Arranged Bonds

Chapter 16: Gone Fishing

Weeks go by. Nox is attentive with me, always around, not giving me the chances I need.

I'm eating better, keeping almost everything down. My heart is growing, I think he can tell that I'm falling for him. He isn't on guard with me all the time now. He lets me see glimpses of his past, glimpses of her. I can see that he's trying to open his heart to me, but there's a lot that needs to be resolved first.

My belly is growing steadily, my weight is up. Nox is ecstatic. I look about 3 months in a human pregnancy, but in actuality I'm only 2 now. I'm starting to understand Beatrix little by little.

Nox was only a friend to her, only a substitute for the real thing and I feel bad because he more time she spends avoiding us, the more decrepit she looks. Now she's the one wasting away.

She dyed her hair. It's black now and I've started to notice the bruises all over her. I wander how she gets them, but I don't pry into her business.

I've been trying to gather information to set my plans into motion, but Beatrix, I know, won't be of help. Senna hasn't been much help either, not giving anything away.

Rose let it slip a few days ago that Huxley was last seen in a town about two hours from here, but that's all I've gathered so far. I'm getting desperate now. I'm debating on whether or not I should try talking to Teagan, but decide against it.

I want to talk to Griffen, but he's busy with Nox, securing the pack, checking the order of things. I'm growing frustrated. I can't sit still. I'm anxious. I eventually convince Senna to go shopping. I need clothes that will fit my expanding waste, so it's a good excuse.

I know if I ask Nox that the answer will be an adamant 'N-O', so I instead leave a note and hope for the best.

Nox,

Gone shopping,
Will be home by dinner time.
Taking Quinn with us, so don't worry.

Your Little bird.

---

Senna falls asleep on the ride there, but I'm too nervous to sleep. I keep my window down, sniffing for Hux's familiar scent. No luck.

At the mall, I shop distractedly. I buy a lot of maternity wear, stocking up for the future, because I'm sure after this stunt I won't be leaving pack territory for a while. Nox will have me hooked to his line for the rest of this pregnancy.

Halfway through the day I'm beginning to lose hope. I haven't caught even the slightest whiff of his scent. I want to do this for Nox. He deserves to have his brother back and the lives in my belly deserve to grow up with their uncle to spoil them.

Senna and Quinn seem suspicious of me. I try to stop glancing around me like a lost pup.

I'm in a baby store now with Senna. I'm helping her pick out the perfect crib. She's going to have it delivered. I run my fingertips over a beautiful baby dress. It's pure white and more money then I would like to pay. I'm rubbing my stomach, hungry and sick from being way from my mate for a length of time.

"Do you wanna' grab something to eat Luna?" Quinn is concerned. I just shake my head. I haven't had any luck fishing. I'm ready to go home. This pregnancy is making me more tired than usual.

We're leaving the mall when I smell it. Very faint, but there. It's in the direction of the liquor store. I don't want to worry my pack mates, so I make the excuse of a bathroom break as I almost trip in my rush towards the store around the corner.

He's not there and I'm disappointed. I try to follow it, but the scent leads to a dead end, never to be found again. Now I see how hard this hunt must have been for Nox, for Griffen.

I'm trying to concentrate on my burger on the way home, trying to build up my waning appetite to eat it, but I'm too worked up over Hux, too disappointed in myself. I wish I had taken my father up on his offer to train when I was younger, maybe then I could follow a scent properly. Maybe then my fishing trip would have succeeded. Maybe then I could have brought home the biggest fish, the prize winning fish.

I guess I should have brought better bait.