Chapter 10
Seth's POV
Things couldn't be going better with Angel. After that day on the beach, we seemed to be closer than ever. Our first kiss was perfect, but it wasn't our last. She seemed to feel the imprint connection just as intensely as I did, and it was hard for me to imagine a day without her. She seemed to make even this stupid cartoon a million times better. I was barely paying attention to the characters, but instead the way her eyes seemed to glow right before she laughed or the way her nose seemed to scrunch up every time she tried focusing on what they were saying. Time seemed to fly by as we sat together, and I was able to ignore the traffic coming through the house from patrols.
However, our time was soon interrupted by a howl in the distance. I sighed and quickly got up. Angel seemed a bit confused and even upset, an expression I hated seeing on her. "I'm so sorry, Angel, but I have to go. I promise I won't be long," I said, hoping she could hear the sincerity in my voice. I quickly ran out, knowing the sooner the emergency was dealt with the sooner I could return to her. In my rush, I didn't bother with neatly folding my clothes under the brush or even shifting deeper in the woods. It was Sam's property, so I could afford to be more relaxed.
Once my clothing was off, I took a deep breath, ignoring my surroundings for a moment to focus on the change. I felt my body begin to shake before I lurched forward and my paws hit the ground. I was automatically met with an onslaught of voices from the pack, making me internally groan. From behind me, I heard a small gasp and the rustling of leaves, making me freeze. I turned around quickly, and my heart dropped. Angel stood there, staring at me with wide eyes. On the ground was my cell phone that I must have stupidly left behind.
Her expression seemed to switch between shock and fear, making me whimper. I stepped forward, trying to show her that it was okay, that I wouldn't hurt her, but it was too late. She ran away from me, as quick as she could with her boot. I let out a series of whimpers before laying on the ground, my chest feeling a sharp pain. How could I have been so stupid? If I would have just shifted farther out, or even thought to grab my stupid phone.
Seth, what happened?
She found out. Angel. She must have saw me shift, I'm not sure though. She's so scared. She ran from me. I don't know what to do. What the hell do I do?
Seth! Calm down. She just needs time. I'll let Emily know. Did she return to the house?
I looked around and began slowly tracking her scent. It didn't lead to the house, but instead continued on towards the cliffs, making my stomach drop. Especially with her scent, it was dangerous for her to be out alone.
No, Sam. She didn't. Her scent leads to the cliffs. What if she's wandering alone right now? What if she is attacked again? We barely made it last time.
I could feel my heart begin to beat out of my chest as I began seeing images of my angel's body, lifeless and drained of blood. The thought made me whimper again as I laid back down, my legs beginning to shake.
Seth, you must pull yourself together. Follow her trail, but keep a distance. We will all work on keeping this area free of leeches until she's safely home.
Thank you, Jake.
I took a deep breath to pull myself together before pressing my nose to the ground and following her scent. It ended on the cliff's edge, but when I looked down, there seemed to be no trace of her. I let out a desperate howl before collapsing on the cliff edge.
I lost her scent. It ends at this edge. There's no sign of her. What if she was taken?
Maybe she jumped!
Paul, shut up!
Embry, Quil, Jared, Brady, run patrols of the coast. Collin, Paul, Leah, keep to the reserves. Jake, have the Collin's assist with the Forks side land. I'll gather up a search party and keep the tribe on high alert. Seth, shift back and assist with the human searches. She couldn't have gotten far, especially with her ankle.
I slowly got up and dragged myself back to Sam and Emily's. My heart felt as if it was torn out of my chest, and my limbs each felt like heavy lead, but no matter what, I knew I couldn't lose her. I would do anything to find her and ensure she was safe. Then I would explain everything, the right way, and pray she would understand.