A Clue

Two Years Later

[Travis’s POV]

I walked slowly up the path that led to the large, metal prison that had become home. Stopping, I stared up at its cold exterior and found that it matched my interior perfectly.

Two years had passed since that night, the night that changed my life forever. Since then, despite searching high and low, travelling across the world more than once, and even seeking the help of the most expert of hunters, there was no sign of her. It was almost like she had fucking never existed to begin with. Hell, if her parents didn’t visit regularly to ask about my findings in regards to her, I truly would have thought that I imagined her this whole time.

"Snap out of it." I huffed, shaking my head and beginning to move once more. "Standing here thinking about her isn’t going to make her appear."

Trying to ignore the pain that was beginning to radiate through me, I leaned down and put my eye to the advanced system lock that only allowed those it recognized in. Once the robotic voice chirped accepted, I stepped back and watched as the door in front of me began to rise, revealing the inside of the building beyond.

"Welcome back, alpha." Ace announced once I stepped in and yanked my jacket off. "We were beginning to worry about you."

"We?" I repeated, lifting a brow. "Who the hell is this we?"

"Us." A bubbly voice announced, drawing my attention to where Kim, Simon, and Sarah stood watching me with narrowed gazes. "Have you forgotten about your friends?"

Friends, that word was still odd to me. Especially since these "friends" were developed thanks to her. Why they stuck around was beyond me, but sometimes I found myself appreciating their company.

"Who wants a drink?" I asked in way of apology. "I’ve had a long journey."

"Drinking again?" Ace asked, seeming genuinely worried. "Alpha, that isn't..."

"Did I ask you for your input?" I snapped, shooting him a glare.

"N-no, of course not." Ace stammered as Kim skipped up beside him and giggled.

"Oh, come on now, big guy." She chirped, slapping Ace so hard on the back that he stumbled forward. "The dude is depressed. Let him release his sorrows over a good whiskey!"

"You heard the girl." Simon added, popping up on Ace’s other side. "Let the man unwind, will ya?"

I watched in amusement as Ace looked from Kim to Simon and then back. By the look in his eyes, I knew that he was struggling to find a reason to argue with them. He seemed to give up, and let out a breath and gave a nod.

"Just please don’t get so drunk that you pass out on the grounds again." He sighed.

Nodding, I turned and made my way to my office. Once inside, I collapsed in a large cushioned seat and undid the top few buttons of my shirt, while letting out a long breath.

"That rough?" Kim asked, skipping in with a bottle of whiskey dangling between her fingers. "Have a drink."

I didn’t argue as she produced a shot glass from her bosom and placed it on my desk before filling it to the brim. Lifting it, she gave a smile as I took her offering and shot it down in one gulp. Holding out the glass, I waited for her to fill it once more.

"Wanna talk about it?" She asked as Sarah and Simon entered, pushing a cart filled with even more liquor and cups. "You seem moodier this time around than the others."

"Is it that easy to tell?" I asked, raising my brow.

"Yep," Kim confirmed. "Did you come up empty again?"

"For which person?" I grunted, taking another shot. "It is like the universe is hiding every last fucking body from me these days."

"This isn’t only about Marissa, is it?" Kim asked, hopping up on my desk and crossing a leg. "Does this mean you can’t find the bad guys either?"

"Bad guys," I confirmed. "My missing beta and his sister." I stopped myself there as more pain shot through me. Marissa was a given in my sentence, but I couldn’t bring myself to utter her name.

"Well, if it helps, no one can just disappear off the face of the earth." Kim announced "Anyway, you may be happy to hear what I have to tell you."

"Hm?"

What in the world could this crazy woman have to tell me that would make me happy? If it didn’t involve my missing mate, it didn’t mean shit.

"Thomas will be returning sometime this evening." Kim beamed, flashing her sharp canines. "From what I’ve heard, he seems to have found something interesting."

Immediately, I sat up straight in my chair and fixed my gaze on Kim’s. Thomas was on the hunt for a clue about Marissa, and being the only hunter left from his pack, he was considered the best of the best.

"Spill," I hissed, trying to contain my anxiety. "What has he found?"

"I can’t be sure." Kim admitted "He only told me that he had good news for us."

"Kim," Sarah warned, picking up on my growing annoyance. "It isn’t nice to tease."

"I’m not." Kim huffed, sticking her tongue out at Sarah. "It isn’t my fault Thomas wouldn’t tell me all the details. He was worried about us being overheard or something."

"Then he must have gotten some valuable information."

As I tried to imagine what it was that Thomas managed to find out, I could feel my heart rate picking up. Was this it? Would this be the information I have been desperately searching for all these years?

"How long?" I asked, unable to contain my excitement.

"Hm?"

I waited as Kim feigned ignorance of what I meant.

"Til Thomas returns." I continued, trying to control my irritation.

"Right…about…now."

As she finished speaking, a knock sounded on my office door. I jumped up and yanked it open to find Thomas standing there with his fist raised, ready to knock once more.

"Wow," Thomas whistled with a grin. "Are you that excited to see me?"

"Come in. Now!" I snapped, grabbing his arm.

Leading Thomas inside, I kicked the door closed while the others watched. From their expressions, I knew they were trying to hold back their laughter at my eagerness.

"What have you found?" I asked once he was seated, skipping all formalities.

"Jeez," Thomas pouted, crossing his arms. "No welcome back. Do you want a drink? Or anything. "

"Cut the shit." I warned, beginning to crack my knuckles.

"All right," Thomas huffed, rolling his eyes. "It seems a certain big mouth has already said something." As he spoke, he shot Kim a glare.

"Doesn’t matter." I hissed. "Just tell us what you’ve found."

"There has been a spotting." Thomas announced, sending my heart rate crashing through the roof. "My source is pretty sure it was Marissa."