I must have her!!!

Jasper's POV

I stretched my arms slowly as I woke, my head feeling heavy. I couldn’t remember the last time I truly slept well. When I opened my eyes, the clear blue sky filled my view through the glass wall of the hotel room.

This had become a quiet routine for me. I would disappear to some local bar where no one knew who I was. I always took the elixir my mage made for me, the one that hid my long golden hair until morning. It was the only way to move unnoticed. I usually made sure to wake up before the woman beside me did, to leave without a trace.

But this morning was not like the others. The bed beside me was cold and empty the moment I opened my eyes. If not for the red stain on the white bedsheet, I would have thought it was all just a dream.

“Who was that woman, and what did she do to me?” I muttered under my breath.

I wasn’t the kind of man who slept deeply. Even the smallest movement beside me could wake me. Last night, I remembered holding her close, my arms tight around her slim waist. It made no sense that she could have slipped away without me feeling it.

I reached for my phone and turned it on, the screen’s light cutting through the dim room. I always made it a habit to clean up any trace of my whereabouts before leaving. About twenty minutes passed before a soft knock echoed through the silence.

I froze for a moment, my senses rising. I moved toward the door carefully, checking for anything out of place before I opened it.

“Good morning, Your Majesty,” Ronan, my beta, greeted with a slight bow.

“Find out everything about the woman I was with last night. Go to the bar and check all the cameras. I want to know if she or anyone else put something in my drink,” I ordered.

“I’ll get on it right away, Your Highness,” he replied. Then he hesitated, curiosity creeping into his voice. “If I may ask, did something happen last night?”

“I slept too soundly,” I said, my voice steady but cold. “The woman I was with managed to leave without waking me. You and I both know that’s not possible unless she did something. Find her. I want to know who she is and who she’s working for.”

“I’ll have my men investigate immediately, Your Majesty,” Ronan said. “What about your new bride? What should we do about her?”

His words hit me like a dull reminder. Today was the day the Silvermoore pack would send their tribute. For years, every Alpha under the royal family’s rule had sent their daughters as offerings to keep peace and unity among the packs. In return, their lands were protected from rogues and threats. Refusal was seen as rebellion against the royal lycan, and rebellion meant death—complete destruction of their pack.

No one dared defy the royal house. No one wanted to die.

I never agreed with this tradition, but I was bound by it. I accepted each bride that was sent, playing my part as the law demanded, waiting for one of them to give me an heir. But none ever had. The throne remained without a successor, and the silence of that truth hung over me like a curse that refused to lift.

“Do everything as usual,” I said. “I have more important matters than to babysit a spoiled girl from another pack. Let Alice handle the rest.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll tell Her Majesty to make the arrangements,” Ronan replied. “Should I inform her to prepare the new bride for the first consummation?”

“That won’t be necessary. I won’t be coming home for a while,” I said. “There have been reports of rogue attacks in the south. I’ll go there myself. I need to know who’s really behind them.”

“Understood, Your Highness. I’ll have our best men ready for the trip,” he said.

“Not this time,” I cut him off. “Stay here. Watch over everything while I’m gone. I’ll handle it alone.”

“As you wish, Your Highness,” Ronan said softly, lowering his head in respect. “I’ll prepare the car. We’ll be waiting outside,” he added before leaving the room.

When silence finally filled my space, I turned toward the bed again. The red stain caught my eye, a cruel reminder of what happened the night before. For a moment, it was like watching flashes of memory on a screen. The warmth of her skin under my hand. Her breath hot against my ear. The sound of her voice breaking in pleasure. The taste of her still lingered on my tongue.

A dull ache stirred inside me. I hated that I missed her. I hated that I wanted more. The need to find her, to claim her again, burned like fire in my veins. Just the thought of her made my chest tighten. A low laugh escaped my lips as I stared down at the red stain again.

“I will surely have her,” I promised myself and walked into the bathroom, trying to wash away the heat that refused to leave me.