The Alpha's Human Mate

Chapter 29 'The Hunt'

Xavier's POV

My heart pounded like a drum as I stepped out of the theatre. The weight of my mate missing felt like it would kill me. Waiting just outside in the school parking lot were my parents and Mr. Thomas, their expressions mirroring my own worry and concern.

"Mom, Dad, Grandpa," I nodded at exaggerating of them; my voice shaking with a mixture of fear and anger, "I'm sure that you've already been filed in, but Andrew performed the mating ceremony on stage during the play and we still don't even know why or how."

Worried glances were exchanged between my parents, and my father, the Alpha of our pack, finally spoke up. "We'll do everything in our power, Xavier. We've already reached out to other packs for assistance. But we need more information. Did anyone see where they went after?"

     Grayson jumped in, his eyes reflecting the anger and desperation we were all feeling. "They vanished without a trace." He said. "We couldn't even contact Brad and Hunter through our mind link when it was all happening, it was like we were glued to our seats and could only watch."

     My Grandpa furrowed his brow, obviously deep in thought. "This reeks of dark magic. I've heard whispers of rituals that can temporarily strip us of our supernatural abilities, but I never thought them to be true."

     Brad, who had been uncharacteristically silent, finally voiced his thoughts on everything that was happening, "I've been keeping tabs on Andrew. He's been acting strangely lately, and I had a gut feeling that someone might be manipulating him."

     My anger flared again, and Ryder pushed at the barrier in my mind.

     "Alright," my father said firmly in his commanding Alpha tone, "We'll assemble a search team to sweep the area. Brad, Grayson, Ivy, and I will lead the charge. Look for any clues, traces of magic, or anything that might point us in the right direction."

     Brad, Grayson, and Ivy simply nodded their heads before shifting right then and there. None of them worrying about their clothes that were now lying ripped apart and torn all around them.

     "Hunter," my dad beckoned him closer. " I want you to go through Andrew's locker and look for anything you can might we just be in the right direction or give us a clue as to what's going on."

     "Yes, Alpha."

     "I'll come with you also," I said to my dad before taking a step back to shift. 

     "No," my dad said firmly. "You're too emotional right now, If you let Ryder shift, then he'll take control."

     Must find mate, Ryder growled.

     "But-"

     "I'm not asking you, Xavier, I'm telling you," my dad took a step forward. "And I'm telling you as your Alpha, not your father, that you need to stand down and let me take the lead on this."

     Mate is missing! We can't just stand around, we have to find her!

     "That is an order." My dad commanded in his Alpha tone.

     Although I may be of alpha blood and the text in line to take over the pack, my dad's Alpha tone still had an effect on me. One that I hate very much right now.

     Reluctantly, I nodded in agreement with my father. He was right. Emotions were running too high, and Ryder's primal instincts threatened to take over. I had to trust in my father's leadership for now, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.

     As the search team prepared to head out, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and fears. The scent of my mate still lingered in the theater, a painful reminder that she wasn't hear.