The truth.

Daniel's POV

Roses.

The smell of roses lingered faintly in the air. I sniffed trying to hold on to the scent that 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 to the side, my mate was gone.

I sat up, glancing at the bathroom door. She wasn't in 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. Those beautiful eyes. Dark. 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 her 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 tried 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, Andrew, mindlinked me.

"Andrew, 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."

"Andrew!"

"I'm kidding. Congratulations, Daniel."

"Save it," I growled. "I need you to find her. She bailed on me."

The Buffon 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 Andrew saying he had found my mate's pack.

The Wolfrhune pack.

Wasn't that Alpha Ethan's pack?

I sent Andrew 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 Wolfrhune 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 Ethan 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 Ethan 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," Ethan said, his voice trembling. "Please let go. That's my daughter, Arya. 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-coloured hair.

Nothing like my raven-haired mate. Nothing at all.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "It was Merlin's idea."

I scrunched up my face in disgust. "Who the hell is that?"

"I am Merlin, your Majesty." Some dude beside her said, eyes shifting warily.

"He told me to dress like my sister so I wouldn't catch your eyes. We were hoping you would hate me and won'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?"

Arya sniffed, wiping her tears. "Yes. Allison has black hair—”

"—And dark eyes?" I completed.

"Yes, like a witch's. Merlin thought you would hate me if I looked like her as everyone hates Allison."

I frowned at the girl before me, unable to decide if she was clueless or was being a bitch. Turning to Ethan, 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 Allison 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, Alpha?" Ethan stuttered, a nervous look on his face.

I pressed my lips in a flat line before responding. "She stole from me. She's a thief and needs to be punished accordingly."

"Ah," Arya 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-"

"Arya!" Ethan snapped at his daughter and the naive fool stepped back, mumbling something under her breath.

My brows knitted in a frown. "What does she mean you expelled her?"

"I didn't," he said quickly. "Please ignore Arya, she's a blabbermouth-"

"Then how about you tell me what happened?" I growled, stepping closer to him. I towered over him a couple of inches and I could see the beads of sweat that broke out on his forehead.

Ethan's eyes darted around until he sighed. "Allison asked for a night out yesterday. She had been upset."

She had drank 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, Merlin, found his mate. My daughter Arya."

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?"

Ethan 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 Merlin. They had betrayed her. They had betrayed my mate, driving her crazy, and now I could not find her, dammit!

"It's the moon goddess will," Arya 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 up to bits. Too fucking easy. But I didn't kill without a valid reason. My gaze shifted to Merlin. "And you, you're going to regret betraying her."

I would make sure of that.

I turned to Ethan. It was easy to see he favored his airhead of a 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, Ethan. I imagine your pack will be in even more shambles. I withdraw all economic support supplied to your pack."

"B-But Your Highness," he blubbered. I didn't care. I marched off, sliding into my car, trying to calm my raging nerves.

"Allison," I whispered her name, testing it on my tongue. Perfect. Just like she was.

I had spent years throwing parties, searching for her. And unexpectedly, while stopping at a bar for a quick drink after a long day of pack inspection, I met her. The daring woman had not only given me what had to be the most amazing sex ever. She'd stolen my heart right along with my money.

"Andrew?" I mindlinked my beta, tucking my tongue in my cheek.

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"I want a thorough search for Allison. Spare no resources."

I had to find her. I had to find my Luna Queen.