Lost kitten

Bane P.O.V.

“Boss, there is still no sign of your wife.” Pete says. I throw my coffee mug at him, and he dodge as per reflex. He knows my temper better than anyone as my Beta, and he knows how much he fucked up letting that little slut to my mate slip away! I need her back. My wolf has not given me any time to rest the last three weeks because he is pining after her. At least he gave me peace, more or less, when Annabel was here with us, even though he would scold me for how I treated her. I kept reminding him who’s in charge by holding him in a tight mental cage. He’s only let out when I allow him to be out. 

‘I can still speak to you, dumbass.’ The flea infested mutt says. I growl out loud, the lack of sleep really annoys me as much as my stupid wolf and stupid Beta. 

“And why is that, Pete? She can’t just disappear.” I answer, my black eyes staring him down. He cowers under my stare. 

“I’ve personally looked over every camera there is in and around the law firm, and there is nothing. She doesn’t show up anywhere near them. I see her go in, but she doesn’t come back out.” I shoot out of my chair, and Pete pales. 

“How the fuck can she go in and not come out again? We’ve searched that building multiple times in the last three weeks and she is not there. WHERE IS SHE?” I roar, making Jocelyn run in worry all over her face. 

“Babe, what is going on?” She asks, trying to grab my arm. I yank it back, not wanting her touch. Since Annabel left I have not wanted anything but her, and it drives me more crazy than the fact she escaped. I thought I had broken her enough that she would never try, but something changed that night where she died for a couple of minutes. Like the power I had over she slowly became less, as if the matebond was not there anymore. It couldn’t be that of course, she’s my mate and she’ll always belong to me! She. Is. Mine! UGH! I hate how much power she has over me, even if we haven’t accepted each other. She doesn’t know I am a wolf, and I never told her. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, I hurt her and she deserves everything she got! Why would the Moon Goddess pair me with such a weak human? She is mocking me, and by default I mocked her right back with everything I have done to and with Annabel. Flaunting Jocelyn in front of her just wasn’t enough anymore, so I planned on accepting Jocelyn as my chosen Luna, mate and mark her. I knew it would inflict the ultimate plan on Annabel when we haven’t rejected each other. It was my final fuck you to the Goddess who doesn’t give a shit about her creations.

“Nothing! You can go now, Jocelyn.” 

“But..” 

“OUT!” She scurries out of the office with her tail between her legs. She knows better than to antagonize me. Everyone does. My reputation as an asshole precedes me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am not going to be some weak ass Alpha who is so lovestruck he can’t think clearly. I want to be powerful AND keep my head on straight, which was working when Annabel was here.  

“We need to go over it again!” 

“But boss.” 

“I SAID AGAIN!” I roar and Pete bows his head in submission. 

“May I ask a question, Alpha?”

“If you have to.” 

“Why is she so important? Why don’t you just sign the papers.” I growl and he stops talking. 

“I am not signing any fucking papers, Pete! She is MINE!” He nods, a sad look in his eyes.  

“So, Helen and Cathrine are right then?” Oh no he fucking didn’t! Just because he has accepted his mate, and my dad his second mate after my mom died, then he has absolutely no right to bring them into this situation and conversation! Those two have made Pete and my dad weak, and I despise both of them, although I act polite. I might be coldhearted myself, but I am no fool. I know if I ever disrespected their women, then I’ll be done as an Alpha. I don’t meddle in what they do, and on the other hand they don’t meddle in what I do.    

“About what?” 

“Annabel is your mate.” I sigh, sitting down again. Fuck! They know. How the fuck do they know? I keep Annabel under strict observation all day except the half an hour she can wander in the town square. How did they discover this? Well, it doesn’t really matter. They need to keep their fucking nose out of my business, or I’ll have to poke mine into their and they will definitely not like that.  

“Just find her and bring her back!” I say with a dismissive wave. Pete shakes his head before going out. I know he is disappointed in me, but I don’t care. He has chosen to accept his fated mate and he’ll suffer the consequences when she is ripped away from him without warning. Women are weak and should be treated as such. 

I keep sitting in my office brooding and thinking what went wrong? I got her as my bride, which was my intention all along. Her as my wife for the annulment of her father’s debt to me. I knew she was my mate the second I laid eyes on her in one of my establishments. She was there to pick up her father and stepmother as they were drunk out of their minds. I knew it right away, she could never belong to anyone other than me, but I also do not want her. I don’t want to be weak because of her! I hated and loved her from that moment, but the hatred grew as her spell on me grew. The more I craved her touch and her words, the more I hurt her. 

It went overboard the day before she disappeared. I was angry with my parents, dad and stepmom, hounding me for a Luna for our pack, and when her indifferent eyes held nothing but contempt I lost all self control. I beat her again and again, breaking a few ribs and at some point she stopped breathing. It snapped me out of my bloodlust, and I knew she couldn’t leave me! NEVER! I needed her back, so I performed CPR while I mind-linked my personal doctor. 

She came back to life before he arrived, and he tended to her while she was out. I left immediately. I couldn't be there. I would have regretted what I did, maybe even given in to my desire of comforting her and telling her everything would be okay and I would change. 

The frustration inside is almost too much. Only the thought of getting her back keeps me sane, and with that I start on the missing persons report I’ll have to make for the Elders. I can’t search for her within the packs around the country, if I don’t report her missing to the Elders first, and then I’ll have to admit she is my mate. It doesn't really bother me. Annabel knows better than to tell what’s going on here. 

I’m tweaking it so everyone thinks she’s been kidnapped by some unknown subjects, and soon I’ll have our whole community on the lookout. I just have one problem; I have no recent picture of her. I groan. This means I’ll have to call her deadbeat father. Well, if it brings her back to me, then I’ll do it.

“Wherever you are, little kitten, I will find you.” I say into the dimming office, a cruel smile playing on my lips. “You’ll never be free.”