Page 9 of Ash
ChapterSeven
Ash
I had left the party early. Not because I wanted to but because I had to. Being so close to Lainey and remembering the way her eyes had grown dark with heat every time we were close was too dangerous. I wanted her and I wanted to believe that she was beginning to want me as well. Just not in the way I needed her to. Still, there was hope in my heart now. Lainey saw me. and that was a start at least.
But leaving the party early and forcing myself to sleep meant one thing, I was up early. Like before dawn early. The air was still, silent. And a prickle of unease swept through me. I didn’t know where it had come from, but it was sudden and intense. Not caring for the cold air, I leapt out of bed. Padding naked towards the window to twitch the curtains back. But I already knew what I would see.
Snow.
And not just the small smattering of white stuff we’d been expecting. The ground was thick with it, it had drifted up the sides of our vehicles. It was coming down hard the wind blowing every which way. This wasn’t just any snowstorm. This was the kind that arrived once in a lifetime and one look up at the heavy clouds and I knew it was only going to get worse. Even with my heightened eyesight, i could barely see a few feet from the window.
Craning my neck, I stared up at the pine tree covered mountain, which I knew was up there somewhere but I couldn’t see it. Sending up a silent prayer that none of the townspeople had gone up there last night. If they had they would be stuck. No human could survive the storm not unless they had prepared for it and even then, it would be tight. They would need help. The kind of help that only we could give them.
Humans were…..so delicate.
The dread that had me jumping out of bed, came back harder and faster than ever. It hit me like a sledgehammer.
“Lainey…” Her name ripped its way out of my lips. I don’t know why but it did. Inside my head, my dragon thrashed against my skull. It took everything in my power to calm him. We didn’t need to panic. Lainey was here. Under this roof. Safe and warm in a bed. That had been the plan when I had left last night. She was going to stay the night. There was nothing to worry about.
Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was out there somewhere. In the dark and the cold.
Leaning into the window I pressed my nose against the cold glass and let my eyes sweep in the direction of the steep mountain. It was almost like I believed if I tried hard enough, I would be able to see her. which was silly because she was here... she was…
I stilled my brain. Listening to the quiet breathing of my friends. I could hear them. Every single one of them but I couldn’t hear her. there was no one here that didn’t already live here. My eyebrows slammed down.
Where the hell was Lainey?
Not caring that I was naked, I took off at a run. Slamming out of my room with so much force that I left a dent in the hallway when I slammed open the door. I didn’t bother knocking on Oz’s door and it rebounded angrily. Oz was quick. Shooting up in bed and drawing the blankets over the naked form of his sleeping mate who was much slower in waking up.
“What the hell is your problem, Ash?” He growled out at me. His wolf eyes blazing in the darkness. He was angry. Rightly so.
But I was angry as well. Angry that I couldn’t sense the presence of my mate in the safety of this house. “Where is she?” I stammered.
“Who?”
I growled into the darkness. A loud sound that vibrated the windows in their frames. “Lainey. Where is Lainey? She was meant to be here and….”
Silence wrapped around me, and it spoke volumes.
“She borrowed one of the cars last night,” Ace spoke from the doorway of his own room. “She was tired and wanted to go home.”
I whirled on him. She had gone home. In this storm and he had let her?
Like he could read my thoughts Ace placed a hand on my shoulder. “It was hours before the storm came in Ash. She would have been home and in bed long before… I know you are protective over her but this is an overreaction on your part.”
It wasn’t a growl that erupted from my mouth as I threw his hands off of me. It was a scream. I didn’t care that he was my commanding officer. I didn’t even care that he was my friend, Ace was wrong and he had done wrong the second he had given Lainey the keys to one of the trucks. Because I knew deep down that she wasn’t home safe and warm in her own bed. She was out there somewhere alone and freezing in the dark.
I had failed her.
“I’m phoning her… she always picks up.” Oz mate called out after me as I headed back towards my room. “Ash just wait.”
“Where are you going soldier?” Ace was two steps behind me when I reached inside of my bedroom door for my pack. I didn’t bother looking at him because he knew where I was going. They all knew.
“God, Ash think. The roads are blocked. Even with your skills, you will find it hard to get down to the town now. Just wait a few minutes.” He followed me as I trotted down the stairs and towards the kitchen back door that would take me outside, to the backyard. A sprawling expanse of snow. The lanterns from last night were still swinging but their lights didn’t do anything but make the place seem empty and creepy.
“Let Sarah get hold of her and then… Ash, you don’t even have clothes on for god’s sake.”
I paused in the doorway. Finally, half turning to face him. “If anything has happened to her, I..” I let the threat go unfinished.
“Ash the roads are….”
“But the skies are clear for me.” I flung myself forward and my shift was seamless. If Lainey was out there in the storm somewhere then I would find her. I would find her and protect her. My giant wings beat up a hurricane of snow and wind. I didn’t look back.
My mate needed me. I knew she did.
