'No, Alpha, I've been in the kitchen since 4:56 am.' Adelaide smiles and tells me she hasn't seen her. I dash out the front door and catch her scent. I tear my clothes off, transform into my wolf, let out a loud, mournful howl, and sprint in the direction of Aurora's scent. An hour later, I'm deep in the woods when her scent disappears. I run about in different directions, becoming more and more desperate. Aurora, why would you leave me? Where would you go? I think of where she would have gone. The diner would be the only place Aurora would go.

There is no possibility that she would have gone back to her uncle. I run to the diner and change back into my human form, not caring that I am completely naked.

'!Jasper!' I yell. Jasper! The customers all stop in shock at my nakedness. A fat man catches his wife smiling. He puts his hands over her eyes and looks at me unimpressed.

'!Kai! For crying out loud. Put some clothes on! We're filled with customers!' Jasper shouts.

'Aurora! Have you seen her?' I ask urgently.

'No, I have not seen her since she went out with you,' he replies.

'Shit! She's gone. Her bag's gone. I have no clue why she'd leave,' I panic.

'I'll call you if I see her. But in the meantime, you need to go. My female clients are looking, and their husbands want to blacken your eye!' Jasper says.

Frustrated, I leave the diner and shift back into my wolf and search the woods, attempting to pick up her scent and finding nothing, no trace of her anywhere. I mind-link Sage and Kieran and tell them to organize search parties. I don't return home for 24 hours until I'm forced to rest.

Then I continue my search for her.

In bed, my chest is stroked by a hand.

'Aurora!' I awaken to Vivian asleep in my bed next to me. I let out a loud growl, which wakes her up.

'Kai, don't growl at me! It would be best if you moved on from her. Aurora left because she doesn't love you. Aurora doesn't want you or the title of being Luna,' Vivian says to me.

'Get out of my bed and out of my room now, Vivian!' I yell.

'Fine! But sooner or later, you're going to have to accept me as your mate, whether you like it or not! You know the elders don't want a weak runaway as Luna!' She says, getting out of my bed.

Springing out of bed, I have Vivian against the wall with my hand grasping her throat.

'Don't you ever call my mate weak again! Do you hear me?' I yell.

Kai, you're hurting me,' she says. I release her, and she falls to the floor. She clutches her neck and gazes up at me, her eyes tearing.

'Get out now and never come back to the Packhouse!' I shout. She gets up and dashes out of the room.

I go downstairs and find Sage.

'Alpha Kai, we sent five search parties to find her while you slept. We still couldn't find any sign of her. We will continue searching until we do find her, Alpha,' I nod and sit at the dining table.

'Sage, order Adelaide to speed up the food. I need to continue searching for Aurora,' I command. Sage nods and retreats to the kitchen.

Seconds later, Adelaide arrives with a plate of food and places it in front of me on the table.

'Alpha Kai! I'm very disappointed in your behavior towards my daughter. She hasn't done anything wrong. Why can't you accept her as your selected mate? At least she won't flee!' Adelaide snaps.

I scowl at Adelaide and answer with a warning growl.

'Adelaide, I suggest you go back to the kitchen because my wolf today is not in the mood to tolerate you or your daughter! I suggest you understand Vivian will never be my mate!' I snap back. Adelaide glares at me and walks back to the kitchen. I finish my food and exit the door, resolved I'll locate Aurora.

'Alpha Kai!' I see one of my best warriors, Leon, sprinting towards me.

'Leon,' I greet him.

'Alpha Kai, we have good news and bad news. Good news first, we picked up Aurora's scent in the city. It's faint, but it's hers.'.

Afraid we haven't found her, but this lead should yield some results that will get your friend back home soon,' he replies. So what's Aurora doing in the city? She doesn't know anyone in the place.

'Good, Leon. I am going into the city with you. I want you to take me to where you tracked her scent.'.

'I'll get Sage to drive us. It would be quicker in wolf form, but we cannot go looking for her naked,' Leon reminds me. I nod and mind-link Sage to bring the vehicle. On the drive, I'm hopeful we'll find her. I should be cradling her in my arms today. I need to inhale her scent, feel the sparks between us, and kiss her lips.

We split up once we get to the city. It's her scent but so faint that we can't follow it. So I think we'll just spend the day in the city looking for her.

Mind-linking Leon and Sage, I say: Maybe she is working in a shop? It would be worth trying the shops for her. I enter hundreds of shops.

. There is no sign of her, and I can't catch her scent anywhere else. Dusk draws near when Sage mind-links me and says he'll stay in the city overnight and keep looking. Leon takes me home to eat and rest, promising to be back in the morning when we'll take over from Sage.

It's an exhausting ride home. I was so sure we would find Aurora today. Arriving back, Adelaide opens the front door.

'Alpha Kai, I must apologize for this morning. I'm afraid I was out of line. I hope you will forgive me,' she says. I lack the energy to fight with her. Forgiveness is easier.

'I forgive you, Adelaide, if you accept Aurora as your Luna,' Adelaide pauses for a moment and nods.

'Of course, Alpha,' she says with a reluctant smile.

'I have prepared your favorite meal tonight, Alpha,' she says to me.

She was indicating the meal that I saw on the table. I sat down and ate alone. Everyone else ate and departed prior to my return home. I feel excessively tired after having eaten.

'Alpha, you look tired.

Want to sleep for the evening?' Adelaide asks. I nod and head to my room. My room starts spinning. I grab onto the armchair and fall into it. I remove my shoes and wait until the spinning stops. My door creaks open.

'Is someone there?' I ask, squinting at the figure I can barely make out.

'It's me!' She says.

'Aurora? Is that you?' I speak and try to rise, but my equilibrium is disrupted. I feel a hand firmly press against my chest.

'Sit down, Kai. I'm here now. I'll take care of you,' she whispers. She sits on my lap astride.

'Aurora, you came back.'

'Of course, I did,' she whispers as she unbuttons my shirt.

'Why did you leave? Where did you go?' I ask.

'All that matters is I'm here with you.'

One of her hands caresses my bare chest as the other undoes my belt. Her lips brush against mine.

'Kai,' she whimpers, taking my hands and placing them on either side of her thighs.

'Aurora,' I breathe.

'I want you to mark me, Kai,' she whispers.