Chapter 74 Disappeared
Elena’s POV
Ashley's head was on my shoulder when she slept off.
I didn’t move.
“Thank you Scott,” I said as he helped me to carry her to my bedroom.
“No problem Luna,” he said and left the room.
She looked so peaceful as she slept.
I thought about what she said.
I didn't want to think about something bad happening to Ashley again because of me.
I had just gotten her back.
Ayra stirred softly inside me. We need to protect her.
I know. I whispered. “We will.”
“Elena are you still up?” Liam said as he walked into the room.
“Shhh,” I said with my finger on my lips and hurried to the door.
“I didn't know that your sister had come to visit you,” he said with a flat voice.
Liam was not the biggest fan of Ashley.
“She did, she's been going through a lot,” I said not sure if I should tell Liam what she told me.
“What about you? How are you feeling?” Liam said with concern in his eyes.
“I will be fine, I have you,” I said and I blushed.
Liam smirked. “I didn't know you were so bold.” He teased me.
I blushed harder and looked down.
He pulled me by the waist and kissed me.
“We are getting married in two days, I would like to see all this boldness of yours.”
I blushed and moved away. “Good night Liam.”
“Good night my little mate,” he said as he kissed me again and went to his room.
I went back inside to meet Ashley.
When Ashley finally woke, the sun was already rising.
“I should go,” she said, sitting up quickly. “Mom and Dad are going to be so worried.”
I got up mad scratched my eyes. “I’ll walk you to the edge of the grounds.”
She smiled at me, the same smile she’d worn since we were kids, and for a moment I let myself believe everything was still normal.
At the gate, she hugged me tight.
“Promise me something,” she said.
“What?”
“Don’t shut me out. No matter how big this gets.”
I swallowed. “I promise.”
She stepped back, waving once before turning toward the path that led out of the pack territory.
I watched until she disappeared.
Something felt wrong, but fear had become my new normal, and I forced myself to breathe through it.
The rest of the day passed quickly. I decided to stay in my room.
Liam checked on me twice, and Clara and Sarah were trying to cheer me up all day.
I barely ate. Barely spoke.
Night fell too quickly.
I almost completely asleep when I heard my phone ringing.
I frowned, reaching for it on the bedside table. The screen lit up with an unfamiliar number.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Elena?” A woman’s voice that sounded worried said “This is Mrs Stone.”
“Hello mother,” I said in a low voice, why do you want now?”
“I have nothing to do with you, I just want to know where Ashley is.”
“Is something wrong?”
She took a deep breath before she continued. “She’s not home.”
Fear flowed down my spine.“What do you mean?”
“She was supposed to come straight back from your pack. She never arrived. Her phone is off. We thought—” Her voice cracked. “We thought she stayed with you.”
“No,” I said, sitting bolt upright. “She left early this morning.”
There was a pause.
“We found a letter at the door this afternoon and it was from Sarah,” father said, his voice breaking in as well. “It says she’s starting over. That she needs space. That she doesn’t want us to look for her.”
I froze.
“No,” I whispered. “She wouldn’t—”
“She said she loves us,” Mom sobbed. “But that this is something she has to do alone.”
My hands shook. “Can you read it to me?”
There was movement until it was silent.
She read it out loud.
"Mom, dad I'm sorry I could say it to you faces but I'm leaving and going to another town. I hope you don't look for me. Also tell Elena I'm sorry I left.
“It doesn’t sound like her,” I said.
“Ashley would never just leave without telling me.”
“We thought maybe you convinced her—”
“I didn’t,” I snapped, panic clawing its way up my chest. “I swear I didn’t. And why would I do that?”
She didn't say anything and cut the call.
“No,” I breathed. “No, no, no—”
Ayra came forward. She didn’t leave.
“I know,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face. “I know.”
I stumbled out of bed and yanked the door open.
“Liam!” I screamed down the hallway.
He was there in front of me immediately.
“Elena?”
“They took her,” I sobbed. “Ashley wouldn’t leave. She promised me. She promised—”
Liam caught me as my knees buckled, his arms steady, grounding. “Slow down. Tell me everything.”
I told him.
About the call. The letter. The watcher.
By the time I finished, the air around us was hot.
Liam’s jaw clenched. “This wasn’t a coincidence.”
“No,” I said, my face was covered with tears but I didn't care. “This is because of me.”
“Elena—”
“They’re baiting me,” I said, voice shaking with rage. “They want me to come to them.”
Ayra growled, low and dangerous.
Let us burn them.
“I can feel it,” I whispered. “She’s scared. She’s alive. But she’s not free.”
Liam didn’t hesitate. “Then we find her.”
“How?” I asked, desperation bleeding through every word. “I don’t even know what I am yet.”
“You’re my Luna,” he said fiercely. “And you are not doing this alone.”
The pack mobilized within minutes. Scouts were sent out. Patrols doubled. The council was alerted.
But none of it felt fast enough.
I went back to my room, hands shaking as I grabbed the necklace from the table, I wasn't sure what I was doing but I still held on to it.
The metal burned against my skin now, it was active now.
The fire answered it.
Images flashed through my mind, dark trees, cold stone, the echo of footsteps that weren’t hers.
I gasped and dropped to my knees.
“She’s underground,” I whispered.
“Somewhere old.”
Liam knelt in front of me. “You saw that?”
I nodded. “They want me to follow.”
“And will you?”
I met his eyes, fire reflecting back at me.
“Yes.”
They took our sister, she snarled. They will pay.
I stood, wiping my tears away.
“I spent my whole life being hunted without knowing it,” I said quietly. “Being hidden. Being sealed.”
I looked at the necklace, at the faint glow beginning to pulse from its core.
“Not anymore.”
Liam stood beside me, unwavering. “Tell me where to start.”
I closed my eye.
Somewhere in the dark, Ashley screamed.