Episode 18

"Varun Aibek"

I’m certain my brother will find her; he’s one of the best trackers in the village, and for good reason, being the offspring of our father. He always plays by the rules, while I'm the screw-up, and I'm starting to believe it, especially after what I did to my child's mother... What a mess.

I hurled the toy I was still holding against the wall, and it shattered! Running my hand through my hair, I paced back and forth until my gaze landed on the cell phone... Could it belong to Evelyn?

I walked over and picked it up; it was locked, yet I could distinctly see her photograph on the display... Her beautiful smile caught my attention, looking lovely as ever with her long, dark hair and skin so fair, her eyes a shade of green speaking of her lineage.

I stared at the photo for a moment and then sighed deeply before taking one more look around the room and leaving. My parents were out; I quickly prepared something to eat. As soon as I stepped out of my house, it seemed like Juliana was lying in wait for me...

"Good morning, my love!" she said as she approached.

"I'm not your love," I replied, giving her a serious look which caused her to freeze in place.

"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, baby!"

"Juliana, get this straight—I don't have, and I'm not going to have anything with you..." She stared at me in disbelief.

And I just kept walking... I handled some matters in the morning, still preoccupied with thoughts of Evelyn and my child, feeling out of sorts, and even more so when Marcos called to say she wasn't in her father's village. Evelyn, where are you?

I was fuming at the thought of them being out on the streets again, all because of my own actions... My brother returned for lunch and reported he had tracked her to the city, which only deepened my intrigue... We had lunch together and after taking care of a few more matters, I showered, dressed, and joined the search.

My brother and I shifted into our wolf forms and headed to the city—which was much faster than driving. We approached the city limits and reverted to our human forms, then scoured the city for the entire day until we encountered a lone wolf without a pack, who seemed to know about the car my brother had described.

"I can tell you which direction this car, with the girl and the baby, went... I was here when she asked," he said with a sly grin, "But in return, I need a pack!"

"You think you can blackmail me to get what you want," I said, grabbing his shirt with both hands and pushing him back sharply until he smacked into a tree.

"Varun, be cool! We're not only among wolves here," my brother cautioned, placing a hand on my shoulder.

Looking into my brother's eyes—reflecting our lineage—I then grabbed the wretched wolf by the collar, his eyes wide with shock...

"Tell me where she went, now!" I demanded, seeing the fear in his eyes.

"Alright, just put me down!" he pleaded, clutching at my hands.

"Spit it out!!!" I raised my voice.

"She was asking for that hotel, once popular with wolves from various packs, and she took the road leading out of the city... That's all I know, please let me go!"

I dropped him on the pavement, already cognizant of the hotel's location...

"I'll show you not to blackmail an Alpha!" I took steps toward him and he scrambled to his feet, fleeing.

I could quickly catch him, but my brother intervened, grabbing my arm.

"Let's go after her; leave him be..."

I saw the wolf turn the corner and simply nodded, noting the dusk. We left the city, shifted forms, and raced through the forest towards that hotel. Joining us en route were many from my pack... After some minutes, we resumed our human shapes, my brother and I stepping out of the woods and toward the hotel ahead.

I looked back to see my pack members still in wolf form near the trees... Then turned my focus to the hotel windows and we entered. It didn’t take long for the proprietor to descend the stairs.

"How can I assist you gentlemen?" she asked with a kind smile, approaching.

"Have you seen this girl?" I inquired, pulling out Evelyn's cell phone from my pocket to show her.

"No, I haven't seen her around!" she replied, examining the photo.

"Are you sure... We have information she came this way, she had a newborn baby with her!" I persisted.

"No, perhaps she took a different route, but she has not arrived here," she assured us.

"What a mess!" I exclaimed in frustration, pocketing the phone, "Let's go, Marcos, we need to find her..."

I was leaving the hotel when I paused, turned back, and gave the stairs and the kindly smiling proprietor another glance.

Marcos came near me, sharing my concern, as we pondered her whereabouts at this time of night. Frustration defined my state of mind. I transformed on the spot outside the hotel and bolted, destabilized. into the woods—I had to find them. It shouldn't be so hard to track down a woman with a baby in her arms...

I was sprinting as fast as possible, my eyes gleaming with each search of the surrounds. I had to find them; I stopped in the forest's heart, unleashing the loudest, most powerful howl I could muster. Evelyn, where are you?

I resumed my run, haphazardly yet focused on one goal, to find my child's mother and the child himself. I halted as I dug my claws into the soil when suddenly a wolf leaped into my path!...

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