Unscentable
Chapter 71

Brad POV

Watched Piper stalk off away from him, in the direction of the woods, had to let her go, she needed a minute. Was very mad at him yet again. Likely had a right to be this time. But at least he knew what he'd done. Had gone and pushed a head with the plan to go public in the human world, before she was ready for it.

Hadley was right, he was pushing her to get what he wanted. Had told himself he wouldn't, but likely had never actually stopped at all. Couldn't bloody help himself, it seemed, huffed annoyed with himself, for his own stupidity and arrogance. Found both Eddie and Harry staring at him.

"She needs a minute."

"More than a minute." Eddie nodded. "Is mad and annoyed."

"Just let her be for now, Eddie. She has a right to be mad and annoyed at me. She also grew up here in the pack, and won't get lost. I'll alert border patrol to watch for her, that's all."

"She won't leave Bradley," Eddie frowned at him.

"Don't do that. Trust in her. You're right, we should all let her be. She'll come back."

Brad stared at his Gamma, looked at Harry. If he was standing next to Eddie, his Gamma instincts were also switched on. Harry just nodded and then turned and walked away. Brad headed for his office himself to leave her be.

He would busy himself with pack business till she returned to the pack-house, and was ready to talk to him. Just one more thing he had to apologise for, he supposed, that list was getting longer by the day.

Though caused by his own arrogance.

He could feel her through the tether that was his Mark on her, couldn't mind-link to her, until that process was complete or she let him initiate her, didn't see that happening anytime soon. But at least he could feel roughly where she was inside the pack, appeared to be walking towards the south end of the pack, nothing but more woods down there.

Put in a call to the head of his HR team in Drake industries, a wolf named Connor and told him to make no official statement to any press contacts at that time.

It was not what Piper wanted. Connor was a pack member, as were all who worked inside his head office building. The man knew who and what Piper was, the Luna to their pack.

Was quiet on the subject for a full 20 seconds and then just stated "Yes Alpha." Then asked him if he wanted it all shut down completely, in order to help make the Luna feel more comfortable.

Though Bradley did not answer the man, due to the fact that Piper was suddenly gone from him. That tether he'd been keeping a feeling for was gone. Brad damn near dropped his phone as he shot to his feet. Reached out for her tether, got nothing. Told Connor he'd call him back and hung up.

His heart was hammering inside of his chest, Benson was up inside his mind restless and agitated, itching to be out of him to go and replace her. They weren't completely bonded and he'd felt no pain at the severing of her from him, had gotten injured, but that didn't mean something had not just happened to her.

Was heading out of his office when Eddie barreled in through the door, nearly bowled him over. Moving at full wolf speed, the man looked as panicked as Brad and Benson felt.

"I know, I can't feel her either." Brad told him as he turned the man around"I last felt her in the south woods."

Heard Eddie curse out load, "I could never replace her in those woods." He muttered as the two of them headed outside. Brad sent out a pack wide mind-link to all his warriors to replace their Luna. She was missing. Last felt in the south woods, gave a detailed description of what she looked like, and that she would scent the same as he did.

Then Benson was ripped out of him, and they were racing off through the pack into the woods, along the path they had seen her stalk away from him, had only been gone from his sight for maybe 40 minutes. He'd not been keeping track of the time, just her meandering through the woods.

Then she just bloody vanished. He knew she had still been well within the pack's borders when she'd vanished.

No reports had come in from his border patrols saying she'd left the pack either and they were all reporting every 10 minutes, since he'd felt her vanish.

Benson was tracking her scent through the woods, could smell her now, so surely they would be able to replace her. Found his wolf face to face with other wolves. Including his own unit at times. They were all tracking his scent, which was confusing them.

Benson had to stop and resent her several times, her damned scent so delicate and with everyone else out here it was getting muddied up. It was too soft a scent and it just ended nowhere and again he'd have to back track. Could feel his wolf getting mad at not being able to replace her. Tracked himself all the way back to the original starting point and tried again.

