17

I couldn't sleep all night terrified of who must have snuck into my room to keep it.

Drained from lack of sleep but also relieved to see the dawn of a new morning sun. I dragged myself out of bed. I needed to tell the alpha immediately.

I got ready, showering and putting on new clothes. I rushed out of my room in a haste to get to the alpha's office in time.

I barged into his office abruptly, seeing only Trevor. He looked shocked by my entrance.

"Where is the alpha?" I said in a loud voice. His brows furrowed.

"Why are you looking for him"

My eyes darted around the room. It was empty, only him in sight. I didn't wait to answer his question, only to speed off elsewhere.

The training ground came to mind and I went there. Outside the pack house into the streets filled with people. I hurriedly walked in the direction of the training ground. The paper clutched to my chest tightly. I could feel my heart beating loudly against my palm. It could be anyone. I looked consciously at everyone. What if they were following me? Who could it be?

The corner of my eyes caught something, a man and a child walking into a corner. He kept his eyes warily around to check if anyone was watching him before he made his turn into the corner.

Curious about who he was and why he was being wary. The urge to go after him thinking the child might be in danger. I looked at the paper in my hands. I pressed my mouth into a tight line and decided to go after him.

I rushed to where he had cornered, not wanting to lose sight of him. However, I suddenly crashed into a tall bulky person falling back onto the ground. I kept my eyes on that corner intensively.

"I am really sorry please pardon me" the person that knocked me over said.

I brushed it off ignoring whoever it was. I didn't want to lose them. Inside the corner, it was narrowed with a small passage. I walked through the narrow path, anxious about how lonely it was. Their shadows caught my eye and I ran towards them. Eager to get to that corner only to see nothing.

I turned both ways, confused. I was sure I saw them go this way. Or was I mistaken? I came to a dead end on this narrow road.

My shoulders slouched in disappointment. I held my head in my palm feeling tired and dizzy. Droplets of sweat dripped down my face as I walked out of this place. I didn't get much sleep so it must be my hallucination. I came out into the market side I had first seen them. The paper was still in my grasp.

Should I give this to him later? I thought to myself as I went back to the pack house. I felt exhausted and weak for no reason.

"Esme!!!" I heard someone shouting my name. I was getting dizzy and nauseous. Was I that tired?

A group of turned wolves ran towards me. I blinked lazily at them. Realising too late I was in their way. My hands went to my head to protect it. As I crouched down, waiting for impact.

Someone grabbed the collar of my neck forcefully yanking me back. My back against something hard rock-like. I swear I heard something thump loudly at the same time.

The group of turned wolves passed by in a flash at top speed in a cleared path.

I felt the body heat of the person behind me, their breath was heavy. My dizzy spells stopped altogether. I turned to look at my saviour only to see the alpha.

My eyes widened in shock. I separated myself instantly from him. Bowing at a lower length.

"I am so sorry, I wasn't paying attention," I said immediately

He looked at me for a few seconds. "I'm just glad you are fine. I heard you were looking for me." He raised an eyebrow at me curiously.

I lifted my head to him. "Yes… I was…" I lost focus on him looking to his side. His eyes followed my gaze behind him.

"And that is…" he couldn't see what I was seeing.

"It's the same cloak," I said unconsciously.

"What…?" He said in a confused tone.

I brushed past the alpha going to the man who I had seen in a similar cloak to the person who took the child. I could hear the alpha come after me. Shouting my name in the crowd. People had stopped to look at the distress. I grabbed the shoulder of the man wanting to reveal him to everyone but it turned out to be a frail old man.

He looked shocked by my approach, his knees had given out and he fell.

"What are you doing?" Lucien said in a commanding tone.

"He's not the one I saw," I said in a monotonous tone.

"Who did you see?" The Alpha was at my side

"It was a man, he wore that same cloak. I am sure of it. " I looked at the alpha. Then finally noticing the people around me watching me.

"It seems you don't look good, are you okay? You're a total mess"

A glass stood just on the opposite side of where I stood. My hair stood out in different places. I wore the back of my clothes too. I looked crazy. After a while of apologising, everyone had dispersed also the old man I seemed to have frightened. I just made a mistake.

"What's wrong Esme? " this time his voice softened as he placed his arm on my shoulder.

"I wanted to show you something." Squeezing my palm to feel the paper underneath but I didn't feel anything. I checked my palm to see nothing. I looked around me to see if I dropped it. I panicked while the alpha stood there looking at me confused.

"It was with me just now."

"What was it?" he asked

" a paper, I wanted to show you the paper. I must have dropped it somewhere here"

I thought back to when the turned wolves passed by. It must have been then. The paper was gone. How was he going to believe me now?