Zander’s POV.
“Aria!” I called again, my voice echoing through the empty hallway like a desperate plea. The sound bounced off the walls, but there was no response, no sign of her anywhere. My heart pounded harder with each passing second, the realization settling in that she might truly be gone.
My wolf was howling inside me, his sorrow and guilt mirroring my own. He wanted to find her, to fix what we had broken, but she was nowhere to be found.
I searched every corner of the resort, my desperation growing with every step I took. I ran to the beach, hoping to catch a glimpse of her near the waves, but she wasn’t there. I checked the gardens, thinking she might be sitting in one of the quiet spots we had once walked through together, but they were empty. Even the lobby was deserted, aside from a few confused staff members who looked at me with concern. I didn’t have time to explain or ask for help. All I could think about was finding her before it was too late.
Her scent lingered faintly in the air, but it was scattered and mixed with the salty ocean breeze. It wasn’t strong enough to lead me directly to her, but it was enough to keep me moving forward, to give me hope that I could still find her. My wolf urged me to follow it, his instincts sharper than mine, and I let him guide me. Each step felt heavier than the last, my chest aching with regret and guilt. “Aria!” I shouted again, my voice breaking under the weight of my emotions.
But the silence that followed was deafening. She was nowhere to be found, and the emptiness around me made the guilt inside me grow even stronger. I stopped in the middle of the resort grounds, my chest heaving as I struggled to catch my breath. My mind raced, replaying every moment of our argument, every word I had said to her. The way I’d looked at her, the things I’d called her-it all came rushing back with brutal clarity.
She was gone. Truly gone. And it was all my fault.
I had driven her away with my own hands, my own actions. My anger, my jealousy, and my inability to trust her had pushed her to leave. I had ignored her tears, her pleas for me to believe her, and now I was paying the price. The bond we had shared, the connection that made her my mate, was broken because of me. I had let my emotions blind me, and now I was left with nothing but regret.
My hands trembled as I ran them through my hair, frustration and helplessness surging through me. I felt like I was falling apart, like I was losing pieces of myself with every second that passed. Her face flashed in my mind-her tear-streaked cheeks, her trembling voice, the way she had looked at me with so much pain in her eyes. I had failed her in every way possible.
“I’ve failed her,” I whispered, the words barely audible as they left my lips. My throat tightened, and I felt a lump form there that I couldn’t swallow down. For the first time in years, I felt powerless. I was supposed to be an Alpha, strong and capable, but right now, I felt like nothing. I had let my mate down, the one person I was supposed to protect above all else.
“Aria…” I whispered her name again, my voice cracking under the weight of my guilt. My wolf whimpered in my chest, his anguish echoing through my mind. He felt the loss just as deeply as I did, and it was tearing us both apart.
The cool night air did nothing to calm me as I stood there, frozen in place. It felt like the world was moving around me, fast and chaotic, while I was stuck in this moment of despair. My knees buckled, and I sank to the ground, unable to hold myself up any longer. The weight of my mistakes was too much to bear.
She was my mate. My Luna. The one person who had stood by me through everything, despite my flaws and failures. And I had lost her. I had destroyed the bond between us, and now she was gone. My wolf howled in anguish, the sound reverberating through my mind, but there was nothing I could do to ease his pain-or mine.
I sat there for what felt like an eternity, my hands gripping the grass beneath me as I tried to steady myself. The memories of her laughter, her smile, her touch-they all came flooding back, each one more painful than the last. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I had done, about how I had let my anger and pride destroy everything we had.
But I couldn’t give up. Not yet.
I forced myself to stand, my legs shaky but determined. I couldn’t let this be the end. I had to find her, no matter how long it took, no matter where she had gone. She was my mate, and I couldn’t let her go without a fight. My wolf growled in agreement, his resolve matching my own.
“Aria…” I whispered her name again, this time with determination. I would find her. I had to.
I turned toward the forest that bordered the resort, where her scent seemed to lead faintly. It was weak, but it was the only direction I had left to follow. My steps quickened as I moved toward the trees, my senses on high alert. The guilt and regret still weighed heavily on me, but they were now accompanied by a fierce determination.
I wouldn’t stop until I found her.