Send most other wolves from the area to help track her better, just him and his unit in the end all prowling around looking for her. Eddie was almost freaking out as much as Bradley was. He didn't like it. How could he not replace her inside his own pack when he knew this was where she had last been? It didn't make any sense to him at all. Fear and dread were ebbing into him. What if something had happened to her? What if he never found her?

Timber was in front of him for the dozenth time, and Brad found himself yelled at by his own Gamma, came down the mind-link loud and clear. That this was what it felt like inside the pack last time, when he could never replace her, just running around in circles unable to get to her, to replace her.

Timber was standing right before Benson, snarled at him all anger and aggression before he ran off into the woods again. They were getting nowhere at all. Still no signs of her at any border, it had been hours and there was just bloody nothing. Even Timothy and Annabella were out here in the woods now. Both, it seemed, were very unhappy, likely thought as he did, the worst.

What if someone found out what she was and took her? Was staring down at Annabella's wolf, wanted to talk to her and ask Annabella questions, but couldn't mind-link to her she wasn't a pack member, 'Eddie. 'Alpha?' still sounded ticked off, though Brad knew it was not at him, but at the fact that he had once again lost the Luna.

'Izzy and Fade, can connect to anyone at will, that's what Annabella said.' it didn't actually dawn on him till Benson was staring at Annabella's silver wolf. 'Have them try to mind-link to Piper, replace out where she is?'

I'll ask, though other than me and Timber, I don't think she's connected to anyone yet. Might be difficult.!

'She has, Fade to Annabella, and she did to me last night briefly, have her try!

Brad called the actual search to a full standstill to wait it out. He had no idea if Fade or Izzy would be hindered by all the movement within the pack, so everyone was not just standing still waiting for the outcome, wherever they had been.

Though he had found many of his warriors like his unit coming back to him because she scented like him to them, so they'd all ended up tracking him and Benson in the end, this was not a good thing. Might still have to lock his own Mate after all.

It took a solid 15 minutes before Eddie mind-linked to him 'She got he, in the south woods.

"Where in the bloody south woods, Edward.' He snapped, 'have been for hours now!

Then there it was, the tether to her connected to him, they could feel her and Benson was off at full wolf speed, using their half-realised bond to track he.

He saw her in the distance through the trees and relief flooded through him. She was just strolling along like nothing was wrong, stopped and stared at Benson as his wolf shot towards her, shifted them the moment he stood before her, and just crushed her into his chest, to hold her, knowing that she was safe, could feel Benson smelling her for blood to see if she was injured in anyway, got nothing.

Held onto her, even though she didn't seem to understand what was going on, or why he was so worried about her. Obviously where ever she had been all this time, she was not in any danger and when she told him there was a cabin, he'd frowned at her. There was nothing out here in the woods. There was certainly no cabin that he knew of, never had been as far as he was aware. They had expanded the packs borders when he was like 20, and these woods had been investigated first.

There had been nothing out here. Still wasn't as far as he was aware.

Couldn't help himself but tell her to ogle away at what belonged to her. He was more than happy for her to ogle him, and he did belong to her. She pretty much owned him now. He was completely na*ked and didn't particularly care, it was just what happened after a shift, everyone in his pack saw everyone na*ked all the time. No big deal.

Brad was more concerned about where she had been and why she'd been gone from him and Eddie, for that matter. Was walking in the direction she'd pointed when she pulled him up and stated There.' He saw absolutely nothing but woods around him, there was no cabin at all, he could not see what she was seeing.

Followed her now, cracked his head on something he didn't even see and swore, had to be a door way, ducked down and passed through it, and his whole body froze.

As the woods around him suddenly vanished and he was inside a cabin, just like she said. It could not be seen from the outside, was looking around at it now, saw the mattress on the floor and felt sad, this was how she'd lived, alone out here all by herself. Didn't like it.

