took him back to that rainy night when she was abducted. It had been a normal Thursday, just like any other. His pack was a well-oiled machine, with everyone contributing their part. Lara, who had alpha blood, had always been very active in the pack and had begged Zane for a patrolling job. She didn’t believe that titles should dictate a hierarchy or that it meant certain people were exempt from certain duties. Lara believed in fairness across the board, and Zane had admired her for it. She treated everyone the same and helped others when she could. She practically acted like the Luna of the pack.

That night, she took her team out for patrolling. She had been so excited when she learned that she had passed the team leader test. It was a dream come true for her when she was assigned her first team. Zane was at his desk, as he often was, trying his best not to check in too often with her. She was his sister, but she was still a team leader, which meant that he had to treat her the same as his other leaders.

Zane clutched his glass in his hand, contemplating whether he should throw it or not. He should have checked in with her anyway. If he had known that his casual conversation with her would be the last…

He stared at the cup in his hand for a long time. Then, instead of throwing it, he swallowed the contents in one gulp. He would have done so many things differently. He would have hugged her. No, he would’ve kept it from happening. After his parents died tragically in a car accident, he and his sister only had one another. They became each others’ lifelines and support systems.

She had disappeared without a trace after reporting to her team that she was going to double check one of the sections. She thought she had heard growling and wanted to investigate. And then, she was gone. Lara hadn’t left a scent behind or even a footprint. It was as if she had simply vanished. Whoever had taken her had planned everything perfectly. No one else had been taken before or after. There hadn’t been a ransom note or sign of life. It was as if she existed one day and then didn’t the next. It was as frustrating as it was earth-shattering.

A knock sounded at the door. Zane glanced at the clock and then groaned. It was well past the time he knew he should be in bed, but what did it matter anymore?

“Come in,” he said wearily.

To Zane’s surprise, Leo walked into his office.

“To what do I owe the honor?” he then asked sarcastically.

Though Zane really liked Leo, he couldn’t say he was the biggest fan of him as of lately. Part of the reason why he was doing so many late nights was due to Leo’s suspicion of a security leak.

“Good evening, Alpha.”

“More like morning at this point,” Zane corrected.

Leo nodded. “Yessir.”

“What is it? You know I don’t like to repeat myself.”

“Yessir. Sorry, sir. I just wanted to apolo–”

“No more apologies from you,” Zane interrupted. “I appreciate how you came to me and explained everything. You’ve taken ownership over your actions and helped set up a more secure perimeter. And though you went against a direct order from your alpha, you did what you thought was best, and I’d even go as far to say that you didn’t do anything wrong. You’ve proven yourself time and time again. So, no apologizing. Understood?”

“Understood.”

Zane poured himself another glass and then offered one to Leo, who gratefully accepted it. “Now, was there anything else?”

“What do I need to do in order to make it up to you and prove my worth to you again?”

Letting out a sigh, Zane had to give the man credit. Leo was so genuine that he felt his anger melt away. He couldn’t deny that Leo was a rare find and a great asset to his pack. He followed orders, generally, without hesitation, put others first, and had exceptional fighting skills and technique.

“This is really bothering you, isn’t it?”

“Yessir. Disappointing you isn’t something I ever wanted to do nor is it something I want to repeat.”

Zane thought for a moment before giving Leo a sly grin. “Alright then. Say yes to my proposal.”

“You mean…?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “You’ve continued to tell me ‘no’ every time I’ve asked. If you really want to make it up to me, agree to be one of the team leaders.”

“But sir!” Leo started, startled by the request.

The alpha only shook his head in response. “No buts this time.”

“What about going through the trials to rightfully earn my spot?”

“What of it? You’ve continued to prove yourself, which is why I’ve practically begged you to take the position up to begin with. You’re the only one who’s ever turned me down. Besides, you’ve spent the entire week shoring up our defenses, finding holes, and helping some of our youngers train. You’re already doing the job, so you might as well get the recognition for it. No one would be surprised by the decision, and in fact, the pack would welcome it.”

Leo finished his drink before asking, “And this would right my wrongs?”

“Without a doubt.”

It only took him a minute or so to finally agree to Zane’s request. Leo wasn’t quite sure how he felt about it. He had done something against policy and against the alpha’s word, and now, it felt like he was somehow getting rewarded for it by getting a promotion. A coveted promotion at that. He could already picture Vern’s disdain and disapproval when he found out that Leo would be transferred off of security. Well, it was more like Vern’s jealousy than anything else, but he couldn’t control other people. He could only control himself and how he would do his best as a team leader for Alpha Zane.

“Best you get some sleep, Leo.”

“And you too, Alpha.”

Zane chuckled. “I suppose so. We both have an early morning training to attend now, don’t we?”

“Yes, Alpha. And, thank you, Alpha.”

“Oh? What for?”

“For continuing to support me, believe in me, and trust in my decisions, even if they don’t make sense to you. I appreciate all you’ve done for this pack and for me.”

Zane chuckled softly and then smiled softly. “I’m not sure if I’ll ever understand you, Leo. Even when we were young pups, you made these comments that simply baffle me. You make it sound like I’m some grand person or something.”

“I just want you to know that you’ve made a huge difference for a lot of people. Your pain and sacrifices have not been forgotten.”

Zane watched Leo stand, bow his head, and then head for the door. As he had stated earlier to the other, he was often intrigued by Leo, who made gallant statements about him or whatever situation they were in. He appreciated that his new team leader had such a strong moral compass and often reacted to situations so differently than he would. He often wondered if Leo would be a better alpha than him because of his outlook on life and how he held himself. He and Leo had practically been raised together as pups, and his parents had loved him like a son. Even Lara had the biggest crush on him growing up.

He shook his head. This was why he never drank anymore. All thoughts eventually led back to Lara, no matter how he tried to stop himself. If only he had a distraction large enough to keep her away for the night.

“Alpha,” Bre’s voice thundered into his head through their mind-link connection.

“What is it, Bre?”

“Grab Leo. She’s awake. The woman finally came out of her coma.”