Page 27 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

“We’ve got wolves at every checkpoint.” I startle as Luke approaches from behind me. “But there’s still nothing. No sign of her.”

I didn’t think I could feel more hollow, but I do. “We just have to keep looking.”

Luke studies me for a moment, then asks, “Maybe she doesn’t want to be found. If she chose such an extreme step…”

“She’ll come back. Blackwood is her home.” I grit my teeth and rub a hand across my face. My energy levels are at an all-time low. “I’ll head home though.” Maybe she’ll return home once her emotions have settled, and it’ll be best if I’m there already, waiting for her.

“Let me drive you,” Luke offers, his voice soft. “Honestly, you look wiped.”

“I’ll be fine,” I insist, waving him off. “Besides, your mate is waiting for you at home.”

Luke looks at me, surprised, but then he nods and backs off.

On my way to the parking lot, I run into Phil.

“Hey man, I heard the alpha and luna are out of town, so how about we hit the bar at the ski resort?” Phil suggests, his voice light.

I remember my father’s words and try to project a façade of calm. “Not tonight, Phil. I’m tired.”

He shrugs, but his eyes follow me as I head to my car. “Alright, man. Some other time, then.”

The drive back home seeps the last remaining bits of my energy, but I still have hope that she’ll come back.

As I approach the estate, my heart sinks. Seren’s window is shut, the room inside dark and empty. The dread in my stomach hardens into a heavy stone.

Her room feels lifeless. The bed is made, the books are in place, and her scent is faint. I blindly tear through herbelongings, finding nothing that stands out. A scream builds in my throat, but only a ragged breath escapes.

Stumbling to the cupboards, I pull one of her dresses to my nose, inhaling her scent. Titan whimpers, startled. I collapse on her bed, the softness offering no comfort as I close my eyes.

Seren continues to gently stroke my hair as I stay curled up on the log with my head resting on her legs, tears streaming down my face. Her soft fingers cool down the heat, anger, and shame flowing through me.

“It’s okay, Ron. No one saw,” she whispers, her voice like a lullaby.

“They must be laughing at me. I’m not going back to training ever again,” I sniffle, wiping my tears with her skirt.

“No way, silly! The other trainees left before that last leg began. I was alone on the pack grounds. I swear I’m the only one who saw you.”

I shove my head deeper into her lap, wanting to disappear or run away.

“I think you’re brave, and one day you’ll be the best alpha.”

I look up at her, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Really?” I don’t think she knows what her words mean to me.

“Yeah. You’ll be great, I know it. I wonder what I’ll do when I grow up.”

Wiping my cheeks, I sit up right next to her, our shoulders touching.

“I’ll take care of you, silly. I’ll take you shopping. I’ll get you thebest bags and dresses and jewelry. And we’ll also travel. We can go anywhere you want.”

I stay in bed, remembering all the promises I never kept while my wolf howls within me, desperately pleading for answers.

Finally, I force myself to move. I need to find something, anything, that will help me find her. I search her room from top to bottom, opening every drawer, every closet. Nothing. No hidden messages, no clues.

She wouldn’t leave without a note. That’s just not her. She’s too thoughtful and emotional for that. No note means she’s coming back for sure.

That’s when I spot it. Right by the window there is a large bowl with pieces of broken glass and some shiny metal. My eyes widen. It’s the necklace I gave to Seren on her eighteenth birthday. The glass is shattered, but the pieces have been neatly collected.

I stumble out of her room, needing to get away from what I think the broken necklace means.

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