I closed my eyes and let her scent overwhelm my senses. Just that, just breathing in the fading traces of her, did more than any amount of whiskey or vodka had managed in three months.
Without thinking, my fingers slipped into my pocket, brushing against the thin band of her hair tie. It was worn smooth from how often I’d touched it. My only tether to Isabella.
“Is everything all right,Alpha Dimitri?”
Leonard’s voice cut through my spiral. My eyes snapped open, and I forced my expression from whatever raw, miserable state it had collapsed into back to neutral control.
“What’s the update?” I asked, turning to him.
Leonard pulled a thin folder from his briefcase—noticeably thinner than previous weeks. That alone told me everything I needed to know before he even opened his mouth.
“Nothing concrete, I’m afraid.” His tone was professionally apologetic. “Ms. Garrett has effectively vanished. No credit card activity under her name. No bank withdrawals. No employment records, rental agreements, or utility bills. She’s not registered at any hospital, university, or government office in Virginia or any surrounding state.”
My hands fisted at my sides. “What about her phone?”
“Deactivated the night of your Alpha ceremony. The last ping was from a cell tower near the mansion, then nothing. If she got a new phone, it’s not under her name or social security number.”
My wolf howled, a sound of pure anguish that I barely managed to keep internal.
“Keep looking,” I said, my voice rougher than intended. “Expand the search. National databases, international airports, anything.”
“Alpha Dimitri, with all due respect—” Leonard closed the folder carefully. “If someone wants to disappear this completely, especially someone with no significant digital footprint to begin with, it’s nearly impossible to track them without—”
“I don’t care.” The words came out harshly. “I don’t care how impossible it is. Find her.”
Leonard studied me for a long moment. Then he nodded once, sharp and professional. “I’ll keep trying.“
There was a knock on the door. Then, without waiting for permission, the door swung open, and Selene appeared.
Leonard was already moving, pulling his hat low over his eyes as he gathered his briefcase.
“I’ll take my leave now, Alpha Dimitri.” His voice was perfectly professional, giving nothing away. “I’ll inform you once I have any updates regarding…the situation.”
I gave him a curt nod, watching as he tipped his hat politely to Selene before slipping past her into the hallway.
The door clicked shut, leaving me alone with her. And her perfume was already trying to smother Isabella’s fading scent from the room.
“Next time,” I said, my voice cold, “wait for my permission before entering my study. I don’t appreciate you interrupting my meetings.”
Selene’s red painted lips formed a pout. “I’m sorry, Dimitri.” Her voice had taken on that breathy, slurred quality that grated on my nerves. “It’s just—I noticed you’d left the gathering, and I wanted to come check on you.”
Her gaze dropped to my lips, lingering there with obvious intention.
My stomach twisted in revulsion. I took a long drink of vodka to avoid responding, using the burn to ground myself.
“As you can see, I’m fine.” I set the glass down. “You can go back to the party.”
The dismissal was clear in my voice. Yet she didn’t move.
“Or…” Selene’s voice dropped to what she probably thought was seductive. “We could engage in other activities. More…interesting activities.”
I raised an eyebrow in irritation. She was now only a few inches away from me. And for the first time, I really looked at what she was wearing.
The yellow dress she’d had on at the party had been modest earlier. But now, the neckline had been pulled down until her cleavage was prominently displayed.
She reached out, and despite the clear warning in my eyes, her hand made contact with my chest.
My wolf recoiled violently. This was how it always was with Selene. Every time she stood too close, every time I had to link hands for a photograph, every time we were forced into physical proximity—my entire being revolted. I had to actively force myself not to pull away, to remember that this was thechoice I’d made.
