Zander’s POV.
The door slammed shut behind her, the sound echoing in the empty room and leaving nothing but silence behind. Her words stayed in the air, sharp and painful, cutting deeper than I wanted to admit. I didn’t want to believe them, but I couldn’t ignore them either:
*”You’ve lost me forever, Zander. You’ll never have me again. Not as your wife. Not as your mate. Not as anything.”*
For a moment, I stood there like a statue, frozen in place, unable to move or think clearly. My mind was reeling, spinning with regret and disbelief. I had forced her to go through something so humiliating and cruel, all because I let my anger and doubts control me. I had been wrong-so terribly wrong. And now, I knew the truth. She had been innocent all along. She had always been innocent, and I had been too blind to see it.
I clenched my fists tightly, my knuckles turning white as my wolf howled in frustration inside me. She had called me a monster, and now I understood why. She was right. I had been a monster to her. I had treated her worse than anyone should ever be treated, dragging her through pain and suffering because I couldn’t face my own fears and insecurities. I had destroyed her trust and broken something precious between us.
But this wasn’t over. It couldn’t end like this. I wouldn’t let it. I couldn’t just give up on her, not when I still had a chance to make things right.
I stormed out of the clinic, my heart pounding loudly in my chest, each beat a painful reminder of what I had done. My legs carried me quickly to the car, my mind racing with what to do next. Liam was already there, leaning against the hood of the car with a tense expression on his face. He didn’t look surprised to see me, but there was something heavy in his eyes.
“She’s gone,” he said quietly, his voice calm but heavy with meaning. He said it before I even had the chance to open my mouth and ask.
“I know,” I snapped, my voice sharp and angry as I shoved past him and climbed into the car. My chest felt tight, and my emotions were all over the place. “Take me back to the castle,” I ordered without looking at him.
“Zander-” he started to say, but I cut him off.
“*Now,* Liam,” I growled, my voice leaving no room for argument.
He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly, but he didn’t argue with me. Instead, he got into the driver’s seat, started the car with a low rumble, and hit the gas. The car sped off, the tension inside it thick and suffocating. Neither of us spoke, but the silence between us felt heavy, like it could crush me at any moment.
—
The ride back to the castle felt endless, like time had slowed down just to punish me. Every second dragged on, and my mind wouldn’t stop replaying everything that had happened. I kept thinking about the past few weeks-the accusations I had thrown at her, the coldness of the divorce, the way I had pushed her away at every turn. I had convinced myself that I was protecting my heart, but all I had done was destroy the one person I loved more than anything. I had ruined the only good thing left in my life.
When we finally reached the Nightshade castle, I didn’t wait for Liam to say anything. I stepped out of the car quickly, slamming the door behind me, and headed straight inside. My steps were fast and determined, my emotions boiling inside me. The guards at the entrance didn’t try to stop me-they knew better than to get in my way when I was like this. My footsteps echoed loudly through the hallways as I made my way to her room, my chest tightening more and more with every step I took.
But when I opened the door to her room, I stopped in my tracks. It was empty.
Her suitcase was gone. The bed was perfectly made, as if she had never been here at all. There was no sign of her anywhere, and the realization hit me like a punch to the gut.
Panic flooded through my body, and I turned on my heel, spotting the nearest servant in the hallway. “Where is she?” I demanded, my voice sharp and full of desperation.
The young woman flinched at my tone, her eyes wide with fear as she stammered, “I-I don’t know, Alpha. She left not long after you did. She didn’t tell anyone where she was going.”
I cursed under my breath, running a shaky hand through my hair as frustration and fear took over. She was gone. She had left without telling anyone where she was going, and now I had no idea how to find her.
Turning quickly, I stormed out of the castle and back toward the car. Liam was still leaning against the hood, his eyes watching me carefully. He didn’t say anything, waiting for me to speak first.
“She’s not here,” I said sharply, my voice filled with frustration.
“Where else would she go?” he asked, his tone calm but curious.
I paused, thinking hard, my mind racing to figure out where she might have gone. Then it hit me-the only other place she could have gone was her dorm at the university. It was the place she had been trying to rebuild her life, the place she had been working so hard to find herself again after everything I had put her through.
“Take me to the university,” I said firmly, climbing back into the car. My voice left no room for discussion.
Liam raised an eyebrow, clearly wanting to say something, but he didn’t argue. He got into the driver’s seat, started the engine again, and hit the gas. The tires kicked up gravel as we sped off, heading toward the only place I could think of.