Chapter 17

The path ahead was long and dangerous, but I would face it. I would find Leila, and then, with a heart full of relief, I would finally turn my attention to Amelia, my wayward daughter. Amelia was the one who always found her way back home every single time. Only the moon goddess knows where she always came back from. I knew, deep down, that she would be alright, but the frustration and the gnawing worry would not leave me until I found her, until she was safely tucked in her bed, the scent of lavender soap filling the air around her.

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Xander's pov

The air hung heavy, thick with the humid scent of honeysuckle and the approaching dawn. I sat on the edge of the pool, my bare feet sinking into the cool, slick tiles. The water, still and reflective, mirrored the luminescent glow of the moon, a silver disc hanging low in the sky. Liela's father, the esteemed beta of my pack, was out there, prowling the moonlit woods, searching for Leila. But I knew he wouldn't find her by just moving ar