Adelaide

Chapter 7

The moment Darcel turned around I can tell walking away from me was the hardest thing he's ever done. He wouldn't stop touching my face, my hair, my arms, anywhere he could reach. I played the sad mate role as best I could and managed to create some tears for effect before he turned his back to me.

Suddenly, I feel terrible for tricking him the way I am but I don't care. I need to do this.

I retrieved my backpack and waited a few minutes before following him. Patrols will be everywhere, but I trust that Nysa will keep her word and create a distraction so that I can leave undetected. I don't know what she has planned but it's no concern of mine as long as it gets the job done.

I can't see Darcel but I know which direction he's going in. I may not be a wolf or have powers but we were all trained to track with or without abilities and I'm counting on all the training I've received to help me push onward.

I was nearing the edge of the property and in the distance I saw some of the aeteri that are on patrol, nervously watching them waiting for one to spot me.

No time is better than right now for Nysa to create that distraction and almost as if she read my mind, the aeteri's heads all snapped in the same direction and ran towards whatever it is they think they see.

I smirked, running in the opposite direction happy to finally be off of our territory and towards my mate who was still unsuspecting of where I am.

To this day I blame myself for not doing more for my parents, for not helping in some way but I'll be damned if I let the same thing happen to Darcel. Yes, I'm powerless and as weak as a human but I'm strong in other areas and will use those strengths to my advantage to try and aid him any way that I can.

While I continued through the thick forest, I thought of what comes next. Even if we succeed in figuring out where the missing rogues and aeteri have gone, what will we do about it? Anyone powerful enough to capture werewolves and aeteri are clearly people we shouldn't be messing with but Darcel is smart. Surely he wouldn't just waltz right into trouble without at least a little help, right?

Then there is the secret I'm keeping from him to worry about. He has no idea I'm part of a team that will one day help save this world and the universe. Anyone who's a supernatural has heard of this team and Darcel is no different. Never in a million years would he think I'd have anything to do with a team like that but if he found out I what would he think?

I have too many things running through my mind and I'm letting it distract me from the mission at hand. Before I think of the future, I need to work on the now and right now, there are wolves and aeteri disappearing. We need to find out where they are and how to help them. Everything else can wait.

For hours, I walked. Shifting my position with the wind so my mate didn't pick up on my scent which isn't as easy as it seems. All of his senses are heightened, I need to remember that. He can hear even better than he can smell so I need to keep my breathing low and my steps quiet. I'm thankful that the forest is full of life, many sounds from the animals to the wind I use to my advantage so whatever noises I make will blend right in but I don't want to rely completely on nature.

The further I went, the more exhausted I became, and of course, the darker it got. Night is coming but Darcel won't stop, I know it. At this point, I'm tired, panting but well enough away from the facility that I don't think he'll make me go back, certainly not alone. He doesn't seem like someone that will waste time by taking me all the way back so hopefully, I can rely on that thought.

Tracking was getting harder, especially in the dark. If I don't make myself known I will lose him, then I'll be in even deeper shit. Up ahead I heard a sound, so insignificant, though when I got closer I knew it was water. I've never been this far so I don't know the terrain at all. I'm sure it's a stream or river of some sort. Darcel will be stopping for a drink and that's when I will reveal myself to him.