8

Chapter 8

Jaxon’s pov

Jaxon hadn’t been himself since Elena left.

He told himself he didn’t care—that she was just the daughter of an elder, that claiming her would be beneath him. But every time he closed his eyes, she was there. Her scent lingered in his sheets. Her laughter haunted his halls. His wolf growled with unrest, pacing inside him like a caged beast.

He wanted her.

Desperately.

But wanting her and claiming her were two very different things. He was the Alpha. She was a nobody. His betrothal to Nikki, the daughter of a powerful Alpha from the next territory, was already sealed. There was no room in his world for someone like Elena.

At least, that’s what he told himself.

Yet the ache in his chest refused to leave. And when she was gone—when she left without even saying goodbye—it only got worse. He felt empty. Incomplete. Like part of his soul had been ripped away.

That night, he confided in his best friend, Ryker.

“Claim her,” Ryker said, simply. “Screw the politics. Screw the titles. Claim her before it’s too late.”

Those words hit him hard. Maybe Ryker was right. Maybe it wasn’t too late.

The next morning, Jaxon rode straight to Elena’s family home.

But he was too late.

Her father opened the door, his face pale and hollow. “You came too late,” he said. “Elena… she’s gone.”

“What?” Jaxon whispered, heart racing.

“She had a sickness. Something came over her. We thought she was getting better but… she died last night.”

The world spun. Jaxon stumbled back a step.

“No… no, that’s not possible.” His voice cracked for the first time in years. “She can’t be—”

“She’s gone,” the elder repeated. “We didn’t have the time or means for a proper burial. She was… taken care of.”

Jaxon’s knees nearly buckled. For the first time since becoming Alpha, tears slid down his face.

This was his fault.

All of it.

If he had claimed her—if he had just followed his heart instead of hiding behind his title—maybe she would still be here. Maybe he could’ve saved her. But now… it was too late.

He returned to his pack house, broken.

His parents offered no comfort. “She was beneath you anyway,” his mother said coldly. “You have your betrothed. Focus on that.”

Two moons. In two moons, he would be wed to Nikki.

And yet he felt nothing.

That afternoon, while he sat in his office, drowning in paperwork he couldn’t focus on, Nikki barged in without knocking.

“You’re still thinking about her,” she said flatly.

He didn’t respond.

“She’s dead, Jaxon,” Nikki continued, stepping closer. “Let her go. You’re mine now. I can give you everything she couldn’t. After all, she was poor. Just an elder’s daughter. Not even fit to be Luna.”

He clenched his fists.

“You should be grateful, Alpha. I’m doing you a favor by standing beside you.”

That was it.

Jaxon stood, his power pulsing through the room like thunder. “You forget yourself, Nikki,” he growled. “You are betrothed to me—not my Luna yet. And you have no right to tell me what to feel.”

Nikki paled but held her ground. “I was just—”

“Enough.” His voice was a snarl now. “If you value your tongue, don’t speak her name again.”

As she turned to leave, her eyes caught something peeking from his desk drawer. She yanked it out.

A photograph.

Elena’s photograph.

Her eyes widened. “You kept this? You loved her?”

He snatched it back. “That’s none of your business.”

“She’s dead, Jaxon. Move on. You’re mine now. Accept it.”

“Get out,” he ordered, his voice dangerously calm.

“Fine,” she snapped, heading for the door. “But remember this—no one will take you from me. Not even a ghost.”

When she was gone, Jaxon sank into his chair, burying his face in his hands.

“Elena…” he whispered. “I’m sorry. I should’ve claimed you. I should’ve chosen you. I was a coward. I let fear and duty blind me.”

He clutched the photo to his chest, pain twisting inside him.

“But I don’t believe you’re dead. No. Something in me says you’re still out there. Hiding. Running. Maybe your family sent you away to protect you.”

He looked up at the ceiling, a fire reigniting in his eyes.

“I’m going to find you. Wherever you are, I will find you. And when I do—I swear, Elena—we’ll never be apart again.”