"April!" I called into the trees for the millionth time.

"Maybe we should head back, Xavier." Andrew offered gently.

I whipped around and glared at him. "How could you say that?" I hissed. "She's out there somewhere and I'm going to find her, with or without you!"

We've sent out search parties every day for the last week and a half, covering every inch of territory between April's pack house and the rogue mansion she was being held at.

The battle at the rogues' lasted until my pack and April's pack combined had killed or driven off every last wolf. But when we went back down to the prison, it was empty. Every single cage cleared. Every one of the hostages were out in the woods, weak and lost. Well every single one except Star, that is.

Ivy had pushed through the battle, heading straight for her sister. By the time she had gotten out to the yard, Star's friends had disappeared. She says she thinks she saw Willow helping Meadow escape but there was no sign of April or Kalama.

I sighed as we entered the pack house. Must to my annoyance, Andrew had literally dragged me back from the woods, telling me we couldn't look any more tonight.

I headed upstairs to the guest room I was staying in to take a shower, but stopped abruptly when I heard a horrible shriek.

Terrified for whoever was screaming, I rushed down the hall and followed the noise to the room Star and Ivy were sharing.

Another scream came and I burst through the door, ready to fight whoever was hurting them. Instead, I found Star curled on the floor, her hands on her head. Ivy was standing over her, reassuring her.

Ivy looked up as I came in and explained what was going on. "She had her thirteenth birthday two weeks ago. She's shifting."

I blinked in relief and sat down next to her. "Why didn't she shift on her birthday?"

Ivy shrugged. "I don't know, but I think it has to do with the room they put us in. I couldn't shift or even talk to my cat while I was there and it took a little bit before I could."

We watched in silence as Star's features started becoming more cat like. Her skin sprouted fur and her bones shrunk and bent backwards. Finally, her eyes changed color and in front of us stood a black and white dappled cat.

Star padded around the room, trying to get used to her new form. She turned her wide yellow eyes to me and I pet her gently. "Good job, Star!"

"Your cat is amazing!" Ivy added excitedly.

Star shifted back and hugged Ivy. She turned to me and thanked me for being there with them before launching into a full conversation about her shift with her sister. I smiled and decided to leave them alone, heading back to my room.

I took a fast shower and climbed into bed, my thoughts wandering to April. I really hoped she was okay. With an anxious sigh, I sent a quick prayer to the Moon Goddess before I let my eyes close. Help her find her way home, please.

🐾🐾🐾

The days turned to weeks and the weeks turned to months as we searched. The snow left and fresh growth sprouted in trees and across the ground. I spent every speck of free time I had in the woods, covering ground and calling out April's name. A few times Ivy and Star would join me, yelling their friend's names too.

A couple of times, we sent groups all the way out to the cells again, to see if they were hanging around those woods. Every time they returned a few days later with no no findings or information.

I was starting to become very frustrated and very upset. I began lashing out at anyone they tried to tell me what to do, even if it was for the best.

After one month of April being out there in the woods, Andrew decided to go back to our pack. He was my Beta and the pack still needed running. And I knew my father was there to help him. I, however, was in no state to go back. I couldn't lead them right now, I was on the border of grieving and going crazy trying to search tirelessly for April.

I was out in the woods —two months after Andrew went home — scanning the trees and the ground for any signs of my mate when my phone buzzed on my pocket. A little annoyed at being interrupted, I unlocked it and answered the call, seeing it was from my Beta.

"Andrew." I said, wanting him to get to the point of this before he'd even spoken.

"Hey, Xavier. Just wanted to check in."

I grumbled something incoherent. "Well you've done it, can I go now?"

Andre growled, "don't be so grumpy, that's not going to help you find her. Keep your spirits up and maybe Freckles will come home to us." He sounded sad as he said her nickname, and I knew he missed her almost as much as I did.

I sighed. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm just so ready to have her in my arms again. I miss you so much I could scream."

