Marcus’s POV
The stack of docunts on my desk seed endless when her familiar perfu invaded my office space. The door had been thrown open without so much as a knock.
"Darling, I’ve been searching the entire packhouse for you."
Viviana’s voice carried that practiced sweetness she used when she wanted sothing.
"I’m busy with pack business." My response ca without lifting my eyes from the financial reports spread before .
"But you said you’d take to that new restaurant in town for lunch." She stepped closer, her designer heels clicking against the polished floor.
"I said I might be able to, depending on my schedule. Find soone else to go with you. These quarterly reports won’t complete themselves." The irritation in my voice was unmistakable.
"Fine, but we absolutely must discuss the wedding arrangents this afternoon." She crossed her arms, striking a pose that she probably thought was intimidating. "The caterer needs final numbers and the florist is waiting for our decision on centerpieces."
"I’ll attend if my duties permit it. Being Alpha ans more than wearing a title and looking impressive at social gatherings. This pack doesn’t run itself." My jaw clenched as I spoke through gritted teeth.
"Why are you being so hostile toward ?" Her tone shifted to wounded innocence.
"You know exactly why my patience is thin these days." The pen in my hand cracked under the pressure of my grip.
"Oh, this is still about that insignificant oga girl? Seriously, Marcus, I understand it was an unfortunate lapse in judgnt. She must have used so kind of manipulation on you. But I’ve chosen to overlook your indiscretion." She moved around my desk, trailing her fingers along the edge as she spoke.
My head snapped up, and she flinched at whatever she saw in my expression.
"What exactly do you think you know about her?" The question ca out as a growl.
"I know you developed so ridiculous infatuation before she disappeared from our territory. But she’s gone now, and we can focus on our future together. My uncle is incredibly excited about this union." Her voice carried false confidence, but I caught the slight tremor beneath it.
I returned my attention to the paperwork, dismissing her with my silence. The numbers on the pages blurred as my anger simred.
"Take your friends shopping instead." The finality in my voice left no room for argunt.
She spun on her heel and marched toward the door, slamming it hard enough to rattle the fra.
"Beta Hugo." I reached out through the mind link imdiately.
"Yes, Alpha." His response ca instantly.
"Assign a surveillance detail to Viviana. Two warriors, rotating shifts, around the clock. She cannot discover they’re watching her." The order left no room for questions.
"Understood, sir." His acknowledgnt was swift and professional.
I severed the connection and pushed away from my desk. The confines of my office felt suffocating. Walking to the window, I gazed out at the training grounds where pack mbers went through their daily routines. My hand found its way into my jacket pocket, fingers closing around the familiar weight of the antique pocket watch.
Elena’s father’s tipiece. The one she’d clutched so desperately that night. I’d discovered it during my search of their abandoned trailer, apparently forgotten in her haste to flee. The silver felt warm against my palm, as if it still carried traces of her touch.
The walls seed to close in further. I grabbed a bottle of bourbon from the bar cart and headed upstairs to my private quarters. The heavy click of the lock echoed through the room, a signal every pack mber understood ant complete isolation.
I settled into the leather armchair by the window, pulling out my phone. The bourbon bottle sat unopened on the side table while I scrolled through my recent calls.
"Alpha Kaelen speaking." The voice answered on the second ring.
"Kaelen, it’s Marcus Sterling. Any updates from your network?" I kept my tone neutral despite the anxiety clawing at my chest.
"I’ve heard back from all my contacts across three states. Unfortunately, none of them have any information about your mate’s whereabouts. No one’s claiming to have taken her." His regret was genuine.
"Sothing catastrophic happened in those woods. The evidence points to violence, but the trail goes cold." I rubbed my temples, feeling the familiar headache building.
"Based on the photographs you sent, there was definitely so kind of incident. If you’re certain the blood trail simply vanished, it’s possible her injuries healed during her escape." Kaelen’s logical tone offered little comfort.
His theory held so rit. Werewolf healing abilities could work quickly on surface wounds, especially in young, healthy individuals.
"That doesn’t explain how she managed to travel so deep into the forest while actively bleeding. Minor injuries don’t produce that kind of blood loss." I challenged his reasoning.
"You would know the scene better than I would. But if soone abducted her as revenge against you, they’re keeping it completely secret. No one’s boasting or making demands." Kaelen’s frustration matched my own.
"I appreciate everything you’ve done." The call ended with mutual disappointnt.
Three more conversations with different Alphas yielded identical results. The supernatural community had no knowledge of Elena’s fate. She’d simply vanished without a trace.
I twisted the cap off the bourbon bottle, abandoning any pretense of civilized drinking. The liquid burned down my throat, but it couldn’t touch the cold emptiness that had settled in my chest since that terrible night.
The pocket watch caught the afternoon light streaming through the window, its gold surface gleaming like a promise I couldn’t keep.
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