Chapter 13: The Missing Alpha on the Mating Ceremony
Chapter 13: The Missing Alpha on the Mating Ceremony
(Ana’s POV)
“What do you mean, gone?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.
Olivia gripped my hands, her eyes wide with concern. “He received a call and left about thirty minutes ago. No
one knows where he went.”
My stomach dropped. The ceremonial attendants froze around me, their hands still clutching pins and fabric.
“There must be a mistake,” I said, reaching for my phone with trembling fingers. “I’ll call him.”
The phone rang several times before going to voicemail. I tried again with the same result.
“His phone is off,” I whispered, panic rising in my throat.
Olivia dismissed the attendants with a sharp gesture. Once they were gone, she crouched before me, her
purple ceremonial dress pooling around her.
“Aria, breathe. We’ll figure this out.”
But I could barely hear her over the roaring in my ears. The ceremony was supposed to start in less than an
hour. Guests were already arriving pack leaders, Council members, family friends. And Alexander, my mate,
the Alpha groom, was missing.
“My mother,” I gasped, suddenly remembering. “She’s already here. She’s been looking forward to this for so
long.”
The thought of my frail mother discovering Alexander’s disappearance sent a wave of nausea through me. She was so weak, so fragile. This would devastate her.
“I’ll handle your mother,” Olivia said firmly. “You need to call Lucas. If anyone knows where Alexander is, it’s
his Beta.”
She was right. Lucas Bell was Alexander’s right–hand man, privy to all his movements and decisions.
“Go,” 1 urged her. “Make sure my mother doesn’t hear any rumors.”
Olivia squeezed my shoulder before hurrying from the room. Once alone, I dialed Lucas’s number, my free hand unconsciously protective over my belly where our unborn pup grew.
“Luna Aria,” Lucas answered immediately, his voice tight.
“Where is he, Lucas?” I demanded, skipping any formalities. “The ceremony starts in less than an hour.”
There was a heavy pause on the line.
“Lucas, I asked you a question,” I said, my voice hardening with Luna authority I rarely used. “Where is my
mate?”
Another pause, then a resigned sigh. “He’s at Silvercrest Hospital.”
My blood turned to ice. “Is he hurt?”
“No, Luna. He’s…” Lucas hesitated again. “He received news that Claire Watson attempted suicide again. He
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Chan 13 The Missing A
left immediately.”
The words hit me like physical blows. Claire. Again. On our ceremony day.
“Are you telling me,” I began, my voice dangerously calm, “that Alexander abandoned our formal mating ceremony to rush to Claire’s side?”
“I tried to stop him,” Lucas said quickly. “But he wouldn’t listen. He said he owed her this much.”
I closed my eyes, struggling to contain the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. Hurt, rage, humiliation all battled for dominance.
“Luna Aria, I’ve already sent enforcers to bring him back,” Lucas continued. “He’ll be there for the ceremony.”
“Will he?” I whispered, more to myself than to Lucas.
My wolf whimpered inside me, confused and distressed by another abandonment. I could feel her protective instincts flaring, concerned for our unborn pup.
“I’ll handle this,” I told Lucas finally. “In the meantime, make sure no one else knows where he’s gone. Especially not my mother.”
“Of course, Luna.”
After hanging up, I sat motionless, staring at my reflection in the ceremonial mirror. The elaborate headdress, the intricate markings, the beautiful gown – all for a ceremony that might not happen.
A soft knock interrupted my thoughts. The door opened to reveal Elizabeth Reed, my mother–in–law.
“Where is he?” she demanded without preamble, her eyes flashing amber with barely contained fury. “Where is
my son?”
I hesitated, not wanting to reveal Alexander’s betrayal to his own mother.
“Lucas just called me,” Elizabeth continued, her voice tight. “He refused to tell me where Alexander has gone,
but I know it has something to do with that girl.”
My silence was confirmation enough. Elizabeth’s face hardened.
“Silvercrest Hospital?” she asked.
I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.
“That foolish, foolish boy,” she hissed, pulling out her phone. She dialed Alexander’s number, but like me, got
no answer.
