New Beginnings

Chapter 4

Alpha Dan's P.O.V.

Sighing I hang up the phone. It wasn't good news and the conversation I now had to have wasn't going to go down well.

I picked up my mobile and held down the number 2, the number for my Beta flashed up on screen. "Hey Dan, what's up?" he answered on the second ring. He hasn't been the same since the party 4 months ago and this news may just break him further.

"Hey buddy, can I talk to you for a second? Come to my office." I replied as normally as I could.

"Sure thing, there in five". With that he hung up. Now I just had to prepare what I was going to say.

We sat down in our usual spots, me behind my cluttered desk and Dylan spread out across the huge leather sofa on the other side. I could tell he hasn't slept in a few days. He had dark circles under his eyes and his hair wast stuck up all over the place, like he had just gotten out of bed. His clothing was creased and obviously came straight from his bedroom floor.

"What's up Dyl, you look rough man?" I state "Want a drink or something?" seeing my Beta and my best friend like this is killing me, but it isn't going to get better, not today.

He sat back in the chair and propped his feet up on my desk, if he wasn’t my best friend I’d have chopped them off.

"Nah Dan, what's up? I thought we were going out later for a drink, why the sudden call?"

"Please tell me you weren't going to come out with me looking like that." I sigh "Right, yeah. Well, there's something I need to tell you. We have been put on red alert."

"Red alert, what the hell are you taking about?" He replied with a chuckle "Were not in the secret service Dan, there is no need to speak in code." Okay I didn't know how to handle this, none of my training could have prepared me for this moment and that maybe wasn't the best turn of phrase, red alert, what was i thinking.

"I just received a phone call from the Alpha of another pack. The daughter of one of his high ranking pack members has gone missing, every pack has been notified and every pack has been told to be on the look out for her."

"Wow, this guy must have some serious pull if we are all playing detective for him" he says admiration in his voice. "I bet you couldn't do that" he jokes "who is the guy?” Usually I’d growl at him, but he hasn't joked around like this in a while. So I laugh too and knock his feet of my desk, as I make my round and perch on the front. Show time.

"It's Alpha Edward Clayton" I can see him stiffen "and the girl is, well it's Isabelle. She's run away." and with those words Dylan shifts, which I expected, no shaking, no growling, one second he was human then next he was a wolf. Rippng and tearing at my new sofa he growls and then run's straight through my office door, knocking it off its hinges. I stand and stare at the place my Beta was sitting just moments before now a pile of rubble and clothing, sighing I summon my wolf, the usual mix of pain and complete calm spreads across my body as I take my other form and follow after him.

It's not hard to stay on his tail, so to speak, not only do I have his scent imprinted to memory, but he's leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. I can tell through our mind link that his wolf has complete control at the moment and this could be extremely dangerous. A blood curdling howl, pierces the silent evening and echoes of the trees around us and I pick up my speed, my claws digging harder into the ground and propelling myself futher and faster with every stride. There isn't an animal anywhere in the perimeter, they are all hiding from the preditors that have invaded their space, there are no sounds to be heard except Dylan, who seems to just be pacing.

I knew where he'd be even without a scent to follow, this is our clearing, we came here as kids and practised our fighting skills on each other, as humans and as wolves, training for the day that we'd be in charge. We camped here with our dads and learnt about the ways of survival, how to cover your tracks, prepare and cook your food if you're eating in human form, and how to leave a campsite without a trace.