He could see many symbols carved into places around the cabin, they were etched into the window frame, the ceiling beams and around the floor, above the doorway and down its sides. Knew instantly that this place was protected by magic. Kept it hidden from unwanted prying eyes. If Piper had lived here all that time? It was no wonder Eddie could never replace her.

Stepped outside, knew it was there but still couldn't see it, already knew why she could see it and no one else could. He'd seen that her name was carved into the wooden walls and on the floor in places all over that cabin 'Piper Harper Whitlock lives here.' She had claimed it as her home and it had bound itself to her, due to her carving her name into it. Protected her when she was in it.

Hadn't liked seeing how many times she'd carved her name into that place, hurt to see it to be honest.

She'd been crying out for anyone to know who she was, where she was and no-one had. He didn't want her to ever come back to this place. Told her as much and pulled her back into his chest and just hugged her.

She told him she found the place when she was 18.

He did not need to ask her anything further. He was pretty certain it would have been the first time she'd felt pain and had run off to try and escape it. This place was very deep in the most dense part of the woods, no-one would hear her cries of pain out here. Smiled as she looked away, suddenly embarrassed by the fact that she had been standing in his arms and he was all na*ked, when his Unit arrived. They were all shifted back and wearing pants now, kept her eyes down on the ground while he dressed. It was cute, he would never deny her his body. If she asked him to walk around bvtt a*s na*ked every day, he likely would.

Had her show his unit the cabin, none of them knew it was there either. Eddie appeared to be even more ticked off now. Brad knew why and understood right away. This place was the very reason Eddie had gotten so turned around inside the pack and had been unable to replace his Luna. Watched him stalk around and scratch markings into the trees to indicate where it was.

Bradley even knew why the man did it. In case she came here again, so they could all replace her, Eddie didn't think she would stay away from here. Likely, in her anger and annoyance with Brad, it had drawn her to it. Now that he knew it was here and he thought about her stalking off into the woods, she'd pretty much walked a line from the pack-house to it. Definitely drawn to the place.

Bradley didn't even chastise the man. When he told her to 'get her bvtt back to the pack-house', he had sounded more than annoyed with their Luna but let it go.

He understood the man's feelings about her being missing. It was highly likely he once again thought he was broken, where she was concerned.

Brad called off the pack wide search and declared the Luna had been found, allowed his Unit to walk off ahead of them, walked with her, though he did not rush strolled, wanted to spend some time with her. As did Benson, just the two of them, this would be the first time that happened outside of the hospital room.

She really got no choice in him holding her hand, had been holding on to her hand since replaceing her. It seemed like she kind of understood and didn't try to pull her hand from his as they walked back to the pack-house. He was not letting go anytime soon. A part of him and Benson needed the contact to comfort them, they had feared the worst had happened. Did not like, not being able to mind-link to her.

Thankfully, Izzy had Fade a Gypsy type of wolf, who could at will connect to anyone she saw fit. It was weird, but he was really happy right now to have them in this pack. Everything she'd ever said to him and Benson, was now forgiven, because she'd been the one to replace his Luna.

"Why'd you stay away for so long?" Brad finally asked her.

"I fell asleep was all," Piper told him.

He looked down at her, nearly shook his head, had likely felt comforted by that place and had been lulled to sleep. It had not escaped his attention that the sounds of the world had been dulled inside that place, it was a sanctuary of sorts, he guessed. She had likely been affected by the protective charms themselves.

"I didn't tell Brandon you were missing. but Izzy knew, she stayed with him the whole time." He told her, didn't want her to worry about Brandon getting upset. "How'd she mind-link to me?"

"Who knows, to do with being an Arctic Wolf, a gypsy-type wolf, I suppose. Though it could also be to do with the three of you being a little pack of your own."

Brad sighed. "Piper." He stopped walking and turned to look down at her, she was not going to like this "After what just happened, I think...it's a good idea to initiate you into the pack... know you're not ready, but Benson and I.. we thought the worst. I don't ever want to feel that again."

