#Chapter 174: Square One

Chris The cool, damp earth beneath my paws was a welcome sensation as I padded through the forest. The first light of dawn was just beginning to filter through the trees, casting long shadows across the underbrush, and a gentle breeze ruffled my pure white fur. Leonard’s wolf form moved silently beside me, his nose to the ground as we searched for any trace of Olivia. Shifting like this with my Beta by my side should have felt like an immense relief, a joyous occasion. Finally, after years of barely even being able to drop my fangs properly, I could shift fully with ease. I was home, healthy, and my wolf was happy. But rather than feeling relaxed and centered, I just felt more tense and stressed than ever. We had been at this for hours, combing every inch of the territory and beyond. But so far, we had come up empty-handed. Not a single clue had been found; not a single hair, or a scrap of fabric, or a broken twig. Not even the slightest scent on the wind.