Chapter 17

He lowered the binoculars and cursed again. The rain was so hard he couldn’t see clearly. Why didn’t I go out and warn her? I knew an hour before it hit. Devin realized now she wouldn’t have had any way to know. It was doubtful she had a radio, or one that could pick up any broadcasts in this region. And she didn’t have his animal instinct when the weather was going to shift.

He’d watched her play around by the shore for a few minutes, figuring she’d be there for hours trying to discover how to steer the canoe, but when he came back a short while later she was out in the middle of the lake. It wasn’t often he was surprised, yet more than once since she’d brought her scent into his world he’d been just that. He found himself watching her with amusement and oddly, pride, as she paddled away with smooth, even strokes.

If he hadn’t gotten wrapped up searching through the archives his father had emailed, he would have had more time to warn her when the sky began to darken. Did she see the little shelter on the far end of the lake? Was that where she was? He’d already gone out and tried to see that far, but the wind was too much for him to cope with.

Pacing back to the other window, he lifted the binoculars and searched the shore line for the canoe. It wasn’t there. Where is she? Clenching his jaw, he exhaled slowly through his nose trying to find calm, Devin was not used to worrying about someone, and he wasn’t sure if he even could do anything to stop it.

Of course, in light of what his research had told him, he had a reason to be worried. The partial outline of the archives from his father told him that Rayne, his Rayne, was most likely the child of Nicolas and Sarah Andrews. They had moved from Canada to the states more than twenty years ago, and had never returned. They were also true bloods and of his clan. So, in fact he had more than substantial reason to be worrying, he’d pretty much confirmed that Rayne was indeed one of his own, and without a doubt the mate that destiny had selected for him. And he had no idea where she was—all while every fibre of his body was screaming at him to find and protect her.

All of this did not mean he had made the choice to be the next to head the clan and Alliance, it merely meant that one of his own was in trouble and he felt unable to do anything about it. At least this is what he kept telling himself as he constantly scanned the lake looking for her.

As soon as the wind died down he was going to make sure she was all right. He would need his wolf to find her, which meant he’d either have to stay wolfed out, or walk around naked once he did. Naked wasn’t a problem for him, but he guessed it might be for her. He didn’t even know where the pack was that he used to carry his clothes, it had been a long time since he’d had to worry about people. He looked out the window once more to check the sky, this was not going to be a quick storm. He couldn’t just stand here for much longer, patience had never been one of his strong points.

If he could make it through the wind to the shower building by the lake, he may be able to see where she was. With that goal in mind he turned and jogged to his room, he had to find that pack and a blanket small enough to fit in it. The windows vibrated from the force of the thunder, spurring his worry close to panic as he tore things from the closet looking for that stupid pack. He’d have to use his wolf form to get through the wind and rain down to the shore and didn’t want to stand there naked with the rain beating off parts of his body that he’d prefer it not to.

Devin found the pack and striped off his clothes, jamming them into the bag. He had to find her before dark, he wasn’t the only animal in this area and he needed to protect her. Securing the pack across his shoulder, he swung open the door and stepped out into the storm. Before the door was latched closed he was on the ground, paws working quickly to get him to the lake. The wind yanked at his fur and burned as it pulled at him, but he kept going. Short of being blown away he was going to get down there to find Rayne.

Devin had fifty feet of open space to cover before he would be able to reach the building, and the wind wasn’t going to make it easy. With each step he took a strong gust pushed him sideways, twice he had to stop and crouch down closer to the ground to balance himself again. The closer to the shore he got, the harder it was to keep going. He was pushing right into the wind and the rain was hitting with bruising force. Crawling, determined he was going to be able to do it, the wind grabbed hold of the pack and lifted the front end of his body right off the ground. For a few seconds he panicked, doubting whether he’d make it at all. Snarling at the storm, he hunkered down and crept towards the building. It was going to be painful when he shifted back to skin to open the door, but it was something he had to do. Rayne was out there somewhere and Devin wasn’t stopping until he knew she was okay.

It felt like an hour passed as he struggled against the weather to reach the door, but finally he managed, shifting with lightning speed and darting inside the building. He stood there leaning on the door and trying to catch his breath. Water dripped from his hair into his eyes as he swatted at it to keep it off his face.

