Chapter 3

Antonio’s pov

Waking up to the love of my life in my matrimonial bed felt like a dream, but it was not. Alessandra was really in my arms, her naked body warm against mine.

As I kissed her neck, breathing in the scent of my mate, she was still sound asleep, a testament to last night. A smirk crossed my lips as I kissed her one last time before I left her to sleep.

She would need her rest as we had a scheduled prenatal appointment at the Pack Hospital.

As I pulled the strings of my robe together, the smile on my face instantly vanished replaced by a cold one as I headed to my office.

Such behavior from Jennita would not be tolerated. I let her off with a warning, but I needed to let her know that if she still wanted to live under my roof, she’d have to abide strictly by a new set of rules which included not bearing any malice towards her sister, my mate and her unborn baby.

In my office now, I contacted my Beta using the mind link. ‘Have Jennita brought to my office immediately.’

‘Yes sir.’

Due to my refusal to mark her, I was unable to communicate with her using the mind link and it was intentionally left that way.

After what seemed like several minted, Beta Malcolm walked in, but to my surprise he was alone.

“Where is she?” I’m apprehended by the stillness in his movements before he finally moves, coming to drop a ring in front of me.

Slowly, my fingers reached out for the ring, feeling the pendant around the tips of my fingers before I raised my eyes to meet his for answers, although a part of me knew what he was going to say.

“She’s gone. Her wardrobe is empty and the ring was all I found.”

“I see…” There was a brief grave silence before I got up. “That’s fine then. See to it that security around the pack house is reinforced as Alessandra is going to need the necessary security when I’m not around.”

I’m about to walk out when his voice stops me. “But Alpha Antonio…”

Without turning to him, I cut him off. “It was a decision she made herself. She wasn’t forced. If she had wanted to leave earlier, I wouldn’t have held her back. She was of no use to me.”

“But Beta Philips is dead. She has nowhere else to go.”

At his words, I felt a strange sense of worry in my heart. But it was immediately waded off by anger and I sneered. “Jennita is an adult. She’s found her way.”

“But...”

I finally turn to him and he quickly shuts his mouth. “We never speak of her again, understand?”

Reluctantly, he slightly bowed. “Yes, Alpha.”

I returned to the room, earnest to have Alessandra in my arms. I felt a hollow feeling envelop me right from the moment I walked out of the office. It could probably be my wolf alerting me to go be with my mate. I needed her more than ever now.

As I walked in, I spotted her standing by the window with her hair down, her body clad in a robe.

She turned at my arrival and I immediately pulled her in for a hug. It was longer than expected, but I just couldn’t seem to get that feeling off my chest.

“Are you okay?” She asked, running her hands through my hair.

I leaned back and kissed her before sliding the ring down her finger, watching her eyes sparkle as she recognized the ring. “Everything is fine. Let’s have breakfast together so we can go for your prenatal appointment this morning.”

In a few hours, we were dressed and arrived at the pack hospital, situated in the office of my private gynecologist, Dr. Helen.

“Good morning Alpha Antonio. This is a first. I see you accompanied your mate to…” She walked in, sounding cheerful, but the moment her eyes fell on Alessandra, the smile wiped from her face as she gradually took her seat in front of us.

“This is Alessandra.” I curtly replied. She was the best doctor around, but she was also a very close friend of Jennita.

“I can see she’s not Jennita.” She remarked, adjusting her position on the chair. “Is she a relative?”

Alessandra instantly looked uncomfortably and I glared at the doctor. “Just do your job!” I spat.

For the rest of the prenatal, she said nothing well nor asked questions, but from her body language, I could easily read that she did not like Alessandra.

By the time she was done, she sat back down, writing down on her notepad. “I’ll prescribe some vitamins she can be taking, and schedule another appointment with a lab practitioner for an X-ray scan.”

“Okay. Alessandra, please leave us...” I coolly said, kissing her fondly on the cheek before she nodded, walking out.

As soon as she left, I faced the doctor with a cool glare.

“I would advise you to watch that tongue of yours when speaking to my mate, Dr. Helen?”

She had a bewildered expression on her face. “Mate? What about Jennita? Did she finally die from the miserable marriage you subjected her to?”

I growled and she shut her mouth immediately.

“She was probably cursed to be infertile. Having not been one single child in the last five years, she was useless to me.”

Helen’s brow suddenly furrowed. “She didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” I frowned.

**

“I don’t care if you have to go to the ends of the earth, find her immediately.” My voice thundered across the room, rendering every head to bow before me.

“B- But Your Highness,” Malcolm stepped forward amongst the pack guards. “It’s been a week already and there still hasn’t been any sign of her yet. We’ve gone across all the packs, but…”

“Don’t give me that bullshit! Are you telling me she just vanished huh?” I approached him, having him meet my eyes before I started. “She has to be somewhere! Tear down the place if you have to. Don’t return without her again! “At my words, they all bowed and left.

Anger settling in my veins, I grabbed a nearby vase before throwing it against the wall.

“Antonio, you’re bleeding.” Alessandra cried out as she ran in, holding me by embracing me from behind, her tears flowing down as she spoke shakily, “It’s been a week already, can you stop tormenting yourself already? It’s not your fault!”

I shut my eyes, feeling the pain all over again. “It’s my fault. It’s all my fault. I ruined her. I gave her no choice but to leave. She had nowhere to go. And now, she’s somewhere out there, pregnant and helpless.” I stopped, feeling the pain build up to my throat, forcing me to clench my jaw.

I pull away from her and stand by the window, looking out into the horizon with a determined gaze in my eyes. ‘I didn’t care how long it took. I knew she was out there somewhere and I would her. Once I do, I’ll never let her out of my sight again.’