62

ALEXANDER

She's gone.

I woke up at exactly 8 in the morning, only to find my mate missing from her side of the bed. I

initially thought she went to shower, but when I got up and opened the bathroom door, she wasn't

there.

That's weird. I sniffed the air. Having had caught a whiff of her sweet, lavender scent lingering below

in one corner, I lowered my gaze.

My eyes scanned the garbage can, picking up Eleanor’s lace underwear I had ripped off her last

night. I feel my dick harden thinking about how I ran my fingers along her wet clit and pumped

them inside her. Her soft moans echoed through my ears, as though I was reliving that night in the

present.

She'd looked so perfect, and so fucking mine.

I lift the slightly damp area of her panties to my nose, inhaling the sweetness of scent that rose from

between her milky thighs.

I sigh after taking a long sniff before turning around to close the door. I toss her underwear on the

bed, wondering why she had discarded it anyway.

But that's alright. I was planning to buy her more after I bought her a mountain of dresses from

Linda's shop.

Assuming Eleanor just went out earlier than me to have breakfast, I took a quick shower and threw

in some casual clothes for the day. It's Saturday, which meant I could spend plenty of time with my

mate.

I trudged down the stairs and headed to the dining room.

As usual, the pack has just started eating their breakfast. I glanced at the wall clock situated above

the wall.

It was only 8:15 in the morning.

I sweep my gaze across the room in search of my mate.

I stopped in my tracks as my brows furrowed. She's not here.

I then marched to the kitchen. No one but the maids were cleaning up in there. I decided to look for

her in the garden. Still, nothing. I stopped for a moment to think.

Maybe she’s sleeping in one of the guest rooms? I thought to myself before opening each and

every one of the rooms in the pack house. She wasn't in any one of them.

All of a sudden, I felt my body tense for no reason at all. Every hair on my body stood to their end,

and my heart began to thump loudly, then harder against my chest.

What the fuck is happening to me? My body weighed a few tons heavier as though I just ran a

thousand kilometers in one minute.

Thunder cracked in the sky, my eyes snapping to the huge glass window overlooking the forest

around and beyond my territory.

My head was pounding and for some reason, I felt cold.

For the second time, thunder and lightning resounded through the dark, clouded sky. The sound of

heavy rain pattered on the ground, followed by more thunderous sounds descending from the

bleak sky.

Ignoring the pounding headache and chills snaking down my spine, I turned and headed towards

the door.

“Elijah.’ I call out.

“A-Alex. Glad you're finally up.’

“Where the hell is she? My tone seethed in rage, slowly rising within my chest.

“Who?

“Eleanor!’ I nearly lost it. My voice sounded desperate at the moment, but I had no intention trying

to conceal it.

I haven't seen her, man. I thought she was with you."

'She’s supposed to be, but I woke up all alone in her room. I can't find her anywhere.’

I felt someone try to grab his attention by cutting into our link.

“Alpha! We think rogues have successfully slipped past the border."

“What?’ Elijah blurted.

“Say that again.’ I knew I heard it right, but I just had to confirm.

'We-we think rogues have gotten into our territory."

I let out a thundering roar and shifted in mid-air.

My warriors instantly sprung into action and shifted behind me.

I bolted out of the house, nearing the gates when Elijah appeared before me, still clothed in his

human form.

He was with the guard who interrupted my conversation with my beta, as well as halted my search

for my missing mate.

"WHERE ARE THEY? I linked the guard, halting my abrupt steps as I stared down at the guard. His

face turned pale, and his mouth opened slightly but he seemed unsure of what to say.

My patience was wearing thin. My chest heaved out a roar when I don't hear the response I was

waiting for.

"W-we haven't found them yet, Alpha.”

"WHAT?!"

He lowered his head. I could see his body shaking violently while he squeezes his fists.

“Alex!” My head immediately jerks when I hear my brother's familiar voice. He came from the

opened gates, making me furrow my brows in puzzlement.

What was he doing outside the gates?

A strange, uncomfortable feeling then settled in my chest, but I quickly shove it away as I turned to

face Adrian running towards me.

Now is not the time—

“It's sister-in-law! She's..(panting)” He bent down, clutching his knees in his hands as he tried to

heave in deep breaths

He raises his index finger in the air and continues to draw in deep, long breaths as though he just

came from a fucking marathon.

I groan frustratingly before shifting back into my human form.

Someone covered me with a thick robe. I grabbed for the hem and expertly tied it around my hips

before asking, “What happened?” My rugged voice echoed through the forest. Scaring some birds

that flew away as if they were well aware of the hell I'm about to unleash if I ever find out something

terrible has happened to my mate.

