Running From The Alpha

Too Late

I was suspicious when the Alpha pair of the rogue-filled Blue Thorn pack suddenly allowed my entrance to their land after denying my requests for a week. Mark reasoned that the pack liked its privacy and wanted to get rid of me. Kalvin, the trained fighter my father insisted on sending with us, thought it wasn't something so innocent. I was leaning towards Kalvin's viewpoint, especially when the Alpha pair and their Beta stood, waiting for us, at the border to their land. The proper custom was to send a representative, usually a trust and high ranking pack fighter, to escort the visitors to the pack house.

I parked and got out of the car. Kalvin and Mark were getting out of their vehicle as well and came to flank me. "Alpha Palins, Luna Palins," I greeted respectfully.

The Alpha pair held mirror looks of neutrality but their Beta, I'm pretty sure his name was Bevans, was anger on a leash. "Alpha Slade," the woman replied in a tone that gave no clue to what she thought of me.

I cleared my throat uncomfortably. "As you know I am looking for my Luna," I said getting to the point. I wanted to leave as soon as possible. With any luck Violet would be with me.

"Why did she run from you?" the Beta demanded, practically spitting the words out as if they'd somehow offended him.

I jerked back in shock of his clear hatred of me, then I rocked forward in suspicion. "How did you know she ran away?" I asked.

The Blue Thorn Luna and Alpha shared a look that I really didn't like. It was guilt.

"She was here," Kalvin cut in observantly. "Our Luna."

The Blue Thorn Luna dipped her head in shame. "We didn't know. When Violet came to us she told us a story and it wasn't our custom to question it."

"Where is she?" I asked eagerly. After all this time I'd finally found her! My mate, my Violet!

"Gone," the Beta spat and my hopes crashed.

"What?"

The Alpha stepped forward. "When she heard about your request to come here and search for her she was unusually upset. She told us the truth and begged us to give her some time. I'm not proud to say that I granted her request. I'm sorry, but this is someone was trusted and we had to believe she had a good reason for doing what she did."

"How long," I heard myself ask in a faraway voice.

"Less than half a day," the Luna answered. "She's on foot so she won't be far. We tried to give her a car but she refused."

Why do Alphas keep helping my mate run from me?

"She left something for you," the Beta said, drawing me back to the present. He pulled an envelope from his pocket and walk to me. I reached to take it but he held it back to whisper darkly, "Let's get this straight. I don't care what Violet says about you being a good guy. No one is as jumpy as her, no one gets panic attacks like that unless they've been hurt. My guess is that it was you otherwise she wouldn't be running."

"If you believe all of that then why are you giving me this," I asked snatching the envelope.

"Because I promised her I would." And with that the Blue Thorn Beta turned, exploded into a large dark brown wolf and left.

I waited until he was well out of sight until I looked at the letter. It was definitely from Violet. My name was scrawled across the front in her writing.

"We really are sorry," the Blue Thorn Luna murmured as I read through the letter.

"Which way did she go?" I asked in a strained voice upon finishing the letter.

"North," Jared answered as he wrapped an arm around his mate. "She said she was going to catch a bus from Holbrook to Albuquerque. From there she was going to catch a train. We don't know where to."

I turned my back on the couple. "Mark, Kalvin. Let's go."

"What's going on?" Mark asked as we started for the cars. "What did she say? ... Peter?"

"There is something that my mate needs to know," was my only reply.

lFSi