Chapter 145
Kai POV
I paced my study room, a caged animal trapped in my own anxiety. Five days. Lily had been missing for five days, and every moment without her felt like an eternity. The weight of guilt pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.
The door opened and Celeste entered, her expression telling me everything before she spoke a word.
“The birds couldn’t locate her again,” she said, shaking her head. “They’ve searched every clearing, every road within fifty miles p>
I slammed my fist against the wall, leaving a dent in the plaster. “They must have missed something p>
“Kai Celeste began, but was interrupted as Liam walked in.
My beta’s face was grim, exhaustion evident in the dark circles under his eyes. “We’ve combed all the packs within our region. There’s no sign of Lily p>
“That’s impossible,” I growled, “She couldn’t have just vanished p>
Five days ago, Lily and I were supposed to meet at the border of our pack territory. We’d planned to find Meredith, the old pack healer who had traveled with me and my mother years ago, after I lost my mate and some of my memories in the accident. Meredith was perhaps the only one who could help piece together the fragments of my past that still eluded me.
I should have picked Lily up from her house. That thought had been tormenting me since she disappeared. But I had been exhausted from the night patrol, barely able to keep my eyes open. I’d thought it would be easier if we just met at the border.
So I waited. Thirty minutes in the cold before my phone buzzed with a message:
Sorry, Kai. I can’t do this. I need some time. Don’t wait for me.
I read the message again and again, confusion and frustration warring inside me. It wasn’t like Lily to back out, especially not about something this important. But with my fractured memories, I sometimes questioned my understanding of people, even those closest to me.
Frustrated and hurt, I’d returned to the pack house alone.
The next day, unable to bear the stifling atmosphere of the pack house and my own obstructive thoughts, I went to Celeste’s house.
When she opened the door, her expression had shifted from welcome to confusion.
“Kai? What are you doing here?” she’d asked, peering over my shoulder as if expecting someone else. “Didn’t you and Lily go to look for Meredith p>
I frowned. “No. Lily got cold feet. Said she didn’t want to come p>
Celeste’s brow furrowed deeper. “That’s not true. Lily texted me yesterday saying you two were together p>
“What p>
She pulled out her phone, showing me a message from Lily sent the previous day: Hey Celeste, with Kai now. Heading to Meredith’s. I will call you tomorrow with an update.
My blood ran cold. I showed Celeste the message I’d received from Lily at almost the same time.
Celeste stared at both phones, the color draining from her face as she staggered backward. I grabbed her arm to steady her.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, though dread was already pooling in my stomach.
“Kai,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Don’t you understand what this means p>
I shook my head, still not comprehending.
“If Lily sent me a message saying she was with you, but sent you a message saying she wasn’t coming Her voice trailed off as realization dawned on me.
“She didn’t send either message,” I said, the words feeling like shards of glass in my throat. “Someone took her phone. Someone who knew she was meeting me p>
“She was kidnapped,” Celeste finished, her hand covering her mouth in horror.
Now, five days later, we were no closer to finding her. I looked from Celeste to Liam, desperation clawing at me.
“We have to try something else,” I insisted. “The birds, the scouts—they’re not enough p>
“We’ve alerted every pack in the region,” Liam reminded me. “We’ve sent her picture to all our allies. If she was in pack territory, we would have found her by now p>
“Then she’s not in pack territory,” I said, a new thought taking shape. “What about human towns? Places outside our usual hunting grounds p>
Celeste exchanged a look with Liam. “That’s… possible. But it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are dozens of human settlements within driving distance p>
“I don’t care,” I growled. “We’ll search every one of them if we have to p>
“Kai,” Liam said carefully, “we need to consider who might have taken her. This wasn’t random. The timing, the messages—whoever did this knew her schedule, knew about your meeting p>
I’d been avoiding this line of thought, but now I forced myself to face it. “Someone who had been watching her p>
Celeste nodded. “Lily mentioned seeing someone outside her house a few days before she disappeared. She thought she was being paranoid p>
“Or it could be someone from within the pack,” Liam suggested reluctantly. “Someone who had access to information about your plans p>
The idea that one of our own could betray us like this sent a fresh wave of rage through me. “If I find out anyone in this pack had anything to do with her disappearance p>
“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Celeste interrupted. “We need to think clearly. Who would want to take Lily? Who stands to gain from her disappearance p>
A face flashed in my mind—Lucas Alpha of Golden Moon pack and Lily’s ex. “Lucas,” I said.
“Nah,” Celeste’s scoffed. “That’s her ex right and he’s married. He wouldn’t go that far. Besides, how could he have gotten into the pack? Our security cam didn’t pick any familiar face coming into the pack p>
Liam had a thoughtful look on his face. “I know he’s been obessed with getting her back at the beginning when Lily first came here but I had thought after his joining ceremony to Lily’s sister he would not bug her. We don’t even know if it’s him p>
“It’s him,” I said vehemently. “No one else could have dared p>
“Maybe,” Liam said again with a thoughtful expression “But have you ever wondered that Lucas couldn’t have known your itinerary plus your trip was planned as soon as you heard it from your grandparents. So, whoever is the informant wouldn’t have sent message so fast across to Lucas. And all the discussion happened here not in the pack house filled with servants p>
“I agree with you,” Celeste nodded. “Besides, I’ms sure Lucas knows taking another wolf’s mate is a capital offense that could risk a pack war. I’m sure he wouldn’t p>
“Only if he gets caught,” I said grimly. “And only if he believes she’s my mate p>
“We need to send scouts to Golden Moon territory,” I decided. “Discreetly. If Lucas took her, he might have hidden her somewhere nearby p>
“Let’s not rush into anything and bring troubles. Let Golden Moon be our last resort p>
“Still, send some scouts,” I faced, Liam. My instinct keeps telling me to check Golden Moon out.
“I’ll arrange it,” Liam said, already pulling out his phone.
“And I’ll contact our human allies,” Celeste added. “They can start checking towns outside pack jurisdiction p>
I nodded, grateful for their support even as worry gnawed at my insides. Where was Lily now? Was she hurt? Scared? The thought of her in danger, needing me while I fumbled around in the dark, was unbearable.
“I’m going to find her,” I vowed, my voice low but fierce. “I don’t care what it takes. I don’t care who stands in my way. I will tear apart this entire region if I have to, but I will find her p>
Celeste placed a hand on my arm, her touch steadying. “We will find her, Kai. Together p>
I looked down at my phone, at the message that I now knew wasn’t from Lily. Somewhere out there, she was waiting for me. And I wouldn’t rest until I brought her home.
“Hold on, Lily,” I whispered. “I’m coming for you p>