My Hope (Complete)

Chapter 48

Noah

I couldn't see Hope. She hadn't come back from the restroom. But I could sense that she was irritated. A group of girls from my class stumbled their way over towards me. I kept scanning the room for Hope. Suddenly I felt a body fall into me. I tried to keep them from hitting the floor after colliding with my chest. The girl shamelessly groped at me while it tried to straighten her up. Now I felt irritated. Or was that coming from Hope?

"Oh, Mr. Kingston, I'm so sorry. Let me make it up to you with a dance." She said in a flirtatious voice. "No thank you Miss Martin, that would not be appropriate." I said in my most businesslike voice. "Oh, don't be silly. The dance is almost over. No one will care." She touched my arm again as she said this. I felt a sudden pain in my arm. What was that? It wasn't from this girl. I scanned the room again for Hope. "Excuse me, I need to take care of something." I told her as I made my way toward the restroom where I last saw Hope.

I felt a rush of fear run through me. It had to be from Hope. I unceremoniously burst through the bathroom door. She wasn't in here. I tried to reach out to her with our link. Her walls were up. But they felt different. I tried to get inside. It was like thick sludge instead of a door where I could knock. I no longer could sense how Hope was feeling. I was completely cut off.

I linked my brothers to look for her. I caught her scent over by the back doors. I rushed out and didn't see her. But I could sense that she had been outside just moments ago. Her scent lingered. But it was tinged with fear. I turned around trying to catch which direction she went. It was as if it had just stopped right here in this spot and then was gone. The boys ran out to where I stood and told me they didn't get any trace of her.

We all sniffed around the area and tried to find any clue as to where she could have gone. Zander called her phone. Zade linked Mom and told her to look out for her. I didn't want to leave this spot in case there was something I was missing. Or if she would come back. I was starting to come undone. I was turning in a circle and pulling at my hair. I tried to get myself together. Maybe I could sense her better in my wolf form.

I notified the twins I was going to transform as I ran towards the trees. I cautiously made my way back to the spot where she last was. The boys were keeping a lookout for humans who may see my wolf and freak out. But right now, I only cared about finding Hope. I smelled a very faint scent of wolf. One I didn't recognize. I knew all of my packs scents. This was not one of them. But it was strange. Somehow different, and very faint. It was recently here, but mixed with some other scent.

I decided to contact my Beta Knox and have him check it out before it was gone entirely. He was older than me and had been here a long time. Within ten minutes, he pulled up in his car and ran to me. I linked him as he transformed and told him everything I knew to catch him up. He sniffed every inch of the area. He was a good tracker and I just prayed he would be able to pick up on something. He stopped abruptly and looked at me. "I know this scent. It is faint, and slightly different. But I recognize it." He mind linked me. He continued his search of the area.

I couldn't stand not knowing who this scent belonged to, but Knox was on a mission and I had to be patient and wait. I tried linking Hope again and again. I couldn't sense her at all. Mom arrived and she also transformed into her wolf. She joined Knox. I could definitely sense her panic, even thought she was trying to block it from me. I followed the two of them around as they sniffed and then conferred with each other. We got further and further away from the school. We ended up at what appeared to be car tracks.

I was desperate now. Pacing back and forth. Smelling the faint scent of a wolf I didn't know. But it smelled wrong, tainted. I couldn't put my finger on it. I hoped Knox and Mom would know what it was. Finally Mom linked me. "Let's make our way back to the school and our vehicles. We will talk then."

We all transitioned in the dark tree line before coming out into the open. Mom rushed to me and I opened my arms. "I'm so sorry Noah. We will get her back. I promise." I held her momentarily before asking the question I needed answered most. "Who is it?"

"It's Chuck, the Man who killed your Father." she told me with tears starting to fall down her cheeks. An overpowering rage entered my body. I had never felt anything like it. Not only did this disgusting excuse for a wolf kill my Father, and Hope's, but he now had the most precious person alive, my Soul Mate. I looked to Knox for confirmation. He nodded regretfully. I looked around hopelessly, thinking that someone would have some other explanation. The twins were here, looking down. I could sense their deep pain for not protecting Hope.

"We have to tell her parents." I said as I made my way to the parking lot. Everyone followed. I could not shake this despair and utter hopelessness in my soul. My wolf was clawing at me and howling in my head. How could I let this happen? I was responsible for her. My life was entwined with that one precious and beautiful creature. I failed her, and her family. I didn't do my job. I let her be taken by that psychopath.

Mom put her hands on my face and made me look at her. She was as shattered as me. "Noah, this is not your fault. And we are going to get her back. We are going home, making a plan, and then getting Hope." She told me with conviction.

"Yes, we are getting her back." I told them all.