Leo's POV
"Were you able to call your Mom?" I asked casually, the moment Amelia handed my phone back to me.
Amelia had borrowed my phone to check in with her family since her's was dead. But as she gave back my phone, I noticed her preoccupied look and thinned my lips.
It may seem as though she was still upset over not becoming Moss's apprentice and I could understand her perfectly.
There was no reason to stay at the riverbank anymore. Grabbing her hands, I muttered. "I'll take you home."
"Huh?" Amelia mumbled, looping her arms around my elbow. "No way! I'm meeting my friends tonight. Come with me, Your Highness. Then I won't have to worry if I drink too much."
I stared at her cute face, she was indeed my favorite girl… I couldn't bring myself to say no to her.
"But what about Selene?" Kael, my wolf, whispered in my head, and I momentarily froze.
Yes, Selene… Was she still waiting for me at the club?
"I'll call Selene first," I announced to Amelia, bringing out my phone to dial her number.
But the response I got was cold and mechanical. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is switched off."
Switched off? My face darkened as a frown rested on it.
Why would her phone be switched off? By this time?
"See? Maybe Selene is just ignoring you. Honestly, Leo , hasn't her temper been worse lately? She probably thinks she can act however she wants just because she's carrying your pup," Amelia spat out, resting her hands on her waist.
Yes, Selene was getting way too arrogant, and this time, I won't let it slide. That mate of mine was really beginning to push her luck.
Anger and irritation flared in me as I gritted my teeth against each other. Putting my phone away, I held Amelia's frail hand.
"Let's go celebrate your birthday."
We arrived at the upscale pack club in a few minutes and Amelia's squad who had arrived earlier all acted wild and unruly. For the first time in my life as an alpha, I felt like a stranger among the crowd.
I took a quiet spot at a corner, with a glass of wine in my hand, watching the crowd as I got lost in my thoughts.
My fingers brushed the necklace in my pocket and I sighed… my gift for Selene's birthday.
After three years of marriage, this was the first time I had really chosen something meaningful: "Heart of Ocean," a piece she'd wanted for years.
Not for the gem's value, but for the story behind it.
It was a designer's final gift to his mate before she died. His mate died soon after, still wearing it.
But after tonight, I doubt I will be giving it to her soon. She shouldn't have turned off her phone knowing fully well I could call.
Suddenly, my phone rang, and the caller ID made my mood worse.
It was from the pack house.
"What is it?" I snapped at the maid in annoyance.
"Alpha Ethan!" Her voice trembled. "The Luna… The Luna, she left with a suitcase!"
Suitcase?
My heart rate plummeted immediately, and I clenched my phone tightly to my ear. "What do you mean she left with a suitcase?"
"She left with just a small suitcase," the maid replied hurriedly. "She said she would be staying with the Casper family, but something doesn't feel right. I had to call you."
I instinctively stood, my eyes almost bulging out from their sockets in shock.
Selene would never go to anyone in the Casper family, rulers of Bloodmoon pack for any reason.
She hated them, that was a fact everyone knew.
"Hello, your highness?" The maid's voice startled me out of my thoughts, and I immediately hung up, rushing out.
Amelia hurried after me as she yelled behind me, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
Ignoring her, I kept walking toward the elevator, tensed and determined.
Selene left the pack house with a suitcase could mean only one thing.
…She left me…
"No," I mumbled aloud, shaking my head. "Selene wouldn't leave me. She loves me too much."
"Your highness, don't worry so much. She's just having a tantrum, women love playing these little silly games." Amelia said, trying to soothe me but the more she tried, the more I found reasons to think about it.
Stepping into the elevator, I glanced at Amelia's worried face and pocketed my hands. "Go and party with your friends, I'll call you to update you."
With that, I pressed the elevator button. Once outside, I dismissed the driver and the guards and took control of the wheel.
In a few minutes, I was at the pack house and it was almost dawn. Without a second thought, I pushed open the front door and met some maids, standing anxiously, waiting for my arrival.
"Is Selene back?"
"Your… highness," Sarah rushed in, bowing her head slowly. "Luna hasn't come back… and her phone has been disconnected."
"Disconnected?" I furrowed my brows tight like a rope twisted too far. The air around me instantly went heavy and a strange force hovered around me.
Without a word, I stormed upstairs in long angry strides. Flinging open the master bedroom door, I widened my eyes in realization.
Her scent was gone.
The empty, cold room pressed down on my chest like a weight, and Kael howled sorrowfully in my head.
Quietly, I opened the walk-in closet and glanced at the rows of dresses; They were all intact.
A part of me was relieved; it might be a tantrum like Amelia said. She probably wanted me to come and make up.
But then, another thought pierced through me in realization, the dresses were untouched, but they were all gifts from me. Not a single piece of the clothes she brought when she moved into the pack house remained.
"Damn it," I cursed out in frustration as I rushed out of the closet.
My gaze fell on the nightstand, and our photos were gone, but the jewelry box was still intact, untouched.
Turning to my left, I caught sight of something in the trash, a torn sketchbook. A part of me wanted to ignore it but I found myself moving towards the trash basket.
