Chapter 18 #2
Nothing. No response. I looked at the phone, and it showed the call was still connected.
“Bowen!” I shouted into it. The fear cut off, and there was nothing, nothing, nothing.
Silence echoed inside my mind and in my chest, silence so loud I thought I might drown under it.
My own fear filled the spaces left behind by the absence of Bowen.
No. Not absence. Somewhere very deep inside, I could sense him, but not enough. Something was very wrong.
A roar came from the most primal part of me. “Booowwen!” I was moving, bounding through the lobby and out the doors before my phone even hit the ground, instinct, need, and blind fury driving me without stopping to think about what I was doing.
Along the edges of my limited awareness, I could hear Zephyr yell after me, and Maxime making a phone call, but the only thing I could focus on was getting to Bowen.
I ran at full speed toward the port, not sure what I was going to do, but I was going to do it.
When I neared the end of the dock, preparing to jump into the water, I was tackled from behind.
I snarled and pushed back, whipping my head around, snapping my teeth. It didn’t matter who it was at that point. It only mattered that they were stopping me. Zephyr rolled away from me, narrowly dodging my sharpened fangs that were itching for blood.
“Shit, Wolfie. Hold on a second. What are you doing?”
“Need to find Bowen,” I snarled and felt my anger blurring my vision until it was no longer a friend who stood before me but someone in my way.
“And you’re what? Going to swim there? That’s bullshit.”
Lashing out, I swung my arm at him, but he managed to jump away, even as the material of his shirt shredded at the tips of my claws. My lips pulled back in a snarl, and I growled out. “Fuck you!”
“Damn, I liked this shirt.” Zephyr bounced around me, keeping beyond my reach, but holding my attention. “If you’re looking for a fight, fine, give it your best shot. But I’m not the enemy here. I’m your friend, and I can help you if you let me.”
I shook my head, too overwhelmed by emotion to think beyond the chasm in my chest. “Can’t.” I wasn’t even sure what I meant, but it was all I could bite out.
Zephyr sighed and held his hands up, taking a careful step closer.
“Let me help. I can fly you and get you there faster. But I can’t do it if you’re like this.
So calm your ass down. I don’t know what’s happening with Bowen, so if you want to get to him, you gotta use your head, man.
”My chest heaved up and down as I huffed heavily.
His voice broke through the mess in my head.
He was right. In the past, I wouldn’t have had any luck controlling my wolf in this kind of state, but I could feel him give slightly.
We had a shared goal. To get to Bowen. The only way to do that right now was for my wolf to take a back seat.
I couldn’t protect Bowen if I couldn’t get to him.
Swimming was a terrible idea; I was too dense as a wolf, and it would take me too long.
“Okay.” My claws and fangs retreated, and my body shrank inside itself, pushing me back to the forefront. My friend became clear as my sight returned to normal. “You’ll help?”
Zephyr’s expression softened. “Of course, I will. Whatever you need.”
“I need to get to the big island as fast as you can get me there.”
“All right. You think you can handle it?” He asked, eyeing me warily.
“I can.” I had to. I could feel my wolf’s acceptance within. He didn’t like it, but he knew it was necessary.
Zephyr gave me a nod and stepped back to undress, drawing my attention to the slices across the front of his shirt, making me wince. At least he’d managed to avoid harm. I would have to worry about it later, though. Right now, all my concern was for my mate.
He tossed his clothes to me, and I balled them up, holding them to my chest as he transformed into the griffin, and braced myself.
Soon, massive talons latched onto my shoulders, squeezing but not tearing into me.
I wouldn’t have cared if they did at that point.
I would endure anything to get to Bowen.
With my eyes closed, I searched within for the connection that was so new and already so very much a part of me.
It was there, deep within. The fear wasn’t as icy sharp, but it was there in a low chill beneath my skin.
I hadn't really figured out the whole mind-speaking thing, though Bowen had heard me a few times, mostly unintentionally, but I focused as hard as I could, picturing him in my mind. “I’m coming for you, Bowen.”
Zee took off, flying me high above the water.
I still wasn’t a fan of flying, but I was grateful for the speed with which we crossed the ocean.
The tether in my chest was there, pulling me along.
Before long, the island of Catalina came into view.
The last time we made this flight, our goal was to get as far away from the populated areas as possible to avoid being seen, but now… now I needed to get to the city.
“Get me as close to Avalon as you can.” If Bowen had been near the shops, the main port town on Catalina was my best shot to pick up his scent.
The griffin let out a high-pitched whistle, making me wish Bowen was here to translate.
That wasn’t the only reason, but it sure would be helpful.
My mate was the most incredible being. I’d known it from the start, but even more so after he told me about his heritage and what it meant.
Gods, I was so in awe of him. I wanted him back.
Needed him back. I needed him more than I needed breath in my lungs.
The outline of land appeared before us. My wolf stirred within, eager to be set free, but he remained as he was, braced and ready.
