Chapter 64 Sixty four

Chapter 64 Sixty four

Howard. 

The guard recounted the strange encounter. How he had initially stopped Nora, thinking she was an intruder due to the hoodie she had on. Only later did he realize she was the Luna, and he let her go.

My emotions were a whirlwind, and I struggled to comprehend why Nora would leave in this manner. Had she run away, or was she simply avoiding the event as some sort of retaliation against me? I attempted to suppress my concerns and pretend that I didn't care, but it proved impossible.

"And she hasn't returned since then?" I inquired, feeling a growing sense of unease.

"No, my Alpha. I've been keeping an eye on the guests coming in, but she has yet to return," the guard replied.

As I stood there, deep in thought, my father's voice interrupted my contemplation. He didn't appear pleased. His rapid questions about Nora's well-being left me momentarily speechless.

I turned to Alex, seeking help in explaining the situation to my father. I didn't know where to begin or how to convey the troubling turn of events.

"Well, we are not certain what's going on, but the guards raised an alert that she left almost two hours ago and hasn't returned," Alex clarified, his voice laced with concern.

I sighed, folding my arms over my chest. My heart was racing, and I couldn't help but worry. Nora's inexplicable departure weighed heavily on my mind.

"What nonsense? She doesn't go out alone or without notification. Or does she?" My father's question felt like an accusation to me.

"She doesn't," I replied, my voice barely more than a whisper, my throat burning.

"I'm sure wherever she is, she can't be that far," I tried to reassure myself and others.

My father, however, made a different decision. "Then we go after her."

I hesitated, not wanting to disrupt the event. "I don't think we should, not now. There are guests waiting, and it would cause a commotion if we leave," I argued.

Alex's glare burned through me, and he voiced what I refused to admit. "Your wife is out there by herself at this time of night, and you're acting calm about it!"

"I'm fully aware of the time, and I recognize the dangers lurking out there!" I asserted firmly, my gaze locked with my father's disapproving eyes. 

"Guards!" I called out, prompting five men to step forward. "Dispatch a search party along the border and extend it beyond the pack's territory," I commanded, and they promptly obeyed.

Alex leaned in and offered his suggestion, "You should accompany them. You know her better than anyone; you might have a clue about where she could be." Alex chimed in with agreement, and I couldn't deny the truth in his words. Despite my pretense of indifference, I couldn't just sit idly by. I had to ensure her safety, even if it meant going against her wishes.

"Contact Greenbell and inquire if she's been there. Keep me informed," I instructed Alex before we set off. With my five loyal men, we embarked on our search for Nora. We scoured the border, but there was no trace of her, not even a hint of her scent. Perhaps she had ventured far, and that thought worried me. 

I pray she hadn't strayed too far from the pack's safety; I knew the perils that lurked beyond. Leading my guards toward a cliff, I couldn't help but recall how much she favored this place when she was troubled.

The first day I laid eyes on her, it was here at the cliff. I found her perched on the edge, contemplating ending her own life. I intervened, my reasons unclear even to me at the time. I hadn't known her identity, nor did I care. But something deep within me told me that her life should not be squandered in such a way, and I couldn't stand by and let that happen.

"She's not here, Alpha Howard," one of the guards announced, his voice tinged with trepidation. 

I clenched my fists in frustration. "Check again! You can't tell me she's not here with just a mere search!" I barked, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't fathom where Nora would go, especially after everything that had transpired between us.

Dogged to find her, I strode through the dense underbrush that surrounded the cliff. The wind carried no hint of her scent, and the earth bore no trace of her passage. Panic welled up inside me.

My phone chimed, jolting my already frayed nerves. I snatched it up, and the name "Alex" illuminated the screen. I answered hastily, my voice strained with worry. "Is she there?" I implored.

There was a heavy sigh on the other end, and I braced myself for the answer I dreaded. "Herman said she didn't go to Greenbell. He's en route to Direwood now. Any luck on your end?" Alex's voice mirrored my own sense of helplessness.

A sharp pain pierced through my chest and constricted my throat. "Would I be asking you if I had any updates here?" I snapped, my anger a thin veil masking the fear that gnawed at me. "Send more guards out to search for her beyond our borders. We're searching between Greenbell and Direwood."

I ended the call, trembling. I shoved my phone into my pocket and pressed forward, my steps unsteady. The world blurred around me, my vision clouded by a maelstrom of emotions. I nearly lost my balance, but one of the guards steadied me. The ache in my chest and the gnawing in my gut persisted, intensifying with every passing second.

I didn't understand why I was feeling this way. Nora had left me, and part of me had welcomed it. But I couldn't deny that I cared. The possibility of her running away or worse, facing danger, sent a chilling shiver down my spine.

The pain I felt deep within wasn't normal. I couldn't dismiss it any longer. I had an undeniable connection with Nora, one that transcended my conscious desires. As her mate, I was meant to sense when she was in danger, and that knowledge settled upon me like an invisible weight, driving me to continue the frantic search for her.

My chest burned with every step, the searing sensation matching the torment within. The landscape around us was far from welcoming; our path was rife with encounters with fellow werewolves, all of whom cast us suspicious glances. 