"Where is she?” I ask again.

“She...(panting)..ran off into the woods. Said she was going to leave the pack for good.. I tried to

stop her but—"

I didn't let him finish as I dashed towards the forest.

“Alex, wait!"

Slipping past through the gates and jumping high into the air, shifting into my midnight black wolf

and landing on all fours.

Why?

Why would she leave after what's happened between us last night?

Was she angry?

Did I do something that fucking upset her?

I need to know.

Elijah and the others had also shifted when they followed my every step.

My wolf growled furiously knowing our mate had abandoned us after I pleasured her several times.

“Alex stop! You're not thinking straight!” Elijah yelled inside my head.

I grow! harder this timee, not bothering to look back.

I sped up my pace, and ran not really knowing which direction I should takex. I just ran wherever my

legs would lead me to, until Elijah’s voice boomed in my head yet again.

"You don’t even know where to look for her! Stop!"

Grunting, I forced my legs to an abrupt halt.

No matter how frustrated or angry I was, he was right. Elijah has always been calm regardless of the

hardships in any situation.

He and the two others slowed down and stopped right in front of me, panting.

“Look, Adrian said it wasn't a rogue they saw at midnight. It was Eleanor. She was going to escape

and Adrian couldn't stop her.’

I shot him an annoyed look feeling as if my nerves would pop out of my head any damn second.

“How the fuck couldn't anyone stop her? A big bunch of wolves against one barefooted girl?’ I

growled.

Elijah looked back at me with a hint of hesitance in his eyes.

“She shifted.’

Those two words made my whole body freeze on its spot.

“Shifted?’

“Adrian said he saw her shift into a blood-red wolf. She lied." His firm gaze told me he was telling the

truth.

'What?'

But why?

Why would she lie before that she was basically a human if she had a wolf?

None of this makes any fucking sense.

12:00 nn.

I paced back and forth in my office, jamming my hands deep inside my pockets then tossing them

into the air again. Oddly, I became more and more interested in fiddling with my nails while my

brain tried to construct a reason for Eleanor’s disappearance.

After a time, I stopped. Heaving out a frustrated sigh before running my fingers through my jet-

black hair.

Where on earth could she be? Why did she suddenly decide to leave? Everything seemed fine even

after the Winder's dinner, until...

My brows furrowed. Seconds later, someone came knocking on my door. My heart instantly raced

and I take rushed steps forward.

Could it be?

As soon as I stepped near the door, my anticipation slowly died down, drifting away like the wind

blowing through the calm trees.

It's not her.

Disappointed, my face darkened with a frown as I opened the door to Elijah.

“Have you found her?” I ask, half-expecting him to say yes, but what he said made my blood boil in

burning rage the more I think about her.

"No, Alpha." His head lowered, shoulders relaxed and chocolate almond eyes meeting mine.

Spinning around, my hand itched to throw something “til it breaks.

With no other options left, I grabbed the table, flipping it upside down before picking it up again to

throw it across the wall.

Anger burned in my shining golden eyes as I glowered at my beta leaning on the frame.

He just watched me throw stuff around as I vent out my anger on various object I found lying on the

floor.

"What?!"

"You really should calm down, Alex. Throwing a tantrum wouldn't change anything not for one bit,"

I panted, feeling my eyes slowly go back to their normal cerulean blue after minutes of taking in

deep, long breaths.

"Now think. Why would she leave without telling you first?"

"Are you fucking serious? Of course she didn't want me to know!" I snapped, shooting my beta an

annoyed glare which he responded to with a smile.

"Why wouldn't she want you to know?"

Hearing that question forced my head and body to stop functionig at once. My body froze, and I

looked at him now feeling unsure.

"Has she been hiding something? Haven't you noticed her acting somewhat strange these past few

days?" He asks.

I furrowed my brows, rummaging through my memories of the past week.

Strange?

No, she hasn't been acting strange to me at all. For the last few days she seemed rather energetic

before we came back home from the shop.

For some reason, memories of her coming out of that room in Linda's shop flashed like lightning in

my mind. Her face looked unusually pale, hands trembling uncontrollably as though she's afraid of

something. Something that triggered her emotions she deep within.

I remember Linda has followed her to that room, and she popped up right behind Eleanor kept

giving her nervous glances at that time.

Was it because of what Linda said?

If that was the case, then the rumors about Linda being a dark witch are...

Grabbing my car keys, I glided out of the room. Passing Elijah who quickly matched my steps and

followed me to the car.