Trouble in paradise

Alpha Lyon’s POV

The palace felt empty—not because all the soldiers and guards had been deployed to search for the Luna, but because she was not here. The sound of her kitten heels clicking down the hallway, her vanilla scent, and her gentle smile were nonexistent now.

I grabbed the vase in the corner and smashed it against the wall, my eyes flaming with anger. How dare she run away from me?

“Lyon, maybe you should calm down. She might not have run away. What are the odds?” Darian said, trying to soothe his friend, who had been spiraling since the news of his wife’s escape reached him. It was almost nighttime, and she was still nowhere to be found.

“What are the odds? Darian! Zoey never leaves the palace. She knows no one around. She went to bed last night, and now she’s nowhere to be found. She has escaped!”

“You just said it like she was in prison. Escaped? Have you considered that she might be missing? You have a whole lot of enemies, Lyon. What if she was abducted?”

Darian was making sense, but not to me. There was no way Zoey had been abducted without a single guard noticing.

“Abducted? I don’t think so. The palace security is tight. There’s no way anyone could have entered the building, taken Zoey out, and left without even a single house worker noticing. She orchestrated everything, and I swear I will find her,” I said, turning to the other side of the room.

My parents immediately stormed into my office, and I took a deep breath. Bad news sure spread like wildfire.

“What is this nonsense I am hearing?” my father demanded. I didn’t even make an effort to reply.

“Lyon, you’ve chased another one away, haven’t you? I liked Zoey. She didn’t cause any trouble. She fulfilled her duty as your wife and as the Luna. Her only disadvantage was that she was weak, but at least we managed. And now this?” My mother, ever the drama queen, displayed her usual theatrics while my father waited for a response.

“Lyon, let’s talk later,” Darian said, turning to leave.

I knew what he was doing—escaping the heat.

“And where do you think you’re going? I need answers from both of you. Is it true that Luna Zoey is missing?” my father asked, stopping Darian.

Any other day, I might have snickered, but I didn’t even have a smile on my face.

“We’re not sure she’s missing. She might have just stepped out for a while,” Darian said, trying his best not to anger my father.

“Oh, Lyon! I see how your face lights up when she’s in the room, yet you treated her so badly. You almost killed someone for insulting her, but you insult her every day. Have you no shame?” my mother yelled.

I didn’t care whether she was right or wrong—she was just being too emotional because of how much she liked Zoey.

“Was she abducted?” my father asked.

“That’s what I said,” Darian stepped forward. “I don’t think she escaped. Zoey doesn’t know the way back to her hometown.There’s no missing car, and there’s definitely no way she walked.”

“So you think she was abducted? What if it was one of Lyon’s enemies? What if they want to kill her, or she’s already dead? Oh my days! What should we do? Have you sent out soldiers?” my mother panicked.

“Enough! All of you! I have had enough of this nonsense. Zoey is my wife, and it’s my job to protect her. If she has been abducted, I will find her.”

“Actually… I think she ran away,” a voice said from behind. It was Zoey’s personal maid.

“Mira! Do you know what your false statements could cost you? Your head! I will have you beheaded if you think this is some joke,” I snapped, my eyes burning with anger.

“I’m not making it up! I overheard the other house workers say a man had delivered a letter to the palace, and one of the maids slipped it into Zoey’s room. The letter had a sample, and I found this in her room,” the maid said with a shaky voice.

She knew the maidens’ quarters would kill her if they found out she had brought this news to the chambers, but she was also worried. Her lady didn’t know her way around—what if she had wandered into the woods and become prey to a wild animal?

“Why are you standing there like a fool? Bring the letter to me!” I screamed out of frustration.

She ran to where I was and placed the letter on the table. When I opened it, it confirmed that Zoey had actually run away. But it would be easy to find her now.

Did she really think I wasn’t going to check her grandmother’s hut first?

“Where is she?” my mother asked.

I let out a loud laugh.

“Why are you laughing, man?” Darian rolled his eyes.

“We are not here to partake in some silly jokes. Where is she?” my father asked, and I immediately sat up.

“Oh, my naïve little wife. Did you really think running away to your grandmother’s hut would save you?”

“Let me see…” My mother dragged the letter from my hand and read it.

A sad look crossed her face.

“What’s the matter?” my father asked, snatching the letter from her.

“Lyon, I know it hurts your pride that she ran away from you, but based on the content of this letter, even I would have run away. Her grandmother is sick—the same woman you promised to bring here but didn’t. Her grandmother is on the verge of dying, and you expect her to stay here without seeing the woman on her deathbed? That’s not fair!”

“The same grandmother I offered a quarter in the palace? The same one who refused to come, accusing me of taking her granddaughter hostage? If Zoey wanted to see her, she should have come to me first.”

“Lyon, why don’t we give her some time? At least now we know where she is. We can send messengers to check if she got there safely,” my mother suggested.

My father and Darian seemed to like the idea.

“Nonsense! What if she doesn’t come back? I know the girl I married—she never wanted to be here with me in the first place. Now, this is her escape.”

“Lyon, can you be reasonable and not selfish for once?” Darian rolled his eyes.

I shot him a glare.

“You better watch your mouth! I don’t need your contributions. First thing tomorrow, I’m sending my men to bring her back.”

Just then, one of the security officers in charge of the search ran in, panting.

“What is it?” I asked.

“I received a call from a local boutique owner. Zoey was just at her shop trying to trade jewelry, and she was headed for her district!”

“She must have sold our vow ring too… Zoey, you really are something else,” I frowned.

Our marriage hadn’t been the best, but selling something like that? It meant she was willing to do anything to be away from me.

“First thing tomorrow morning, gather your men. We are going to her grandmother’s house. She’s there.”