Chapter Nineteen

"I can't believe he will be turning five" lvan said, not liking the idea of his cute son growing up.

"Me either" Jack added with a smile. Marie smiled as she said, "Now you know how I felt when you were growing up"

They burst out laughing except Lvan and Tristan. Even Tristan didn't like the idea of Alan growing up and it shown on his face. The guy looked like he just took a bitter medicine.

"How about a vacation or something" Rex suggested. They all seemed to be in thought.

"What about Tristan's friend and brothers?" Jack asked. Lvan was positive they all forgot for a moment there.

"Roy and Colten decided to look into them. They'll be going to Rid pack after Alan's birthday" Lvan answered,

Jack nodded before saying,

"I see. That's a good idea" 

"Thank you all" Tristan said with a sad smile. No stranger has ever show him care like these people show him. Strangers? No, they weren't strangers. They were his family. His new family members.

"There's no need to thank us Tristan. You're one of us now and we never watch as one of us suffers" Rex said,

"Okay. Thank you again. I will never forget this" They all smiled at Tristan and in returned, he smiled at them, squeezing Lvan's hand in the process.

"What do you say, let's go for the run now baby?" Lvan asked with a smile. A smile which he only shown Tristan. Tristan nodded and lvan stood, holding his hand up and helping him stand. "See you guys later" lvan said as he dragged Tristan out. Tristan gave his family members an apology look before letting lvan drag him out.

"Lvan looks happy" Marie said and wiped her sudden wet eyes. "Yes he does. That's what you get when you find your mate. You find happiness" Jack said.

"Then I also need to find my mate soon. I need happiness!!" Rex yelled. Roy and Colten burst out laughing while, Chris, Even, Marie and Jack rolled their eyes.

         ****🐺****

Minutes later, lvan and Tristan were in the forest which was within the walls. Lvan was impatiently removing his cloths. He couldn't help it. His wolf was so impatient for a run and to see Tristan's wolf. He turned to look at Tristan who was still in his cloths.

A worried expression showed up on lvan's face as he stopped taking off his cloths, leaving just his short which was actually the only thing left. Did Tristan not want to? Was he the only one who wanted to turn into his wolf? Did Tristan agree because he was persistent?

"Tristan, what's wrong?" Lvan asked as he walked towards his mate and stood just a step before him. "Actually, I don't know if I will be able to turn"

Now lvan was really surprised. Losing the ability to turn as a wolf was like losing yourself. Did Tristan even know what he was thinking about? "What do you mean?"

"Actually," Tristan raised up his head to meet Lvan's gaze. "I have never turned before"

"what the fuck?!!" Lvan cursed with a surprised look. Tristan has never turned into his wolf form before? And he was alive? Here? Not rogue? Mated?!

"But then, do you feel your wolf?" Tristan nodded, "Yes. I always talk with him" What the? He could hear his wolf and speak to him but he couldn't turn? How could that be?

"Baby, what is he saying now?" Tristan breathed in and out before answering, "He wants to run" Lvan nodded. It was actually a good thing.

"Okay, that's good" lvan put his hands on Tristan's shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Listen to me baby. I want you to give in to your wolf. Don't hold anything back. Give it all to him and let him take control. The change will naturally take its course, okay?"

Tristan nodded, "Okay listen, it will hurt a lot. I won't lie to you because, you haven't changed for the past 21years. And also because this is your first change, and is going to hurt"

"I understand"

"You can scream all you want, even thought it won't be good for both my wolf and I, I still want you to scream you lungs out if you have to. Don't bear the pain inside"

Tristan nodded once again. "I'll be right here if you need me" Tristan nodded and answered "Okay" he watched as lvan kissed his forehead and took steps back. Lvan gave him an assuring look.

'Is just you and me now' Tristan said to his wolf. Tristan began taking off his cloths and lvan couldn't help but stare. Tristan had a perfect body and it was all his. How lucky he was.

After Tristan took off his cloths, Lvan watched as Tristan closed his breathed in and out several times. It took a few minutes before lvan heard broken bones and Tristan's screams. Shit! He couldn't bear seeing Tristan in pain and neither could his wolf. He wanted to stop the process of Tristan shifting, to save him from the pain. What's the harm if he never shifted again.

He was alive. He was himself, he had his wolf and his wolf spoke to him. But then a bigger part of him knew, Tristan would never be himself if he never shifted again. He might even go rogue. If he never gave in to his wolves demand to come out, he might lose himself to his wolf and go rogue.

Tristan went on all four and screamed out. Lvan watched as Tristan gave in to his wolf completely and turned into a beautiful sliver-white like wolf. The wolf's sliver-white fur was just like his hair. Tristan was beautiful no doubt about that. Damn!, he was beautiful in his human form and wolf form. He knew, there was nothing about Tristan that wasn't beautiful. Lvan smiled at the wolf.

