Chapter 5

Maddie left our side immediately as soon as we reached the ballroom, talking to who I could only assume as classmates. Ty had stayed back with me for a moment and he graciously walked me over to a corner. The smells were a bit overwhelming mixed with the loudness of the music and chattering. I was thankful for Ty’s help.

“Go, I know you got some friends here.”

I felt him shake his head.

I tilted my head toward him, now aware that he was stiff as a board. “You smell her don’t you, your mate?”

He squeezed my hand. “I do.”

“Well, what are you waiting for! Go get her! Jesus Ty! Don’t stand next to the person you know for SURE isn’t your mate.” I chuckled and pushed him further in the room.

'I don’t smell anything special.'

Kai came forward for the first time in a while. Maybe they aren’t here yet, it is still pretty early.

I looked around, there were a lot of people, but there were still people filling into the ballroom. It was only 6:15pm after all. Father and Melissa had seen us walk in and both Ty and Maddie were happy to describe the look of disgust on their faces when they had spotting my attire. But I just tucked myself in the corner. I could feel a few eyes on me but I refused to use Kai to see them.

I waited for another ten minutes or so in the corner before there were so many people it was becoming suffocating. There were so many smells and sounds it hurt my extra sensitive senses. I had lost the sound of both Ty and Maddie in the crowd and I didn’t want to go to them either. Who wants a blind older sister hanging around. It was apparent too, by the silence of Kai, my mate was not here.

Putting my hand against the wall, I made my way to the back of the ballroom, away from the people funneling in. When we were kids, the current Alpha’s parents used to live here. And so we would be brought here every so often. I knew this place better than most and so slipping down the hall, I made my way down a side staircase which lead to a door outside. The castle was closer to the forest than our own house and I slipped off my heels that I had snuck out of Melissa’s pile of ‘To be Donated’ and made my way barefoot into the forest.

As soon as I hit the tree line I was already feeling better. That silence that the forest brings, muffling reality amongst the leaves and dew covered grass. Not too far in, was my favorite perching rock. It was a little smaller than I remembers. We used to pay King-of-the-Rock as children. Sitting on it now, my legs dangled off and just missed the small stream below. I adjusted my dress and just leaned back, soaking in the moon that would come through the trees.

For a moment the silence was interrupted by two very loud engines pulling up the to the castle. But they soon died down and the music and chatter from the party dissipated into the wind through the trees. It was a perfect night to be out in the forest.

'Don’t be disappointed, Kai.'

She huffed. 'How can I not be disappointed? It’s the first real chance we got to get out to see if we have a mate within the packs.'

'A mate who would inevitably reject us.'

'You don’t know that Auri! Stop it!'

I scoffed. She knew I was right, she wasn’t willing to give up yet though. I was thoroughly willing to give up.

'Is what Ty said bothering you?' Kai said quietly.

'You mean running away, becoming a rogue. Having Morgan take care of us. I mean, it’s an option. We have a good savings built up. She snorted but let me continue. We could finally get out from under their thumb. Maybe if both Ty and Maddie find their mate tonight, when we leave tomorrow, we just don’t come back. Come out of retirement and work under Morgan.'

There was a long pause of silence. The forest filled in between as, as though we were talking side by side.

'Okay.'

I lifted up my head. 'Okay?'

I felt Kai nod.

“Alright then.” I said it out loud and took a deep breath.

We would be free of them. We wouldn’t be the last ones left. The wind whipped up again and I leaned back, letting it flow over my skin, my usual baggy clothes didn’t let my skin breathe the warmth of the air. I felt like I was recharging in the moonlight. The tiredness and weariness of life just melting away all the negative emotions I was feeling. A couple times, a pair of wolves were run a few yards away from me into the forests. Mates, running through the trees for the first time together.

I don’t know how long it was that I was out there. I felt a little bad. I knew Ty may have looked for me. If his mind was completely taken over by his mate. Hell, he might have already taken her home, leaving Maddie and I to go home with Father and Melissa. Or Maddie left with her new mate leaving just me. I shuddered at the thought.

The clouds seemed to have moved on and I enjoyed full moonlight when I heard crunching coming into the forest. Someone wasn’t being subtle about their entry. Passively, I turned my head over, knowing it might be one of my sibling or some couple who decided to make out in the forest. The wind picked up again and blew towards the castle, towards the sound of someone stomping through the forest.

“You know, some of us are trying to enjoy the quiet moonlight.”

My voice carried through the trees and for a moment the footfalls stopped. I smiled and leaned back up into the moonlight. But the footsteps continued forwarded towards me and I sighed. They were even louder than before and I pushed up from reclining position, sitting up straight. I turned in their direction. They paused not too far from the rock. It was a while and the silence of the forest settled back in.

'Do you need me?' Kai asked but I didn’t answer.

“Frankly, I feel like you didn’t get the hint that I was…”

“What is your name?”

The voice, deep and gravely, caressed my skin as I gasped. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. I just sat there, the voice alone making my body react. I knew what this feeling was without an explanation. Kai cooed from the back of my mind.

His voice growled this time. “What is your name, mate?”

Finally, I managed to swallow my shock. “Auri, my name is Auri Meadows.”

“I’ve finally found you.”