Chapter 6

Alexander’s POV

I stared at the divorce agreement on my desk, the stamped “REJECTED” glaring back at me like a personal insult. 

If the committee hadn’t called me yesterday to ask why we were trying to dissolve our marriage, I never would have known Evelyn had tricked me into signing it. 

Tricked me. 

The woman I’d married, protected, elevated from nothing—had dared to divorce me. 

My fingers tightened around the pen until it cracked. 

She’d brought up divorce so casually, as if seven years of our lives meant nothing. As if I hadn’t fought the entire council to keep her. As if I hadn’t spent months resisting the pull of my fated mate just to honor the bond I’d made with her. 

My wolf, Ragnar stirred uneasily in the back of my mind. 

*That day with Scarlett… you lost control. You called Scarlett your mate in front of Evelyn.*

I shoved the voice down. “That was Evelyn’s fault. She threw the dart at her.” 

*You know she didn’t mean to—*

“She’s been spoiled,” I cut in, speaking aloud to the empty office. “I’ve given her everything. Too much. She thinks she can walk all over me. It’s good that she’s locked up now. A few days in that cell will make her think properly.”

I leaned back in my chair, jaw tight. 

Once she’s released, and she’s apologized to Scarlett—properly, in person, at Crimson Ridge—I might consider taking her out again. We could fix this. We always had. 

I paused. 

When was the last time we’d eaten together? Really eaten, not just sat at the same table while I scrolled through emails? When was the last time we’d gone out—just the two of us? 

The thought brought a flicker of guilt. I pushed it away. 

My phone buzzed. 

Scarlett. 

I answered immediately. 

“Alexander?” Her voice was soft, almost trembling. “My brother is still furious. He says if Evelyn doesn’t come to apologize in person, the negotiation between our packs is off. I’ve tried to calm him down, I really have…” 

I rubbed my temple. “I know you have. Thank you.” 

There was a small pause, then her tone turned sweeter, coaxing. “We’re fated mates, Alexander. I’m willing to do anything for you. I just… I wish things were easier.” 

I exhaled slowly. “I know.” My voice hardened. “I’ll make sure Evelyn apologizes today. In person. Once she does, we can move forward with the next phase without any distractions.” 

Scarlett let out a small, relieved breath. “Thank you. I knew you’d handle it. It’s not that I needed an apology from Evelyn,” she added gently. “But you know my brother, Declan. He’s always been overprotective of me. And our cooperation was almost finalized. It would be a pity for something like this to affect it. Especially when it concerns the connection between your pack and the Kingdom.” 

I rubbed my jaw. I knew exactly how important this cooperation was. 

If it hadn’t been for the chance to secure ties with the Lycan Kingdom, I would have never poured so much time and effort into it in the first place. 

“Evelyn needs to understand that she is in the wrong,” I said evenly. “I won’t allow her to interfere with the cooperation between our packs. This is a minor issue. I will take her to visit you.” 

Scarlett’s voice softened further, “Okay, Alexander.” 

I ended the call, thankful to have a business partner—and a mate—like Scarlett. She was sensible, composed, and understood the weight of alliances without needing to be told. She didn’t throw tantrums or make reckless demands. She didn’t humiliate me in front of my pack or jeopardize our future for the sake of petty pride.

Unlike Evelyn.

Scarlett knew what was at stake. She played her part perfectly.

And soon, Evelyn would learn to play hers too.

I sighed as I stared at the broken pen in my hand. 

Evelyn would apologize. She had to. 

And once she did, I’d bring her back into line. 

The thought steadied me as I strode down the lower corridors toward the detention wing. She’d had enough time to think—to feel the weight of her mistake.

I rounded the final corner.

Two guards stood outside the holding room door, faces pale, eyes wide with panic.

They snapped to attention the moment they saw me, but their salutes were shaky.

“Alpha,” the taller one stammered. “There’s been… a prison break.”

I stopped dead.

“What?”