Tristan had his eyes closed, lying on the ground and breathing heavily.

"Tristan, baby?" Lvan started walking towards the white wolf. The wolf growled and lvan stopped in his tracks. Tristan raised up his head, opening his eyes he revealed those pale emerald eyes lvan loved so much.

The wolf growled again and lvan wondered if Tristan was growling at him. He wondered if Tristan's wolf didn't recognized him or maybe he didn't like him. Lvan frowned and continued walking towards his mate. Tristan growled again, this time, it was louder.

Lvan stopped in his tracks, this time, it wasn't because Tristan had started howling at him but because he smelled an unfamiliar scent. Before he could even act, Tristan got up and ran past him so fast that it took him a second or two before he noticed.

He immediately turned to look at Tristan but he was nowhere in sight. Lvan's eyes widened in horror as he moved around, looking for his mate. "Tristan!!" He shouted over and over in search for the one he loved.

            ****🐺****

Lvan entered the mansion and went straight to the living room where he smelled, his parents, brother and friend's scent from. Reaching, he didn't have a single sweat a normal person would have when he or she ran from the far forest to where his mansion was located. It was because he wasn't a normal person. He was a person with an ability and he used it on his way back.

All eyes were on him as he said, "I need help, is Tristan! He's missing!! I need help!!" Lvan was too busy walking around and worrying about his mate and so didn't see the horrified looks his family and friends had. His family fell into panic. Jack hugged Marie who began to shed tears. Rex couldn't believe this was happening right now while Even and Chris were impatient to know what happened. They also had to call Roy and Colten back into the mansion so they could discuss what to do next.

Alan came out of the dinning holding Minna's hand when he heard lvan's announcement. "What happened to Tristan?" He asked, his eyes starting to get teary. Lvan rushed and hugged him, gently caressing his back to comfort him. Minna let go of the kid's hand and stepped back. Alan hugged his father back. "Don't worry, nothing will happen to Tristan. I will find him okay?" Alan nodded, tears streaming down from his eyes as he sniffed.

"Okay daddy"

Lvan pulled away from his son, wiped his tears with his hand and held his hand. He lead him to the living room, sat Alan down and sat before. Lvan had the attention of all the people in the room including Debby and Sandy who came out of the kitchen when she had the commotion. Debby and Sandy stood beside James and Minna as they watched the family in disperse.

Marie sniffed and wiped her tears and nose with her handkerchief before asking, "What happened lvan? Where's my son?"

Lvan looked down, not able to meet his mother's gaze. "When we went into the woods to shift, he told me he hadn't shifted before. I.....I helped him shift" Lvan wrapped his hand around Alan's shoulder and pulled him to his side. He needed all the comfort he could get and he knew his son was one of the few who could give him that.

"Coming around after he shifted, he started growling at my direction. I thought he was growling at me until I felt an unfamiliar scent. It was the scent of a wolf, a male wolf but I didn't know that scent. Before I could act, Tristan was already after the stranger. He was so fast I didn't even see when he went after the stranger"

"This is bad" Marie said. She wiped her eyes and got up, walking in circle. She wasn't going to sit here crying while her son was out there missing. Her son needed her and she was going to do everything in her power to find him.

"I think he was trying to protect me. I think I was so glued in my thought that I didn't notice the stranger but he did. He tried to protect me when he went after them" lvan said, trying hard to keep his tears from falling. Damn!, he had never cried over someone before. Fuck it, he didn't even shed a single tear when his ex left him and now here he was, trying to hold back tears.

Thought of something, Marie turned to face the others, "Chris, has a stranger been allowed into town today?"

Chris shook his head, "I don't know. Let me find out" Marie nodded and Chris left, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "I'll go find Roy and Colten" Even said.

"Wait, please call for a meeting. All pack members are to meet here at 7pm"

Even nodded and left. "I'll go see if I can be of help to Chris" Rex said and left without hearing a respond. Alan noticed how sad and worried his father was. The man looked horrible and a mess. Alan got out of the lvan's hold. His father didn't even notice as he was in a deep thought.

Alan ran towards Debby who bowed her head to reach Alan's height. Alan stood in front of Debby. Minna, Sandy and James' attention went to Alan who stood before Debby.

"What is it baby?" Debby asked. "Auntie Debby, please help me make tea for daddy" Alan turned to look at his daddy with a sad look. Minna, Sandy and James looked at each other with sympathy on their faces. Debby smiled and held Alan's hand who turned to look at her.

Debby pinched Alan's cheek still with that smile on her face. Alan frowned. He didn't like it when his cheeks was pinched except if Tristan pinched them. Tristan. A sad look clouded on his face. Tristan. Where was Tristan? He promised he would never leave Alan and now he was gone.

