Wolf of Cinders

Chapter 19

Cyrus's POV

The empty basement seemed to laugh at me, the darkness infuriating. Where is he? What did she do with him? Adalynn and my father ran out to join me, seeming just as surprised to see the basement empty. "... Where. Is. He." I glared at Adalynn, my voice as calm as I could keep it. 

She looked confused, glancing at the basement nervously. "I... I don't know. My mother went out earlier, she might have taken him. But, I don't know where they would go."

My father was silent for a moment. "The forest." Adalynn gasped, and I felt my breath hitch. 

"She... Wouldn't banish him, would she?" Adalynn voiced the question that hung between us. 

My father shrugged. "It's anyone's guess, but if she comes back without him... The forest is the closest to this house, it would be easier to remove him from the equation by banishing him, rather than taking him to another pack house." Anger flooded my mind. Why would she banish my mate. The punishment for doing something like this won't just end in a warning. I'll make sure of that.

"I have to go get him." I looked at my father and Adalynn, waiting for their support. 

"But, you don't even know if she took him into the forest. And besides, he-"

"Where else would he be?! If I understand it, he's not even allowed to leave the house without permission. Where would he go?!" My father fell silent and I turned away, worry flooding my mind. As I began to make my way towards the forest, I stopped. A sharp pain stabbed through my chest, causing me to stumble and fall to the ground.

"Cyrus!" My father ran towards me, kneeling down to face me. 

"... No... He's..." I sat paralyzed as realization and panic spread through me. 

"He?" My father seemed confused, worry evident on his face. 

I looked up, my body trembling. "Elijah... Left the pack." A dark, sad look spread across the faces of my father and Adalynn. 

"Then, she really did take him to the forest." I nodded, too afraid to say anything.

My father helped me stand after the pain had gone down, becoming a hollow ache in my chest. I looked back at the forest, and began to.make my way over there when my father stopped me.

"Cyrus... Why? Why are you risking so much for Eli? He's the Omega of the pack, he's a male, and he left the pack entirely. So, why?" I stood for a moment, thinking of an answer. 

"Because... I love him." I thought of the small boy I had met the night of the ball. His bright smile as he laughed, his deep blue eyes, the way he leaned against me when he was nervous, the warmth I felt with him, all of it. "I love Elijah." 

My father seemed surprised for a moment, then he smiled, a wide laughing smile. "I'm glad, that you are prepared to be with him. You are a true alpha." With that, he let me go, stepping back towards the house. "Go. I'll deal with his step-mother." I nodded, and headed into the forest.

The darkness of the forest engulfed me as I entered, but I surged forward.  The only thing on my mind was saving Elijah. The forest and woods that separated the packs weren't used often, and lacked the sounds of wildlife, giving off an eerie feel. A feeling of dread washed over me as I continued through the forest. What if he doesn't want me? Maybe that's why he left. What if he found someone else? I growled at the thought, hating the idea of Elijah with anyone else but me.

Soon enough, I had broken through the forest into the small area between the two packs. I could smell a faint trace of Elijah's sweet scent, and I felt my hopes rise. Taking a breath, I forged ahead into the woods. Like the forest, the woods were silent. Only this time, I kept my guard up, not wanting to be ambushed by watchmen from the other pack.