Zade nodded. "Doc said that works in a lot of cases."
"I've known him longer than anyone else here," I pointed out. "If what you've said about your relationship with him is true, I know him better – more intimately, anyway – also." I inhaled slowly, trying not to sound overly eager. "Let me help."
Silence stretched between us for several minutes as Zade considered my words. Finally, he sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "Let me think on it," he said.
"I know you don't really know me," I pressed carefully, "but I would never hurt him."
"There's that," Zade admitted. "But there's more. Stuff you don't know." He glanced over at the truck where the two Omegas waited and seemed to come to a decision. "The Blood Valley Pack is putting us up for a couple of days. Head on out tomorrow night and we'll talk."
I nodded, smart enough not to force the issue when he was being reasonable. When the truck pulled out of the lot, I followed behind and then pulled off into a grove of trees at the edge of the Blood Valley territory. Climbing into the back of my mobile home, I booted up my laptop and headed for my favorite search engine. After all, I was familiar enough with amnesia, but I'd never even heard of Harley's other problem. Typing indissociative fugue, I scanned the results in horror. Whatever had happened while Harley was gone, it had to have been a nightmare.
~*~
I was still sitting with the laptop, pouring over everything I could find online that might tell me how I could help my Omega, when the morning sun began to peer in through the windshield and splinter out through the back of the van, triggering a wide yawn.
I glanced at the neatly made bunk and groaned. Physically, I was tired. Mentally, my mind was racing a thousand miles an hour. Throw in the anxious wolf who was desperate to see that his Omega was safe and there was absolutely no chance that I was going to be able to sleep.
Deciding that a run would help, I stripped down, and, since I planned on hitting the sack as soon as I got back, I put my clothes away before surrendering to the wolf that was all too happy to claw his way free.
I started out slow, keeping a careful nose out to identify territory markers. The last thing I wanted was to end up trespassing in the unfamiliar area. I loped along through the deeper shadows until I heard the unmistakable sounds of a large creature – a stag or possibly even a bear - struggling through the underbrush. Sinking back into a thicket, I was startled when the interloper stumbled into view.
It was Harley.
