Love in the Dark World

Chapter 6

Rain doesn’t know where he is. When he had run away from Stop and his men, his only intention had been to get away. He had run blindly into the forest behind where the race had been set up. He should have tried to find P'Phayu but he hadn't been thinking clearly. 

He stops and looks around, he knows he can't have come far. He just isn’t sure what direction the race track is in. 

He is pretty sure Stop and his men haven't followed him into the forest, he thinks he lost them in the storage containers near the edge of the racetrack. Now that he has calmed down he remembers that his mama told him if he ever got lost in the forest around their cabin to stay put so he could be found. He only hopes it P'Phayu that finds him and not that bad Alpha. 

Rain jumps as there is a loud crash of thunder overhead. He curls up under a patch of undergrowth trying to make himself as small as possible and escape the rain that begins to fall. 

Phayu glances at the abandoned buildings on one side of the closed off road where the races are taking place. Stop's people had been searching that area when P'Chai had called them in. They seemed sure that Rain had gone that way. The area around the buildings were very open, Rain wouldn’t have had enough of a head start to hide without being spotted if he had gone in that direction. 

He lets his gaze fall on the railroad tracks with its storage containers stacked two or three high making a mini maze right next to the road. If Rain had gone that way he would have probably had just enough time to hide behind the containers and from there it would have been easy to slip into the forest unseen. 

Phayu heads in that direction hoping his guess is correct. Just a few steps into the forest he sees a scrap of cloth caught on a bush. It's the same color as the T-shirt Rain had been wearing, Phayu picks it up and sniffs. Definitely Rain so he had come this way. The forest is huge though and Phayu doesn’t know how far Rain has gone into it. He needs to get a search party together of people he can trust not to scare the omega. 

Pai, Oat, Tho, and Aek will be happy to help. Some of the pit bunnies as well. That group of omegas have a strong independent streak not encouraged anywhere else, plus they were known for being extremely clever. 

To Phayu's surprise all the bunnies volunteer despite not knowing Rain. The guards and P'Chai would have probably helped too but Phayu is worried Rain might be afraid of them, so they stay behind to keep an eye on Stop’s group and just in case Rain finds his way back. 

Even with so many people searching, the forest is vast and several hours later they still haven't found a trace of Rain. The storm isn't helping, Phayu and the other alphas don't have a chance of picking up Rain's scent in this downpour. He is about to give in to despair when a flare goes off to his right. He takes off in that direction and discovers one of the bunnies knelt down peering into a patch of undergrowth. "Here," she says. 

Phayu looks and sees Rain curled up asleep or unconscious. He lays a hand on the omega's head and realizes Rain's skin is ice cold from being caught in the weather for so long, he needs to get him somewhere quickly and get him warmed up. 

Pai's condo is closest and Sky will also be there to help comfort the little omega when he wakes up. 

Phayu scoops Rain up, and carries him to his car. He's glad he didn't try to bring the bike tonight. The bunnies return to P'Chai to report that Rain has been found but he isn't in a condition to talk yet. 

At the condo, Sky runs Rain a warm bath while Phayu strips him out of his wet clothes. While Phayu tries to bring up Rain's temperature, Pai goes to find him some clothes. Phayu can’t help but be relieved when Rain opens his eyes and says weakly, “P’Phayu?”