The Alpha's Imported Luna

Chapter 17:The Search

Stephanie’s POV

Cameron left shortly after delivering the news.

Chris called housekeeping and requested someone to help him pack while I sat quietly in the living room, waiting.

Fortunately, I didn't recognize the housekeeper. That meant there was little chance she would realize that I also worked at the hotel.

Once everything was packed, the members of Chris's team gathered by the door.

"Chris will be down in a minute," Cameron said. "Why don't you walk down with me?"

"Sure."

We left together and headed downstairs. Cameron took the front passenger seat beside the driver while I settled into the back.

A few minutes later, Chris appeared.

A bellhop loaded his luggage into the trunk before Chris slid into the seat beside me.

This wasn't the farewell I had imagined.

Most of the ride passed in silence. Chris seemed distracted, his attention focused elsewhere. Whatever news Cameron had delivered was clearly serious.

As we drove through the city, I couldn't help noticing the change in him. The playful, attentive man I'd spent the last few days with had disappeared, replaced by someone distant and burdened.

Whatever was happening, it couldn't be good.

A few minutes before we reached my house, he finally broke the silence.

"I'm really sorry for leaving so abruptly."

"I understand," I replied softly. "Don't worry about it."

The words sounded tighter than I intended.

Chris gently cupped my face and turned me toward him.

"I'll call you as soon as I land."

Before I could respond, he pressed a soft kiss to my lips.

Moments later, the vehicle pulled up outside my gate.

I stepped out and hurried inside without looking back.

I was disappointed we hadn't gotten more time together.

But more than that, I was worried.

How were we supposed to make this relationship work?

Because whether I wanted to admit it or not, I was becoming seriously attached.

Christopher’s POV

Sean had been pushing for control all evening.

By the time Cameron interrupted us, I was hanging on by a thread.

Sean didn't want to leave our unmarked mate behind while we returned home. Every instinct inside him demanded that he claim her and bring her with us.

While Stef and I had been together, Sean had taken over, nearly marking her.

The thought made me uneasy.

Marking a mate without her understanding what it meant, or having the chance to consent, was strongly discouraged among our kind.

When Stef noticed the change in my eyes, I fought with everything I had to regain control.

Thankfully, she hadn't pressed the issue.

Still, I knew she would ask questions eventually.

After forcing Sean back, I raised mental barriers and blocked him out, along with the numerous mind-links that had been trying to reach me.

The moment I heard the knock at the door, I knew it was Cameron.

He knew I was with Stef. If he was interrupting, something had to be wrong.

I followed him into the study.

"Alpha Steven called again," Cameron said.

My stomach tightened immediately.

"Three more people are missing. A couple and their child disappeared during a pack run. He's organizing another search tomorrow morning and wants our help."

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The situation had just gone from bad to critical.

"Arrange a team of twelve warriors," I ordered. "I want at least two trackers. I'll join the search myself."

Cameron nodded.

"I already anticipated that. The plane is being prepared. The team is packing now, and housekeeping is on the way to help with your luggage."

A small smile tugged at my lips.

"Excellent work, Cameron."

"I try."

I returned to the bedroom to tell Stef that I would be leaving tonight.

She handled the news better than I expected and didn’t ask many questions.

Afterward, I told Cameron to take her downstairs while I finished packing and prepared for departure.

The flight home felt endless.

I spent most of it discussing search strategies with Cameron and then tried unsuccessfully, to rest.

When we landed shortly after four in the morning, Derek, My Head Warrior, was already waiting.

Most of the search would be conducted in wolf form, so none of us bothered bringing our phones.

Mind link communication was far more efficient.

My luggage was transported to the pack house while Derek and I prepared our teams.

Derek’s mate, Nikita, would serve as a tracker on my team. A younger tracker named Toby would be on Derek’s team.

By morning light, we had assembled at the pack border.

After briefing everyone, we headed toward Lakeside Pack.

Alpha Steven stood waiting at the gates when we arrived.

He walked towards me immediately.

“Chris, thank you for coming. We appreciate this more than you know.”

“It’s what we do,” I replied. “What affects one pack affects us all.”

Alpha Steven nodded.

“I’m sorry to drag you away from your business trip.”

“This is far more important.”

I outlined my team arrangement.

Steven listened before shaking his head.

“Unfortunately, we only have one tracker, and that’s my Beta.”

“Then let’s combine our teams and work in larger groups of twelve.”

“That works.”

We finalized the plan and headed out.

*****

The search began shortly after sunrise.

Each team was given clothing belonging to the missing victims.

Sean practically vibrated with anticipation.

Outside of spending time with his mate, hunting was Sean’s favourite activity.

Rogues or otherwise, he loved tracking prey.

A full week in Jamaica without shifting had left him eager.

The moment I released control, Sean surged forward.

My massive black wolf form emerged instantly.

