Missing

YRENE'S POV.

I was taken aback by Theo's words. He wanted to mate with someone he had met just hours ago? He didn't know anything about me, nor did he know who I was, yet he wanted to mate with me just because he was smitten?

"That… uh…"

"Is that going to be a problem?" He asked, leaning forward, so he could see my face properly.

"Yes, yes, it will be." I answered honestly. He might be fine with mating with a total stranger, but I wasn't. The whole idea just seemed weird, and off. Besides, I wasn't ready to let anyone into my heart, or mate with someone I didn't love.

His face fell, and he looked a little disappointed. He had probably never been turned down before.

"Let's say a part of me knew it wouldn't work out as easily as I wanted, but the other part wanted to keep hoping. I'm sorry if I caused you inconvenience, but, can I ask your reasons?" He asked, looking at me gently, like he was trying to let me know he wasn't forcing me to speak.

"I… I can't mate with a man I just met, and also I'm… I'm…" Honesty was probably the best policy to go by at that moment.

If I told him I wasn't interested in mating with him, he might not want me anymore, but I was fine with that. If he kicked me out, it would be okay, as long as it wasn't back into the forest.

Because I didn't want to give anyone false hopes, nor did I wish to get myself in another mess. I was just crawling out of one, and the effects were yet to wear out on me.

"Feel free." He urged.

"I'm not interested in mating with anyone presently." I said, and there was silence for a while. Then, reluctantly, I looked up at him. I really hoped he understood.

"Would it be fine if I made you interested then?" He asked, and I was a little taken aback. I had expected him to feel a little down, but instead, there seemed to be a kind of fire in his eyes.

"If you… made me interested?" I asked, and he nodded.

"I don't know if you intend on leaving, but I'd love it if you stayed for at least a few weeks before moving on to wherever you're going."

"I… I can do that." I said, jumping at the opportunity. It was shameless of me since I wasn't willing to appreciate him by giving him what he wanted, but I really needed it.

"Great." He said with a bright smile. "I would like to attempt the challenge. Before you leave, I would like to try my best to make you interested, only if you'll let me." He offered, looking like he really didn't want to be denied that in the very least.

"That's… that's fine by me." I said, returning his smile, and I couldn't help but feel a little satisfied at the triumphant smile on his face.

There was just something satisfying about his smile.

"I've been searching for my mate for a very long time, and although my wolf hasn't said anything about you, I want my mate to be you." He told me with sincerity, and my eyes fell to my hands.

"We'll… we'll see." I replied, still looking at my hands, and he tucked my hair behind my ear.

Just that simple gesture sent bolts racing to my heart. I hadn't realized that a little gesture such as someone tucking your hair back could actually move the heart.

No one, not even the brothers, had actually done that simple gesture for me.

"At last, I stumbled on something beautiful." He remarked, in a low, distracted tone, and my cheeks flushed. "Here." He said, reaching out to one of the trays of food, and placing them on my lap. "You should eat, then come with me to get you clothes, and probably a phone too." He added, getting to his feet, and I watched him, as he left the room.

I didn't mind staying with him for months. Not because he seemed to like me, but because I would appreciate it a lot if the triplets never found me.

He seemed gentle, and more understanding than the triplets. With time, I could actually be able to tell him what had really taken me to him.

I looked back at the food, and sighed. Was it just the joy of being somewhere safe, or what the triplets' father had said that made me have no appetite? Staring at the curry alone made me feel nauseous.

~

KADEN'S POV.

Yrene had not come with our Lunch, but that had been fine because dad had complained so much about Yrene that afternoon, that we were scared she would accidentally overhear him.

When we got home later that night, we met Eileen making a video of her cooking.

"Where's Yrene? Why are you doing the cooking yourself?" Reece had asked.

"I don't know. She's not in." She replied. "Alright, so now I'm going to place the beef in…"

We had left Eileen, and went to the living room to relax.

"Yrene's not in. Where could she be?" I asked, picking up the remote controller.

"At her mum's. Her mum's really improving, so I guess she can talk for hours now." Ethan replied, taking up a glass of water that had been on the table.

"Her number isn't available." Reece said, tossing his phone on the chair.

"She'll be home tomorrow. I think I'm going to get some sleep." Ethan said, and had left.

"I'll go too." I chipped in, dropping the remote controller on the sofa, and left Reece in the living room.

However, the next day, early in the morning, Reece suddenly burst into my room.

"Kaden!" He called.

"What? Damn, can't you see I'm sleeping?"

"Yrene's missing. Her room is a mess, and at the facility where her mom stays, they said they haven't seen her in days." Reece informed me frantically, and I sat up immediately.

Yrene was missing?