Filed to story: Wolf Crying Mate of the Alpha by Jazz Ford
‘We are staying. We won’t go back either until we find Nina.’ I growl.
‘Let’s drive to the next town and ask locals there if they have seen Nina.’ May says.
We spend four hours driving to the next town. It’s just as cold as the town we had come from.
May and I are in the back seat, hovering our hands over the car heater. Our breath is foggy from the cold air.
‘Do you think Moss is looking after her?’ May sobs.
‘If he truly cares for Nina, he would not have kidnapped her. I just hope she is okay, and that she knows we won’t give up on her.’
‘It’s her eighteenth next week. If we haven’t found her by then, maybe she will shift and be able to fight Moss and free herself?’
‘May, I don’t think I could go another day without her.’
As soon as it’s daylight, we hit the streets and show the group photo of my ceremony with Nina in it.
‘Excuse me, sir, have you seen this girl by any chance?’
‘No sorry.’
‘Excuse me, miss, have you seen this girl?’
‘No, I haven’t’
We are just about to call it a day when an older lady looks harder at the photo.
‘I haven’t seen the girl you are looking for, but I have seen him.’ She says pointing to Moss standing behind Nina in the photo.
‘Are you sure? When and where did you see him?’ I ask.
‘Moss, I think his name is. He is the future Alpha of a pack of ruthless, mongrel rogues that formed years ago.’
‘He’s a future Alpha?’ I say, completely shocked.
‘Yes, his mother is well known around here too, and not for good reasons either. Their pack members are always stealing from all the surrounding towns and villages. They have even kidnapped she-wolves and force mateships between those she-wolves and their rogues.’
May, Leon, and I look at each other in shock at what we are hearing.
‘We have to tell Alpha Ryker.’ Leon says and mind-links him immediately.
‘Where does the pack live?’ I ask.
‘They live in the woods amongst caves that link. It’s about a one-hour drive south from here.’
A few she-wolves walk past us giggling, one winks at me.
‘Shoo, shoo!’ May yells and chases after them.
I try not to laugh, but I appreciate her scaring them away. Finding my mate is the last thing on my mind. The only thing that could make me truly happy right now is finding Nina and bringing her back home.
‘Alpha Ryker said he will organise Warriors from packs near here to help us free Nina and any other She-wolves that have been taken.’
‘That could take hours, days even!’ I growl. ‘We need to go now.’
The woman laughs. ‘Finding her isn’t as simple as it sounds. You will need to bring someone with you that knows where their hidden traps are and which caves are the right ones to go through. You will be lost forever if you go down the wrong cave.’ she cackles.
‘Couldn’t you come with us?’ May asks.
‘I could, but I might be growing too old for these kinds of adventures.’
May looks her up and down and takes her arm.
‘You don’t look a day over fifty-nine she smiles. ‘Now hop in, you’re coming with us.’ May says.
‘What’s your name?’ I ask.
‘Mabel.’ She smiles.
‘I’m…’
‘Magnus, May, and Leon. Am I right?’
‘How do you know that?’
Mabel ignores my question and points up ahead.
‘Take the second left from there.’ She says.
Leon takes the left turn and drives for roughly twenty more minutes.
‘The rest of the way will have to be on foot. No car gets through those trees.’ She says, pointing towards the woods.
May grabs a backpack from the car and puts a few snack bars and bottles of water inside.
‘Alpha Ryker wants us to wait for backup.’ Leon says.
‘We need to at least find Nina and assess the situation. If it’s not safe, we will wait for backup.’ I say.
Everyone nods, including Mabel.
Once we enter the woods, Mabel picks up a thick, long branch.
‘You will all need one of these.’ She says.
‘What for?’ Leon asks as she uses it in front of her as if she were blind. We hear a snap sound; she pauses.
‘This is why.’ She smiles.
A log tied to rope comes swinging down, missing Mabel by inches.
‘Woah!’ May says.
‘Use the branches to activate any traps. Stop as soon as you hear any kind of sound and step back until the trap is active. Then you can continue around it.’
‘Clever.’ Leon says, finding himself and May a branch.