The Third Wheel BxB (Old + new versions)

Chapter 15: Looking for you

"You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another" (Ernest Hemingway)

Two weeks later

NATE'S POV

"Where are you, Kyle?"

I asked myself that question a thousand times a day, if not more, almost to the point of driving myself mad. In second place came another one: "why did you run away?". I had a few explanations in mind, but in the end all I could do was guessing. My childhood friend was a mystery. Though I could never solve the mystery that he was, and I wasn't sure I even wanted to - weren't we all mysteries to ourselves, after all? - I hoped that when the time would come, I would get some answers.

The only thing Darren and I knew for sure, was how our clever mate had managed to run away without any of us being able to prevent it.

After our sad and stressing talk with Alex, which had led to the banishment of the wolf on the grounds of treason and murder attempt, we had came back to the tent, only to find Kyle fast asleep. I had easily convinced Darren to let our mate rest, and to tell him about Alex the next morning. I knew such news was going to bring distress to Kyle, and could imped his recovery. We had slept on the ground next to Kyle's bed, probably too tired to care about the lack of comfort.

I had woken up first, around dawn, to find that Kyle was no longer here. The reason Darren and I had panicked so quickly was because our mate was still injured. We hadn't been able to sense him, so we had deduced that he had already gone far - possibly thanks to someone else's help? Anyway, a search had been immediately conducted, and only a few wolves had remained at the camp.

I should have known that Kyle couldn't have ran away so far so quickly. The thing is, I would have guessed he was still at the camp at that time, if I had been able to sense him. Only, my too-clever-for-his-own-good mate had came up with a brillant plan. He had taken smell inhibitors from my pharmacy bag, in order to make us believe he had ran away, and had stayed hidden in the camp. Then, after we had gone looking for him, he had quietly left the tent, taking all the smell inhibitors with him.

"How are you, lovely?"

I sighed, giving a tired smile at my Alpha who was slowly approaching me. "How are you?" was a question which didn't make much sense to any of us these days. We were doing bad, or very bad, depending on our mood and our level of despair. The worst was not knowing if Kyle was okay. He was an adult, so we wouldn't force him to stay with us if he really didn't want it, but we had to make sure he was safe, which was now impossible, since we couldn't sense him at all.

"Do you think we'll find him?" I asked without thinking, before biting my lips in anger.

I shouldn't have asked that. I shouldn't let my own pessimism affect my mate. I had to be strong for him, he already had enough on his plate without me sharing my doubts.

"I know we will, love." he replied in a calm voice, closing the distance between us to take me into his arms.

I leaned back against his solid chest, wishing I could possess half of my mate's confidence and strenght. I could see the hurt and worry in his eyes, for I knew him too well, yet my mate was a rock. His own doubts never prevented him from taking action. Maybe that was why he was the Alpha of the pack.

"Don't think you have to be strong all the time, Nate", he whispered in my ear, as if he had been reading my thoughts. "You can always tell me what you really think. I believe it's better for us to communicate openly, especially in difficult times."

I nodded, turning around so I could press my face against his chest. He let me do it, patiently waiting for me to tell him what was in my mind. After a while, I peered up at him, he looked good despite almost not having slept for two weeks, his olive skin only looking slightly paler than usual, his short black hair a bit greasy. I, on the other hand, looked like I had recently traveled all the way to Hell and back.