Four

Tristan's POV:

I felt the sun rays hitting my face, stirring me awake. It was morning, and the sun was already high in the sky. I hadn't slept this long since four years ago.

I had never felt so free; it was as though all my burdens had been lifted from my shoulders, all thanks to her.

I sat up in bed instantly, and when I looked at her side of the bed, it was empty. She had left. Her clothes were gone, and even the side of the bed where she slept last night was straightened out. It was as if I had slept alone.

Just then, my cell phone, which was on the bedside table, rang. It was my beta and best friend, Ethan.

As I picked it up, his panicky voice resounded in my ears. "Hey, are you okay? Where are you?"

I scrambled out of bed with the phone in one hand as I stepped closer to the window. There was a swimming pool across the way, and from where I stood, I could see countless people swimming.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Did something happen?"

"You suddenly disappeared. Didn't you find a series of missed calls on your phone? I've been trying to reach you since last night. You suddenly left the bar, and we couldn't get a hold of you," he said in reply.

"Oh yeah, that. I had an emergency, so I had to leave." I walked toward the bathroom, intending to take a shower. "I need you to locate someone for me. Also, when you do, I want a full background check."

"Who is that? Did you find any leads on that person?"

I shook my head. "No. It's a woman."

He seemed surprised as he questioned, "A woman? It's been a while since I saw you with someone."

It had indeed been a while. Three years, to be precise. I had a major accident at the general leadership selection of the werewolf packs in the territory. For some reason, I had developed a strange reaction toward women since then. It was the main reason I approached her last night.

Unlike other women, she didn't disgust me. I was attracted to her instead. She was bizarrely different, and I felt comfortable around her to the point of sleeping six hours more than I would normally. I had insomnia, and it was usually impossible to sleep past three a.m., so I usually stayed awake for the last half of the night, tossing and turning in bed.

But that had changed last night, and I concluded she was the reason for that. I had to find her no matter what.

"Ethan, you have to find her no matter what."

I could hear him sigh over the phone. "Okay, I will. But where are you? You do remember we have that pack meeting today, right?"

"Oh, yeah." I nearly slapped my own forehead. "I forgot about the meeting. I'm at Century Hotel right now. When you come, get me some clean clothes along the way."

---

Moon Peak Pack...

When the car stopped in the territories of the Moon Peak Pack, and we stepped out, we found that every single alpha of the packs in the East territory had already arrived. Every lunar year, all the packs came together to make territorial decisions, and every time, the venue changed from one pack to another. It had been like that since I became Alpha King.

And for this meeting, the venue happened to be the Moon Peak Pack, whose Alpha was called Lucas. Now, it must be noted that I do have a history with Lucas.

But yes, story for another day.

When I stepped out, he was already standing at the front doors with three people, whom I believe were his retinue, behind him. When they saw me, they all gave a bow.

"Welcome, Alpha King," Lucas greeted as he raised an arm to his chest.

"Thank you for having us here today." I gave a small nod as I regarded his face. His forehead and eyebrows were creased, proof that he was not entirely pleased to see me but had no other choice.

He turned and gestured inside. "Please come in."

He led us through a group of rowdy pack members who must have been waiting to welcome us into the pack's boardroom. There were quite a lot of alphas seated in wait already.

"Welcome, Alpha King," they all greeted as I settled in the center of the table.

I clasped my palms and regarded their faces. Several familiar faces I had grown to know in the past four years. Those who I remembered to always be poker-faced and solemn, those whose faces were always full of smiles but yet harbored gazes full of venom. And the worst of them all, those that were always neutral and watched on in indifference.

I was used to them all.

Just then, the doors of the room opened, and a lady who seemed a little overdressed for the occasion entered the room with another lady behind her. The latter had her head lowered as she carried a big tray, and as my gaze flickered to the roof of her head, I couldn't help frowning.

"Good morning, esteemed gentlemen... and ladies," the first one said as she looked toward the lady. "Serve them."

She nodded in reply and stepped forward, placing each cup in front of the guests seated. I noticed the strange atmosphere between her and Lucas as she placed the cup in front of him. With every movement of hers, I couldn't help but let my eyes follow. I couldn't see her face, but even her back figure looked awfully familiar.

When she finally reached me, I could now see the outline of her face, and instantly, the face from last night replayed in my mind.

It's her!

I quickly reached out to grab her hand as she turned to leave, unable to stop myself, and this made her look up at me quickly. The cup in her hand fell the moment our eyes met, and she gaped.

"You..."

I was also just as taken aback at the sight of her, even though I already had a vague idea who it was.