Chapter 2

My heart sank at the sight of this. I drew closer and stared Lena dead in the eyes. "What did you say to Mia? Where are you keeping her?"

Lena's hand flew to her chest, and her voice was thick with an oncoming sob. "Callum, I'm not feeling too well. Maybe I've been working too much these days…"

A grave look registered on Callum's face. He immediately pulled her into his arms and said urgently, "Don't worry. I'll take you home where you can get some rest!"

He then turned to the enforcer werewolves. "You saw it for yourself. She's not well. Save your questions for when she gets better!"

"No, she can't leave!" I bolted for the door and spread my arms out, cutting them off. "She's the last one to see Mia. She must know something! Mia's only five!"

Lena burrowed into Callum's embrace and let her tears run free. She sobbed so hard that her body trembled, perfectly executing her victim act.

The enforcer werewolf winced. "Look, Ms. Townsend, we understand how you feel, but we have no direct evidence that Ms. Morrison has anything to do with your daughter's disappearance. As such, we have no right to restrain her freedom."

"Hear that? Now move!" Callum impatiently shoved me aside. I staggered back a few steps, hitting the doorframe.

Callum didn't even so much as look at me as he left with Lena tucked in his arms. All he cared about was Lena. He wasn't even fretting over our daughter.

The enforcer werewolf shot me a look of pity and handed me a name card. "We'll let you know the moment we have news. Try to come up with a list of places Mia would usually go, see if she's crossed any other werewolves."

After the enforcer werewolves left, I slumped against the doorframe and slid to the ground. I felt the chill of the floor tiles through my clothes, but it was nothing compared to the iciness that had seized my heart.

I had lost sense of time on the floor before scrambling to my feet. I called the lawyer to have a bond dissolution agreement drafted up.

Night had gradually fallen by the time Callum finally returned home.

I sat in the dark living room, rising only when I heard his approaching footsteps. I asked, "How is she doing?"

Callum paused at my question. Perhaps my calm demeanor threw him off.

"She's fine, just a little worn out. She'll be okay after some rest." He paused, and when he spoke again, it was with a trace of contempt. "What, has Mia been found?"

"I'm glad she's fine," I said softly, picking up the bond dissolution agreement and stopping before him. "Let's dissolve our bond, Callum. I'll look for Mia myself. From now on, we'll go our separate ways."

The corner of Callum's mouth twitched. His eyes darkened. The next second, his arm darted out and pinned me to the living room couch.

There was a resounding crack as he slapped me hard across the face, forcing my head to the side. I tasted copper in my mouth.

His weight held me down as red clouded his vision. "What have I ever done to you, Ayla? I didn't let you work a day in your life after we formed a mate bond! In any case, you're mine!"

He gripped my jaw hard enough to shatter my bones. "You want to dissolve the bond? Over my dead body!"

I stared at his menacing grimace and suddenly laughed so hard that I teared up. "Did you think that'd be enough to trap me, Callum? If anything happens to Mia, I'll stake my life to ruin yours and Lena's!"

A savage look flashed in Callum's eyes. He raised his hand to strike me again, but I strained my neck and glowered at him. "Go ahead, hit me! If you lay a finger on me again tonight, I'll take this up with the pack elders and tell them you abused your powers as Alpha to torture your mate!"

Callum's hand froze in mid-air, his scowl practically dripping with venom. He flung me away from him and shot to his feet. "I suggest you stay in line, Ayla, before I stop being civil with you."

With that, he spun on his heels and stormed into the bedroom. He slammed the door shut, leaving me to lie stiffly on the cold couch as quiet tears ran down my face.