Dimitri’s POV
I was a bit calmer today. Skol wasn’t as angry and my need to destroy everything around me wasn’t as bad as yesterday.
Sleeping next to my princess helped like I knew it would. I couldn’t even remember what was troubling me while I was lying next to her. Everything seemed so irrelevant while she was in my arms. She was all that mattered.
“You look a little bit better today,” Will said as he walked into my office.
I smiled and gave him a small nod.
“Maddie is my cure for everything,” I said, making him shake his head.
“I’m just waiting for the day when you will tell me she woke up and saw you there,” Will said, chuckling.
I rolled my eyes at him. It wouldn’t happen. Skol was keeping an eye on her and he would alert me if he noticed her waking up.
“It’s not going to happen, Will,” I said. “Skol is keeping an eye on her while we are sleeping.”
Will chuckled again and gave me a small nod.
“Are you hungry?” he asked. “I was thinking that maybe you would want to go to the diner and get something to eat.”
My heart raced. I would see Maddie again.
“I could eat,” I said as I stood up.
Will smirked and followed me out of my office.
“Are you really hungry, or do you just want to see Maddie?” Will asked teasingly as we were walking out of the packhouse.
“Both,” I mumbled, glancing at him.
He had a huge grin on his face.
“I am so happy for you, man,” he said. “Maddie seems like a great girl.”
A small smile spread across my face.
“She is amazing,” I said as I remembered how she held on to me last night.
It felt like she needed me as much as I needed her. She held on to me tighter than ever before. Her body knew who I was to her and I couldn’t wait until she knew it as well.
Thankfully, the diner wasn’t far from the packhouse. Will and I were there in a matter of minutes.
I saw Seth’s mom, Macy, behind the counter. That was weird. Seth was usually the one working during the week.
Will and I sat at our usual booth and I looked toward the kitchen door. Maddie wasn’t out here so she must have been in the kitchen.
“Good morning, Alpha,” Macy said as she approached our table. “Good morning, Beta. May I take your order?”
I furrowed my eyebrows a little.
“Good morning, Macy,” I mumbled, looking behind her.
Macy serving us was unusual. Even when she was working, she would spend most of her time in the kitchen. Seth, and now Maddie, did all the servings.
Why was Macy serving us? Where were Seth and Maddie? Did Maddie have a day off?
No.
I knew her schedule. She was supposed to be here today.
I was staring at the kitchen door, waiting for Maddie to walk out. I already missed her and needed to see her.
“Where is Seth?” Will asked, making me look back at Macy.
She smiled and looked at Will.
“He and Maddie took a day off,” she said happily. “They went on a hike together.”
My heart stopped beating.
Skol stirred and I could feel his anger pulsating. I had to hold back a growl.
“A hike?” I forced myself to speak.
I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know where she was and I couldn’t breathe.
Easy, Dimitri. Will mind-linked me.
“Yes,” Macy nodded. “Seth took her to the Whispering Willow Lake.”
Fear washed over me. That hike was dangerous. The trail was challenging even when the weather conditions were perfect. It was steep and narrow, with jagged rocks and loose gravel underfoot. The path wound along the edge of a cliff, with a sheer drop on one side. It was even more dangerous now when it was snowing outside. What the fuck was Seth thinking? Not to mention that Maddie didn’t have her wolf yet. Someone could attack them. Something could happen to her. She could fall and hurt herself. She could develop hypothermia. She could…
I had to stop myself from thinking about all the bad things that could happen to her. I couldn’t let anything happen to her.
I had to go get her.
“That’s a dangerous trail, Macy,” Will said, his voice laced with worry. “Why did Seth take her there?”
I tried to swallow the lump in my throat.
“Oh, don’t worry, Beta,” Macy said. “Seth knows that trail well. Nothing bad will happen.”
I couldn’t count on that. I had to go get her. If something happened to her…
Ask her how long ago did they leave. I mind-linked Will.
“When did they leave?” Will asked.
“About an hour ago,” Macy said, smiling.
Oh, thank Goddess. They didn’t make it far.
I stood up, making Macy look at me confused.
“I am sorry, Macy,” I mumbled. “I remembered that I have something important to do at the office.”
I didn’t wait for her response. I rushed outside and ran toward the trail.
Dimitri, maybe you shouldn’t… Will mind-linked me, but I interrupted him
I am going to her. I growled. Something could happen to her. I am going to kill Seth if she gets hurt.
Do you need help? Will sighed.
No. I said. Go back to the office and wait for me.
Will didn’t mind-link me back. I forced my legs to run faster. If they left an hour ago, they certainly didn’t make it to the most dangerous part of the trail. I didn’t want them to get near it. If something happened to her…
‘Stop!’ Skol screamed at me. ‘Stop thinking about it and run. We need to get her back.’
I was at the beginning of the trail and I picked up her sweet scent. I breathed it in deeply and let it calm me down a little. My whole body was trembling. I wasn’t sure if it was trembling because I was afraid, or because I was angry. I wanted to rip Seth apart. Not only was he alone with my mate, but he put her in danger. I couldn’t even think about him without wanting to rip him apart with my claws.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart down. I needed to focus and find her before something happened to her. It would kill me. I had no reason to be in this world without her. She was my heart and my soul and I couldn’t let anything happen to her.