The second guard swallowed hard. “The cell—Evelyn’s cell. The bars are… gone. Torn apart. We don’t know how. The suppression field is intact, but the iron is bent outward like paper. Someone broke in from the outside.”

My pulse kicked hard against my ribs.

“From the outside?” I repeated, voice low.

“Yes, Alpha. No one saw anything. No alarms tripped. But she’s gone. Evelyn’s gone.”

For one frozen second I couldn’t move.

Gone.

The word hit like a blow to the chest.

I shoved past them, boots pounding down the last stretch of hallway.

The cell door hung open—ajar, useless. Beyond it, the reinforced silver bars that had held countless rogues and traitors were twisted outward in jagged, unnatural angles. The metal looked melted in places, warped as if immense force had gripped and ripped it apart. The suppression magic was still undisturbed.

But the cell was empty.

No trace of her.

I stared at the ruined bars, breath shallow.

Who could do this?

These weren’t ordinary prison bars. They were designed to hold even the strongest of Alphas. Even me.

And someone—something—had torn them open like tinfoil.

I turned on my heel. “Raise the alarm. Full pack alert. Search every inch of territory. No one sleeps until she’s found.”

The guards nodded, already moving.

I didn’t wait.

I shifted mid-stride—bones cracking, fur rippling over skin—and tore out of the pack house in wolf form, claws tearing up the earth as I raced toward our house.

Our house.

The one I hadn’t slept in for close to two weeks.

I shifted back at the front door, human again, heart slamming against my ribs. I shoved inside without knocking and froze in the foyer.

Silence.

No scent of her perfume. No faint trace of her shampoo lingering in the air.

I moved through the rooms like a man possessed.

Bedroom: closet empty. Her side bare.

Guest room: boxes gone. Not a single book, not a single trinket.

Kitchen: her favorite mug missing from the shelf.

Bathroom: no toothbrush. No hairbrush. 

Only the things I’d bought her remained: the jewelry I’d given her over the years, the dresses I’d chosen, the perfume I’d picked out for her birthday. All of it sat neatly on the dresser, untouched, like she’d deliberately left them behind. 

My stomach dropped. 

She had packed and planned.

She had left.

And someone—or something—had torn open a cell built to hold Alphas just to take her away.

My hands clenched into fists until the knuckles bleached white.

Evelyn Reed—my wife, my Luna—was gone.

And whoever had helped her escape had just declared war on Shadowfang.

I yanked out my phone and dialed the pack Beta. 

“Evelyn’s gone,” I said the moment the call connected. “Find her. Now.” 

“Alpha,” Marcus replied immediately. “We’re already on it.” 

“She’s probably hiding somewhere in the city,” I said, pacing the bedroom. “She doesn’t want to apologize, so she’s sulking. Track her phone. Check her favorite places.” 

I tried calling her. Straight to voicemail. 

I reached for the mind link—then remembered with a curse that she didn’t have one. Low-level wolves like her—omegas—couldn’t receive or send thoughts. I’d always found it inconvenient. Now it felt like a slap. 

My phone buzzed again. Marcus. 

“Alpha… city surveillance just picked her up. She left the city limits an hour ago.” 

I froze. “That’s impossible. The divorce wasn’t finalized. She doesn’t have permission.” 

“Well, it seems she left anyway,” Marcus said quietly. 

The words hit like a punch to the gut. 

I gripped the phone so hard the screen cracked. 

“And she wasn’t alone,” Marcus continued. “She left with a man. Tall, dark hair, silver eyes. They were in a black SUV.” 

With a man? 

For a moment, my thoughts went blank, the words echoing violently in my head. 

Ragnar howled inside me—raw, furious and lost.

So that was it. 

That was why she had pushed for the divorce. 

She had chosen another man, the same man who’d helped her escape from prison. 

“How dare she?!” I tightened my grip on the phone. 

“Marcus,” I said coldly, every word edged with command, “Bring her back now!”