Chapter 54 The Lost Mate

As Beta Ian stood by the window of his office, he observed the bustle of life below. The sun cast a warm glow over their pack lands, illuminating the vibrant green trees and the cheerful flowers in the gardens. It was not the picturesque scene that filled him with a sense of purpose. It was the sight of Isabella and Amanda.

In a moment he realised the world was indeed a better place, not just becasue if his family’s individual contribution of keeping their pack safe. Amanda wa now four years old and has shown her many abilities. He could not forget her ability in magic when they were attacked by Hades. Although she was young she was a force to recond with.

He observed her not just playing, but her love for the environment and most of all her abilty to draw life-like creatures. Amanda’s concentration with what she was drawing sent pride and joy within him. He knew the nurturing environment that was created in the Pack House was allowing her to flourish. It was a reminder that the smallactions they took every day had the potential to create a more compassionate and innovative world.

The impact of their supportive family and their Alpha had made made to prioritize Amanda’s care. As he continued to watch his daughter he felt a renewed sense of hope .

On a sun-drenched afternoon, Ian watched from a distance as his child grandmothers, who were a part of their tightly-knit pack, sat in the garden, their laughter mingling with the melody of birds chirping overhead. The vibrant flowers bloomed around them, creating a picturesque scene that contrasted sharply with the unsettling feeling brewing inside him. His attention shifted to Amanda, his daughter, who was perched on a weathered bench, engrossed in her sketchbook, blissfully unaware of the growing tension.

There was something amiss. Isabella had always been nearby, hovering like a protective shade. It was unusual for her to leave Amanda unattended, especially in a setting so relaxed. Something stirred unease within Ian, prompting him to leap from his seat.

He sprinted down the steps, his heart racing. As he reached the garden, he knelt beside Amanda, his voice steady yet hurried. “Where’s your Mama, sweetheart?”

Amanda looked up from her drawings, her innocent blue eyes wide with confusion. “Mama went inside,” she replied, shrugging slightly, as if that explained everything.

With urgency pooling in his veins, Ian stepped away from the garden, heading toward the kitchen. The scent of freshly baked bread filled the air, but it did little to soothe him. He checked the gym — no sign of Isabella. He moved quickly to her office, then to the Luna’s office, and finally, to their suite in the Pack house. Silence wrapped around him like a shroud, amplifying his concern.

He reached out mentally, sending a mind link to every member of the pack. "Has anyone seen Isabella?" His thoughts echoed through the pack, met only with echoes of uncertainty and growing worry.

Her absence felt like a rip in the fabric of their lives, and every passing second thickened the air with dread. She had vanished.

Ian returned to the garden, where Amanda still doodled, blissfully unaware of the brewing storm. As he knelt beside her, he stroked her hair, forcing a calm he did not feel. “Sweetheart, let’s go inside,” he said, feigning a smile.

Together, they wandered back into the house. Ian's mind raced with possibilities: had something happened? Was there something wrong? He paced the floor, desperately scanning the rooms for any sign of his beloved.

Finally, he reached their room and stopped, hearing soft music drift from within. With a mix of hope and fear, he opened the door and gasped. There, in the dim glow of lavender light, sat Isabella, seemingly fine, a sketchbook cradled in her lap, lost in her own world. “Isabella! Where have you been?” he exclaimed, rushing to her side.

Relief flooded through Ian as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. “Don’t go wandering off like that again! You scared me.”

She chuckled softly, the tension from earlier dissipating. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

In that moment, Ian realized that he may have lost Isabella in the chaos of his thoughts, but he would never lose her to the echoes of their life together. As they returned to the garden, Amanda grinned, showcasing the drawings she had created during their brief separation. And in that moment of familial unity, they all knew that home was not simply a place, but the sanctuary they built together, even amidst the unexpected moments of silence.

Ian was not wrong for worrying because it was a day like any other when Isabella walked out the door, her silhouette framed by the warm glow of the morning sun. She had promised her young daughter Amanda, that she would return by sunset, just as she had every other time she left. But as the hours passed and the sun dipped below the horizon, an unsettling silence enveloped their home. Ian’s heart raced with worry; the day he came home when she didn’t return.

POV Isabella

I promised my baby that I would return before sunset. I took a long walk in the forest. As I was returning home. I felt myself wrapped in a mist and the next thing I knew I was whisked away to the apartment in the beyond. I could see my family but they could not see me. I was told I only had an hour each day to visit them. I was the guardian of darkness and light and my duties beagn now. I had to be on watch for all four watch hours, the only time I could leave was after the final watch of the night. By this time Ian and Amanda would be in dreamworld. This was the time I could hold my daughter. I often travel back and sat on my bed and charm my mate meeting every sexual need he had. After time spent woth him, I would visit my daughter’s room and held her in my arms until it was time to return. Everytime I left my mate and my daughter it was torture to me. Being Selene’s daughter who is goddess of the moon and me being the guardian of the darkness was indeed difficult for me.

POV Ian

I could feel her presence each night. She came to me in dreams and made all my fanatasies come through. There were long passionate kisses and amazing sex leaving me wanting my Mate more than anything. I was sexually satisfied, but each morning I woke up and realised it was just a dream. I longed to see my mate and to talk to her or just to hug her. My daughter and I missed her a lot. Amanda grappled with the reason why her mom would leave her. She thought her Mama did not love her at all and that was her reason for leaving her. I told her that we will find her Mama even if it was the last thing I did and that her Mama loved her very much.

I called Sophia and explained to her that Isabella disappeared. She said she would still communicate with her twin, but she needed some of her things like a piece of clothing as a point of contact. I asked her to speak with Vincent.

I told Vincent that I was out of my mind with worry and could he send her to spend time with Amanda because she misses her mother very much. Vincent was gracious and said he would ask Sophia to come immediately.

Sophia arrived and I was relieved. First Amanda thought Sophia was her Mama but she realised her scent was different. She asked Sophia if she could be Mama two and Sophia laughed heartily and said she would. Amanda and Sophia's relationship was very close.

The day Sophia arrived she took Isabella dress to her room. She told me that Isabella was not lost but she was in a the outer realm doing her duty as the guardian of the light and darkness.

I was relieved but was grieving, why did Zeus gave her such a duty when we know that Hades can attack at any moment. Sophia said that Isabella would not allow that to happen.

For now I would have be without my Mate but I would wait on her return,

My Beloved Readers,

Beta Ian has much more than he can handle. Will this mess with his mind again? Let us read to find out what happens next.

Love always

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