Page 71 of Wanted

But I couldn’t have stopped myself even if I wanted to.

There’s only one clear thought that continues to pass through my mind as I run.

I would do it again.

CHAPTER 19

Chance

“Where is she?!” I demand as soon as I enter my brother’s house.

Ms. Elsie sent me a text minutes ago telling me that Emery ran off an hour ago and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.

“We don’t know,” Linda says, coming from behind Ms. Elsie.

“What happened?” I hadn’t given Ms. Elsie time to explain the situation to me when she texted me. I just told her I was on my way.

“She went to the stationery store to get some notebooks for her project.”

“What project?”

Ms. Elsie squints. “She didn’t tell you? She wants to create a written history of our pack.”

“She’s our pack’s new storyteller,” Linda says happily.

“No!” My wolf and I bark out at the same time.

“Chance, she?—”

“No!” I insist, cutting her off. I’m too familiar with the fates of all of the storytellers in our pack’s history. They don’t live long and I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to Emery. She will not fall to our pack’s poor fate with storytellers.

“Where is she?” I demand to know cutting off whatever Ms. Elsie was about to say.

“We don’t know. Apparently, she had a run-in with Gloria in the stationery store before she ran off.”

Ms. Elsie steps forward, taking my hand in hers. “Chance.”

Though I can’t hear her tone, the look in her eyes, the gentle way she clasps my hand in both of hers, tells me, it’s soft, like she’s about to deliver news I’m not going to like.

“We think she knows … about you.”

Ms. Elsie doesn’t elaborate on what that’s supposed to mean. But I already know.

I withdraw my hand from hers and immediately head out the door without a backward glance. My first priority is to find Emery.

She’s not familiar with this area. Ms. Elsie and the other woman said she ran in the direction of the mountains, not into town.

There are thousands of trails and false trails out in these damn mountains. One wrong turn could lead to a fall off the side of a cliff.

I don’t bother with removing my clothes before I shift into my wolf form. Clothes be damned. We need to find her.

She could be hurt, scared and fucking alone out here. Day is already turning to night, the sun starting its descent behind the mountains for nightfall.

I won’t sleep until Emery is back safe in my bed where she fucking belongs.

Mate!

Mine!