Chapter 89

Something was wrong.

I felt it the moment Emily left my side during the ceremony. It was a sharp instinct, the kind of warning an Alpha

never ignores.

I kept my eyes on her, watching her white hair in the crowd as she followed sister toward the hallway.

I started to go after her, but Ryan stepped right in front of me.

“ Alpha Nathan. ”

Asher, my wolf, bared his teeth in my mind. I looked at Ryan, my expression flat. “ What. ”

Ryan raised his hands, a move meant to look peaceful. “ Relax. I’m not here to pick a fight. ”

“ It would be a short one, ” I said.

His face stiffened. Good.

“ I just wanted to say … ” He glanced toward the hallway where Emily had disappeared. “ I’m glad she got a second

chance. ”

Every muscle in my body locked. Asher snarled, a low, vibrating sound in my skull. “ Liar. ”

Ryan kept talking, his face a mask of fake sincerity. “ She deserved better than what happened in our pack. ”

The nerve of this man almost made me laugh. Instead, I stepped into his personal space, moving slowly enough to vatch his pulse jump in his neck.

“ If you ever say her name again, ” I said, my voice barely a whisper, “ make sure it’s with respect. ”

Ryan swallowed hard. He was smart enough to look at the floor.

Then, the world changed.

The bond between us didn’t just flicker — it thrashed. My heart skipped a beat, then hammered against my ribs.

¡ mily.

The connection felt like a frayed wire. It wasn’t gone, but it was suddenly muffled, as if someone had wrapped a hick, heavy cloth around the link between our souls.

I snapped my head toward the corridor. “ Asher? ”

“ Something is wrong, ” he echoed, his voice a dark growl.

I reached out through the bond, trying to grab hold of her. “ Emily. ”

5:01 pm

Nothing. It wasn’t empty – it felt like pain.

A cold, sharp panie flooded my veins, making my skin crawl. I tried again, pushing every ounce of my Alpha energy into the link.

“ Emily! ”

No answer. It was impossible. She had only just gained full access to the pack bond today, but our mate link should have been wide open. If she wasn’t answering, she couldn’t. ‘

I turned to my Beta. “ Find Emily. Now. ”

The mood of the ceremony died instantly. Guards stood tall, their hands going to their weapons. The chatter of he guests vanished.

Marcus appeared at my shoulder before I could even call for him.

‘ Nathan? ”

“ She’s gone. ”

That was enough. Marcus’s face turned to stone. Beside us, Blake was already shouting, his voice carrying across

he grounds like a thunderclap.

“ Seal the gates! No one leaves! Search every inch of this pack! ”

My blood was boiling as I pushed through the crowd toward the security room.

“ Show me the western corridor, ” I ordered. “ Every camera. ”

Screens flickered to life along the wall. I leaned in, my eyes scanning the grain.

There.

Emily was walking beside Beatrice. I watched them stop near an outer courtyard. Beatrice looked upset, her lands moving fast as she spoke. Emily stepped closer, reaching out to comfort her.

୮

Then, my blood turned to ice.

Tessa appeared from a blind spot, moving like a predator. She grabbed Emily from behind, and then – nothing.

Every screen in the room went black. The cameras had been cut. The footage was gone, leaving only empty

larkness where my mate had just been.

Inside me, Asher went wild.

“ Where did they go? ” I roared.

The guards ‘ fingers flew across their keyboards. But they don’t work.

“ Find them! ” I snarled.

We’re trying, Alpha-

“ TRY HARDER! ”

Marcus gripped my shoulder, his fingers digging in deep before I could tear the room apart.

“ Nathan. Breathe. ”

My lungs felt like they were filled with burning coal My pulse was too fast, too erratic. Through the bond, I felt a

veak, flickering pulse. She was alive.

That was the only thing keeping me from shifting and painted the walls red.

“ Bring me Beatrice, ” I ordered, my voice turning into a jagged edge. “ And Ryan. Now. ”

1 p>

Beatrice started sobbing the moment they shoved her into my office. Ryan was near her.

Convenient.

“ She attacked us! ” she wailed, her hands shaking. “ She came out of nowhere! It happened so fast! ”

“ You expect me to believe that? ” I walked toward her, my aura heavy enough to make the air feel thick.

Her heart was thumping against her ribs like a trapped bird. It was real fear, but that didn’t mean she was nnocent. Ryan stepped in front of her instantly, his eyes snapping with a desperate sort of bravery.

“ My wife is pregnant, ” he growled. “ She’s carrying twins. You think she’d risk her life? ”

I moved closer, stopping until we were inches apart. Ryan’s wolf shivered beneath his skin, sensing the predator in

ront of him.

“ You should be very careful how you speak to your Alpha King, Ryan, ”

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t move.

Marcus crossed his arms, his eyes scanning Beatrice. “ What exactly happened? ”

Beatrice wiped her face, her movements exaggerated. “ We were talking outside when strange girl hit me from behind. ” She clutched the silver ribbon around her throat. “ Then she grabbed Emily and dragged her away. ”

I stared at that ribbon. Silver. Again.

I looked at Beatrice for a long beat. Something was wrong, but the pieces wouldn’t fit. Not yet.

She’s lying, Asher paced in the back of my mind, his claws clicking against the floor of our consciousness.

Maybe. But I couldn’t prove it.

5:01 pm

I turned to Marcus. “ Bring the witch. ”

Zynair entered my office soon – Woman with red hair took one look at my face and her smug smile vanished.

“ Find her. ”

Zynair sighed. “ Alpha, you know I don’t work for you. ”

“ NOW. If you still want to live safely in my pack, ” I growled.

The heavy oak table rattled under my hand.

Liam stood by the wall, his face a mask of murder, while Marcus rolled out a map of the territory. Zynair moved oward it with slow, reluctant steps.

Dark threads of magic began to crawl across the page like ink in water, searching.

I watched, my jaw aching from the pressure. Come on. Come on.

The threads suddenly jerked toward the west. They stretched, vibrating with energy — and then they snapped.

Zynair stumbled back, her face turning gray. Marcus caught her before she collapsed.

“ What happened? ” I demanded.

Zynair looked up, and for the first time, she looked afraid. “ Someone is blocking me. ”

Who? ”

“ A witch stronger than I am. ”

The words hung in the air like a death sentence. Zynair was one of the strongest beings alive.

“ There are very few who can hide someone from my sight, ” she whispered.

I already knew. I could feel the cold truth of it.

Asher went dead still. They took our Queen.

The doors burst open. Owen stormed in, his face twisted with a fury so pure it practically burned.

“ You! ” he shouted, pointing a finger at my chest.

Marcus moved to block him. “ Owen, not now- ”

“ No! ” Owen snapped. “ This is exactly the time! ”

My patience snapped. “ What. ”

5:01 pm

Owen looked like he wanted to rip my heart out through my ribs. “ I warned her! I told her your world would

destroy her ”

The room went still.

“ And now look! ” Owen’s voice broke. “ She’s gone because of YOU! ”

I took a step forward, but Owen didn’t flinch.

“ You couldn’t even tell her you loved her, ” he spat, the words cutting through the air. “ Not once. ”

I felt that hit in the center of my chest. Because he was right.

If Emily died out there, she would die thinking I used her. And I would never be able to live with the ghost of that hought.

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Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.