Three

Stella Jayden(Luna)

"Perz! Perz!!!" The luna of Diamond Shadow Park screamed, shaking the walls of the palace.

"Your highness." Perz bowed, shaking in fear. He was well accustomed to how temperamental the queen was.

"Where's Mia?!"

"Your highness, I-er, we-"

Perz struggled for the right words. He had been fooled.

"Are you retarded or are you just plain stupid?!"

The Queen's nostrils flared and her face was now red. 

"Where . Is. My. Daughter Perz?!"

"Your Majesty, S-she is not-"

Perz stuttered. The Queen terrified him especially when it had to do with the princess

"What did I tell you about letting her out of this palace?!" Her canines elongated and red veins marred her forehead.

Perz hoped it was a rhetorical question.

"Did I not instruct you to not let my daughter through those doors, Did I not?!"

"You-you d-did your highness-"

"Did I stutter when I told you those words?" She fumed; chest heaving.

The Queen balled her palms into fists, her hands were itching to slap the guard and she refrained from doing so.

She had warned him. But on the other side, she knew how mischievous Mia was and how manipulative she could get to have her way.

"Where did she go?" The queen swallowed her anger.

"I don't-I'm not sure," Perz responded; eyes on the floor.

"You don't know?" She narrowed her eyes into crinkled slits as bile rose in her throat. "So you let my daughter out of this palace ignoring my orders and doing as you, please. Perz?"

Her voice had gone dangerously low.

"Your Majesty I-"

She clenched her jaw and walked towards Perz as a foxy smile played on her lips. "Do you like where your head is Perz?"

"Yes, I do," Perz gulped, taking steps back.

"I highly doubt it cause if you did, you wouldn't have done something as stupid as leaving my daughter to wander out of this palace with absolutely no form of protection. You are tired of living, right?" She gripped his neck and he choked, gasping for air.

Perz feared he'd peed himself at this point.

"Find Mia and anything happens to my baby. Even as small as a scratch, I'll have your head cut off." The queen warned through gritted teeth before releasing his neck.

Throughout, she yelled angrily at not just Perz but every other guard present.

"Get the hell out of sight!" They all scurried away grateful for the dismissal.

When the Luna was done shouting, she was panting with both fatigue and fear.

She had to mind link Mia but that child had blocked her out. From that moment, Mrs. Jayden was certain she was no longer under her roof.

She had stalked to her room and found it empty to her utter dismay and anger. How could a child cause her so much stress? Her heart beat frantically threatening to escape its imprisonment in her chest as her mind wiled with awful possibilities.

"Jay!" She barged into the alpha's study looking like a crazed woman.

Alpha Jayden had a good guess as to what had gone wrong even before his dear worrisome wife said a word. He kept his eyes fixated on the documents he was going through.

She paused, raking his body with her eyes and furrowing her eyebrows. "Do you even care about Mia?"

Alpha Jayden sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You know I do, Stell."

"No, you don't." She countered folding her arms in front of her defiantly. "If you did, you'd know that your child is missing!"

"I do know she isn't in the palace and I also know she's safe, Stell. You worry too much. She's no longer a child."

He finally raised his head and locked gazes with her.

"She may no longer be a 'child', but she's my child and I'll never stop worrying. You know why I worry Jay."

Alpha Jayden sighed softly, saying, "I know, my love."

He got up and walked to the first and most important thing to him im the world. "I'll mind-link her and make her come home this minute. She might be able to block you out but she can't block the alpha."

He planted a light kiss on her lips and she nodded wearily.

He truly didn't understand why she worried so much. Yes, there was the mark but Mia was a big, strong confident young woman and she could take care of herself. He knew she could.

He tried to mind-link her and although he noticed a slight barrier, he was quick to break it. "Mia, I want you home at this moment. Your mother is worried sick."

He heard Mia sigh, "Aye, aye, Captain," She said in a tired resignation he was very accustomed to.

He looked at Stell smiling slightly. "She's on her way. Happy now?"

He was trying to playfully brighten up her sour mood but she was having none of it.

"I'll only be fine when my daughter is back home and safe."

She pushed him away and stormed out of his study.

Alpha Jayden ran his hand down his face in frustration before retreating to his chair and resuming his work.

***

Mia Jayden.

Mia bid farewell to her friends and started making her way back home to her mom.

"Mummy problems?" Kal asked in a mock tone.

"Back off." Mia feigned annoyance.

"Aww, mummy's girl's upset?"

Steph laughed and Mia playfully punched him.

"Enough guys," Rain said as she got up and demanded to walk Mia back home.

"This is unnecessary. I'll be fine on my own. I know this woods." Mia protested, not wanting Rain to walk her home like some guard.

"Not an option. I'm already seeing you off so drop it, Mi."

Mia rolled her eyes up to heaven and back to earth. "Fine, fine." Mia raised her hands in mock surrender.

Rain smiled in victory.

They got home a lot later as they didn't shift but walked in their human forms.

A few walks away from the palace, Mia was confronted by palace guards and Perz looked livid.

"Your hig-"

"I know, Perz. I do." Mia interrupted what he was about to say.

She tapped his shoulder in feigned regret.

On getting home, her mom scolded her as usual.

"I'm no child mom. I can handle myself." Mia protested, refraining from rolling her eyes at her mother.

Mia was more than tired of being locked away in her room all day long all because of some stupid mark her parents refused to tell her about.

"I only went out to hang out with my friends and that's what grown-ups my age do."

Mia deadpanned, feeling a lump in her throat.

"You're the future of this clan Mia! Act like it!" Her mother bellowed and Mia gasped.

Had she been acting otherwise? Her heart sank into her stomach, all she wanted was the freedom to live like normal girls her age.

"What if-" Mia started but stopped, breathing heavily as tears welled up in her eyes.

"What if what?" The Luna inquired, eyeing her warily.

"Nothing." Mia walked away and her heart constricted in her chest.

She didn't want to be the future of the kingdom at this point if it meant being treated like a prisoner. Mia didn't want to die or run away but she didn't want to live like this.

Mia went to bed that night all upset and annoyed with her mom for being just worried and her dad who never bothered leaving that damn study.

One day she was going to find her mate and go far away to where she can be truly free. This thought brought a smile to her cupid lips before she finally fell asleep