Not Ashe. Please not Ashe. Anything but that.
My brain blanked as I ran towards the figure, not daring to think of anything until I saw the truth with my own eyes. When it became clear it was too big to be my son, I should have felt relieved, but instead I was greeted with the sight of Remington, limping and bleeding heavily from one side.
“Remington!” Dax called, his voice tight with worry.
He scraped his claws to a halt right as Remington staggered on his feet, half-collapsing on Dax’s shoulder. Beneath the pain in his eyes shone deep, terrified concern.
“Are you okay?” Dax asked. “Can you walk?”
Remington trembled as he spoke but he tried to stand unsupported. From this distance, I saw the multiple gouge wounds in his side. Blood matted his black fur, glistening darkly in the dying sun.
“I’m fine,” Remington mumbled.
“You’re clearly not!” Dax snapped. “What the hell happened?”
Growling, Remington shook his head and faced me. “Forget me. You have to get Ashe.”
My stomach flipped. “Where is my son?” I asked.
“Another buck showed up, saying he was an old friend of Morgan and wanted to apologize to him,” Remington muttered, lowering his face in shame. “He tried to get us to follow him, but when I realized something wasn’t right, he turned on me. He attacked me and kidnapped Ashe.”
“Another buck?” Dax echoed. His voice carried the same sinking feeling weighing down my heart. “What was his name?”
Before Remington could speak, I stated, “It’s Rock.”
Dax’s eyes went wide with terror. “How do you know?”
“Because he’s out to get me. He always has been. He can’t rest knowing I’m happy with my life.”
“But why?” Dax asked.
“I don’t know, and I don’t care. All I care about is my son.” My hoof dug into the ground with a solid thud. “Let’s go.”
As Dax and I were about to set off, Remington followed. Dax whirled on him with a worried growl. “Not you. You stay here. You’re too hurt to go anywhere.”
“No,” Remington shot back. “It’s my fault this happened. I’m going to help.”
Dax suddenly headbutted him and Remington let out a startled yelp. “Don’t kill yourself over your stupid pride! Just stay put!”
Flicking his ears back, Remington sank to the ground like a scorned puppy. Satisfied he wasn’t going to play hero, we left in the direction Rock had gone.
Neither of us spoke as we ran. The reality of the situation weighed heavily on our minds and there was nothing to say—there was only what needed to be done.
The landscape took on an eerie familiarity. I was travelling the same route that Dax had taken me from my old herd to the new pack, but in reverse. Was Rock leading Ashe back to the herd? For what purpose, besides the fact that he hated me and wanted to ruin my life?
Dax’s ears swivelled. He ground to a halt. He scented the air, then slunk low to the ground in a gesture for me to stay quiet and follow him. Filled with anxiety, I stayed close to him. He crept to the edge of another ridge which opened up to a hollow below.
My ears suddenly pricked. A familiar sound was coming from the hollow. It took all my strength not to gasp when I realized it was Ashe bleating.
“He’s down there,” Dax growled softly. Anger blazed in his eyes. “There’s a buck with him.”
My nose wasn’t as sensitive as Dax’s, but even I could recognize the scent of someone I’d spent the majority of my life with. Rock was in the hollow, holding my son hostage for whatever reason. My anxiety twisted into fury.
Ashe bleated again, and I heard Rock’s muffled voice telling him to be quiet.
I didn’t wait for a signal or a plan. There was no time for that. All I knew was that I needed to save my baby.
I leapt down into the hollow.
