The Alpha's Runaway Queen

Chapter 12 - Taking charge

Reagan POV

We stood by the beta’s house and then started to sniff around. Conri was on high alert, nostrils flaring as he tried to catch Jasmine’s scent. The air was thick with the lingering aroma of pine and earth, but beneath it, faint and elusive, was Jasmine’s unique fragrance. We started retracing her steps, moving swiftly through the familiar terrain of the pack lands.

Conri led the way, his nose close to the ground, tracking the faint trail. At first, it was easy. Jasmine’s scent, cinnamon and the faintest hint of lavender, was strong near the house. We followed it through the garden, past the training grounds, and into the dense woods. Each step we took made my heart pound harder in my chest.

As we moved deeper into the forest, the trail began to wane. The scent became fainter, and the path less distinct. Conri paused, sniffing the air, trying to catch any lingering trace. He whined in frustration, and I felt his anger surge.

“How could she leave the pack without anyone seeing her?” Conri growled. “Someone must have seen something.”

“Jasmine is smart,” I replied, trying to calm him. “She may not be the best in academics, but she’s really smart. Street smart. She knows how to move unseen.”

“She’s our queen, Reagan,” Conri said. “We need to get her back.”

“We will,” I promised. “We’ll bring her home.”

We continued, relying on sight and logic as much as scent. We spotted shoe prints in the soft earth, barely visible to the human eye but clear to us. They led us through a narrow trail, past a stream, and towards the edge of the pack’s territory.

As we approached the pack’s border, the trail grew even fainter. The scent was almost gone, lost in the other smells that surrounded us. We reached the road that marked the boundary of our territory, and Conri let out a low growl of frustration.

“She was here,” he said.

“We’re losing her scent,” I muttered, scanning the area. “We need to keep moving.”

“Your patrollers are all fuckers, Reagan. How could they not see her around here?” he asked as he ran faster.

“Believe me. That question is also in my mind,” I answered.

We crossed the road, moving into unfamiliar territory. The terrain was rougher here, with thick underbrush and uneven ground. Conri kept sniffing the air, trying to pick up any trace of Jasmine. We spotted more shoe prints, leading us further away from the pack lands.

As we reached a crossroad near the next town, Conri stopped abruptly. He sniffed the air, turning in circles, clearly confused.

“Her scent is all over,” he said in frustration. “She went in every direction.”

“She wanted to throw us off,” I said. “She’s making it hard for us to follow her.”

“She’s smart,” Conri admitted. “Too smart. She knew exactly what she was doing.”

We scanned the area, trying to make sense of the situation. The dust on the road had been disturbed, making it difficult to see any clear shoe prints. Jasmine’s scent was faint, mingling with the smells of the town.

“She’s outsmarted us,” I said. “We’ve lost her trail.”

Conri ran in every direction, trying to catch where our mate had gone. In the end, we went back to the intersection. He whimpered, sitting down on the side of the road. I could feel his sadness and frustration. It mirrored my own. We had come so close, only to be thwarted at the last moment.

“We can’t give up,” I said, trying to rally our spirits. “We need to rely on the trackers. They started earlier than us. Maybe they’ve had better luck.”

Conri nodded, but I could feel his doubt. We headed back towards the pack lands, my mind racing. The thought of Jasmine out there. She was my mate, my queen, and I had to bring her home.

When we returned to the beta’s house, Uncle Brandon was talking to a tracker. I could see the worry etched on his face. He looked up as we approached, his eyes were filled with hope and despair. When he saw us, he went inside the house and then came back with shorts. Conri took it with his mount, went to the side, and then shifted. I picked up the shorts from the ground and wore them.

“Did you find anything?” Uncle Brandon asked when we got back to him.

“We lost her trail,” I admitted. “She covered her tracks well.”

Uncle Brandon sighed, running a hand through his hair. “The trackers are still out there. They might find something.”

“We need to do more,” I said, my resolve hardening. “We can’t just sit here and wait. Please be in my office in twenty minutes.”

I went back to the palace, and after a quick shower, I started to work. Picking up my phone, which was left on my office table, I sent out a series of messages. I coordinated the search, giving clear instructions on which areas to cover.

Hours passed, and the sun began to set. The search continued, but with each passing moment, my hope dwindled.

As night fell, both Uncle Brandon and I went to his home, exhaustion weighing on me. Aunt Audrey had prepared a simple meal, but I had no appetite. Thinking about it though, I had not eaten lunch either. I took a few mouthfuls eventually. After that, I stared at my phone, willing it to ring with good news.

“We’ll find her,” Uncle Brandon said.

“I know,” I replied, though the words felt hollow. “But every minute she’s out there alone…”

“She’s strong,” Uncle Brandon said. “She’ll be okay.”

I nodded, but my heart was heavy. Jasmine was out there, somewhere, and I couldn’t rest until she was safe.