We approached the southern peak in an unpopulated area, and Zephyr dipped slightly lower, flying through the clouds.
When the buzz of city noise reached my sensitive ears, I tapped on one of the taloned feet that held me.
“Over there,” I called out.
Zephyr pulled up, flapping his large wings to hold us in place as he surveyed the area. The eagle’s head shook, and he let out a cry.
“What do you mean, no? That’s where I need to go.”
The tuft of his tail slapped me, and he leaned down so I could see his face. His head moved back and forth as if to indicate to the city before us. Lights, boats, people, cameras. Too much activity to risk a mythical creature being seen. Zephyr couldn’t get any closer, not in this form.
“Fine. Then let me go.” The eagle’s head shook rapidly, his white feathers swishing with the movement.
I was too close to turn back now. The hum in my chest from Bowen’s connection was faint, but stronger than it had been on Malterra. Anger and determination filled me. Closer. I had to get closer. A growl was building inside me. “Let me go, Zee.”
The griffin hesitated, and I could see him trying to look for another option. Enough of my wolf pierced through, and I growled out, “Fucking drop me!”
The talons wrapped around my shoulders flexed but didn’t open.
Unable to wait for Zee to fight his conscience, I let my fangs break free and bit the one on my left.
It wasn’t enough to crunch or break anything, but enough to make him release me as he let out a surprised cry.
With all my weight hanging from one talon, we pitched sideways.
A large huff of hot air blew out of me in warning, and he seemed to get the message.
Reluctantly, his grip loosened, sending me into a freefall.
His clothes flew out of my arms as I tumbled end over end as the tree-covered hill rapidly approached.
Flying sucked, and I hated every second of being in the air, but, as it turned out, falling was so much worse.
This was going to hurt like hell, but in a body that constantly mended itself whenever my wolf retreated into me, pain was nothing new and nothing I couldn’t handle, especially with the tug in my chest pulling tighter.
Somewhere between Zee’s talons and the ground, I shifted into my werewolf form.
Long, clawed hands swung out, grasping at any tree branch they could reach.
I was flung from side to side as trees and bushes didn’t break my fall as much as they added more obstacles for me to hit on my way down.
I landed with a large thud, knocking the wind out of me.
Once I could breathe, I assessed my hairy body, seeing through my wolf’s vision.
Aside from bumps and scrapes and the pounding in my head, I was relatively uninjured considering I’d fallen hundreds of feet.
Pushing up to my feet, I realized I was only a couple of miles away from the city.
Gods, the connection with Bowen was stronger.
I nearly collapsed from the relief of feeling him now that I was on the same island as him.
Though the relief was short-lived, as the connection was tinged with fear and a sense of disorientation.
“Hang on, Bowen. I’m coming.” I pushed the thought as hard as I could and began running toward the town.
As it grew nearer, awareness of the populated city slowed my steps.
As with the first time, I’d come to this island for a brief stop before continuing to ours, I knew I couldn’t run around as a werewolf.
I wouldn’t be able to help Bowen if I got myself captured.
My wolf recognized it as well and sank back into me.
Change and change again. It was the most frequent I’d ever been able to transition and the most in control I’d ever been, despite how out of control I felt not having Bowen with me.
We worked together, seeing when one form was needed over another, without fighting and without losing myself.
When my claws and fangs were out, I was there, and when I was in human form, my wolf was there.
Maybe it was the adrenaline and the need to keep going, but I didn’t feel any fatigue after shifting either.
Smells, sounds, and sights pummeled me as I came upon the outskirts of the small but busy port town.
Tourists, boats, food, and engines; it was overwhelming to my heightened senses, senses that I opened fully, trying to lock in on the only one that mattered.
Closing my eyes, I forced myself to calm down and block everything out.
My nostrils flared wide as I inhaled deeply.
There! I caught it. Orange marmalade. I took off running, not caring if I looked like a weirdo.
At least a weird man was less likely to get hauled off than a normal werewolf.
At each corner, I drew in a breath, following the trail of his scent.
A row of small shops appeared, and I felt in my gut that I was near where he’d been when we talked.
A stronger burst of Bowen’s scent drew me into a narrow alley as my sharpened vision searched every inch of the small space.
I squinted at the wall, practically able to see where his hand must have rested against it.
He’d been dizzy. Had he stepped in here to try to steady himself?
Leaning closer to the wall, I sniffed it deeply, taking in every last speck of his scent I could.
When I moved, something rattled as my foot kicked it. I looked down and saw his phone.
My heart seized in my chest at the sight of his abandoned phone, covered in shadows, in an empty alley.
Feeling that something had happened was bad enough, but having physical evidence was far worse.
I picked up his phone and staggered on my feet, leaning against the same spot on the wall he had, as if touching the space he had touched could bring him closer.
“I’ll find you, I swear it.”