He unclipped the pack and dropped it to the floor as he went to the small window to see if he could spot the canoe. He couldn’t see anything; the rain ran down the window so hard it was like trying to look through a waterfall. He was just going to have to wait it out. Devin didn’t like it, but he wasn’t presented any other options. As he’d barely made it this far, he knew he wouldn’t be able to scout along the shore and look for her in any form.

Pulling his jeans on, he stood in front of the window and waited. Was there a chance she had made it back and was sitting this out in her car? Again, he’d have to wait until the wind died down to check out that possibility, but for now he was going to try to convince himself of that so his heart would get out of his throat and stay in his chest where it belonged.

He listened to the pounding rain on the roof and tried to hear if it was letting up at all. Closing his eyes, he focused on listening, the wind wasn’t howling as loudly, at least that’s what he heard. He opened his eyes again to look out the window. It might sound like it was easing up, but it didn’t look like it. Something caught the corner of his vision and he pressed his face almost against the glass. Devin couldn’t decide what he was seeing through the streaked window.

Moving back to the door in two strides, he whipped the door open and held himself steady by holding onto the frame. His eyes strained to make out the movement out in the lake, his heart stopped when he realized it was the canoe. From where he was standing he couldn’t see if anyone was in the canoe. Was she lying in the bottom of it? Can I get out there to it?

Taking two steps, he stopped. Drowning as he tried to reach it wasn’t going to help. Backing up until he was inside the building he stood without taking his eyes off the canoe that the wind was slapping around. She had to be all right, he wasn’t going to accept anything else.

It felt like an eternity had passed while he stood there watching. As soon as it was closer he was going out, wind be damned. If she was still in it, he wasn’t going to leave her there until the storm burned itself out.

He tried to occupy his mind. How was he going to find out if Rayne knew about her heritage? He knew she hadn’t had her first shift, or he’d smell it. Females didn’t shift as early on as the males. Males shifted at the onset of puberty and then the rough lessons of learning to cope with shifting began. Woman didn’t usually begin shifting until they were closer to their first estrous—or, simply put, were ready to breed. Which meant that if Rayne hadn’t reached that point, she might not even be aware of what she was. She had to be close, which would make her somewhere in her twenties.

Why hadn’t her parents registered her in the archives? That question brought another, where were her parents and why was she here alone? Did he bring the Alliance in to see if they could find her parents? What bothered him the most was how, or why, she had driven all the way from Illinois, according to her license plate, to here? Was it some sort of test she had to pass before reaching her first shift, sending her out into the middle of the wilderness? He’d heard of some odd rituals of that sort in some packs, but had never known anyone to go through it personally. Did someone from her pack know she was here, or was it fate’s way of getting his attention? He needed to speak to his father again, but regardless of answers, he still had to find her.

The canoe now floated fifty feet from the shore. His patience gone, Devin stepped out into the vicious wind and started for the water. His wolf may be able to fight the wind and repel the rain, but his man was a stronger swimmer and had hands to grab the canoe. He ploughed right into the lake, not hesitating. The wind pushed back against him to stop him from going out to the canoe, Devin leaned forward, trudging through the water. At the speed the wind was pushing in the canoe, he’d only have to swim a short distance when the bottom beneath his feet dropped away. Swim, walk, run he didn’t care how he reached it, just as long as he did.

The strength of the wind choked him, he had to put a hand over his mouth to take in a breath. Another ten feet and he’d have to swim. His muscles clenched in anticipation as he gauged where he was in the lake and how much further he could go before the bottom dropped off. The water splashed up against his chest as he tried to balance his footing as long as possible. The canoe was getting closer as the wind shoved at it. Then, taking a deep breath, Devin pushed out with as much strength as he could find and began to swim through the choppy water in the direction of the canoe. His mouth filled with water more than once as he fought the waves to reach the boat.

Devin had just a few more feet to go when a strong gust of wind spun the canoe and he had to go under to avoid being blindsided by the spinning canoe. When he surfaced again, he gasped for a breath and spit the water out. The canoe had gone right over his head and was heading towards the shore without him. He dove under in an attempt to close the distance and resurfaced close enough to reach up and grab the side, careful not tip it. If Rayne was in it, he didn’t want to flip her out into the water, she’d have had enough of the water right now. Walking his hands back along the side, he moved behind it and started swimming with determined kicks towards the shore. She had to be all right.

