Chapter 76
Nathan’s POV
Evening had settled over Emerald Castle, and I lay motionless on my bed. The meeting with Raymond had just ended.
I tried to empty my mind, but the pain inside gnawed at me like a wild beast. During the day, border conflicts and pack business provided distraction, but here, in my private space, there was no escaping my thoughts.
Three days had passed, and despite my warriors‘ tireless efforts, Rachel’s body remained unfound.
Not even a strand of her copper hair had been discovered. The cliff below had treacherous currents, jagged rocks, and countless crevices where all traces could be hidden forever.
As the last rays of sunlight disappeared below the horizon, darkness engulfed my room. I made no move to turn on the lights, allowing the shadow to consume everything.
Suddenly, my keen hearing caught a faint sound coming from the living area.
I rose quickly, Alpha instincts prompting me to investigate, but as I entered the room, I froze as if struck by the Moon Goddess herself.
Sitting in the moonlit shadows was someone I thought I’d never see again–someone I would recognize anywhere, anytime. Her sweet scent surrounded me, clearer than I’d ever remembered it.
She was gazing out the window, her copper hair glistening softly in the moonlight.
I felt my heart stop.
Without thinking, I stood behind her.
“Rachel? You… you came back!” Joy and relief flooded through me, dissolving all Alpha authority. I reached out to grab her hand but caught nothing but air.
“Nathan…” Her voice was as sweet and gentle as always, but her face was paper–white, and her green eyes had lost their usual sparkle. “I’ve come to say goodbye…”
“What do you mean? No, don’t leave again! Rachel, come back!” My wolf frantically struggled to break free from my human form, my eyes shimmering with tears. Suddenly, her figure dissipated before me, like morning mist chased away by sunlight. A howl tore from my chest. “No-”
I jolted awake, gasping for air, my eyes still glistening with unshed tears.
I cursed myself for falling asleep; an Alpha should never show weakness during a crisis.
My heart hammered wildly as I closed my eyes, trying to let reason reclaim control.
That’s when I felt it–something unusual, like an invisible pull, gentle yet insistent… like a mate bond tugging from far away, urging me to move in that direction, telling me that someone needed me at the end of that connection.
Someone I was destined to protect.
The sensation was confusing, like the Moon Goddess whispering to me. But I quickly suppressed the feeling.
I walked to the shower. The cold water pounded against my body, immediately clearing my thoughts.
1/3
Chapter 76
The stream washed over my hody but couldn’t cleanse the pain with.
When I emerged from the shower, my keen sense of smell immediately detected perfume that didn’t belong in this room. Some was sitting on my bed.
My heart began racing again, and though logic told me it was imposible, what if… what if she had returned?
My fingers hovered over the light switch. Through the darkness, I could make out a silhouette on the bed. The bedside lamp clicked on, soft light illuminating the room.
It was Madison. She lounged there languidly, a sheer pink silk robe clinging suggestively to her voluptuous curves.
Her captivating amber eyes sparkled with temptation, even as her fu lips formed a delicate pout, revealing a touch of irresistible vulnerability.
“Madison, what the hell are you doing?” My voice was low and cold.
“Waiting for you, Alph, she responded in a husky, seductive voice.
I asked, “Who gave you permission to enter my room?”
‘Darling, I’ve been so worried about you. You haven’t been eating properly, barely sleeping. You keep going to that cliff why won’t you let me take care of you?” She beckoned to me, licking her painted lips, batting her meticulously styled eyes.
“Madison, this is my private space! Don’t enter without my permission!” I tried to suppress my rage, but she was pushing my limits.
The air in the room thickened with tension as she stood there, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting delicate shadows across her form. The pink lingerie clung to her like a second skin, its delicate lace teasing the edges of her curves, catching the light with every subtle movement.
Her fingers, slow and deliberate, traced the line of her collarbone, dipping lower to graze the swell of her chest, a calculated invitation wrapped in sensuality.
Her lips parted slightly, a faint, knowing smile playing at the corners as her eyes locked onto mine, smoldering with a mix of desire
“Please, Nathan,” she purred, her voice a velvet caress, each word dripping with honeyed promise.
She stepped closer, the silk robe pooling forgotten at her feet, her scent–a heady mix of jasmine and warmth–filling the space
between us.
“Let me show you how much I care. Let me soothe your pain. Let me be your true mate.” Her hand reached out, fingers brushing the air just inches from my chest, as if testing the boundaries of my restraint.
My hand snatched the discarded robe from the foot of the bed, the silk cool against my palm. Without hesitation, I threw it at her, the fabric arcing through the air before landing squarely against her breast.
“Put it on and go back to your own room,” I said, my voice low and unyielding.
“What? But Nathan! I’m your fiancée! You’ve been under tremendous stress lately. Why not let me help you relieve some of it?” Her tone shifted from seduction to dissatisfaction and accusation.
I clenched my jaw, hands at my sides, knuckles white with tension.
“Go back to your room. Now.” My voice was low with unmistakable threat.