Pushing my hands into the bin, I reached for the sketchbook and brought out the ripped pages, staring at them intently.
"This…"
They were sketches of me… in different poses. Just by looking at it, I could tell how much time it took and with how delicate each line was, it wasn't hard to tell she drew this with so much love.
Looking at the ruined pages, I felt a weird mix of emotions choking and tormenting me.
For three years, she loved tending flowers, soaking in the sun, doing what little she could at home. Though blind, she never complained or felt sorry for herself. She was like a soft, warm light.
To be honest, I have grown used to having her around. I never thought she'd actually storm off.
But I can't wrap my head around it.
I missed her birthday dinner, that was it. Was it really worth running off like this?
If she was mad, why couldn't she just wait for me to come back and talk?"
Could she really be playing hard to get? Or was it pregnancy mood swings?
If I found her, I'd tell her straight, "No more childish stunts like running off." I am too busy for such drama. With these thoughts, I tossed the sketchbook back in the trash and brought out my phone to call Silas.
He's going to track Selene down and once she's found, I'd be lenient with her since she's carrying my child. Wandering around like this was too risky with the rogues terrorizing daily.
Soothing my creased forehead with my finger, I walked to the bedroom and shut my eyes, anticipating his voice on the phone.
"Hello," Silas voice sounded from the phone and immediately, I opened my eyes and froze, my eyes locking on a little trunk on the bed.
What was that on the bed?
In a jiffy, I walked towards the bed, opened the trunk, and grabbed the first paper.
"A divorce paper?" I mouthed, my eyes widening in disbelief.
My mind went numb as I thought of the reasons Selene would file for a divorce. But nothing was coming to my head.
My eyes landed on a glass jar and I picked it up together with the second paper.
It was a medical record.
Reading the first lines of the paper, I diverted my eyes to the glass jar. Inside, floated a mangled, bloody lump of flesh. Squinting closely, I could make out faint outlines of tiny limbs and my pupil shrank hard in realization.
A sharp pain sliced through my chest and my throat went dry, "No… no. This… I won't believe it," I muttered, with trembling hands.
I must be hallucinating… yes.
"The baby?... No, you're lying. You must be lying. This medical report is fake!" I yelled, my voice cracking in panic as I staggered backwards.
In my twenty-eight years of existence, I had never felt panic like this. I could feel my veins bulging from my forehead and neck as I breathed raggedly.
Dropping the objects in my hands, I picked up my phone and said to Silas .
"Find Selene now! I want her location immediately."
"Right away, Your Highness."
I picked up a cigarette from the drawer and placed the tip to my mouth. My fingers began trembling badly as I tried to light it. No matter how I tried, my fidgeting hands prevented me from lighting it.
Frustrated, I smashed the lighter aside and scratched the walls of the bedroom with my claws in a blind rage.
Leo called back with the worst news I've ever heard, "The Luna has erased all her records. We can't trace her."
What!
That's impossible!
"Useless!" I roared, smashing my phone against the wall.
Does… does this mean Selene doesn't want me anymore?
How could that be? She promised to be with me forever, to love me for life. We are mates! How could she go back on her word?
My chest felt like it was being crushed. Every breath was a struggle, worse than the pain I had felt at Amelia and Lucas's wedding.
Suddenly, a thought hit me like a lightning bolt and I stormed out and sped to the Carters' villa.
Chris should know where she is, he is her friend after all.
On getting there, I banged the door heavily and impatiently. The door suddenly opened to view a servant.
The moment he sighted me, his face lit up in realization. "Al… Alpha Leo?"
I wasn't here for an acknowledgement for goddess' sake!
Glaring coldly at him, I muttered under my breath, "Get your ass in there and call Chris."
The servant shrieked in fear as he scurried off to relay my message to Chris.
Chris came out minutes after, his eyes locking with mine, not bothering to acknowledge my presence or give me the respect as his Alpha.
"Where is she? Tell me where Selene is!" I roared angrily and the latter slipped his hands in his pockets, a mocking smile curling on his lips, "Alpha Leo looking for his mate here? That's an expensive joke there."
Grabbing Chris by the collar, I snarled at him, "Cut the crap. She doesn't know many people in the pack. You're the only one who could've made her disappear without a trace. Tell me where she is, or I swear I'll bury your whole family."
Even with the threat, Chris became more adamant as he replied, "You don't deserve to know where she is, Leo. Scum like you shouldn't even be near her."
That was it.
I smashed my fist into Chris's jaw, snapping his head sideways. But Chris immediately shot back, punching me square in the mouth.
"How dare you!" I launched back at him, throwing punches at him and he retaliated, smashing his fist to my belly.
My eyes burned with rage as I spat out, "Where is she? Tell me, or I'll wipe out the entire Carter family."
With blood dripping from his lip, Chris sneered, "Even if you had to burn the whole Carter family to ashes, I wouldn't tell you. She'll never forgive you, Leo . Ever since you stole her corneas for Amelia three years ago, there's no coming back. She's done with you for good!"
Staggering backwards, I released my grip on him. My face turned ashen as I stared at Chris, stunned.
For a split second, everything went silent.
"She… knows?"