He was nowhere to be found. Tristan broke his promise. He would never forgive him. Debby's expression turned sad when she saw that look on Alan's face. The boy didn't deserve this. Even Tristan didn't deserve this. He was a good kid who made the house even more lively with him and Alan around.

She sighed. "Let's go Alan" Debby said and left with Alan, holding hands.

Minna, Sandy and James then turned back and followed them. Marie and Jack were distracted by the mood lvan was in that they didn't even realise Alan had left the room with Debby, James, Sandy and Minna.

Marie sat beside her son and wrapped a hand around his shoulder, comforting him as she said, "Don't worry too much lvan. I'm sure Tristan is safe somehow"

Lvan turned to look at his mother, not convinced but nodded anyways. Marie and Jack both noticed but they said nothing. "I'll go search the forest" lvan said and got up, heading for the door, "Don't worry, I'll be back before 7pm"

Marie and Jack exchanged a sad look. Marie sat down and wiped her face with her hand.

            ****🐺****

Alan was seated on the kitchen stools with Minna, Sandy and James while Debby was making the tea. Alan had his head on the kitchen table. His sadness had filled the whole room making Debby, Minna, Sady and James unease and sad too.

It couldn't be help. It was infection coming from the happy go cute kid. They had never seen Alan this sad before. He wasn't even this sad when his mother left him. This showed how much Tristan meant to Alan more than his own mother.

Debby sighed and turned to face Alan. She couldn't take it anymore. Maybe the kid would feel a little bit better if he talked about it. Just a little. "What is it Alan?"

All eyes went on Alan, waiting for the kid to speak. It took about a minute before a low soft voice spoke, "Tristan broke his promise. He left me" Debby shook her head. "Look at me Alan" Alan slowly raised up his head to meet Debby's gaze.

"Tristan didn't leave you. He would never do that"

"Then why did he leave? Why did he go with the stranger?" Alan asked, tears streaming down his cheeks. Debby sighed again. Minna took out her handkerchief from her pocket and wiped Alan's tears and eyes.

"Didn't you hear your daddy? Tristan went after that stranger to protect your daddy" Debby said and smiled before saying, "See, he wouldn't have followed that stranger and gotten lost if daddy wasn't in danger"

Alan sniffed, looking at Debby with hopeful eyes, "Really?" Debby nodded. "W....Well, he'll come back?" Debby caressed Alan's cheek. "For you and daddy, he will do everything to come back" Debby said with a smile. A smile broke on Alan's lips, making Minna, Sandy and James also smile.

             ****🐺****

Lvan was running through the woods, yelling out Tristan's name. As he was running, he turned into a dark black silk wolf like the colour of his hair. Lvan howled, calling out for Tristan. Pleading with him to say something if he could hear him but there was nothing.

          ***🐺****

Rex, Even and Chris stood facing Sebastian, Zane and Corey. These three men were the people Lvan trusted his pack with when he went on a business trip or on a mission with his betas leaving behind his son and brother. Lvan trusted them with his life and the life of his brother, son and his pack. If lvan trusted them that much, then they were good people and very much trustworthy. Because lvan didn't just trust anyone.

"What?! Tristan is missing?" Sebastian asked in a surprised tone before he started getting worried. He looked at Zane and Corey who also looked worried. They didn't know Tristan personally but they've heard stories about him from Chris and Alan. And him being the alpha's mate was enough for them to care about him as one of their own.

"Yes" Rex answered and ran his hand through his hair. "So, where's the alpha now?" Corey asked worriedly. He heard about how paranormal beings lose control of themselves when their mates got into danger, missing or worst, die.

"He was in the mansion the last time we saw him" Even said. Sebastian nodded before asking, "So, what do we have to do?"

"I want....." Chris didn't get to finish his sentence when he heard Colten call out his name, "Chris!!" They turned to their right where the voice came from and watched as Colten joined them. "What's going on? I miss your call and came running" Hearing what Colten said, Rex still refused to believe Colten wasn't in love with Chris. Who would come running just because they missed a call from a friend? There was more to it. But then, Chris kept declining that something was going on between him and Colten but he (Rex) still refuse to believe they were just friends.

Something was definitely going on. Or maybe, was it an unrequited love? Was Colten in love with Chris?

Rex turned to stare at Colten. Or was Chris the one in love with Colten.

He turned to look at Chris. Ah, damnit!! Why was he here thinking about stupid things when Tristan was missing. His friend and brother-in-law could be in trouble for all he knew.

"What's going on?" Colten asked again, bringing Rex out of his thoughts. "Tristan is missing" Even announced. "What the fuck?!" Colten exclaimed in shock.

And why wouldn't he be shocked?! He was having breakfast, talking and laughing with the guy some time ago and now, all of a sudden he was missing? How? When? Where?

"And where did he go missing?" Colten asked.

