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Chapter 300
~Zaria’s POV~
The dining room was set perfectly, the long mahogany table adorned with silver candlesticks and fresh floral arrangents. Dinner was almost ready, and I looked forward to another evening with Zara.
The past few days with her had been everything I’d hoped for—filled with laughter, connection, and mories.
Tonight would be no different. I had plans to bring up tomorrow’s foundation ceremony again, hoping to convince her to stay longer.
"She’ll co around," I muttered to myself, sipping from the glass of wine before .
Clarisse approached from the side calmly as she leaned down to whisper sothing in my ear. "Shall I fetch Lady Zara, Luna Zaria?"
"Yes, please," I replied with a warm smile. "Tell her dinner is ready."
Clarisse curtsied and left the room. I sat back, letting the faint sounds of the bustling kitchen fill the silence as I thought about tomorrow’s ceremony. Elder Faris had been thrilled at the idea of Zara’s involvent, and her presence would undoubtedly cent her role in the pack’s legacy.
Minutes passed, and I frowned. Clarisse hadn’t returned yet.
When she finally reappeared, her expression was tight, her steps hurried.
"Luna Zaria," she said carefully, a note of hesitation in her voice.
"What is it?" I asked, setting my glass down.
"She’s not in her room."
I blinked, not quite processing her words. "What do you an she’s not in her room? Did you check the sitting area? The balcony?"
"Yes, My Lady," Clarisse replied. "We’ve checked her entire suite. Lady Zara isn’t there."
A strange feeling crept up my spine, and I stood, my voice sharpening. "She must be sowhere in the packhouse. Have soone check the gardens, the training grounds, and the library. She likes to wander."
Clarisse bowed. "At once, Luna."
She left swiftly, and I paced the dining room length, a knot forming in my stomach at the dreadful thought crossing my mind.
Zara wouldn’t just leave without saying sothing. She’d promised to stay for one more day.
Fifteen minutes passed before Clarisse returned, this ti accompanied by another maid. The maid’s anxious expression made my chest tighten.
"Well?" I demanded in an icy tone.
"My lady," the maid began, lowering her eyes, "we’ve searched the packhouse and the surrounding grounds. Lady Zara isn’t anywhere to be found."
My breath hitched. "That’s impossible. She wouldn’t leave. She’s probably sowhere nearby. Have you checked the guest wings?"
"We have, My Lady," the maid replied. "And... we noticed sothing else."
I narrowed my eyes. "What?"
"Her belongings are gone."
Those words were like a physical blow. I froze, my mind racing. "Gone? What do you an, gone?"
Clarisse stepped forward, her voice filled with concern. "Luna, her wardrobe and drawers are empty. Her suitcases are missing. It appears Lady Zara has... left."
Rage surged through , hot and unrelenting. "She wouldn’t. She wouldn’t dare leave without telling ."
I stord out of the dining room, heading straight for her suite. My heels echoed sharply against the marble floors as Clarisse and the maid trailed behind .
When I reached Zara’s room and threw the doors open, the sight before confird their words. The bed was neatly made, the surfaces clear of her personal belongings. Her scent lingered faintly in the air, but there was no sign of her.
I strode to the closet and yanked it open. Empty.
The drawers? Empty.
The vanity? Bare, except for a stray hairpin.
My hands clenched into fists, and I turned to Clarisse. "When was the last ti anyone saw her?"
"This morning, my lady," she replied. "She left with you for the outing."
"And after that?"
"We don’t know," the maid whispered.
Fury roared inside , but I forced myself to take a deep breath. "Get a phone," I ordered. "I’ll call her myself."
One of the guards quickly handed his phone. I typed in Zara’s phone number and dialed, the phone pressed tightly to my ear as it rang.
And rang.
And rang.
Until it went to voicemail.
"Zara," I said through gritted teeth, trying to keep my tone steady. "Call back the mont you get this. Imdiately."
I ended the call and threw the phone onto the bed.
"She planned this," I muttered, pacing the room. "That sneaky little fox daughter of mine planned this!"
Clarisse stepped closer, her expression cautious. "Luna Zaria, perhaps she—"
"Don’t," I snapped, cutting her off. "Don’t try to justify this. She deliberately deceived . I should’ve known when I caught her packing the other night."
The realisation hit like a freight train. Of course, she’d been planning this. She’d waited for the perfect mont, lulling into a false sense of security before slipping away.
My chest heaved with anger and frustration. I’d been so focused on keeping her here, on reconnecting with her, that I hadn’t seen it coming.
"Luna," Clarisse said carefully, "should we send soone to follow her? Perhaps we can catch up before she gets too far."
I shook my head, my nails digging into my palms. "No. She’s already gone. If she wanted to leave this badly, chasing after her will only push her further away."
"What will you do, My Lady?" Clarisse asked softly.
I stared at the empty room, my emotions a storm of anger, hurt, and disappointnt.
"I’ll wait," I said finally, my voice cold. "She’ll have to co back eventually. And when she does, she’ll have a lot of explaining to do."
With that, I pivoted and strode out of the room, leaving Clarisse and the maid trailing behind in a tense silence.
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~lvin’s POV~
The evening sun cast an orange hue over the sprawling estate and I stood on the second floor’s balcony, swirling a glass of whiskey in my hand as I surveyed the grounds below.
The sound of tyres crunching against gravel drew my attention to the driveway. A sleek black car rolled in, its tinted windows glinting under the sun.
"Who the hell is that?" I muttered, turning to one of my guards stationed at the door.
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