Chapter 3

 Ronan’s POV

"Your majesty.... Lady Evelyn is here," one of the guards said, his voice was firm, too firm.

They said a ghost had returned. That a woman was found at the borders—filthy, broken, with silver hair and haunted eyes.

I snapped my head up at him. Was he tired of living or something? How dare he try to deceive me? Did he forget who he was rying to play tricks on?

I didn’t believe it.

I refuse to.

Of course I never believed she was dead, but her being alive too wasn't something I was prepared for either.

But the guards had run in, almost breathless, their faces pale and words tumbling from their lips, saying they’d found her, I thought perhaps the years had twisted my hopes so cruelly that now they were seeing Evelyn’s ghost in every stranger.

“She looks exactly like her, Alpha,” one of the guards insisted again.

And that's what made me pause. They couldn't be risking their lives by lying to me.

So I waited. And that was the longest I had waited in my entire life. Longer than the past two years that she had left.

When the doors to the great hall opened and she stepped in, I forgot how to breathe.

She was thinner. Worn out from the several years of suffering. Her once vibrant silver eyes are now so blank, so broken. It.... truly was her. But yet not her. My wolf didn't stir any form of familiarity, I couldn't mindlink her like in the past and most importantly this woman had no scent—

Lavender, moonflower, and a trace of forest rain.

I smelt it. 

Evelyn had a unique scent no one else ever possessed. I still remembered it like it lived in my very blood. The scent wrapped around me like a memory I thought I’d lost forever. 

And it was coming from her. 

And that was it. My queen....my Evelyn is back to me.

 I returned to my chambers, but peace didn’t come. I paced relentlessly like a dog who was running insane.

For years, the guilt had gnawed at me. She died because of me, I had told myself that everyday. 

I had never loved Evelyn—or so I thought. I was in love with another woman. Zaria. She was my first love. She was everything I loved in a woman. Beautiful. Strong. Wild.

I knew Evelyn was in love with me but I could never see her as nothing more than a younger sister since her father was the former Beta of this pack. But on her eighteen birthday, Evelyn and I discovered that we were mates.

I had planned on rejecting her but my father, the late Alpha learns of the mate bond before I could and he forced me to marry her. She told my father about the mate bond even though she had denied it in the past and that single act made me hate her.

Even while married to her, I was still with Zaria. She knows and would never get angry. In fact, she kept it a secret from everyone else. Instead she did everything she could to gain my love and support the pack in the two years of our marriage but I was indifferent.

That night we had another argument. I had insulted her. Called her barren for not being able to birth a heir after two years of marriage. And that I want to take up Zaria as my concubine, who would give me a child. 

Evelyn was hurt, so she left angrily with her maids and few guards. She didn't return that night. I had thought it was an act she had put up to get my attention, so I didn't look for her until the third day. But it was already too late when I realised that she had no place to go other than here. She grew up in this pack all her life as her late father was the former Beta of the Pack.

The guards found the maids and guards, dead and lifeless in the forest while she was nowhere to be found until today. 

It was after she left that I realised I have always loved her and the desire to show her how much I truly love her made me not to believe that she was dead. Not fully. Not without a body. 

And now that she was back, I finally felt something like peace settle over me. The Moon Goddess had been exceedingly generous to return her to me. She had given me a chance to make right my wrongs. A chance to love her and care for her properly this time.

Yet something… wasn’t right.

My wolf remained silent. Too silent. Even with her scent, he didn’t lunge forward or jump with joy like he should have felt upon being near his fated mate.

Still, I reasoned with myself. Time. Time would heal everything. Time would reawaken the bond.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

“Your Majesty,” a maid said gently. “The Queen is here.”

A smile spread across my face as I called out. "Let her come in."

When the doors opened, I froze.

She looked beautiful. Ethereally beautiful.

She was different from the ragged woman from the woods that I had seen an hour ago. She looked regal. Dignified. Every inch a queen. Every bit my Luna. The golden crown gleamed on her silver hair, that has now been brushed and is shining. The robe clung to her slender frame, and the scent of her… my gods, the scent still hadn’t faded. It was her.

It had to be.

She stepped inside slowly, eyes darting around. She looked unsure like she hadn't even been here before. She looked almost fragile like she was scared. But I understood everything. She had amnesia, so it will be a bit difficult to blend in.

I moved to her and without thinking, I hugged her again. This time tighter and a beat passed before her slim arms wrapped around me.

There was a rush of emotion inside me. Finally, I could sleep well at night knowing that she was safe. Then I did something I hadn’t planned. I kissed her.

It was a soft kiss, searching, trembling with need and desperation. Fuck! I missed this..... But i could feel the way she stiffened. Then she pulled back gently.

She looked down, avoiding my gaze. It was a bit awkward between us.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For being so kind.”

I frowned. “You’re my wife. You don’t need to thank me.”

I didn't like the fact that she couldn't remember anything about us. “Try to remember something,” I urged, stepping closer. "Try remembering our mating ceremony or our first night together." Those were the two happy moments I could think of that we had together. Because after then, I became extremely cold and distant.

Her hand flew to her head, eyes shut tightly, a pained grimace crossing her face. “It hurts… I…”

“Stop,” I said quickly, alarmed and feeling bad that I was too hard. “Forget it. Don’t force yourself.”

I took her gently by her wrist and led her to my private dining hall and watched her carefully.

Food was served—lavish, delicate meals Evelyn used to love. But there was a plate of spicy garnished lamb on the table. I hissed. Evelyn didn't like lamb, in fact it was like a wolf's bane to her. The maid must have added it there because she thought I would be eating. 

She didn’t touch it at first, just stared.

I was about to call a maid to remove the tray when suddenly she picked up her spoon and began eating the lamb The words involuntarily died in my throat. She ate quickly, as though starving.

Strange. She couldn't even stand the sight in the past and now it suddenly seems like her favourite.

Maybe she was starving. But then.... nothing happened to her. Not a stomach upset or the redish reaction that sometimes crept up her skin. If anything, she seems more energetic and lively.

When she finished, she looked at me with weary eyes. “I’m tired…”

I nodded slowly and signaled to the maids. “Take the queen to her chambers.”

As she was led away, I stood in silence. My wolf didn’t say a word. Not a growl. Not a whisper. 

Immediately I called in Lucas, my Beta.

“Get a trusted guard to keep an eye on her,” I said, voice low. “Don’t let her know. But report everything. Everything.”

I could see the surprise flashing on Lucas face, but he didn't ask questions.

"Yes, Alpha," he bowed, and left.

Truly Evelyn was home… but my instincts whispered otherwise: 

She's not her.