“Lucas,” she snapped into the phone when she called the Beta instead. “Let me speak to my son immediately.”
I could hear Lucas’s apologetic tone through the phone, though not his exact words.
“This is unacceptable,” Elizabeth continued. “Tell him his mother demands he explain himself when he
returns.”
She hung up, her shoulders squared with determination as she turned to me.
“I will deal with Alexander later, she promised, her eyes softening as she took in my distress. “For now, we must focus on the ceremony. The guests are gathering, and your mother is already seated in the place of
honor.”
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Chapter 13 The Mising A
The mention of my mother sent fresh panic through me.
She can’t know, I pleaded. “Her condition is too fragile for this kind of stress.”
“She won’t hear it from me,” Elizabeth assured me, adjusting my ceremonial vell with gentle hands. “Alexander. will be here. And when he arrives, I will personally ensure he never forgets the consequences of today’s
actions.”
The door opened again as Olivia returned..
“Bad news,” she said, her expression grim. “I couldn’t convince your mother to leave. She’s too excited about the ceremony.”
My heart sank further. Time was running out. The ceremony was scheduled to begin in twenty minutes, and Alexander was across town with Claire.
“I need air,” I said suddenly, standing and gathering the elaborate layers of my ceremonial gown.
“Aria, you can’t be seen by the guests yet,” Elizabeth protested.
“Just to the private balcony,” I clarified. “I need a moment alone.”
Elizabeth and Olivia exchanged concerned glances but didn’t stop me as I stepped out onto the small stone balcony overlooking the ceremonial hall.
Below, pack members and distinguished guests mingled, their cheerful voices rising up to where I stood hidden by ceremonial curtains. They were excited, celebrating what should have been the happiest day of my
life.
I couldn’t bring myself to share their joy. My only comfort was catching glimpses of my mother, seated in a place of honor, her face alight with happiness despite her obvious weakness.
For her sake, I would endure whatever came next.
A sudden hush fell over part of the crowd. I noticed several people checking their phones, whispering to one another with concerned expressions.
“Something’s happening,” I murmured, leaning forward to get a better view.
Olivia appeared at my side. “I think the news of Alexander’s absence is spreading through the pack.”
Dread pooled in my stomach. If rumors reached my mother…
“I need to get down there,” I decided, turning back toward the preparation room.
As I moved, a tall figure caught my eye. Dominic Blackwood stood at the edge of the gathering, his powerful Alpha aura unmistakable even from a distance. His silver–gray eyes seemed to find mine unerringly, despite
the ceremonial curtains concealing me.
My breath caught in my throat. What was he doing here? We’d invited him out of diplomatic courtesy, never expecting him to attend.
Yet there he stood, commanding attention without effort, his gaze intense as it held mine across the
distance.
Olivia tugged at my arm. “Aria, we need to decide what to do if Alexander doesn’t return in time.”
“He needs to return,” I whispered, tearing my eyes away from Dominic. “He has to.”
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Chapter 13. The Missing A
But even as I spoke the words, doubt gnawed at me. If Alexander truly cared about our ceremony, about me, would he have left at all?
I returned to the preparation room, mind racing with contingency plans. Could we delay the ceremony? Make some excuse about traditional timing?
A soft knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Olivia opened it cautiously, then stepped back with wide
eyes.
“Alpha Blackwood,” she greeted, dropping into a respectful nod.
My heart skipped as Dominic entered, his imposing presence filling the space. His silver–gray eyes found mine immediately, sharp with understanding.
“Luna Summers,” he said, using my maiden name rather than Reed in a subtle but significant choice. “I thought you might appreciate a friendly face in this… situation.”
The careful phrasing confirmed my fears – he knew Alexander wasn’t here.
“How did you know?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper.
Dominic’s expression remained neutral, but his eyes reflected something like sympathy.
“News travels quickly among Alphas,” he replied simply. Then, his voice lowering so only I could hear, he asked the question that would change everything:
“Do you intend to stay?”
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