10: Found
Another day without her. Waylen hasn’t given up yet but Alpha Adan ordered him not to interfere with the search. Staring at the picture they took as children, tears threaten to fall from his eyes but he pushes them back.
On the day of his eighteenth birthday, all Waylen could see or think about was her. There were no blessings conducted for him. He simply woke up to see no one but his sister in the house. Apparently, their parents were out but he didn’t mind. It was the perfect way for him to leave the house unrestricted.
“Happy birthday,” Camilla said when she saw him, giving him a hug. Her hugs always felt weird to him. They made his body feel electrified.
“Thanks, Camille,” he replied, managing to return her hug with a side one.
He was gone as soon as possible, to avoid seeing his parents. He didn’t want them to slow him down.
~~~
After a fun day, Waylen came home to a lovely aroma coming from the kitchen. His dad was in the living room, waiting for him.
“There’s my boy,” said Orson Gael when he saw him. “Happy birthday, Waylen, and happy coming of age.”
Waylen grinned brightly. “Thanks, Dad.”
Emily Gael walked out of the kitchen with a little cake in her hands. Camilla followed behind her, holding drinks. “Happy birthday, sweetheart,” Emily Gael said, giving him a tight hug after dropping the cake. She tried not to cry.”My boy is now an adult.”
“You guys are making this a big deal. You don’t have to,” Waylen told them but his grin never left his face.
“I hope you had a fun time,” Emily asked as she cut the cake.
“Lots.”
They celebrated and soon, everyone was on their way to bed except Camilla, who followed Waylen to his room. “What is it, Camille? Is something bothering you?” he asked when it became evident that she wasn’t ready to leave yet.
“I’m not sure. I guess I’ve just been thinking,” she replied quietly.
“Care to share?” He plopped down on his bed as she stood at the window, looking into the night sky.
“I watched the way you were celebrated today, I’ve always wanted to be celebrated like that too. That’s why I always look forward to my eighteenth birthday. But today, I realized something when you left. You’re an adult now and you can do as you please.”
Okay, so what-”
She continued. “But as much as you can do as you please, you also have to be careful because there’s no one to protect you anymore. This may seem normal to you but it scares me. When I become an adult, I’ll officially be on my own even if I choose to continue living here.” She let out a breath.
Waylen got up from his bed with a sigh and joined her at the window. A had a short mental debate before deciding to put his arm around her. It felt nice.
“Look Camille, you don’t have to feel that way,” he whispered.
“Why?”
“That’s because you’re my sister and no matter how old you get, I’ll forever protect you. I swear it.”
She looked up at him and squeezed his body tight. “Thank you, Big brother. That puts my heart at rest.”
Remembering that conversation makes him even more distraught. Even the bright sun of the morning doesn’t do much to brighten his day. In annoyance, he decides to pay Alpha Adan a visit. ‘She’s been missing for four days already. Why haven’t they found anything yet? Not even the slightest clue.’
“Well, why don’t you hurry up and ask your questions?” Kendricks says.
In a few minutes, he’s dressed and ready to do some confrontation.
~~~
“Lucius, most girls find their mates in the evening of their eighteenth birthday, am I right?” Alpha Adan asks the head guard.
“Yes sir. That’s what the records say,” Lucius replies.
Alpha Adan exhales. “I see. What are the reports on Camilla?” he asks, silently praying for some kind of good news.
“Nothing,” Lucius replies sadly.
There’s a knock on the door.
“Come in,” the alpha permits. “Ah, Waylen. I wish I could express the mixed feelings I have when I see you these days.”
“Same here,” the young man responds. He notices Lucius. “Have you seen or heard anything?”
“Unfortunately not,” the head guard replies. His eyes show pity.
“Leave us, Lucius,” the alpha says.
Once left alone, Waylen sits. “Why did you suddenly leave my house the other day?” he asks.
Alpha Adan feigns no knowledge of what he’s talking about. Then he says, “Oh, I remember that day now. It was about two days ago?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, I’m sorry for worrying you. I guess it must be old age catching up with me. I suddenly remembered I had a message to deliver to Zeta Rowan. Speaking of Zeta Rowan, where is he? I haven’t seen him in a few days,” he says with furrowed eyebrows.
Waylen’s head shoots up. “I guess you haven’t seen him in about four days,” he adds.
“When you think of it, yes. It’s been long since I saw him and that’s not normal. At least if he wasn’t going to come to sign for a while, he would have told me.”
Waylen facepalms. “You haven’t seen him since my sister went missing and it didn’t occur to you until now?!”
Just then, there is a knock on the door. “Come in,” Alpha Adan says.
The door opens to reveal a girl dressed in a black leather jumpsuit that perfectly matches her straight black hair.
“Camille!”
“Camilla!”
Waylen rushes to her and embraces her. She reluctantly returns the hug. “I guess you’ve been looking for me?” she says when Waylen finally releases her.
“Of course, we have, for days,” Alpha Adan replies as he gives her a warm hug, which she gladly returns.
Zeta Rowan walks in after her. “I’m sorry this had to happen, sir but this girl is stubborn,” he says with a shake of his head