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"Come on, Zoe," I mutter, dialing again. Still nothing.
A knot forms in my stomach. It could be nothing. She could be busy, or her phone could be on silent. But in our world, in these tense times, 'nothing' isn't a luxury we can afford.
I grab my keys and head for the door, my movements swift and purposeful. The cool night air hits me as I step outside, carrying with it the scents of pine and distant rain. I inhale deeply, searching for any trace of Zoe's vanilla and lavender scent. Nothing.
My truck roars to life, and I peel out of the driveway, tires crunching on gravel. The streets of Whispering Pines are quiet at this hour, the occasional streetlight casting long shadows across the road. I drive faster than I should, my knuckles white on the steering wheel.
Zoe's apartment complex comes into view, a modest two-story building painted a soft blue. I park haphazardly, barely remembering to cut the engine before I'm out of the truck. Her car is here, I note with relief and renewed worry. If her car's here, where is she?
I take the stairs two at a time, my heavy boots echoing in the stairwell. At her door, I pause, listening intently. No sounds from inside. No TV, no music, no movement. The silence is deafening.
"Zoe?" I call out, knocking firmly. "Zoe, it's Marcus. Are you there?"
Nothing.
I try the handle, finding it locked. A growl builds in my chest, my wolf pushing forward, demanding action. I close my eyes, forcing myself to think rationally. Breaking down the door won't help if she's not here.
My military training kicks in, pushing aside the panic threatening to overwhelm me. I need to approach this systematically. I pull out my phone again, dialing Zoe's number. As it rings, I press my ear to the door, listening for any sound from inside. Nothing.
"Fuck," I mutter, ending the call. I pace the hallway, my mind racing through possibilities. Could she have gone out? Left her car and caught a ride with someone? But why wouldn't she answer her phone?
I knock on the neighboring doors, but no one answers. Frustration builds within me, a pressure cooker of worry and anger. I need to do something, anything.
Returning to Zoe's door, I kneel down, examining the lock. No signs of forced entry. I lean in, inhaling deeply. Her scent is here, but it's not fresh. She hasn't been here for hours.
The realization hits me like a physical blow. Zoe is missing. The woman I've sworn to protect, the woman who's slowly been working her way into my heart, is gone.
I stand abruptly, my fists clenched so tight my nails dig into my palms. The wolf in me howls, demanding release, demanding that we hunt, that we find her. It takes every ounce of my control to keep from shifting right here in the hallway.
"Think, Marcus," I growl to myself. "Think!"
I pull out my phone again, this time dialing Ryan. As alpha, he needs to know what's happening. Plus, we'll need the pack's help to find her.
"Marcus?" Ryan's voice is alert despite the late hour. "What's wrong?"
"Zoe's missing," I say, my voice tight with controlled panic. "I can't reach her, and she's not at her apartment. Her car's here, but there's no sign of her."
There's a pause on the other end, then Ryan's voice comes back, sharp and authoritative. "I'll mobilize the pack. We'll start a search. Where are you now?"
"At her apartment. I'm going to check the surrounding area, see if I can pick up her scent."
"Good. Be careful, Marcus. We don't know what we're dealing with here."
I end the call, already moving towards the stairs. As I exit the building, the cool night air hits me again, and I take a deep breath, focusing all my senses. I need to find her scent, to get some clue as to where she might have gone.
I circle the building, my nose working overtime, filtering through the myriad of scents. Car exhaust, garbage from the dumpsters, the lingering aroma of someone's dinner. But no Zoe.
Frustration builds within me, threatening to overwhelm my control. I want to shift, to let my wolf take over and track her down. But I know I need to stay human, to be able to communicate with the pack when they arrive.
I make another circuit of the building, this time extending my search to the nearby streets. Still nothing. It's as if she's vanished into thin air.
The sound of approaching vehicles catches my attention. I turn to see several cars pulling into the parking lot. Ryan steps out of the first one, his face grim.
"Anything?" he asks as he approaches.
I shake my head, unable to keep the growl from my voice. "Nothing. It's like she was never here."
Ryan nods, his eyes scanning the area. "We'll find her, Marcus. We'll turn this town upside down if we have to."
