Six

Carl’s POV

My eyes remained fixed on the documents in front of me.

I tried to make out anything from the trade agreements, border patrol reports, supply requests but the words blurred together.

They looked like total garbage to me and I couldn't focus on a single word.

Inside my chest, my wolf was pacing, frantically tearing at my ribs to bring back Mel.

The mate bond was almost impossible to detect anymore and with every hour Melinda remained missing, the unease inside me grew until I could barely breathe.

“The pregnancy report I gave her... it was real,” the healer’s crying voice echoed in my head for the hundredth time.

My chest tightened so hard it felt like an iron band was wrapping around my lungs.

I sank into my leather chair, feeling pressure, guilt and disbelief and threw the document across the room.

"Damn it."

Melinda had been pregnant.

For years I wanted an heir, Blackwood Pack waited for an heir and for years she endured the whispers that she was barren.

I recently found out about the insults she had been enduring.

But I knew she wanted children more than anything. And when she finally became pregnant...Nobody believed her, not even me.

I shut my eyes remembering the pack gathering from two years ago.

Melinda would always linger near the mothers, her eyes tracing the small children running through the grass.

I remembered the heartbreaking, sad smile she would wear whenever another family announced a pregnancy, and how she would quietly slip away to our room afterward.

She had wanted this more than anything and when it finally happened, she was completely alone.

I had turned against her and I knew she must have been absolutely terrified.

I felt guilty, I had failed her the moment I didn’t believe her.

I slammed my fist onto the desk and the wood cracked loudly and broke into two as the wave of anger hit me.

Why didn't she trust me? Why didn't she keep fighting?

I thought about all the times over the past three years when she would quietly withdraw into the background instead of standing her ground.

Every time my mother threw a cruel remark at her, Melinda would just lower her head and walk away.

Even though I always told her she was Luna and shouldn’t let my mother treat her any less she was always soft and gentle no matter what.

"If she had just stayed," I muttered to the empty room, my voice raw.

"If she had just fought harder against them.”

I remembered Damon’s grim expression

“You need to prepare yourself." He had said before he left earlier.

"For what?"

"The possibility that she doesn't want to be found."

My jaw tightened.

"She'll be found."

“She suffered for years and when she finally saw a breakthrough she was labeled a crazy liar."

I clenched my fists.

"Enough."

I looked away immediately because deep down…I knew there was truth in them.

I paced across the office. Why didn't she fight, scream louder or force me to listen?

"If only she stayed I would have known she was telling the truth eventually.

But she did trust me enough and I was too blind to recognize the truth.

Yet despite every excuse I only cared about finding her alive.

A knock interrupted and the door opened.

Ashley entered carrying a tray. The moment I saw her, my headache worsened.

She smiled brightly.

"Carl."

She glanced at the broken desk and placed the tray on the couch.

"I brought food,

You know even with the medicine, this pregnancy is completely draining me,"

Ashley complained, her voice delicate. I always used to feel protective of her but now her voice only made my skin crawl.

"The morning sickness is making me so nauseous and emotional.

I can't stomach anything the cooks prepare in this house."

I barely looked at her and kept my back partially turned, my eyes fixed on the wall.

I was absolutely pissed that she had moved her trunks into the Alpha quarters.

I hadn't approved it and she had colluded with my mother to occupy the space that once belonged to Melinda.

The thought irritated me and I was going to give instructions for her to be removed from the room immediately.

"I need you to take me into town, Carl ,"She continued, stepping closer to me,

“Maybe some fresh fruit from the market will help. And we need to discuss the nursery decorations anyway."

My patience was completely gone.

"I am busy, Ashley."

She paused, her sweet expression faltering for a fraction of a second.

She took another step, reaching out to touch my arm.

"Carl , you've been locked in this office or out on patrol for days.

You're ignoring me. I am carrying your child, remember? The future heir of Blackwood needs its father."

Your child. It sounded strange.

No matter how I thought of it I still felt uncertain about her pregnancy.

I stared at her stomach then away. I suddenly remembered waking beside her that morning.

The missing memories, the confusion, fragments of light before it went dark and it genuinely bothered me.

She must have noticed my silence because her expression brightened.

"You'll be an amazing father." She smiled softly.

"Our child is lucky."

I moved back abruptly and her smile disappeared.

"Carl?"

I grabbed my jacket.

"I'm leaving."

"What?" She screamed.

"I'm busy." I headed toward the door.

Ashley stood quickly.

"Carl, wait!, you haven’t..."

I opened the door. "Ashley I'm not in the mood today."

Her face paled slightly and I walked out.

My phone suddenly vibrated and I pulled it out absentmindedly.

It was a message from Damon. I opened it immediately, my wolf frantic. My heart nearly stopped at what I saw.

“We found a piece of fabric near the rogue territory border.

My pulse spiked violently.

It is the scent of Luna Melinda. It continued

I stared at the screen convinced she was gone forever

There's blood on it and we are testing it now.”