8. Roman

Chapter 8

Roman

"So that's it then?" I look up at Elder Mary. She's standing nearby while I sit on a bench under the oak tree. "We're just giving up on finding Dodger?"

"Any information we had is becoming more outdated every day." Elder Mary nods. "That, paired with the fact that he's probably gained so much ground now, means it's probably not worth spending the resources to send a second hunting party. The pack needs its best hunters here, after all."

I sigh and shake my head.

"You should take pride, Roman," Mary continues. "You did bring back a target that was technically a perfect fit for the description. It was unfortunate that it was a mistake, but the rest of the elders recognize the skill it took to even retrieve a target for the hunt."

"Yes, Elder."

"I'll speak with the rest of the elders. You should return home, spend time with your family, and get a good night's sleep. I'll inform the others of the decision. Your father will be proud."

I nod again. "Thank you, Elder."

She offers me a gentle smile and a nod, then she turns and walks away.

I take a deep breath as I lean back on the bench and look up at the branches of the oak tree above me. This wasn't the way I expected things to turn out. Even when Oliver had protested and told us he wasn't actually Dodger, I was still certain we had the right wolf. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach.

Now, as I sit here beneath my favorite tree and look up at the sky through its branches, I feel like I've been punched in the gut. I don't know how I'll manage to recover from this. I'm a hunter; I don't complete a hunt until I've taken down my target. What am I if I don't do that simple task?

A failure. Obviously.

As I lower my gaze back to the scenery, I spot Sebastian walking alongside Oliver out of the dining hall. They seem to be in good spirits, and I can't help but feel a sting of jealousy. My wolf is whining inside me.

I know, I know.

My wolf's reactions to Oliver have been erratic as hell. Normally I can always rely on my beast to correctly lead my path, but right now... I don't even trust it to run a simple rabbit hunt.

"What's got you looking so miserable?"

I glance up to see Theo standing a few feet away, looking down at me.

"Nothing," I grumble.

"You're not allowed to be as miserable as I am." Theo rolls his eyes. "No one is allowed to be as miserable as I am. If you look in the pack charter, it's right there under section 3A - 458. It says something like 'Only Theo, lord of all things badass, is and shall henceforth be the most miserable wolf in the world.'"

I chuckle and shake my head.

"That was a joke, obviously," he says with a shrug. "Come on, tell me what's bothering you. Maybe I can help. Or maybe I'll just listen. We both know you never take my advice anyway."

"There's nothing to talk about, to be honest." I rise from the bench and stretch. "Like you said, no one is allowed to be as miserable as you are."

Theo chuckles and shakes his head.

"What's got you miserable this time, anyway?" I ask, grateful for a chance to change the subject. Getting Theo to talk about himself is a sure way to distract him from the conversation we'd been having.

"I don't honestly know." He sighs as we begin to walk back toward the main path that cuts through the compound. "I went to find someone to hook up with. Things were going well, but I was too distracted. I couldn't stop thinking about Oli—other things. Killed the mood like nothing else."

I glance at him sharply as he corrects himself mid-sentence. "What was that?"

"What?" Theo looks away to avoid meeting my gaze. "I didn't say anything."

"You started to say Oliver. I heard it."

"Why would I be thinking about Oliver while I'm flirting with some random omega?" Theo snorts in protest. "That doesn't even make any sense."

"So then what were you thinking about?" I nudge.

"N-nothing. Just other things. Stuff. It was distracting and annoying, and ultimately, I had to give up on getting laid tonight," Theo says with a heavy sigh. "Maybe I'm losing my touch or something."

"Right…" I shake my head but decide not to push the subject further. This little omega we brought home has completely distracted Theo who usually has a one-track mind when it comes to sex.

Then there's Sebastian who has apparently taken it on himself to be as friendly and charming as possible, escorting Oliver around the compound like some sort of tour guide. This is Seb we're talking about. The alpha that's always been quick with his fists and his temper. The one that's most likely to just punch his way out of a complicated scenario. He doesn't go out and woo cute omegas.

I'm over here sulking because everything went wrong. My instincts were telling me that this was the one. Oliver was the one I'd been seeking. I was so sure of it that I ignored evidence to the contrary and brought him home. Now that he's here, everything's just gotten even more frustrating.

I can't help but wonder what effect all of this might be having on Lucas. If any. I wouldn't be surprised if that lazy wolf is off sleeping somewhere without a care in the world.