Piper stood just looking up at him, didn't really say anything much for a long time, then said softly "I don't want you in my head all the time, I'm not..."

"I understand. I will only use it if necessary, I will still come and knock on your door, or text you, or call you."

He smiled at her gently, was glad she didn't outright reject the idea, seemed to be open to it and ready to accept it.

"I will need to talk to Brandon and Izzy."

"Alright, I can initiate you all together, though Izzy may refuse." according to what Annabella said it was likely.

Saw Piper nod her head, really wanted to lean down and kiss the woman right now, but didn't. Couldn't push his wants and needs on her anymore than he already had. Needed to let her breathe and give her space. That is what she wanted. He was going to have to deal with it.

Though it was lucky for her that she was already Marked by Benson, or it was likely he would have sank his fangs into her the minute he had found her himself.

Benson would not have been able to stop him, anymore than he had been able to his own wolf.

"How long did you search for me?" Piper asked quietly.

"Hours." Brad shook his head "I have been in the south woods with Eddie the whole time. Both of us just constantly getting turned around and confused, the warriors and my whole Unit kept tracking back to me, as did Annabella and Timothy." "Because I smell like you now?"

"Yes to them." Brad nodded "You smell very sweet to me," smiled down at her "Might have to lo jack you yet," he stated playfully.

Heard her actually laugh softly and smiled right down at her, loved hearing that sound, "I'm serious." He told her though.

Watched Piper shake her head "Not going to happen. "I'll attach it while you're sleeping one night." He teased her. "An ankle bracelet like a criminal." Brad chuckled himself.

He felt her hit him, right in the arm. "Stop it," but still laughed. He liked that he had made her laugh, it was a really good feeling, even Benson was happy right this minute.

"Hmm." He thought mischievously "I could tether you to me." and a playful growl erupted from his wolf at the thought. They were probably pushing their luck a little bit.

Saw her turn those gorgeous honey brown eyes up at him as they walked and they were more golden brown when the sun hit them through the tree canopy. So very pretty, he thought.

"And you think you could catch me, to get that on me, do you?"

"Yes," Brad laughed softly" think Benson and I could run you down in a short sprint, though clearly not going to win in a full on chase long distance.. but and off the mark sprint, mm were pretty confident."

"Interesting that you think that.. you don't now anything about Harper."

"I don't," he nodded in acknowledgement. "why don't we take this little walk as a chance for you to tell me and Benson, all about her."

Watched her think about it, and saw that flicker of white, seemed to go on a fair bit as she talked to her wolf about this idea, then she shook her head "No, Harper states this is your punishment, you and your wolfs. For not telling us about that Alpha Duel, you could have ended up in. Harper is still mad at you both for that."

"Fair enough." Brad nodded, though he and Benson were both disappointed to hear this, they wanted to know about Harper, what she was like, not just what she looked like, but her temperament as well. What she had been like when in wolf form. Though Benson more so on what she looks like, being that she was his Mate.

Though he and Harper once bonded would be able to talk to each other all the time, and be able to Mate in human form. Brad still knew that Benson wanted to see her in wolf form. Benson couldn't recall her, neither could Brad for that matter. No-one could, it seemed. It saddened them both.

They strolled along through the woods all the way, until the pack-house came into view, and then they stepped out of the forest and into view of other pack members. There were a lot out and about, and he wondered if they were all just wanting to see for themselves that their Luna was alright and safe. Many nodded and greeted them both.

It made him smile to hear So many of them state" Alpha, Luna." in greeting, he really did like it. They were also seeing them for the first time holding hands and she didn't yank her hand away from him, when they came into contact with other members. Piper didn't say much though, simply looked at them and nodded her head ever so slightly in return. Likely still not all that comfortable with the term, Luna. Though he hoped she would do soon. He liked hearing it a lot.