Chapter 17 - Brad
Two days later, I still haven’t found Alisha.
I have every spare Shadow on the job, with lookouts posted through the woods. Even though everyone is worried, I can’t expect every single person in both towns to completely drop their lives to search, no matter how frustrated I am.
More than one person has gently suggested that she might have left on her own accord. Even though I vehemently denied it, I know that my anger is fed by doubt.
She had every right to leave me. Why didn’t I just tell her the truth?
The morning of the third day, sitting on my couch and staring dismally into a cold cup of coffee, I force myself to consider the possibility that she really did just walk out of my life.
The pain that lances through my chest is welcome—it clears my mind and allows me to see my own actions through the cold light of reason.
She’s spent her whole life running…from her hometown, then from her ex…of course, it would be the first thing she did if she didn’t want to face me.
I blink hard, trying to get the horrible, hot, itchy feeling in my eyes to subside, but it just makes it worse. Even though I sit down every few hours and try to rest, I haven’t been able to sleep.
I can’t lose her! How am I supposed to keep going without her, especially if I never find out what happened to her?
The idea fills me with sick horror. Days stretching into weeks, never knowing if she left me, or if I might stumble across her body while patrolling the woods, or never knowing anything at all—not a single trace, never knowing if she was dead or alive.
It doesn’t help at all knowing that this is exactly what I did to her.
If I knew she was happy, that would bring me some peace. It would hurt like the fires of hell, but at least I’d know she was alright.
The coffee in the cup ripples a little as my hands tremble. Even right now, I’m being selfish, thinking more about my own closure than I am about her feelings.
My phone buzzes, and I jump so high in my seat, the coffee bounces, the liquid sloshing upwards and miraculously falling back into the cup without spilling a drop.
Why does shit like that always happen when there’s no one around to see it?
I put the cup down on the table and grab my phone, my heart pounding as I flick open the screen, my heart begging to see Alisha’s name.
When I see it’s one of the black ops commanders who went beyond pack bounds this morning, my pulse speeds up, practically roaring in my ears as I flick the message open.
They agreed to do a little recon on my behalf, and if Alisha really did leave town—or was taken by her ex—these guys would have found a trail.
Unless she covered her tracks with magic…
I shake that uncomfortable thought out of my head. Alisha’s magic may be powerful, but she’s new at it. Any of our military-trained sorcerers should be able to track her, even if she used magical shielding.
My fingers tremble a little as I tap open the message, and when the squad leader tells me there’s nothing to report, my chest feels just a bit more hollow.
My feelings have gone from frantic high alert, then to fear, and now a resigned, cold numbness as I begin to suspect this is how I might have to live the rest of my life.
My phone buzzes in my hand, and I jump so high again, I drop the damn thing. Eagerness rises in me, but immediately falls flat when I see it’s Rex.
I’m coming over to Eccles with a few people for a meeting, and Sloan wants a check-in. How are you coping?
Not great , I type back.
We’ll debrief while we’re there. Stay strong, brother.
I put the phone back on the table, rubbing the back of my neck as I try to stretch out some tension.
The last thing I want now is a fucking pack meeting!
I know I can’t get out of it, though. I made a commitment to this that I can’t abandon now.
I have to do what’s right for these people before I serve myself. Maybe if I can learn this, I can be the kind of man Alisha deserves. Even if she never comes back, I owe her this.
I go upstairs for a quick shower and get changed before heading out to the council building. When I get there, Rex is just pulling up in his truck with Cody, and Gen is waiting inside with Hazel.
“Thanks for meeting, everyone,” Rex says. “I just need to personally chat with you about the next market fair. Gen, Eccles committed to the day, but now they’re pulling out? Can you tell me why?”
Gen sighs. “The townsfolk just aren’t good at working together.
The market stalls in this town have always been extremely competitive, and the class divide helps that.
People like Scarlett could have exquisite work for sale, but they’d have to mark down their prices to compete with wealthier stalls. ”
“That’s the absolute opposite of good management,” Cody mutters.
“But it’s how commerce works,” Hazel says. “The system might be backwards, but milking it like that is how the rich stay rich.”
