Darius Roses.
The smell of roses lingered faintly in the air.
I sniffed, trying to hold on to the scent, my wolf purring in delight.
No, he snarled.
She’s gone.
My eyes snapped open at those words.
They met with the ceiling and when I glanced at the side, my mate was gone.
I sat up, glancing at the bathroom door.
She wasn’t there.
I couldn’t hear the sound of water running and her scent would be much stronger than this if she were here.
She wasn’t.
I searched around, for anything, anything at all that would assure me that she was still around.
“No!” I bellowed, lunging to my feet.
I must have been knocked out hard since I hadn’t noticed her leaving.
She was insatiable.
Fuck, she was my mate.
Perfect in every way.
Hair that felt thick and soft against my fingers and those beautiful eyes.
Dark and black as night.
When she looked up at me in the bar, I could not look away even if I tried and I didn’t bother trying.
She was gorgeous, I didn’t want to take my eyes off her for fear that she was unreal.
I had waited years to find my mate.
Years to have her in my arms.
That was the whole damned point of the bride selection ceremony.
I figured it was one way to meet all the women I couldn’t while I was busy.
Well, of course that meant I earned a terrible reputation of being a rake.
“Shit,” I cursed, yanking at my hair.
Was that why she left?
Did she know who I was?
She must have left because she was disgusted with me.
I dragged a hand down my face.
I hadn’t asked for her name.
I hadn’t bothered with introductions because I had thought we had all the time in the world, dammit.
One step into the bar, I had been blown away by her scent.
That sweet addicting scent.
She tasted just like roses too.
My fangs protruded and I licked at them, relishing the taste of her on my tongue.
Her pack was probably not too far from here.
I would find her and I would set things straight and then I would claim her.
The thought of sinking my fangs into that sweet pretty neck had my wolf prancing around, restless.
I needed to find her quickly.
Soon.
I reached for my wallet and frowned when it felt way too light.
I pried it open and cursed.
“Son of a bitch, what the hell happened to the money?” The scent of roses assaulted me and I growled.
She had stolen the money?
What the hell?
My mate was a petty thief?
“Your Majesty?” My beta, Kieran, mindlinked me.
“Kieran, I need you to find someone.” “I was going to ask where you are, but it seems you’re fine,” he snickered.
“I found my mate.” He was quiet for a while before groaning.
“Ah shucks, does that mean we’ll cancel the bride selection?
I was looking forward to this year’s.” “Kieran!” “I’m kidding.
Congratulations, Darius.” “Save it,” I growled.
“I need you to find her.
She bailed on me.” The buffoon cackled as if I had told a stupid joke.
“Well, that’s new.
A female running away from you?
Usually, they flock to you.” “You’re fortunate that you aren’t in this room right now with me,” I hissed.
“I want her found.
Search all neighboring packs.
Black hair, black eyes, pale supple skin…” “Noted.” I blocked off the mind link and hopped into the shower.
Thirty minutes later, I got a text on my phone from Kieran saying he had found my mate’s pack.
The Ashmoor Pack.
Wasn’t that Alpha Ronan’s pack?
I sent Kieran as an envoy ahead to let the Alpha of the pack know I was coming.
With a handful of guards, we drove down to the Ashmoor Pack House.
Excitement thrummed through me.
I was mad, of course, that she had left me and she had stolen from me but I was mostly excited to see her again.
Alpha Ronan stood outside the pack house with a couple of other people to welcome me.
My eyes caught a woman standing next to him with familiar black hair and without hesitation, I lunged out of the car for her.
“Your Majesty, we humbly welcome you to our pack,” Alpha Ronan droned on, but I ignored him, stopping before the black-haired woman beside him.
“Why did you leave?” She blinked, confused, and I halted in my tracks, breathing heavily.
She did not smell of roses and she did not have those dark eyes that threatened to suck me in.
This was not my mate.
I grabbed her neck, fury slamming through me.
“Who are you and why are you dressed like that?!” Gasps exploded around me.
The girl whimpered, her eyes watering with fear.
“Your Majesty,” Alpha Ronan said, his voice trembling.
“Please let go.
That’s my daughter, Selene.
I assure you she hasn’t done anything wrong.” “Why is she dressed like this?” I bellowed, shaking the girl in my hands.
The black wig fell off, revealing sickeningly caramel-colored hair.
