Chapter 22 Chapter 22
Why hadn’t her parents registered her in the archives? That question brought another, where were her parents and why was she here alone? Did he bring the Alliance in to see if they could find her parents? What bothered him the most was how, or why, she had driven all the way from Illinois, according to her license plate, to here? Was it some sort of test she had to pass before reaching her first shift, sending her out into the middle of the wilderness? He’d heard of some odd rituals of that sort in some packs, but had never known anyone to go through it personally. Did someone from her pack know she was here, or was it fate’s way of getting his attention? He needed to speak to his father again, but regardless of answers, he still had to find her.
The canoe now floated fifty feet from the shore. His patience gone, Devin stepped out into the vicious wind and started for the water. His wolf may be able to fight the wind and repel the rain, but his man was a stronger swimmer and had hands to grab the canoe. He ploughed right into the lake, not hesitating. The wind pushed back against him to stop him from going out to the canoe, Devin leaned forward, trudging through the water. At the speed the wind was pushing in the canoe, he’d only have to swim a short distance when the bottom beneath his feet dropped away. Swim, walk, run he didn’t care how he reached it, just as long as he did.
The strength of the wind choked him, he had to put a hand over his mouth to take in a breath. Another ten feet and he’d have to swim. His muscles clenched in anticipation as he gauged where he was in the lake and how much further he could go before the bottom dropped off. The water splashed up against his chest as he tried to balance his footing as long as possible. The canoe was getting closer as the wind shoved at it. Then, taking a deep breath, Devin pushed out with as much strength as he could find and began to swim through the choppy water in the direction of the canoe. His mouth filled with water more than once as he fought the waves to reach the boat.
Devin had just a few more feet to go when a strong gust of wind spun the canoe and he had to go under to avoid being blindsided by the spinning canoe. When he surfaced again, he gasped for a breath and spit the water out. The canoe had gone right over his head and was heading towards the shore without him. He dove under in an attempt to close the distance and resurfaced close enough to reach up and grab the side, careful not tip it. If Rayne was in it, he didn’t want to flip her out into the water, she’d have had enough of the water right now. Walking his hands back along the side, he moved behind it and started swimming with determined kicks towards the shore. She had to be all right.
He couldn’t see how close he was to the shore, so when the bottom of the canoe dragged into dirt he was able to stand again and see inside it. Gasping for air, he struggled to his feet and leaned over the canoe, it was empty. The paddle was there, her shoes and her camera, but she wasn’t. Devin held the edge and spun back towards the water, had she fallen out? His heart was beating in his throat, making breathing hurt. Shoving the morbid thought aside, he tried to focus on possibilities. If she’d fallen out, wouldn’t the paddle have gone with her? He looked to see it floating in the water that covered the bottom of the canoe. Walking to the front, he grabbed the handle and pulled it almost to the building. Grabbing her shoes and camera, he darted back into the building. Where is she?
Devin stood beside the open door and looked down at her camera, carefully sealed inside a container. If she’d had the time to stop and seal it up from the rain she would have had the sense to find somewhere to hole up until this passed. He had to hold onto that thought, because the alternative made his chest ache. Setting her shoes and the camera down, he turned back to stand in the open door. The wind had lessened, but after fighting it to swim, it could just be wishful thinking.
He wanted to scream and beat something into pieces. He felt utterly useless. Rayne was out there, somewhere, and he was being forced to hide in a shed and wait on the weather. Devin looked out at the lake, his eyes constantly moving, hoping to see her or anything that could tell him where she was. Another hour and dusk would arrive as his chances of finding her lessened, and he was having a hard time thinking that he may not be able to find her until morning. She has to be okay. Let her be okay.
He watched the wind send some small branches flying around the shore and snarled. Even if he tied the canoe to his body and started to walk along the shore of the lake, heading towards the small shelter at the other side, there was no way he would get there before dark. Then he remembered there was no way he could walk the whole distance because of the places that were not manageable on foot, and would have to get in the canoe and paddle around them. Devin may have a little added strength, thanks to his shifter abilities, but he wasn’t superman by any terms. Did he dare try? He debated with himself as he continued to look out over the lake.
If he was going to be stupid enough to do it, he’d better be prepared which meant another trip outside and back to the house. He wasn’t going without rope, his cell phone, and some sort of provisions in case he had to take cover. Should he check her camp area first? He didn’t see her making it to the shore and back there, leaving her camera in the canoe. But, then again, the way the storm hit, he supposed it might be possible. A small part of him hoped he was freaking out in vain and she was at her camp, safe.
Cursing, he stripped the heavy wet jeans from his body and bolted out the door. As a wolf, he could get through the bush to her camp without having to fight the storm with each step.
He stumbled twice as the wind banged into his ribs. With quick moves, he braced his paws to prevent from toppling right over. Of course, he had to get to the bush first, before quick movement was possible. He was thinking he didn’t love summer storms quite as much as he had thought, as he pushed himself to the limits trying to reach the haven of the trees.
Devin arrived at the camp area in one piece and stood at the edge, hidden in the trees for several moments. He hadn’t stopped to consider what he was going to do when he did get here. He couldn’t see in the cabin in this form, and if she was inside a naked man standing at the window may not be what she’d want to see. There was no movement in her car, no sign of anyone being in it. The tent, which miraculously was still staked to the ground and in one piece, flapped against the wind and not even he would sit inside it in weather like this. He looked towards the small cabin and wondered again how he was going to see inside. Creeping out of the bush on all fours, he went slowly towards the cabin and naked or not, decided he had to find out if she was in there.
He looked up at the window for a few seconds and then shifted with as much speed as he could. Crouching below the window, he moved off to the side and then stood up. Making sure he was as far to the edge of it as he could be, Devin glanced inside quickly and then leaned back against the wet wood. She wasn’t there. Not even pausing longer than that, he shifted back to wolf and ran as fast as he could through the trees heading to his house.
As the house came into sight he reached the decision to call his father and tell him what he was about to do so someone would know if he was missing. How long would it take him in this storm to circle the lake, on two feet? He’d done it in the past, but never in a storm that he would have to outwit with each step. By dawn if they didn’t hear back from him, his father would know to alert someone. Devin had a few moments of guilt at putting him through that, but at this point he didn’t have a choice.