Searching Lily (Alex's POV)

Alex paced back and forth in the living room of the house he shared with Eric, Markus, and Michael. His mind was racing, filled with worst-case scenarios. He couldn't find Lily. She had vanished without a trace, and every passing second only heightened his frustration and worry.

"What if the werewolves took her?" he muttered under his breath, his hands clenched into fists.

Markus leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "I doubt it. If they had, we would’ve heard something by now."

"Then where the hell is she?" Alex snapped, his crimson eyes flashing with emotion.

Michael sighed. "She left on her own, Alex. Maybe she just needed space."

Alex ran a hand through his hair, his frustration growing. "She wouldn't just disappear like this. Not without telling someone."

Eric, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke. "You should talk to Ema and Nadia. They might know something. If anyone can convince her to reach out, it's them."

Alex hesitated for a moment before pulling out his phone and dialing Ema’s number. She picked up after a few rings.

"Alex?" Her voice carried a mix of surprise and caution.

"Ema, where is she?" His voice was sharp, urgent.

There was a brief pause. "I— I don’t know. She hasn’t told us anything. But she did call."

Alex exhaled, gripping the phone tighter. "She called? What did she say?"

"Just that she’s okay, but she doesn’t want to talk to anyone right now. She asked us not to tell her mom where she is."

His jaw clenched. "Ema, please… you have to tell me if she contacts you again. I need to know she’s safe."

Ema sighed. "I’ll try, Alex. But if she doesn’t want to see you, you have to respect that."

"I can’t just let her go," Alex whispered, his voice filled with something close to desperation.

After a pause, Nadia’s voice came through the speaker. "We’ll let you know if she reaches out again. But Alex, don’t push her too hard. She’s hurting."

Alex swallowed hard, his grip tightening around the phone. "I just need to make sure she’s okay."

After the call ended, he turned to the others. "She’s out there somewhere. And I’m going to find her."

Michael sighed, rubbing his temple. "And what exactly do you plan to do? Search the entire country?"

Alex shook his head. "I don’t know yet. But I’ll figure it out."

Eric leaned forward, studying Alex carefully. "Do you think she left because of you?"

Alex didn’t answer right away. He looked away, jaw tense. "Maybe."

Markus sighed. "She’s scared, Alex. Can you blame her? Her entire world was flipped upside down."

Alex felt the weight of their words settle on him. He knew they were right. Lily had just learned about vampires, about werewolves. She had every reason to run. And yet, the thought of her alone out there, unprotected, made his stomach twist with unease.

He sat down heavily on the couch, rubbing a hand over his face. "I need to know she’s okay. Even if she never wants to see me again."

The room fell into silence. For once, even Markus didn’t have a sarcastic remark. They all knew what Lily meant to Alex.

Michael finally spoke. "Then we find her. But we do it carefully. If she wants space, we give it to her. But we make sure she’s safe."

Alex nodded slowly. "Agreed."

Still, the unease in his chest didn’t fade. He had lost her once, and the fear of losing her again was unbearable. He would find her. No matter what it took.