The line was silent for a minute. "Let's switch topics, this is depressing." I huffed a laugh and let him continue, "there's still no sign of Jacob. I think it's finally time to accept what was suspected since the day April was taken: he died in the fight."

"I was afraid of that," I said, my tone heavy. "I haven't seen his body anywhere though."

"Maybe he was mauled. You saw how vicious those guys were."

I nodded to myself. "Possibly. Man, that's depressing too. Got any good news for a change?" He hesitated, and suddenly I got the feeling he had something big to share, but was holding it back for some reason. "Andrew, c'mon, you can tell me anything. Maybe it'll lift my spirits somehow."

He coughed dryly a little. "I was afraid I'd only upset you and make her miss her more."

I furrowed my brow and frowned in confusion. "What? Why?"

"I— Xavier I found my mate."

My mouth dropped open. "Wait really? Congrats man!" I fakes a smile to try and make my voice happier. He heard right through it.

"Xavier, I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I knew it would make you a little jealous. I know you don't want to feel that way, but you miss your mate so much you can't help it."

He had no idea how true those words really were. I felt ashamed that I was envious of something so great in his life. "I'm happy for you, I really am. I can't wait to meet her when this is all over."

I heard the smile in his voice, "definitely! Freckles will get along with her well." We stretched into silence, but I was no longer as depressed, thanks to Andrew. And it was because of this silence that I was able to pick up a slight rustle in the foliage, not caused from the trees.

"Shh." I demanded into the phone, even though he hadn't said anything for a minute. Thankfully he didn't comment on that and stayed silent.

The rustle came again and I turned my body towards the sound, my heart pounding. Not out of fear, for I knew if it was something dangerous it would have already pounced. No, my heart was on a frenzy because I was excited. I pushed the thought of it being April out of my mind, for I felt silly for hoping such a thing when it couldn't be true. But it was there, in the corner of my mind screaming at me What if?

A squeak of surprise came from the other side of the bracken and the bush parted as a flash of red tumbled through. I leaped back in shock as I realized it was a child.

"What's going on?" Andrew whispered on the other side of the line.

"I'm gonna have to let you go now." I told him.

"Wait, Xavier, what —" I hung up and slipped my phone into my pocket.

I crouched down slowly and the kid blinked up with me, looking as shocked as I felt. "Hey, kid." I said quietly and she blinked at me. Her ginger hair was a mess of tangled curls, and I spotted sticks and leaves stuck inside.

"H-hi." She whispered, clearly terrified. "Please d-don't hurt m-m-me."

I shook my head and came forward a little. When she whimpered I stopped and offered her a kind smile. "I won't hurt you, kid. I want to help you, I promise."

Her eyes welled with tears and I was even more confused. "That's what they told me. You're one of them, aren't you?"

I froze as I put the pieces together. "Are you from the rogue prison? Cause I promise you, I won't hurt you like they did. I promise I'm not one of them."

She wiped the tears off her face with the back of her bony arm. "I don't know you," she cried, "and I'm scared!"

"Shh, I know!" I said calmly. "I know you're scared, but I can get you cleaned up and checked by a doctor, okay? I'm here to help — only help — I promise." When she just stared at me with fear, I couldn't help but look over her.

Her bones were thin, with little to no meat on them. The clothes she wore were ragged and dirty, and reminded me a lot of what Ivy wore when I found her in the woods.

Ivy! She had to know Ivy and Star if she was from the rogues!

"Hey, kid," I started cautiously. "Do you know who Ivy is, and Star?"

She met my eyes with surprise. "Y-yeah," she stammered. "I've been looking for them in the woods." She gasped at me, "do you know where they are?"

I smiled, "I do! Here, let me bring you home, and you can see them."

She eyes me warily and I was beginning to realize she was incredibly street smart for her age. Or at least what I assumed her age was.

I reached out my hand to her and it took her several moments to take it. When she did, I helped her to her feet and started leading her back to April's pack house.

"I'm Xavier." I told her as we walked. After a few minutes of silence, she peeked up at me shyly. "I'm Kalama."