Chapter 6

Garth’s POV   

I may be the pack’s Gamma, but Xavier made everyone aware of why he was the pack’s head warrior. Just before he knocked me unconscious, I hoped Samantha was enjoying herself.  

Cal, my wolf, was still healing my injuries when Lily’s mind link came through. Xavier hadn’t realized Samantha was missing from warrior training and immediately started searching for her. I ran as fast as I could to the packhouse, which was when I saw a hysterical Lily being comforted by Jaxon on the porch. “Axel is searching the packhouse, trying to catch Samantha’s scent so she can be tracked.” He told me.  

Eventually, when Lily could speak. She confessed to being caught by Samantha while she tried on Samantha’s Luna dress. Lily said Samantha went berserk. Which is understandable. That dress is important to both Samantha and the pack. It signifies our Alpha’s union with his mate. What the hell was Lily thinking? According to Lily, Samantha vanished while Lily was changing. Which was when Lily reached out.  

Axel ordered every pack member to search for Samantha. When Samantha wasn’t found on the day she disappeared, Axel sent out trackers in case she had been kidnapped. Cal joined them in case she was found and needed our gift to help her.

The entire time, my guilt ripped me apart, causing Cal to block me out for long periods. I know it wasn’t me that caused Samantha’s distress. No, Lily is solely responsible for that. But I was the one who suggested Samantha return home. If I hadn’t done so, she wouldn’t have caught Lily in her dress and she would be home, where she is safest. Cal has reassured me to no end that we would find her. But it doesn’t stop me from feeling partially responsible.

The trackers spent five days trying to find any trace of her. But there was nothing. Eventually, Cal had to acknowledge that there was nothing and gave up the search. Heading home, he felt like such a failure.

Cal shifted outside the packhouse expecting me to go inside, eat, and recuperate. But as I stared at the front door, I couldn’t bear to go inside, knowing Samantha was out there somewhere. So I grabbed my stinky, week-old, sweaty training clothes off the porch and went looking for Samantha at her favorite spots. The hole in my sneaker made hiking uncomfortable, but I persisted. The entire time, Cal insisted I go home and rest. But I couldn’t. I just couldn't.

It wasn’t until the sole of my sneaker fell apart, 2 days later, that I decided I needed to go home. It was hard walking through the front door. But it was harder to walk past Samantha’s dressing room. The door was open, and I could see her dress for the first time. My jaw dropped when I saw how beautiful it was. But every inch of it had been created exactly to fit Samantha’s specifications. What the fuck was Lily thinking?

I hung my head in shame as I walked to my suite. It is my job to protect the Luna. Both physically and mentally, I could have helped her deal with her if only she had come to me. I felt that I had not only failed not only Samantha and Axel but also myself, proving I wasn’t worthy of the Gamma position. Despite the already-established connection I had with Samantha and Zola. “Stop that,” Cal snapped at me. “You’re no good to anyone if you continue beating yourself up.” He was right. How will I help Samantha if I can’t help myself?  

After a shower and a freshen-up, I didn’t feel much better. Physically, I felt more energetic, but my mind, my mind, was elsewhere. I took my old and new sneakers to the kitchen to dispose of them. I also needed to cut the tags off my new sneakers. Rather than go to the trash bin twice, I dropped my old ones on the floor and reached for the kitchen scissors. But they weren’t in the block, neither was the cleaver. Which was weird. There was no reason they should be missing. I had a drink of water and looked out of the window, questioning where Samantha could be.

Cal growled as a breeze blew through the kitchen, and he caught Samantha’s faint scent. I hushed him as, of course, she lived here, and her scent was all over the packhouse. I placed my glass on the side and went to throw my sneakers and tags in the trash can. As my foot pressed the pedal to lift the lid, Samantha’s scent hit me, and it was strong. “She’s been here!” I shouted as I rushed upstairs to find her.  

After searching the entire upper floor, I returned to the kitchen, frustrated that I couldn’t find her. It was strange because her scent was the strongest in the trash bin. Why was her scent so strong in there? I dashed to the trash bin, yanking out the garbage bag. As I rummaged through rotten food and trash, I found the kitchen scissors that had pieces of hair stuck to them. Samantha’s hair. Those were the source of Samantha’s scent. “Why would Samantha cut her hair?” I asked myself curiously. When she moved into the packhouse it was short, but she has been growing it so that she could have curls for the Luna ceremony.  

“Over there. The breeze and her scent are faint over there.” Cal informed me, wanting me to head toward the pantry. “There is no way Samantha is hiding in the pantry,” I scoffed as I made my way to the cupboard where we store food. I twisted the handle, opening the door hoping she was there, and this was just a prank to teach everyone a lesson. But the room was empty. Cal growled in frustration. Something furry floated around the floor. “What the goddess is going on?” I said as I picked up the fur ball, pulling it to my nose, “Samantha, I would know her scent anywhere.” Extremely confused as to what was going on, I looked around for anything else of hers.

The only other thing in the pantry was a secret door to the interrogation room below the packhouse. Only Axel, Jaxon, and I are allowed down there. Everyone knows that. None of us would want any harm to come to Samantha, so why would she be down there? But then again, why would a piece of Samantha’s hair be on the floor in the pantry?  

I walked out of the pantry. Cal growled in frustration and I had to agree with him. Something just didn’t feel right. Curiosity got the better of me, so I retrieved the key. A key to the room I have only been in once since becoming Gamma.  

Not knowing what to expect as I unlocked the door, I was surprised that lights had been left on. It could have been a mistake, as none of us go down there often. As I pushed the door open wider, I was shocked by a revolting stench that made me want to vomit. As I wretched, Cal said a word I would never have expected: “Wolfsbane.”

Something has been going on in the interrogation room, and I’ve not been made aware of it. We should not keep secrets from one another. I will confront Axel and Jaxon later about my discovery. But in the meantime, I’m going down there.