Page 22 of Fated Wings
“He wouldn’t just leave,” Vaughn said firmly, though doubt crept in like an unwelcome guest. Would he? They’d known each other less than a day. A day filled with vampires, nightmares, and complicated revelations.
Zeppelin appeared at the top of the stairs, face serious. “Problem?”
“Newt’s missing,” Preston explained before Vaughn could answer.
The alpha’s gaze sharpened. “The fae? When did you last see him?”
“This morning. Before I got in the shower.” Vaughn hated how that sounded, like he’d somehow failed to keep track of his mate. “We talked. Everything was fine.”
Liam joined them, followed by Bayne and Wade. “What’s the commotion about?”
“Newt’s missing.” Vaughn ran a hand through his damp hair. “He was in my room, and now he’s not anywhere in the house.”
Quinn laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Are you sure he didn’t leave? Sometimes people get scared.”
Vaughn wanted to argue but couldn’t. After all, hadn’t he spent his entire life running from things that scared him? His mother. His past. His feelings. Maybe Newt was doing the same.
“I need to find him,” he said, his voice rougher than intended.
“It’s daylight,” Jalen said quietly, glancing at Vaughn. “So it couldn’t be…you know.”
Demons. Vex. The unspoken name hung in the air between them. Vaughn appreciated Jalen’s attempt at discretion, but he wasn’t wrong.
Zeppelin’s expression hardened. “We’ll search the grounds. If he’s out there, we’ll find him.” He started issuing orders, dividing the pack into search parties.
The doorbell interrupted his orders. Everyone froze, heads swiveling toward the entrance.
Vaughn moved first, striding to the door and yanking it open with more force than necessary.
Sheriff Mitch Owen stood on the porch, aviator sunglasses reflecting Vaughn’s anxious expression back at him. “Morning,” he said, tipping his hat. “Think I found a guest of yours.”
He stepped aside, revealing his cruiser parked in the driveway. Through the window, Vaughn saw a familiar cotton-candy-haired figure slouched in the backseat. Relief crashed through Vaughn so violently his knees nearly buckled. He exhaled a breath, the tension in his shoulders dissolving into something else entirely—a mixture of gratitude and confusion that left him momentarily speechless.
Why was his mate in the back of a police car?
Owen slid his sunglasses on top of his head. “Found him walking down Blackwater Road about three miles east. No shoes, looking lost. Said he was trying to find his way back to you,” Owen continued. “Figured I’d bring him back before someone less friendly found him.”
What the actual fuck? Blackwater Road was nowhere near the house. How had Newt ended up there, and why? Newt was pointedly avoiding his gaze through the cruiser window, like the trees were suddenly fascinating.
“Thanks for bringing him back,” Vaughn said, stepping onto the porch. “I’ll take him off your hands.”
The sheriff opened the car door, and Newt stepped out, avoiding eye contact as he shuffled toward the house. His hair was tangled, leaves stuck to the hem of Vaughn’s shirt, and his bare feet were dirty and scraped.
“I owe you one,” Vaughn told the sheriff.
Owen smiled slightly. “Just doing my job. Though you might want to get your guest some shoes if he plans on more walks.”
“Thank you for the ride, Sheriff,” Newt said softly.
Owen tipped his hat. “You’re welcome.”
They watched in silence as the cruiser backed out of the driveway. Only when it disappeared around the bend did Vaughn turn to Newt, not bothering to mask his irritation. The pack had gathered in the doorway, a wall of curious faces peering at the returned fae.
Preston and Jalen hovered in the foyer, curiosity written across their faces. Zeppelin stood behind them, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
“You found him,” Preston said unnecessarily, eyes wide as he took in Newt’s disheveled appearance.
“Sheriff Owen did,” Vaughn corrected. “Three miles from here.”
