Chapter Twenty-Five

I wake up in the morning with this horrible feeling. I hate it when this happens, because it almost always means something. My head feels heavy and I stand to go to the bathroom. I take a cold shower and immediately, I feel better. There are new things in the bathroom for me, and I wonder when they put them here. There's a toothbrush and toothpaste, more soap and even perfume. They're treating me so well, it makes me uncomfortable.

After I get out of the shower, I find another dress waiting for me. It's flowy and floral and a deep purple. I brush my hair and then I put it on. There's a note from Reed telling me to meet him in his office and my heart skips a beat. Does he have news about Raphas?

I rush out of my room and down the stairs. Everyone I come across greets me warmly, but I'm too distracted to be courteous today. I barge into his office without knocking. His back is to me and he's dressed in another one of his expensive outfits. I wonder absentmindedly where he gets the money for all this.

He turns around. "Bea. Did you sleep well?"

I nod. "Just fine, thank you."

"I went to check on you last night, to call you down for dinner, but you were asleep so I didn't want to bother you."

I smile politely, but this isn't what I'm interested in. "Do you have any news?"

He shrugs apologetically. "Samuel still hasn't returned. I've sent one of my best warriors after them, but at this point I don't know what to expect. I'm trying to find him, and I'm sorry if you were expecting any positive news."

I swallow the lump forming in my throat. Did something happen to him? I can't bring myself to think about that. Reed is by my side in a flash and he grabs me by the shoulders. "It'll all be sorted soon, Bea. I promise you that."

"I'm worried about him," I confess. "What if Samuel doesn't find him? What would that mean?"

His eyes harden. "If Samuel doesn't find him, he'll never return. I told him to come back with Raphas. If he doesn't, he has no place on this pack. Don't be concerned, Bea. I would never do anything to hurt you."

I nod thankfully. "Thank you. For everything."

He wipes a single tear cascading down my face. I didn't realize I was crying until now. He wraps his arms around me and it's so comforting I cry harder. I hold onto him tight, and I'm so grateful that I have his shoulder to cry on. I feel protected, and oddly, loved.

I pull away. "Thank you, once again."

He smiles. "You have to stop thanking me, Bea. There's nothing to be thankful for. It's my duty to take care of you." He gestures to his table. "I asked Martin to serve our breakfast here."

I take a seat across him, but surprisingly, I'm not hungry. I take small sips of the orange juice and he watches me a concerned expression.

"Have some toast, Bea."

I shake my head. "I'm sorry, I just can't."

We remain seated across each other in complete silence. I've finished the juice and he hasn't touched his breakfast yet. After a long while, someone from the kitchen comes in and takes the full trays away.

He reaches across the table to grab my hand. "I'm doing the best I can, Bea. We'll find him, it's only a matter of time. Meanwhile, I don't want you worrying about any of this. Do you trust me?"

I nod. "I trust you."

"Then rest assured. I never break a promise. Go, entertain yourself. I need to conduct a few meetings with the scouts. Someone needs to go after the two of them. They'll be back in no time."

I stand. "I don't know how to thank you for all this."

"Thank me by taking care of yourself. Promise me you won't think about this anymore."

"I promise."

I leave his office, but I don't feel like going to the room. I go downstairs and I exit the building from the front door.

I step outside for a breath of fresh air. I take a deep breath through the nose and I stare at those woods. Raphas might be somewhere there, making his way back to me in this exact moment.

"It's a beautiful sight, isn't it?" I hear someone say behind me. I whirl around and it's the Beta, Gregory. I smile politely at him. I look return his stare. I don't want him to see how puffy my eyes are.

"It is."

"I heard you were living in cabins without any proper accommodations. No bathrooms. No proper kitchens."

"That's right."

"That must have been very hard."

I stare down at my hands. My nails are ruined and bitten down. I have scars and terrible memories crash into me. "It was."

He waits a beat, then he says. "Forgive me, but what's upsetting you? You didn't seem sad when you first arrived."

I look at him. "It's this whole situation with Raphas." I don't know if he knows the whole story, but I assume he does. "It's been two days and he still isn't back. There's no news from Samuel and I just don't know what to think anymore."

He doesn't react to my speech, just stares at me blankly. I lower my face. "I'm sorry. This isn't your concern and I shouldn't be piling this on you. I'll let you return to your duties."

I turn to leave, but he grabs my arm. "Wait."

He's running his hand down his face. "Listen to me carefully, Bea. You need to get out of here, tonight. Don't waste any time."

I frown. "What do you mean?"

"Reed isn't who you think he is. He isn't trying to help you, he's trying to keep you here for longer, until the next full moon. He's been lying to you this whole time."

I start quivering with fear. "What do you mean? Why would he want to keep me here?"

"For your mating ceremony."

"But Raphas isn't even back yet. I don't understand."

"It's not the mating between you and Raphas." He pauses and places a hand on my shoulder. "It's between you and him. Reed plans on taking you as his mate against your will. Like I said, he's been lying to you this entire time."

I'm so stunned I can only stare at him for a full minute. "What are you saying, Gregory? What about Samuel—"

"Samuel doesn't exist, Bea. There's no Samuel, there never was. Don't you see what he's trying to do? No one went looking for Raphas. For all we know, he probably thinks you're dead."

"But our connection—"

"You might have a connection with him, but as long as you're not mated, the farther you are from each other the weaker that connection gets. Can you feel Raphas now? In this moment."

I think about it, then I shake my head. I cover my face with my hands. "I can't believe this is happening to me." I look at him, and there's sympathy in his hazel eyes. "Why would you help me?"

He sighs and stares at the horizon. "Because Raphas is like a brother to me, more than Reed ever will be, and I know that what Reed is planning to do with you will kill him."

"What's he planning to do with me?"

"He wants to make you Luna of StoneMoon." Gregory says. "And what's worse is that once that happens, Raphas will no longer be important to you. You'll forget about him."

I press a hand to my chest. "This can't be happening."

"You need to run, Bea. Tonight. Just take the woods and follow your instincts. Just get out of here."

I grab his hand and I squeeze it. "Thank you for telling me. You don't know how much this means to me."

He nods reassuringly and I tread back to the house. I look up and the sight of Reed stops me in my tracks. He's standing at his office window and staring at me with an unreadable expression. I try to calm myself; there's no way he heard our conversation. But something tells me otherwise. I force a smile and get inside.

I need to find a way out of here.