#Chapter 2 Silent Departure

Ember

I startle awake a few hours later. I feel the slip of silk sheets beneath me and scent the faint smell of pine and leather. Prince Kaine. Bile rises in my throat as what transpired the night before rushes back to me. I force myself to take a deep breath, willing my panic to subside as I sit up and begin to take stock of my surroundings.

The room around me is huge, yet simple. The moss-green walls are barren of decoration save for a single portrait of children playing, and the furniture is a simple, sturdy oak.

To the right is a door, slightly propped open, revealing a closet, and to the left is a door that must lead to the bathroom. In the front corner of the room is the set of stairs that led me to this mess. The most extravagant thing in the room is the sturdy four-poster bed that I find myself in and the luxurious bedding on top.

In my haze, I must have unknowingly wandered into the palace last night. I peer out the window and see the sun beginning to rise. Shit, I have to get out of here.

Prince Kaine snores atop the enormous bed, swathed in silk. He looks… peaceful, like he does not share my reservations about our Mate bond. That is odd, given what I know of him and his history with women, and I can’t help but spare him another glance as I try to quiet my breath.

I should be more afraid of him. The realization hits me like a ton of bricks, and I quickly shake myself out of it. This is the bond putting me at ease.

I will not fall for that trick. I need to go. Nara grumbles as I slowly inch my way to the side of the bed and slip out, careful not to disturb Prince Kaine.

“We should stay.”

I know he’s your Mate too, but he is also Prince Kaine. He’ll reject our Mate bond, and I’ll lose you forever. This is our third Mate—I can’t risk it.

I feel Nara’s discontent, but for now she doesn’t push it further. If we are rejected again, the Moon Goddess will revoke her blessing and take my Wolf in the process. Furthermore, I am a warrior.

Even if Prince Kaine decides to honor our Mate bond, I would feel trapped living out domestic life as some princess Luna. No. I will hide our Mate bond. I will not abandon my goals. I will not lose Nara.

After our encounter, Prince Kaine and I were exhausted from the effort it takes to solidify the Mate bond, but as I passed out, I did my best to hide my face. All I can do is hope that it was enough. It won’t be easy, but I have to keep our bond a secret—from him and everyone else.

I will myself not to breathe as I creep across the room and up the stairs. I barely have time to process the part of the palace I’m in before I am out the door and flying down the path to my car. I sit for a moment, panting, before putting the car in gear and speeding toward home.

I turn off my lights before pulling into the driveway and carefully shut my car door as I get out. My feet crunch against the gravel as I continue to the door, and I will my feet to tread more silently.

I slip into the house, shutting the door quietly behind me, and begin creeping my way toward my room.

“Why were you out so late?”

Shit. Bianca stands in the middle of the hallway, her trademark smirk firmly in place.

My heart hammers in surprise at being caught, and my voice flies to my throat as I scramble for a lie.

“I was on patrol,” I squeak out the half-truth quickly, ashamed at having been caught.

“Your patrol would have ended hours ago,” Bianca snaps, rolling her eyes.

“I had to cover for someone. Bianca, please… I am exhausted.”

“Whatever,” Bianca frowns, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Have you seen my necklace? I can’t find it.”

I sigh, eager to get past Bianca and safely into my room.

“No, I haven’t seen it. You should be more careful with it.”

I push past Bianca and quickly make my way to my room, sliding down the door with relief as my hand travels up to feel the matching necklace around my own neck—an heirloom from our mother. Another wave of panic washes over me. What if I left it in Prince Kaine’s room?

No. I just need to take my own advice and be more careful. It’s probably in my room somewhere, or maybe it fell off during training.

Kaine

I found her—my Mate. I sit up and look around, confused by the emptiness of my bed. Irritation flares as my Wolf, Rafe, paces, feeling the loss. Where could she be? I take a deep breath, calming my temper as I spot a necklace left behind on the pillow.

The necklace is simple, a pearl pendant on a small golden chain. Did my Mate leave it here on purpose? Why did she leave?

Rafe howls as he surges to the surface, and I fight to stay in control. His anger is my anger, his loss my loss. Was this some sort of trick—or maybe a parting gift?

I struggle as I try to picture the woman from last night. I find it hard to remain in control when my emotions are at the surface, and last night my Wolf had taken over, overwhelmed by the presence of our Mate. Still, I should have gotten a better look at her face.

My heart aches as another thought occurs to me. Maybe she was frightened. I’ve heard the rumors going around the pack.

They say that I kill any woman unlucky enough to find her way into my bed. The reality is that those women were spies, but despite this, I have a reputation.

Another, crueler voice in the back of my head wonders if she simply did not want me. I shove the thought aside. I am an Alpha.

“We must find our Mate,” Rafe barks in my head, and I stand—spurred to action.

When I arrive upstairs, several men are already there awaiting my arrival. I nod briefly at my Beta, Jake, before turning to another one of my men with a command.

“Aaron, I need a list of every woman who entered the palace last night.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Aaron replies and begins to walk away.

Jake gives me a questioning look. “Another spy? If one got away, we need more than a list. We need to send out patrols to find her.”

The concern in my Beta’s eyes is evident, but I cannot bring myself to tell him that my Mate fled. I refuse to look like an embarrassment. My temper flares.

“Do you question my judgment?”

My Beta looks down, showing his neck as a sign of submission. “No, Alpha. I’m sorry.”

“Good. I will hear no more of it. Now, go help Aaron with the list. It’s important.”