20

Alaric's POV

I didn’t realize how much I’d grown used to Nicolas, my mate, being around until I couldn’t find him after our meeting.

At first, I thought he’d simply slipped away for some air—he was good at disappearing when the pack became too suffocating. But as time went on, no one seemed to have seen him, and a knot began to form in my chest.

Something was wrong. Something was so wrong.

I ought to have caught his scent by now, even if he were twelve miles away. But the fact that I haven't caught his scent shows that something was definitely wrong. He wasn’t in the pack, he wasn’t nearby—what could have happened?

It's 2 a.m., and nothing seemed to be favoring me in his search.

“Nicolas!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the silent corridors of the palace. My wolf growled in the back of my mind, feeling restless and agitated.

He was feeling uneasy, and so was I.

I needed to find him. I needed to find my mate. I ignored the clawing unease and continued down the hallwa