"When he and Lvan went for a run. Story short, Tristan shifted into his wolf form, noticed a stranger in the woods who might have been a threat to lvan, followed him and never came back. He's nowhere to be seen"

"Shit!" Colten cursed. "Then he's somewhere in the woods right?" Colten asked. "We can't be so sure considering we don't know anything about whoever Tristan was after. But, they will wish for early death when we find them"

"You bet they will" Colten added. "So what do we do now?" Colten asked. "Oh, right, I wanted to....." Chris stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Roy wasn't around. "Where's Roy?" He asked.

"He said he was going for a drink. He must be in one of bars near by" Chris nodded. "Please contact him" Colten nodded, understanding. Chris turned to face Sebastian, Zane and Corey. "Tell me something Sebastian, have there been uninvited guests or strangers today?" Sebastian, Zane and Corey seemed to be in thought, trying to recall if they had heard anything about uninvited guests or strangers into town today.

Finally finding the answer, they three men shook their heads. "No, I don't think so" Zane answered. "Then who the fuck is this stranger Tristan went after?!"

"Didn't lvan recognize his or her scent?" Corey asked Chris but Even answered instead, "No. He said he couldn't recognise their scent but it was a male scent"

"I see, I'll look into it" Sebastian said with a nod. "Also, please announce there will be a meeting at the alpha's house at 7pm"

Sebastian, Zane, Corey and Colten nodded as they shared a look. "Then is decided, Sebastian will look into the stranger, Zane and Corey will announce the meeting. Colten will get into contact with Roy and join Even, Rex and I on the search. We will be searching the forest" Chris said.

"I see" Colten said and nodded. "Okay, let's go guys" Sebastian said and left with Zane and Corey. "I'll call Roy now" Colten said and started pulling his phone out of his pocket as he was walking.

Chris looked at Rex and Even. "Is just us now. Let's go" Chris said. Both Rex and Even nodded at Chris, then at each other before they took off, going to the forest.

          ****🐺*****

Roy was having a drink this late afternoon. He wanted to drown all his sorrows of being single, haven't found his mate and haven't gotten laid for the past week. He couldn't believe he hadn't gotten laid for the past week and he was still alive. Wow, it was the shock of the day.

He was seated on one of the stools at the bar place, facing the bartender who was wiping glasses. Roy could feel the eyes on him. A group of ladies who were seated a few tables from the bar were staring at him like he was some kind of meat.

Right then, he knew he was going to get laid this evening. He smiled at the thought and pretended he still hadn't noticed the ladies who were staring at him. He never took the first step. After all, he always played hard to get.

It was fun, entertaining, and he liked doing it. "Aren't you going to speak to them?" The bartender asked, Roy chuckled at his words. Him, taking a first step? That wasn't like him and if he ever took a first step, then it was because he really liked the woman. "No, I don't do that" the bartender placed down the glass he was done cleaning. "I see you're the type who play hard to get"

Roy laughed and answered, "Exactly"

"Then maybe I should give them a tip. You're handsome and they seem to like you" Roy turned to face the giggling girls who were also staring at him before he looked back at the bartender, "No need...." Roy didn't get to say anything else when his phone rang. He took out his phone and checked the caller ID.

It was Colten. What did he want? "Excuse me" Roy told the bartender. "By all means" the bartender answered. Roy answered the call, " Hello"

"Roy, where are you? I'll been calling you for so long" Roy pulled the phone from his ear and looked on it, frowning. He checked to see if there were missed calls on it but there were none. He put the phone back on his ear as he said, "But there's no missed call on it. It must be the network"

"I see"

"So tell me, what is going on"

"Oh, yes, Tristan is missing" Roy's eyes widened in shock as he stood, yelling "What?!" He startled everyone in the room including the ladies who were checking him out earlier. All eyes were on him and he didn't seen to care at all.

"What the fuck happened?! I just leave for an hour or so and someone goes missing?!"

"Just get here. I'm going into the forest to search for him. Meet me there"

Roy was confused. Why the forest?, "But why the forest?" He asked, "Because that's where he went missing"

        ****🐺****

Lvan had been running around in his wolf form, howling to Tristan but he hadn't found anything neither had gotten a clue that his mate was in the forest. Somehow, he couldn't help but feel Tristan wasn't in the forest Could that stranger have gotten him?! No, it couldn't be. Tristan had to be in the forest. He had to, and he would find him.

He would do anything and everything to find him. He let out another loud howl.

Rex, Chris and Even were in other part of the forest, yelling out Tristan's name as they walked. They heard a the howling and knew who it belonged to. It was lvan. They all stopped, looking at each other.

"That was lvan right?" Rex asked, even though he knew the answer. "That kid couldn't sit his butt down" Chris said. "Who could when their mate was in danger" Even countered, "Hmm, I guess you're right. No one would be able to sit on their butts when their mate was in danger. I feel sorry for lvan" Chris said in a sad tone. They shared a sad look.