“And starve the poor!” Cody growls. “In Rose Hollow, there is no one in poverty, and no one is richer than anyone else. We work more on trade than we do with currency, and the only reason we have money at all is to deal with the outside world.”
“Sounds like communism,” Hazel mutters.
“Then you don’t even know what communism is!” Cody shoots back.
Hazel is ready to go with another jab when Rex roars.
“Enough!” Rex’s voice rings around the room, shocking Cody and Hazel into silence. “Hazel, I am trying to appreciate your point of view, but for me and Cody, who were raised in Rose Hollow, this is pretty hard to hear. Gen, what can you tell me about the situation?”
“The five big families at the top have completely withdrawn,” she answers. “That includes my grandparents and, by default, extended family. Since Azarian went down, they’ve been afraid of losing their power. They won’t participate in a fair day where they think they will lose money or resources.”
Cody shakes his head and runs his palm over his face.
“But no one loses anything!” he says, a slightly desperate tone in his voice.
“We all bring our best to the day, share what we have, and take home a little of what others bring. We also get to hold an awesome party for us and the kids, eat and drink too much, stay up all night…”
Gen’s smile has grown as she watches Cody talk. “That sounds nice to me, but our first families wouldn’t be seen dead dancing barefoot in the town square, drinking homemade ale.”
“Insanity!” Cody barks.
“Okay,” Rex says. “Forget them. What about the poor? Gen, surely they’ll come. Scarlett was one of them. Should we get her in on this?”
“That couldn’t hurt,” Gen replies. “Some of them are afraid to go against the first families. If they join against the wishes of the higher council, it can look like an insult. They are also a little embarrassed that they don’t have much to bring.”
“But that’s the whole point,” Cody says, more gently now. “We’re more than happy to share our excess. Hell, all of us would even willingly go into negatives to get the others up on their feet and living well. No one should suffer.”
“I do not understand this!” Hazel grumbles.
Cody gives her a hard look. “Then you’re going to learn. People should support each other, not compete and stab each other in the back!”
“Enough,” Rex says. “Gen, tell everyone the market day is still on. We will be coming even if Eccles chooses not to participate. I’ll send Scarlett to talk to the lower quarter with you and encourage them to come.”
“Oh, they’ll come,” Hazel says. “To bleed you fucking dry, then return to the gutters.”
“So what?” Cody answers. “Hungry people get fed. I’m happy with that.”
Hazel goes to make another remark, but a stare from Rex stops her.
“Next order,” Rex says. “Alisha. Brad, any word at all?”
“No,” I mutter. “None.”
Rex watches me, sorrow deep in his eyes that he tries not to show. If he had any news, he’d share it, and if I had any clues, I’d tell him. He knows my silence is the worst possible response.
“I will put together a special team,” Rex says. “And we’ll go out for a sweep. I promise you, we’ll find her.”
I nod, not believing him for a second. He dismisses the meeting, then sits down next to me at the table while we wait for Sloan to call.
“I wish there was something I could do,” Rex says gently. “Tell me if there is, okay?”
I nod, staring off into space. Rex knows not to bother with any cheerful platitudes, so we just wait until Sloan calls in. Rex lifts his phone and opens the call.
“Hello, Sloan,” Rex answers. “We can see you. Can you hear me?”
“Loud and clear,” she replies. “Video and audio. How are you boys?”
“Fine,” Rex says. “What did you want to talk about?”
“It’s Brad I need,” Sloan says. “Eyes up, soldier.”
“I’m not a soldier anymore,” I say.
“Like fuck you aren’t. Shake off that melancholy, son, and sit up. I need an update.”
“Update?”
“The rock, the snake—has anything happened in town?”
I realize that I’ve been so wrapped up in myself the last two days, I probably wouldn’t have noticed if the snake burnt through Main Street, incinerating everything in its path. Since I can’t tell Sloan that, I bet heavily on the fact that someone would have told me if there was any activity.
“Nothing,” I answer. “We’re too caught up in pack politics to worry about the snake.”
