The Mate He Lost

Kael’s POV Something was wrong. I felt it before I understood it. A restlessness clawed beneath my skin, sharp and persistent, refusing to settle no matter how much I tried to ignore it. My wolf wouldn’t stop pacing. Agitated. Unstable. Find her. The command echoed again. I slammed my hand against the desk, the wood cracking slightly under the force. “Enough,” I growled. Silence filled the room—but it didn’t last. The feeling remained. Worse than before. It had been days. Days since the rejection. Days since I broke the bond. So why— Why did it feel like something was missing? Like something had been ripped out of me… and never replaced? A knock came at the door. “Enter.” Beta Darius stepped in carefully, his posture tense. “Alpha,” he said, bowing his head slightly. “There’s been no sign of her.” Her. Even the mention of Seraphina made something inside me tighten. I didn’t like it. Didn’t want it. “She left the territory,” he continued. “No one has seen her since that night.” My jaw clenched. Good. That’s what I wanted. That’s what I chose. So why did it feel… wrong? “Then stop looking,” I said coldly. Darius hesitated. “Alpha… with all due respect… she was your—” “I know what she was,” I snapped. Silence fell instantly. The air turned heavy. Dangerous. Darius lowered his head further. “Yes, Alpha.” He turned to leave— “Wait.” The word left my mouth before I could stop it. He paused. I exhaled slowly, forcing my voice back under control. “If she returns… you report to me immediately.” A brief pause. “Yes, Alpha.” The door closed behind him. And just like that— The silence returned. But it didn’t bring peace. Only noise. Inside my head. Inside my chest. I leaned back, dragging a hand across my face. This was ridiculous. I made the right decision. She was weak. Unfit. A liability. So why did her face keep appearing in my mind? The way she looked at me… Not angry. Not hateful. Just… hurt. My chest tightened unexpectedly. I pushed the feeling down immediately. Irrelevant. She would move on. And so would I. That’s how this works. That’s how it should be. A sharp pain suddenly hit my chest. I froze. My breath hitched slightly as the sensation spread—faint, but undeniable. Not the bond. That was gone. But something… Something was still there. A trace. A pull. Distant. Weak. But real. My wolf surged forward instantly. She’s alive. My eyes darkened. Of course she was. She had to be. Because the alternative— No. I stood abruptly, the chair scraping harshly against the floor. “Prepare the patrol,” I ordered through the mind-link. Darius responded immediately. “Alpha?” “Expand the search beyond our borders.” A pause. Surprise. “You said to stop—” “I changed my mind.” My voice left no room for argument. Silence. Then— “Yes, Alpha.” The connection cut. I stared ahead, my expression hardening. This wasn’t about her. It wasn’t regret. It wasn’t guilt. It was— Control. I needed to know where she was. That’s all. Because something told me… She wasn’t just gone. She was somewhere else. And the thought of another Alpha finding her first— My hands clenched into fists. A low growl rumbled in my chest. Unfamiliar. Possessive. Dangerous. No. I don’t want her. I made that clear. But still— One thought refused to leave my mind. If she belongs anywhere… It’s here. With me.