The territorial nature of packs demanded such caution, especially when we were trespassing boundaries we shouldn't cross. But my purpose remained steadfast; I had a debt to repay to Nora, a responsibility that extended beyond our past.

Despite having rejected her, I couldn't bear to let her down. She was, in the end, a member of my pack, and I owed it to her to search tirelessly. Her memory echoed in my mind, her laughter haunting my thoughts. She had once been a joyful, carefree soul when she was with me. I had stolen that from her, tearing her happiness asunder.

Recollections of moments when I had let anger consume me, lashing out at her, pushing her away, fretted at me. Nora had never wavered in her loyalty, never abandoned me even when I had forsaken her. I had failed her when she believed I would not. Her unyielding devotion was a stark contrast to my current helplessness.

I couldn't forget the day I had stormed off after a heated dispute with my father. She had come looking for me, an act that had taken me by surprise. Nora had reminded me of our bond, that unique connection between mates. She had claimed that no matter where I went or how I tried to hide, she could feel my emotions, my very essence. Yet now, here I stood, clueless about her whereabouts, her presence shrouded in mystery.

Drawing a deep breath only amplified the throbbing ache within my chest, each heartbeat feeling like a relentless assault. I scanned the eerie woods, contemplating our shared past, and one particular memory came to mind. It was the day Nora and I had shared a passionate kiss by the cliffs, a moment that had ignited a spark between us. That spark had led to a reckless decision, a journey she had proposed.

She guided me to her father's hut, a journey of thirty minutes or less through the wilderness. It was in that rustic hut that our destinies had begun to entwine, setting us on a path neither of us could foresee.

"Guards, this way," I commanded, a surge of newfound energy coursing through my veins. Despite the urgency of the evening when we had last been here, I recalled our every step vividly. Her desire had clouded my judgment, but my memory remained unclouded.

The closer we drew to the hut, the more I could discern her scent in the air. Nora had been there, and I hoped she anticipated my arrival, awaited my presence in the midst of uncertainty. My heart pounded erratically in my chest as the scent grew stronger, like a beacon guiding me towards her.

"But it doesn't seem like anyone lives out here, my Alpha," one of the guards remarked, voicing confusion. I clenched my jaw, my resolve unshaken. "There's a hut out here, once belonging to the late Alpha of Greenbell. I'm certain she's there," I explained, my words carrying the weight of conviction. We pressed forward, my senses now acutely attuned to her fragrance, the unmistakable essence of lavender.

My heart quickened its pace, adrenaline surging through my veins. As we approached our destination, a newfound sense of peace washed over me. The knowledge that I was drawing nearer to her, that she was waiting for me, fueled my grit and filled me with hope.

The pain in my chest grew more intense as I approached the remote cabin, its lights flickering in the dark. With a deep exhale, I quickened my pace, my heart pounding in my ears. It seemed like an eternity, but I finally reached the cabin, its door standing wide open. Confusion gnawed at me; why would Nora leave the door open in this desolate place?

"Panic" became the refrain as I rushed onto the porch and burst inside, calling her name with growing desperation. The living room was in disarray, a backpack I recognized as hers sprawled on the floor, its contents strewn about. "Nora?" I called out again, scanning the scene before my eyes locked onto a chilling sight – a blood stain marred the wall. My heart plummeted, and I uttered a shaky command, "Search the house."

Trembling with frustration and fear, I stormed into the kitchen, finding the entire house turned upside down by intruders. "Find her!" I shouted, my body aching with anxiety. I stepped outside, desperately seeking any clues. A guard approached, clutching a small object in his hand.

"My Alpha, I think this is her shoe," he said, handing me the familiar footwear. There was no doubt – it was Nora's. Her petite feet were a size 7, and these shoes were unmistakably hers.

"Where did you find this?" I inquired, and he led me to the back of the house, revealing a multitude of footprints leading away. "We're tracking them," I ordered. My phone chimed, and I hastily retrieved it.

"Alex, meet me..."

"Howard, I think I know where Nora is," he said, his voice heavy with worry. I exhaled sharply, explaining that she was at her father's hut before being abducted.

"Where are you now?" Alex asked, concern evident in his voice. I conveyed my location, and he promised to meet me there, his words filled with mystery. I tried calling him again, but he didn't answer. Frustration overwhelmed me, and I hurled the phone away, an action born from uncontrollable anger.

Time crawled by, and I paced restlessly, my guards continuing their search. Finally, Alex arrived with a group of men, including my father. Annoyance bubbled up as I questioned his presence, considering the need to avoid suspicion among the guests.

"I had to leave when I heard about Nora's abduction," my father explained. Alex promptly cut off any arguments, insisting on the necessity of a plan. I lashed out, my patience waning, demanding to know who had taken my wife. Alex grabbed an unfamiliar boy and thrust him before me.

"He's from the Void Pack! Alpha Gray took her because you're still holding his men captive. See the mess you've created?" I felt a wave of nausea as anger surged within me. Alpha Gray had not only attacked my pack without reason but now had taken my wife. He had crossed a line that would cost him his life.