Nothing like my raven-haired mate.
Nothing at all.
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed.
“It was Marek’s idea.” I scrunched up my face in disgust.
“Who the hell is that?” “I am Marek, Your Majesty.” Some dude beside her said, eyes shifting warily.
“He told me to dress like my sister so I wouldn’t catch your eye.
We were hoping you would hate me and wouldn’t try to make me your concubine.” I hadn’t heard of anything more ridiculous.
I let go of her neck, narrowing my gaze.
“Your sister?” Selene sniffed, wiping her tears.
“Yes.
Lyra has black hair…” “…And dark eyes?” I completed.
“Yes, like a witch’s.
Marek thought you would hate me if I looked like her, as everyone hates Lyra.” I frowned at the girl before me, unable to decide if she was clueless or simply cruel.
Turning to Alpha Ronan, I ordered, “Bring her to me.” A look of panic crossed his face and he swallowed.
“I apologize, Your Majesty.
But I cannot do that.” He flinched when I narrowed my eyes further.
“We haven’t seen Lyra since last night.” “You look quite calm for a man who hasn’t seen his daughter,” I spat.
“Find her!
I want her brought to me or there will be consequences.” Fuck.
If my mate wasn’t here, then where the hell was she?
“May I ask what she did, Your Majesty?” Alpha Ronan stuttered, a nervous look on his face.
I pressed my lips into a flat line before responding.
“She stole from me.
She’s a thief and needs to be punished accordingly.” “Ah,” Selene clapped her hands rather gleefully, then cleared her throat awkwardly when I glared at her.
“Your Majesty, the witch is no longer part of the pack.
She has been expelled…” “Selene!” Alpha Ronan snapped at his daughter and the naïve fool stepped back, mumbling something under her breath.
My brows knitted into a frown.
“What does she mean you expelled her?” “I didn’t,” he said quickly.
“Please ignore Selene.
She’s a blabbermouth…” “Then how about you tell me what happened?” I growled, stepping closer to him.
I towered over him by a couple of inches and I could see the beads of sweat that broke out on his forehead.
Alpha Ronan’s eyes darted around until he sighed.
“Lyra asked for a night out yesterday.
She had been upset.” She had drunk way too much yesterday.
On her own.
If I hadn’t caught her in time, I couldn’t imagine what could have happened to her.
“Why?” “Her lover, Marek, found his mate.
My daughter Selene.” I glanced at the said lover and gritted my teeth.
That pup had been her lover?
I could snap him in two before he could so much as move a finger.
“Is that the entire truth?” Alpha Ronan squirmed under my gaze, sharing a nervous glance with his daughter.
“I asked a question!” I bellowed.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” The older man jumped.
“She…
well, she had caught them in a compromising position.” The female I had met last night was wounded.
There had to have been more.
I glared at her sister and Marek.
They had betrayed her.
They had betrayed my mate, driving her to despair, and now I could not find her, dammit!
“It’s the Moon Goddess’ will,” Selene blurted.
“I don’t see why she was upset.
It’s not like anyone is going to love her with all that dark energy…” “Keep talking and I’ll rip your tongue out,” I hissed, shutting her up.
It would be so easy to tear them to bits.
Too fucking easy.
But I didn’t kill without a valid reason.
My gaze shifted to Marek.
“And you…
you’re going to regret betraying her.” I would make sure of that.
I turned to Alpha Ronan.
It was easy to see he favored his airheaded daughter over my mate.
The nonchalant way he spoke about her.
The way he had tried to cover up everything.
“I am disappointed in how you run your family, Alpha Ronan.
I imagine your pack will be in even more shambles.
I withdraw all economic support supplied to your pack.” “B-But Your Majesty,” he blubbered.
I didn’t care.
I marched off, sliding into my car, trying to calm my raging nerves.
“Lyra,” I whispered her name, testing it on my tongue.
Perfect.
Just like she was.
I had spent years throwing bride selections, searching for her.
And unexpectedly, while stopping at a bar for a quick drink after a long day of pack inspections, I met her.
The daring woman had not only given me what had to be the most amazing night of my life, she’d stolen my heart right along with my money.
“Kieran?” I mindlinked my beta, tucking my tongue into my cheek.
“Yes, Your Majesty?” “I want a thorough search for Lyra.
Spare no resources.” I had to find her.
I had to find my Luna Queen.