“Well, I want you on alert,” Sloan says. “We caught readings that the thing has actually been out on the surface, and the science guys tell me the rock is getting hot.”
“What does that mean?”
“We don’t know,” she answers, frowning. “But it’s glowing in some kind of sequence, and repeating it.”
“That’s weird as fuck,” Rex says.
“It is,” she agrees. “I want a patrol in the area. I’m sorry, Brad, but I can’t spare units to look for your wife. The area has been swept, and no wolf or sorcerer has found any sign of her, so we have to return our resources to the mission at hand.”
“Understood, commander,” I answer.
Even though I’m no longer an active Shadow, I still bend to her authority. I know damn well that any normal civilian wouldn’t have been given as much help as I have over the last two days, and even if I were actively on duty, the WS wouldn’t keep sending out units after this much time.
“So, you understand, Brad?” Sloan asks. “As alpha, you’ll coordinate the task force?”
“Yes,” I answer, mentally juggling the snake, the extra units, the market fair, and my missing mate.
“Good. Rex, I’d like you to come out to base when you get back. Over and out.”
The screen goes dark, and Rex pats me on the shoulder as he stands up.
“You should try and get some rest,” he says. “You look like you need it.”
“Sure,” I reply, getting up. “I’ll do that.”
Rex shakes his head. “I know you won’t, but okay.”
“I have to find her,” I mutter, my throat closing. “I just can’t imagine—”
I can’t finish the sentence, and Rex gives me a brief hug.
“I can’t, either, my friend. I’m so sorry this is happening to you.”
“Let’s move on,” I say, heading for the door. “We both have things to do.”
Even though I stride out with “go get ’em” energy, I end up standing outside in the parking lot, looking at the sky as Rex takes off with Cody. I have absolutely no idea what to do with myself, and I almost jump right out of my skin when someone touches my arm.
“Sorry, Alpha Bradley,” Grace says, hopping back a step. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s quite alright, Grace,” I answer, my heart suddenly swelling in my chest until I feel like it’s strangling me. “What’s the matter?”
“It’s Alisha,” she says, and her words put more stress on my already struggling heart.
“What about her?” I croak, waiting to hear the worst.
“She’s okay,” Grace says. “She’s safe at my place.”
The relief that floods through me then is so shocking and powerful, I buckle at the knees and waver on my feet. My chest aches and my vision blurs, and I can barely hold myself up.
“I’m so sorry, Brad,” Grace says. “But Alisha made me promise not to tell, and I wouldn’t betray her confidence.”
“It’s okay,” I manage. “I’m too relieved to be mad. But why are you telling me this now?”
Grace’s eyes look pale, studded with glimmers of crystal reflecting the pale blue sky. Her mouth twists downwards, and I can see that she is truly frightened.
“Something is wrong,” she whispers. “Very wrong. She was having bad dreams and—well, it’s escalated. They aren’t dreams, Brad.”
“Then what are they?”
“Visions.”
It comes back to me in a rush that Alisha had a nightmare the last night we slept together, and it was about the snake.
“The spirit,” I mutter, and Grace nods.
“I fear so, yes.”
“Did you tell her about it?”
“I didn’t know how to. So far, I just guide her through the dreams as best I can and comfort her when she wakes.”
“What does it mean?”
“I don’t know, Brad. But danger is coming. It might have something to do with the spirit, but it’s such a strong presence in the area, it could be affecting her dreams just by existing.”
I think about what Sloan said, but I don’t share it with her.
“It might have something to do with her ex, or another event entirely. I only know this—Alisha is suffering, and she isn’t safe with me. That’s the only reason I’m telling you. I’d abide by her wishes before anyone else’s, but I am truly frightened for her now.”
“She’s alone?” I ask. “Right now?”
“Yes,” Grace answers. “She was watching TV when I left. She should be fine so long as she doesn’t fall asleep.”
“Thank you,” I say, giving Grace’s hand a quick squeeze as I run for my truck. “I’ll make sure she calls you!”
I spin out of the parking lot so fast, the world blurs around me and the tires leave trails of rubber across the road, but I don’t even care.
The only thing that matters is getting to Alisha—now!