Page 71 of Two Years Gone

“I can’t seem to find Ella,” I answered. I was starting to get worried and could feel my wolf pacing.

My father stood and slapped my shoulder.

“Maybe she’s out back. Have you looked there?”

“No, I’ll check there next.” I looked outside and around the entire packhouse. I finally sat down at a table in the dining hall, trying to not let my panic set in.

I perked up as I saw Declan walk past.

“Declan, have you seen Ella?”

Declan gave me a sideways glance.

“No, can you not find her?”

I shook my head, and Declan shrugged.

“She might have gone to some remote corner with a book, she tends to do that. I wouldn’t worry.”

I frowned before sitting back down, worry still clouding my mind.

“Did you find her?”

I snapped my head up to see my father walking over to me.

“No. I’m starting to get worried. Sophie said something about Ella going for a run, but that was this morning. She should have been back hours ago.”

I ran my hand through my hair. My wolf was in full panic mode, and I was trying not to go there.

“Give it until dinner starts. If she isn’t back by dinner, we’ll go look for her,” my dad offered.

“Okay…” I wasn’t really listening. I was trying to think of where she might be.

Fifteen minutes later, pack members started trickling in. I watched earnestly for Ella, but still nothing.

“Dad, she’s not here.” I walked up to my father, no longer able to hide the panic in my eyes.

My father’s face went stern.

“Okay. Let’s go find her.”

He called for all of the pack trackers, and they gathered outside of the packhouse. My father stood tall, projecting authority to those he spoke to.

“Thank you for coming quickly. Ella Matthews, mate to Alpha Zane and our future luna, has been missing since this morning.

“I want squads searching the entire pack grounds and surrounding areas. Zane and I will take a squad east. I want everyone else to break up and go in the other directions. We want her found.”

They all went their different ways, shifting into their wolves and running off. My father and I shifted as well, and we charged off to the east toward the forest.

We scoured the forest, my anxiety becoming greater the deeper we went. Suddenly, I stopped, realizing I was near the lake. She loved it there, perhaps she’d gone for another visit.

I sprinted in that direction.

I mind-linked my father.Dad, I’m heading to the lake. See if she ended up there.

I’ll head your way, come through the forest instead of the path to see if she came a different way.

Suddenly, I could smell her scent of apple cider. It was still intoxicating even in my state of worry. I continued running until I stopped on the path, frozen in place.