Xander’s POV
The morning was alive, pulsing with energy and promise, but a thread of tension tugged beneath my excitement. I adjusted the cuffs on my sleeves, feeling anticipation course through me like a live wire. Today would be the day, I’d finally bring Alison home as my mate, after the wedding ceremony I will take her back with me. But amid the thrill, an uneasy feeling settled in the back of my mind.
I glanced at Luke, my Beta, as he straightened my jacket. “Did you take care of the dress I picked out for her?” I asked, my voice sharp, betraying the urgency simmering under my calm exterior.
Luke hesitated just a fraction before nodding. “Yes, Alpha. She’ll be stunning.” His brow furrowed, and he shot me a questioning look. “But are you sure about bringing her to Alpha Kendrick’s wedding? She’s… well, given her position here at Silver Moon, it might attract the wrong kind of attention.”
I felt a snarl build in my throat, my words coming out as a low, dangerous warning. “Never refer to her like that again. Alison is my mate, and your soon to be Luna.. She’ll stand beside me, with the respect that title commands. Do you understand?”
He bowed his head, avoiding my gaze. “Of course, Alpha. My apologies.”
Once I was dressed, I gave Luke a few final instructions on preparing Night Fang for our return. Our return wouldn’t be just an introduction; it was a statement, a declaration that I, Alpha Xander Kane had finally found my mate and Luna and no matter her previous position she was under my protection. Bound to me and anyone who dared to question her place beside me would have to answer to the Alpha and I was more than ready to make that clear.
The hall was vibrant, filled with the mingling scents of different packs, laughter echoing off the walls, and a buzz of excitement surrounding Kendrick and Priya’s union. I spotted Kendrick across the room, his hand settled on Priya’s lower back, and I couldn’t resist a smirk. For all our differences, he still solicited to make an ally out of Night Fang.
I approached with a withered smile, extending my hand in a show of congratulations. “Kendrick, Priya,” I greeted, slipping a small box into Kendrick’s hand. “A week on my private beach house. Consider it a gift… from one Alpha to another.”
Kendrick’s face tightened, a glimmer of resentment flashing in his eyes as he opened the box. I’d made sure to choose something that would underscore my position, a reminder of the power I wielded. His forced smile as he looked up spoke volumes.
“Thank you, Alpha Xander,” he replied, each word tight. “A very… generous gesture.”
I glanced at Priya, who looked both curious and slightly amused. Kendrick’s gaze held mine for a long moment, and though neither of us said it aloud, we both knew this exchange was more than a friendly gesture. It was a silent challenge, a battle of wills, his pride bristling at my generosity.
Just then, a tap on my shoulder broke the tension. I turned to see Luke, his expression troubled.
“Alpha, there’s… a problem,” he murmured, keeping his voice low.
I frowned, an uneasy feeling creeping in. “What is it?”
He handed me a folded piece of paper, his face tense. I took it, my heart pounding as I opened it. The handwriting was rushed, but the message was clear, stabbing through me like a blade
“I’m sorry, Xander. I’ve decided to leave. I can’t go with you to Night Fang. Don’t look for me. -Alison.”
I read it again, barely able to process the words as my hand clenched around the paper. Rage surged through me, hot and consuming. I turned, my gaze immediately locking on Kendrick, who was watching with a smug expression that only fueled my suspicions. His lips twisted into a small, knowing smile.
Biting down on my fury, I leaned close, my voice a low, dangerous whisper. “If you had anything to do with this, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
Kendrick’s smile only widened. “Now, Alpha Xander, what would make you think that? I’m simply enjoying my wedding day. If you’ve misplaced something… or someone, that’s hardly my fault.”
The smirk on his face was enough to send my wolf, Cain, into a frenzy. I wanted to rip that smug expression off his face, but I forced myself to turn away, the rage simmering inside.
“Luke, I want every inch of this place searched until she is found, Now,” I growled, my tone leaving no room for question.
He nodded, already moving. I pushed through the crowded hall, heading toward Alison’s quarters with Luke following at my heels. When we reached the door, it was locked, but I didn’t waste time with keys. With a swift, hard kick, I shattered the lock, the door swinging open.
The room was eerily empty. Too empty. Her scent lingered, faint but fresh, as if she’d only just left. But there was nothing else, no clothes, no personal items, not a single sign that she’d even been here.
Cain surged to the surface, a growl rumbling in my chest. “She’s close,” he snarled in my mind, his voice thick with barely-contained fury. “I can sense her wolf. She hasn’t gone far.”
I moved into the room, every inch of me on high alert, scanning for any hint, any clue of where she might be. The emptiness of the room mocked me. My mind raced, calculating every possibility. Alison wouldn’t have just left. She’d felt the bond as intensely as I had, she had agreed to come with me. This was definitely Kendrick’s doing… It had to be. The thought sent a fresh wave of anger through me, my fists clenching at the idea of him trying to use her to get at me.
“He doesn’t know who he’s messing with,” Cain growled, the intensity of his rage echoing through me. No one takes what’s ours.
“Check the perimeters,” I ordered Luke, my voice a deadly calm. “Question as many people as you can but be discreet.”
“Yes, Alpha,” he replied, disappearing to carry out my orders.
Cain clawed at the surface, his desperation to find her mirroring my own. I paced the room, my senses on high alert, each breath dragging her scent deeper into my lungs. She was close. Too close for this to be a simple escape.
As I tore through the room, my frustration boiled over, spilling out in the form of a furious growl as I knocked over a chair. My gaze scanned every corner, desperate for any indication of where she’d gone.
And then, something small caught my eye, glinting in the dim light. I bent down, picking it up-a small, silver pendant, one I’d seen her wear countless times. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut.
She hadn’t left this behind on purpose. She’d been forced.
Cain let out a howl in my mind, a bloodthirsty rage filling me. “if as much as a single strand leaves her head, they’ll pay, Xander. Every single one of them.”
I straightened, my jaw clenched, the pendant held tightly in my hand. “Kendrick wanted a war? Fine! War he would have. If he thought he could use Alison to make me bend towards the peace treaty, then he was gravely mistaken. No one took what was mine and lived to tell the tale.
“Luke!” I barked, my voice carrying down the corridor. He appeared moments later, his face grim.
“Alpha?”
“Any progress?” My voice was cold, deadly, each word weighted with the promise of vengeance.
Luke shook his head, his expression mirroring the grim determination that had taken hold of me. “Nothing, Alpha.”
I clenched the pendant tighter, my mind already calculating my next step when I spotted something unexpected behind the door
As I took a closer look, it dawned on me what it was
“Oh No!”