Chapter 4

Ethan’s POV

"Enough already! Stop talking about the possibility of a chosen Mate!"

Time and time again I had to suffer listening to this group nag at me over and over again at every damn meeting with the Elders.

I have told them countless times that I will not choose a 'suitable Luna' from the candidates they presented me with constantly.

I was firm in my decision to wait for my real mate to appear, no matter what her status or rank, it didn't matter. I would accept her no matter what.

I slammed the door shut on my way out

and my Beta, Max, opened the car door for me, looking at me with understanding in his eyes as he attempted to reassure me.

"Ethan, calm down. There's no need to get angry with those ancient antiques, we still have the party to get to at the Nightfall Pack and we need to hurry. We're already late."

"I don't know why you're complaining. It's not like I flipped the table or anything, Max. At least I showed up to the damn meeting."

The car moved steadily toward its destination at the Nightfall Pack,and thanks to the exhausting day I had suffered, I drifted off to sleep in the back seat.

Suddenly, my wolf Jax let out a feral, animalistic, roar, and the power that rippled out of my body was so severe that it startled our driver and the car swerved violently to the side, hitting the curb briefly before he regained control of it. Max looked back at me in horror from the passenger seat.

I was just about to ask Jax what was going on when the image of a beautiful figure appeared suddenly in my mind.

Her long hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, her elegant dress hugged her figure gracefully and her purple eyes seemed to call to me, full of allure and mystery.

My heart was beating so rapidly that I felt

like it was going to burst out of my chest.

Who was this woman?

"Ethan! It's our mate!"

"Mate?"

I looked out of the car window as we crossed into the Nightfall Pack's Territory and I knew instantly that my mate was here somewhere.

We pulled to a stop at the guardhouse and after letting them know who I was, they waved us through without issue. Before we drove through, I asked Max to find out where Alpha Marcus was.

After a short while, we were met by Alpha Marcus. He was followed by a petite

A woman who didn't look at all like Luna from the way she was dressed and the two of them were visibly stunned when they saw me.

"Ethan Stormridge! Well, I must say, it's a pleasure to have you here! I'm terribly sorry though, something awful happened at the banquet and we had to finish early." Marcus greeted me, bowing respectfully as he did so.

"You should call me Alpha, Marcus," I reminded him as I glanced at the girl behind him. She had obviously been startled by my tone as she ducked behind Marcus as if wanting to hide from me.

I cocked my head curiously...there was a strange scent coming from that girl and I couldn't put my finger on what it was.

"My apologies, Alpha Ethan." Marcus said hastily as he bowed again and turned to try and reassure the petite girl behind him.

"My mate is somewhere in this pack," I announced, "Find her and bring her to me."

"This... Alpha Ethan, I'm sorry, that's not possible..." Marcus grimaced.

"You have five minutes and I want to see every one of your pack's females," I growled.

All I wanted to do was find my mate and something told me that she wasn't in a good place right now. I needed to see her so that I could make sure that she was safe.

"Very well,Alpha Ethan," Marcus consented reluctantly as he instructed his Beta to gather everyone as quickly as possible.

I watched as a group of she-wolves appeared in front of me and walked past me one after a time, baring their necks and bowing in submission as they greeted me.

I closed my eyes and inhaled each one of their scents that lingered around them, but none of them felt right.

No, my mate wasn't here. Where is she?

I got out of the car and stormed over to where Marcus stood, my eyes flashing golden in my wolf's fury as I took hold of him tightly around the neck and lifted him off the floor.

"I told you to bring all of your females out to me." I snarled furiously.

The females that had gathered gasped in fear, and the weaker ones fell to the ground trembling in fear as my Alpha aura washed over them.

Only one female stood there trembling fiercely. "Your Highness, we are all the females in the pack. Every one of us is here.." she whispered fearfully.

"Alpha Ethan, please, let go of me," Marcus protested as he tried to break free.

I sneered and tightened my hold on his neck, slamming him against the wall.

"How the fuck are you going to stop me with your pathetic strength, Marcus?"

"Ethan! Please!”

"I already told you to call me Alpha, Marcus! Don't make me repeat myself!" I roared, throwing him to the ground.

"Luna..Our Luna! She's locked away in the dungeon!" One of the maids suddenly spoke up from where she cowered on the floor.

I had to find my mate quickly and as far as Marcus wasting my time went, I would see to that later.

"She's my Luna! What the fuck are you going to do about it?!" Marcus roared behind me.

I straightened up my suit and glanced at him and the woman who clung to him like a leech and had been terrified from the first moment she had seen me.

"Your Luna? You put YOUR LUNA in the dungeon?"

I shared a look with Max before I left the area and smirked to myself as Marcus's angry voice followed me out.

"What are you doing?! Stop him!"

Even with the pathetic intervention of the guards as they tried in vain to stop the Alpha of the Embermoon Pack, I had no issue fighting them off.

I sneered as I disappeared from their field of vision and soon arrived at the dungeon. The further in I went, the more keenly I felt the pain and anguish in my mate's heart.

What exactly had happened to my mate to

make her feel this way? I couldn't begin to imagine what might have caused this so all I could do was speed up as I desperately searched each cell for her.

The dungeon was dark and damp but finally, through the barred windows, I saw the woman that had appeared so suddenly in my mind.

The bright moonlight shone down through the

window and illuminated her body in an almost ethereal light. Her elegant outfit had already been stained with the grime in the cell but it still clung to her figure beautifully.

Our gaze travelled over the waterfall of chestnut hair before finally settling on her delicate face stained with tears. Our eyes met and my heart raced as the sight of her robbed me of the ability to breathe normally in the presence of such a beautiful woman.

I have finally found you my mate.