Chapter seven

Kael’s POV

I couldn’t sleep.

For three months, I hadn’t been able to sleep. Not 

since the night Christina died.

I sat at my desk, staring at reports I couldn’t focus on. 

Numbers blurred together. Words meant nothing. All I 

I could feel was the hollow ache in my chest that never 

went away.

The mate bond should have severed when she died. 

That’s what every wolf knew. When your mate dies, the 

bond breaks. It tears you apart, drives you half-insane 

with grief, but eventually it fades.

Mine hadn’t faded.

It had only gotten worse.

“Alpha?”

I looked up to find Marcus, my gamma, standing in the 

doorway. He looked exhausted, dark circles under his 

eyes.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Another incident at the northern border. Three more 

wolves can’t shift. That makes fifteen this week.”

I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. The 

sickness was spreading faster now. First it was just a 

A few wolves here and there. Now it is happening daily.

“Have the healers found anything?”

“No, Alpha. They still don’t know what’s causing it.”

I nodded slowly. “Thank you, Marcus. Dismissed.”

He hesitated at the door. “Alpha… you should rest. You 

haven’t slept in days.”

“I’m fine.”

“With all due respect, you’re not.” Marcus stepped 

closer, lowering his voice. “The pack is worried. They 

see you like this and they”

“I said I’m fine,” I snapped.

Marcus flinched but didn’t back down. “It’s been three 

months, Kael. You can’t keep doing this to yourself.”

“Get out.”

He left without another word.

I stood and walked to the window, staring out at the 

packhouse grounds. Wolves moved below, going about 

their evening routines. Training. Talking. Living.

I felt nothing.

No. That wasn’t true.

I felt *her*.

The bond pulsed in my chest, faint but undeniable. It 

had been doing that for weeks now, growing stronger 

each day. At first, I thought I was losing my mind. That 

grief had finally broken me.

But this felt real.

Too real.

My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, pacing, agitated.

*She’s alive,* he whispered. *Find her. Find our mate.*

“She’s dead,” I said out loud. “We buried her.”

*No. Feel it. She’s alive.*

I pressed my hand against my chest, feeling the pull. It 

was like a thread tied around my heart, tugging me 

somewhere far away.

East.

Toward Ebonridge.

“Kael?”

I turned to find Caitlin standing in the doorway. She 

wore a thin silk robe that left little to the imagination. 

Her blonde hair fell in perfect waves over her 

shoulders.

“What do you want, Caitlin?”

She walked into the room, her hips swaying 

deliberately. “I was worried about you. You haven’t left 

your office all day.”

“I’m working.”

“You’re torturing yourself,” she said softly, moving 

closer. “It’s not healthy.”

I stepped back before she could touch me. “Don’t.”

Her smile faltered. “Kael, it’s been three months. 

You need to move on.”

“Move on?” I repeated, my voice dangerously low.

“She’s gone,” Caitlin said. “I know it’s hard, but you 

I have to accept it. The pack needs their alpha. I 

need”

“You need to leave,” I interrupted. “Now.”

Caitlin’s eyes flashed with anger. “I’m only trying to 

help you.”

“By climbing into my bed every chance you get?” I 

asked coldly. “That’s not helping, Caitlin. That’s you 

being opportunistic.”

Her jaw tightened. “I’m your future Luna. Or have you 

forgotten?”

“You were never going to be my Luna,” I said. “That 

was a political arrangement. Nothing more.”

“An arrangement you agreed to.”

“Because I was weak,” I said, the words tasting like 

ash in my mouth. “Because I chose politics over my 

mate. And now she’s dead because of it.”

Caitlin’s expression hardened. “She was wolfless. 

Weak. She would have destroyed this pack.”

Something inside me snapped.

I crossed the room in two strides and grabbed Caitlin 

by the throat, slamming her against the wall. She 

gasped, her eyes going wide with shock.

“Say her name again,” I growled. “I dare you.”

“Kael”

“You buried her alive,” I said, my voice shaking with 

rage. “You gave the order. Don’t think I don’t know 

that.”

Caitlin clawed at my hand, struggling to breathe. “I… I 

did what… was necessary…”

“Necessary?” I tightened my grip. “She was innocent. 

She did nothing wrong.”

“She was… your mate…” Caitlin choked out. “She 

would have… taken everything… from me…”

I stared at her, disgusted. Then I let go.

Caitlin collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.

“Get out of my office,” I said quietly. “And if you ever 

speak about Christina again, I will banish you myself.”

Caitlin stumbled to her feet, her hand pressed against 

her throat. Tears streamed down her face, but I felt 

nothing.

“You’ll regret this,” she hissed.

“I already have more regrets than you can imagine,” I 

said. “Now leave.”

She fled.

I turned back to the window, my hands shaking.

The bond pulsed again, stronger this time.

My wolf howled inside me.

*East. She’s easy. Find her.*

I closed my eyes and reached out through the bond, 

focusing on that thread connecting us. For months, it 

had been silent. Dead.

Now it is burning.

And somewhere, far away, I felt her.

Alive.

Angry.

Terrified.

“Christina,” I whispered.

The bond flared in response, like she’d heard me.

I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door. Marcus 

was waiting outside, probably having heard everything.

“Get the car ready,” I ordered.

“Where are we going, Alpha?”

I felt the pull in my chest, pointing me toward 

Ebonridge like a compass.

“To find my mate.“​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​