He couldn’t see how close he was to the shore, so when the bottom of the canoe dragged into dirt he was able to stand again and see inside it. Gasping for air, he struggled to his feet and leaned over the canoe, it was empty. The paddle was there, her shoes and her camera, but she wasn’t. Devin held the edge and spun back towards the water, had she fallen out? His heart was beating in his throat, making breathing hurt. Shoving the morbid thought aside, he tried to focus on possibilities. If she’d fallen out, wouldn’t the paddle have gone with her? He looked to see it floating in the water that covered the bottom of the canoe. Walking to the front, he grabbed the handle and pulled it almost to the building. Grabbing her shoes and camera, he darted back into the building. Where is she?

Devin stood beside the open door and looked down at her camera, carefully sealed inside a container. If she’d had the time to stop and seal it up from the rain she would have had the sense to find somewhere to hole up until this passed. He had to hold onto that thought, because the alternative made his chest ache. Setting her shoes and the camera down, he turned back to stand in the open door. The wind had lessened, but after fighting it to swim, it could just be wishful thinking.

He wanted to scream and beat something into pieces. He felt utterly useless. Rayne was out there, somewhere, and he was being forced to hide in a shed and wait on the weather. Devin looked out at the lake, his eyes constantly moving, hoping to see her or anything that could tell him where she was. Another hour and dusk would arrive as his chances of finding her lessened, and he was having a hard time thinking that he may not be able to find her until morning. She has to be okay. Let her be okay.

He watched the wind send some small branches flying around the shore and snarled. Even if he tied the canoe to his body and started to walk along the shore of the lake, heading towards the small shelter at the other side, there was no way he would get there before dark. Then he remembered there was no way he could walk the whole distance because of the places that were not manageable on foot, and would have to get in the canoe and paddle around them. Devin may have a little added strength, thanks to his shifter abilities, but he wasn’t superman by any terms. Did he dare try? He debated with himself as he continued to look out over the lake.

If he was going to be stupid enough to do it, he’d better be prepared which meant another trip outside and back to the house. He wasn’t going without rope, his cell phone, and some sort of provisions in case he had to take cover. Should he check her camp area first? He didn’t see her making it to the shore and back there, leaving her camera in the canoe. But, then again, the way the storm hit, he supposed it might be possible. A small part of him hoped he was freaking out in vain and she was at her camp, safe.

Cursing, he stripped the heavy wet jeans from his body and bolted out the door. As a wolf, he could get through the bush to her camp without having to fight the storm with each step.

He stumbled twice as the wind banged into his ribs. With quick moves, he braced his paws to prevent from toppling right over. Of course, he had to get to the bush first, before quick movement was possible. He was thinking he didn’t love summer storms quite as much as he had thought, as he pushed himself to the limits trying to reach the haven of the trees.

Devin arrived at the camp area in one piece and stood at the edge, hidden in the trees for several moments. He hadn’t stopped to consider what he was going to do when he did get here. He couldn’t see in the cabin in this form, and if she was inside a naked man standing at the window may not be what she’d want to see. There was no movement in her car, no sign of anyone being in it. The tent, which miraculously was still staked to the ground and in one piece, flapped against the wind and not even he would sit inside it in weather like this. He looked towards the small cabin and wondered again how he was going to see inside. Creeping out of the bush on all fours, he went slowly towards the cabin and naked or not, decided he had to find out if she was in there.

He looked up at the window for a few seconds and then shifted with as much speed as he could. Crouching below the window, he moved off to the side and then stood up. Making sure he was as far to the edge of it as he could be, Devin glanced inside quickly and then leaned back against the wet wood. She wasn’t there. Not even pausing longer than that, he shifted back to wolf and ran as fast as he could through the trees heading to his house.

As the house came into sight he reached the decision to call his father and tell him what he was about to do so someone would know if he was missing. How long would it take him in this storm to circle the lake, on two feet? He’d done it in the past, but never in a storm that he would have to outwit with each step. By dawn if they didn’t hear back from him, his father would know to alert someone. Devin had a few moments of guilt at putting him through that, but at this point he didn’t have a choice.