71. Leo

71. Leo
The water pelted down my body in thick and warm rivulets, washing away all that caked-up mud from my earlier run through the woods. It was still very early in the morning, but I had long since woken up. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. I was barely alive, functioning at the bare minimum. It's been days. So many days since I'd last known anything about her.
I sighed, wrapping my hand around my cock as the image of her stepping out of this very bathroom, and wearing next to nothing came back to my mind. I pumped my hand up and down slowly, picturing her beautiful body...those luscious lips, her round and full tits. I groaned softly, increasing my pace.
It was the only way that I could relieve some of the tension. I knew that I had no right; that I shouldn't even think about her that way...But I just couldn't stop. I was missing her so much.
I found release after a few more pumps, and those short moments of bliss were rather sad and dull. It was still better than nothing.
I finished showering, and then I exited the bathroom, trudging my way to the dressing room. I picked out some random clothes and dressed myself hastily.
I stepped back into my bedroom, my gaze landing on the bed, where her clothes were still lying strewn all over. The clothes that she'd worn, and never got to wash. I'd gathered them all after Athos' departure, and I've been sleeping surrounded by them ever since. I could only fall asleep with her smell in my nostrils nowadays. It was faint, but it was still there somehow. And it dulled our pain, to some extent. Mine and my beast's.
My hands balled into fists, staring at her dress for another moment as I fought the urge to grab it and take another few hearty inhales. Fuck. I closed my eyes, sighing deeply. I needed to keep it there, lingering on her clothes for as long as possible. I wasn't ready to let go of it yet.
I turned and headed for the door, my foot slipping on an empty bottle that lay discarded on the floor. I caught myself at the very last moment, cursing loudly, "Fuck!"
I stared around after that, noticing the array of bottles of wolfsbane that littered the floor. I needed to clean this shit up — preferably before I broke one of them with my weight and pierced my flesh with a fucking shard or something. I hadn't allowed anyone in here, not since she'd stopped sleeping in my bed. I did not want them to taint her lingering scent, or disturb anything that she may have touched in her short time here. I'd even maintained her organizing style, the way that she had arranged her clothes and mine in the dressing room, and all of the products that lay in the bathroom.
I exhaled through my nostrils and then walked the rest of the way to the door, careful enough to sidestep the other bottles that littered the floor. I needed to go and check on the she-wolf. Candace. My last chance at finally finding that traitorous piece of shit.
She was still in a comatose state, and I had yet find out what happened that night; who attempted to murder her and why. All I knew was that Orina had found her lying unconscious on the floor, with her neck broken. There were no other scents in her room, other than hers. Nothing that I could use as a clue. I questioned all the servants; I even threatened them, but no one came forward. They hadn't seen anything, hadn't heard anything. I only had what Orina had told me, and I had questioned her multiple times, sniffing for any lies. Nothing came out. So I resorted to waiting for the she-wolf to finish healing and wake up. And it was taking so fucking long.
I stalked down the halls and stairs, going straight for her room. I had placed guards at her door, and they both greeted me as soon as they saw me.
"Alpha."
I acknowledged them with a nod, and they opened the door for me, allowing me inside. I walked in, my gaze falling on the russet-colored wolf that lay in the middle of the large bed, all curled up and looking as if she were sleeping. She'd turned shortly after I'd found her that night, as her body needed the strength of her wolf form to heal.
I averted my gaze to Orina, who was sitting in a plush chair near the she-wolf's bed. I'd allowed her to watch over her, and assist her with whatever she may need when she woke up.
"Any changes?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.
"No, my King," she replied with a disheartened look on her face.
I blew out a breath through my nostrils. "Very well," My jaw clenched as I looked at the little wolf again. This was taking too long. And I had already grown very impatient.
"I've waited enough. I'm going to search for her myself," I announced swiftly, and she inclined her head in acknowledgement.
"Protect her with your life. No one except Orina is to enter this room, understood?" I ordered the guards as soon as I turned and opened the door.
"Yes, Alpha," they replied quickly.
"You will all answer to Alisha in my absence," I informed them, receiving their compliant reply once again, "Yes, Alpha."
I left the she-wolf's rooms after that, stalking down the hallways with my mind set on what I was going to do next. I was going to search for her in the Human Lands. It was the only place where I hadn't looked yet. And I was going to do it myself. No emissaries, no scouts this time. I will look for her personally.
I went straight to Athos' rooms, which were conveniently situated close to mine. I needed human currency, if I was to roam those lands for a few days. Money, as they called it. I opened the door and entered his bedroom, my gaze trailing over the familiar surroundings. Everything was neatly arranged, as always. A stark contrast to what mine looked like. Nothing was out of place, not even a crease on the sheets or a speck of fucking dust. He really was a tidiness-obsessed freak, and I used to make fun of him all the time for that. I knew what he would say, had he been here to witness the state of my bedroom right now; that I was a fucking animal.
I snorted at the thought, shaking my head lightly. Goddess, I missed him so much already. And the memory of what I've done to him was still managing to torment me, every day. How I've doubted him, my own brother, in favour of that conniving whore's lies. How I've hurt him, accusing him of betrayal. Him, of all lycans. My best friend. My brother. The lycan who has been standing at my side ever since my first breath into this world. We have been connected since birth, sharing a bond like no other. And I, fucking spat on it, like the dumb idiot I was.
My shoulders tensed, my hands balling into fists at my sides as I grew even more determined to find that bitch myself. Oh, I was going to enjoy torturing her. With that thought in mind, I entered Athos' dressing room and opened the small closet hidden behind his rack of neatly-pressed shirts, my gaze falling on the hefty stacks of paper bills. I grabbed one of his duffel bags, and then I started to fill it with wads of cash. I had no idea how they worked, or how much I was going to need since Athos has always been the one handling our affairs in the human world. So I took as much as I could, filling the bag almost completely. I then heaved it over my shoulder and exited the dressing room, pausing mid-stride as my gaze landed on his neatly made bed once again.
I smiled devilishly as an idea popped into my mind. I approached it, and with a quick swipe of my hand, I disturbed his covers, right before I made my way to the door and exited the room, smiling with childish satisfaction. There. Now it looked more like mine.
I stepped into the hallway, with that bag over my shoulder and my features hardening with determination once more, ready for my trip to the chaotic land that was called the human world. I would need to use one of the cars to travel there, since shifting was out of the question. I needed to appear as humane as possible. And I would need—
Fuck. The phone! I almost forgot all about that smart little device.
I whirled on my heel, changing course abruptly. I knew that it was somewhere in my study. I had left it there a few days ago, as I had felt a little too tempted to call Athos after one too many bottles of wolfsbane. I would need to have it on me if I wanted to blend in, as humans do almost everything with that tiny gadget nowadays. And I planned on staying away from Athos and Calla, so I needed to communicate with Dima at all times, so that we wouldn't cross roads by accident.
I barged in, my gaze landing on the small device lying on my desk. I made my way towards it and grabbed it, almost missing that new notification that popped up on the screen as it lit up, just about to shove it in my pocket and go. I raised my hand and unlocked it instead, my gaze glued to the screen.
There was a new voice message, and it was from Dima.
I pressed play quickly.
"Alpha...the Supreme Beta is in danger...we've been compromised... humans...with silver bullets..." It sounded broken, but I could hear his heaving breaths, and the fast pounding of his heart. My eyes widened, every muscle in my body tensing.
I listened to the message again, this time capable of catching that scream that resounded in the background.
"Don't touch me!"
My blood froze in my veins.
"Calla..."