Larger than most wolves by a couple feet, with striking gold eyes and powerful muscles, Sean drew attention wherever he went.

I stretched briefly before lifting my nose to the air.

Then we began tracking.

Hours passed with little progress.

Every trail seemed faint.

Every scent seemed intentionally obscured.

When we finally stopped to rest, Nikita spoke through the mind link.

Alpha, I think whoever did this masked their scent. I’m only picking up fragments. Nothing recent.

I agree.

Whoever is responsible knows what they’re doing. They’ve been covering their tracks.

After considering the terrain, I made a decision.

We’re changing directions. The western area leads toward civilization. If they want secrecy, they’ll head north into deeper forest.

Good call, Alpha.

We moved north.

Two hours later, Nikita froze.

A scent.

Strong enough to matter.

Immediately, the team became alert.

Nikita and I will investigate, I ordered through the mind link. Everyone else should stay back and maintain watch.

The clearing appeared slowly through the trees.

The smell hit us immediately. Then we saw the bodies. The first was badly decomposed. The second looked as though scavengers had gotten to it.

We secured the area before signaling the others.

The moment the Lakeside wolves arrived, their reactions told us everything.

One of the warriors shifted back and lowered his head.

“That’s Ted and Tina,” he said.

The first victims were found.

Silence settled over the clearing.

Transporting the remains wasn’t easy.

The bodies were too badly decomposed to carry without support, forcing us to construct makeshift stretchers from branches and vines.

By the time we returned to the original meeting point, most of the vehicles were gone.

One warrior remained behind.

“Alpha Chris,” he said immediately. “Alpha Steven asked me to wait for you.”

“What happened?”

“About an hour ago, we picked up a trail leading into a small town west of here.”

Hope flickered briefly inside me.

“We found clothing belonging to the second missing couple.”

“Anything else?”

The warrior swallowed.

“We found their son.”

My heart skipped.

“Alive?”

He nodded.

“Abandoned in an alley, but alive. They already transported him back to the pack hospital.”

That was the first positive development we’d had all day.

As my team approached with the remains of Ted and Tina, the warrior’s face fell.

He immediately understood what we’d found.

When we returned to Lakeside Pack, word had already spread.

A crowd had gathered outside the pack house.

Pack members wept openly as family and friends embraced one another.

Loss hit small packs harder.

Everyone knew everyone.

Every death felt personal.

Later that evening, I sat with Alpha Steven in his office.

“How are you holding up?” I asked.

He rubbed a hand over his face.

“The best I can, under these circumstances.”

I nodded.

“Finding the boy alive is something.”

“It is.”

“The doctor says he may be able to talk in a few days.”

“Then we’ll stay.”

Steven looked surprised.

“You don’t have to.”

“Yes, I do.”

I leaned back in my chair.

“If that child saw anything, it could be the break we need.”

*****

Over the next days, we searched relentlessly to see if we could find anything on the second couple that went missing.

But nothing else was found.

Whoever was responsible had covered their tracks well.

After that, we shifted our focus to the small town where the boy had been discovered.

Eventually, our investigation led us to an aging roadside motel.

After some persuasion and a significant cash incentive, one employee agreed to provide surveillance footage.

The recordings were poor quality, forcing me to send them to Nick, my IT specialist, for enhancement.

Late Sunday evening, Derek and I sat reviewing hours of footage.

My mind kept drifting to Stef.

She was probably worried.

Probably angry.

I hadn’t contacted her once since leaving Jamaica.

I had dived straight into my Alpha duties.

I still hadn’t shared that I’d found my mate with anyone outside of my parents, Cameron and John and George.

The fewer people who knew, the better, but that fact did little to ease my conscience.

Then Derek suddenly leaned forward.

“Alpha, look at this.”

I focused on the screen.

A black sedan pulled into view.

Two large men stepped out, both wearing ski masks.

Minutes later, they dragged what appeared to be two unconscious figures from the vehicle.

Even through the grainy footage, I could partially make out the victims. They seemed to match the description of the latest missing couple.

A few minutes later, the footage showed a silver hatchback arriving.

The men transferred the victims into its trunk before driving away.

I placed two warriors at the motel to keep an eye on the location in case they returned.

The next morning, Derek and I met with the young survivor.

The boy sat quietly beside his aunt, staring at the floor.

He refused to make eye contact.

When Alpha Steven gently asked what had happened, the child immediately broke down sobbing.

His body trembled uncontrollably.

I exchanged a look with Steven.

This wasn’t the time.

“He needs time,” I said quietly. “Let him heal. Let him process what has happened. Then try again.”

Steven nodded.

“You may be right.”

I stood and extended my hand.

“I’ve been away from my pack long enough. Call me the moment you learn anything.”

“I will.”

We shook hands.

“Thank you again, Chris.”

“Anytime.”

Because whatever was hunting our people wasn’t finished.

And neither were we.