“I don’t think that’s any of your business. This is between my mate and me.”
“You have got to be kidding me, Alpha Riley! Nadia is my best friend, and I know she would never leave this place unless you told her you no longer wanted her.”
It was my turn to swallow. Everyone kept telling me that Nadia would never leave me unless I told her to go.
“I want to know,” she added.
My eyes darted to my Beta. He dropped his gaze to the floor before sending a mindlink.
‘Show her the letter. She might give you answers, and we might get clues from there.’
I was already ashamed of my actions, and showing her the letter would only add to the embarrassment I already felt due to my poor judgment, but he was right. Perhaps Katarina could clarify some things I was unaware of.
I opened the drawer and pulled out the letter I received from the anonymous sender, together with the pictures of Nadia and Benedict, and slid them onto my desk.
She went and checked the pictures without touching them, and it didn’t slip my eyes the way her brow furrowed at those pictures, but I couldn’t read her emotions.
She then picked up the folder letter and moved back to her spot before opening and reading it.
Once she was done, she raised the letter in the air and looked me in the eyes. Her eyes were mocking me as she scoffed. “So you believed this. You actually believed this over Nadia? Let me read this part soSofia can hear it too.” She swallowed before she read it out loud. “Once Nadia found out that she was fated and marked by the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, she and Benedict started to roll out their plan to get the most out of her mate. She made it appear that she was gone for three months and pretended she was abducted to get your attention. To make you believe she was innocent. But Nadia was far from innocent. She and Benedict were still together, just waiting for the moment she could have access to all your accounts and properties. And then she’ll be gone. Did you ever wonder why she didn’t want a Luna ceremony? Because she didn’t want to seal the deal with you. You sheltered a conniving bitch. You should hear how she laughed at you because she knows she got you wrapped around her fingers. She’s making a fool out of you.”
She scoffed again. “You make a fool out of yourself, Alpha. Nadia is far from that. Did you ever get to know her? Maybe you didn’t. Because you would have known that you were her only saving grace. That this was the only place she felt she was safe. This was the only place she felt that everyone was out to protect her.”
Her tears started to fall, but she didn’t stop talking. “Maybe you didn’t know that she was only sixteen when her uncle started sending her on dates and presenting her to older males looking for a mate.”
My hands coiled into fists as my heart clenched at her words. But she wasn’t done torturing me.
“... that I have to use my brother’s power to take her out of those miserable dates. I would have warriors follow them and interrupt them, telling them that the Alpha wishes to speak with her to scare those males off. But when I couldn’t help her, she would find ways to run away from them. She would end up getting slapped by her uncle whenever that happened, but Nadia remained strong. She took it all. And you know what? She kept saying she had nothing to offer her mate. That her mate would eventually see she was nothing special, but still, she kept herself intact for him, for you, because that was all she could give you. I couldn’t believe you were an asshole, and yet she still loves you. She wanted nothing but to be your Luna, Alpha Riley. She worked hard for it. Nadia is tough, but she’s insecure when it comes to you. She doesn’t even want to make a single mistake, so you wouldn’t think she was a bad choice as a mate and a Luna. I kept reminding her that she’s special, but she wouldn’t hear it. And now, I’m sure she’s probably thinking again that she’s a waste of space. That even her own matedoesn’t want her. Thanks to you.”
Katarina stepped forward and threw the letter back on the desk.
“Here, read it every day. I hope this letter reminds you how foolish you are to believe some coward hiding behind this paper rather than the only female who stood and fought for you. I will find Nadia. And if by the grace of the Goddess I find her before you do, I will make sure you will never see her again.”
Chapter 60
One Month Later.
RILEY.
She was still nowhere.I couldn’t find her.
My hair had grown longer, and so had my misery.
I didn’t know how many nights I had skipped sleeping. And if I slept, it was only because my body gave up. I spent my awake time looking for her, making calls, and visiting places I would never even imagine going to.
But there was still nothing.
I was slowly losing my stance, but I tried to put on a brave facade. Behind closed doors, I was slowly crumbling. Everything in this packhouse reminded me of her.
And my wolf wasn’t making it easy for me either. Hunter refused to come out, and we hadn’t had a full run for the full month. And although he was with me, I felt terribly alone.
The only thing that was keeping me sane was the thought that she was still alive. That I hadn’t felt any massive pain through our bond, and that she hadn’t been intimate with another man.
Despite losing her, she was still my driving force.
A week ago, I finally had the courage to face my people and informed them that their Luna had left and that there was a misunderstanding between us. That it was my fault and that I would do everything in my power to take her back.
But it had been a week after that, and there was still nothing. I didn’t know what to tell them anymore. They wanted her back, and for the first time, I couldn’t give what my pack wanted out of me.
