-ALPHA HAWTHORNE’S POV-Casting a glance at my wristwatch, I rhythmically tapped my leg while the car navigated a leisurely path that wound into a forested expanse. Before long, a house came into view on the horizon. The sun's radiance illuminated the surroundings, while the leaves of the trees, swayed in harmony with the gentle breeze.We came to a gradual halt, and as I stepped out of the car accompanied by my guard positioned a short distance away, I proceeded toward the house. Rapping my knuckles against the door's surface, I patiently waited for a reply before granting myself entry. Swiftly enough, a figure appeared at the window, her gaze fixed on me.I offered her a gentle, reassuring smile along with a quick wave. It was evident that fear flickered in her eyes upon spotting me. Swiftly, she hastened to unlatch the door, nodding her head in acknowledgment as she did so."Please, come inside, Alpha," she extended the invitation, to which I nodded in acceptance. Sign

Upon entering the mansion, I found myself in a spacious hall. Initially, I hadn't recognized where we were, but as my gaze fell upon the enormous table stretching along one side of the room and the magnificent chandelier hanging from the ceiling, I realized that we were actually in Alpha Riel's expansive living room. Around fifty wolves filled the hall, but there were no chairs for sitting. Some had already taken to the dance floor, reveling in the music with their partners, while others stood along the sidelines, holding drinks in their hands as they observed the dancers before them. As soon as I entered, with Diego leading the way, all heads swiveled in our direction. Whispers resonated among the crowd, and some women seemed to fixate on me, perhaps perceiving me as a rival. I averted my gaze from their gaze and couldn't help but notice the men's stares, which felt as if they were trying to undress me with their eyes. I felt incredibly uncomfortable, and at one point, nervousness

*** SIX MONTHS LATER*** -ALPHA HAWTHORNE’S POV-Waking up in my room, I walked toward the window, gazing outside, my hand clutching the necklace I had left with my mate. It was the one thing that symbolized how much I loved her. She was the only one to whom I had ever given something I held such sentiment for.The necklace had once belonged to my mother before she passed away. With Aurora gone, I couldn't think properly, as my thoughts were constantly consumed by her absence. Even the maids were afraid to approach me or make the slightest mistake, knowing I might punish them severely for it.As planned, Ryan had already put out posters offering generous rewards for information about her, but there was still no result. I was beginning to lose hope that I would find her, and even Estefan had yet to report back. He had already set out on the mission I assigned to him, but his lack of communication worried me.I feared that my mate might have been abducted and taken to one of

He regarded me with an air of indifference, his gaze sweeping across the room before returning to me, his expression now tinged with concern. “How are you holding up?” he asked, unfolding his arms and taking a step closer.Remaining seated at the edge of the table, I rubbed my temple, my eyes closing as I frowned and my jaw clenched in irritation. Impatience coursed through me. I wasn’t one to tolerate my time being wasted and awaited his response with growing restlessness."I'm fine, just get to the point," I urged him, and he nodded in agreement. As he drew closer, his hand delved into his pocket, retrieving a folded paper which he handed to me.I gazed at the paper, my curiosity piqued as I extended my hand to accept it. I gave Ryan a questioning look. "What's this?" I inquired, but he gestured for me to look at it. Following his cue, I unfolded the paper and stared down at it in utter disbelief.It was a letter from Aurora! I looked back up at him, my mouth opening and closing in

I stepped out of the car, cradling Xavier in my arms as he slept soundly. My body ached from being seated for so long in the cramped space, and I could feel my joints and muscles protesting with every movement. Diego walked over to me as I gazed at the building before us.It was the part of the manor assigned to me as the head maid. It appeared desolate and devoid of life, except for a few butterflies that danced around the gardens and the birds that perched in the trees, filling the air with their cheerful chirps."Do you like it?" he inquired, and as I turned to look at him, I could sense a tinge of disappointment in his expression as he observed the condition of the place. "I would have chosen a better one for you..." he added, his voice tinged with regret."It's perfect," I interjected, cutting him off while offering an assuring smile. Although the building appeared old and showed signs of wear and tear, it was nothing that couldn't be overlooked, and besides, it wasn't as if it w