MARKED FOR PRETEND - Chapter 41: Chapter 41
You are reading MARKED FOR PRETEND, Chapter 41: Chapter 41. Read more chapters of MARKED FOR PRETEND.
She was gone.
And yet… her scent lingered.
Kaden sat on the edge of her bed, elbows resting on his knees, head bowed low. The sheets had been changed three times since Chelsea’s disappearance, but her scent clung like a memory that refused to fade. Lavender and lightning — wild and soft all at once.
He used to complain about how it followed him around. Now he held his breath just to keep it a moment longer.
Kael hadn’t spoken in days. The wolf didn’t rage or fight , he simply howled, low and mournful, every night beneath the moon.
She was alive. Kaden felt it in his bones.
But not in Duskveil.
Not anywhere close.
And not safe.
A knock. Then a pause.
He didn’t speak. Didn’t need to.
The door creaked open slowly, and a young maid stepped in with careful hands and downcast eyes. She held a silver tray, shaking slightly as she approached the table.
“Alpha…” she said, voice trembling. “You haven’t eaten.”
Kaden said nothing.
She set the tray down, her hands stiff with tension. She didn’t dare look at him directly.
“The council sent word,” she added, quieter now. “They’re asking when you’ll—”
He looked up,he was not angry, not furious , just cold.
“Leave it,” he said.
She swallowed hard, nodding quickly. “Yes, Alpha.” She turned, already halfway to the door when his voice stopped her.
“Is there any news of Chelsea ?”
The maid froze. Shook her head. “Still missing, Alpha. We searched the east watch but… no trail.”
His jaw tightened, Chelsea.
Kaden stood slowly, walking to the window. The night looked brittle — like glass stretched too thin.
Kael stirred inside him, low and restless.
She’s not gone. But she’s slipping away from us.
He didn’t know if it was a warning or a plea.
“The council is worried.”
He looked up slowly. “Let them worry.”
The maid stepped inside, setting the tray down. Her voice lowered.
“Alpha… there are whispers. About your mark on her. About what happened the night she vanished.”
His jaw clenched. “She was taken.”
“Some say she ran.”
He stood now, sharp and sudden. “She didn’t run.”
Kael stirred for the first time, growling low.
She wouldn’t run. Not from me.
“Then where is she?” She whispered. “Because wherever she is… she’s not coming back. Not on her own.”
Silence stretched between them.
Then Kaden spoke, voice rough:
“She’s in danger. I feel it.”
He turned away from Myra and looked out the window. The moon was pale tonight. Distant. Like it had turned its back on them.
“Send word to the council,” he said. “Duskveil will host a summit. All Alphas still loyal to the North must attend.”
Behind him, the maid hesitated. “Alpha… if I may—”
“You may not.”
She lowered her head. “Forgive me.” And she left without another word.
Kaden stood alone in the room that still smelled like her.
He had let her walk into the Selection.
He had marked her.
He had lost her.
Now he would tear apart the world until he found her again.
And yet… her scent lingered.
Kaden sat on the edge of her bed, elbows resting on his knees, head bowed low. The sheets had been changed three times since Chelsea’s disappearance, but her scent clung like a memory that refused to fade. Lavender and lightning — wild and soft all at once.
He used to complain about how it followed him around. Now he held his breath just to keep it a moment longer.
Kael hadn’t spoken in days. The wolf didn’t rage or fight , he simply howled, low and mournful, every night beneath the moon.
She was alive. Kaden felt it in his bones.
But not in Duskveil.
Not anywhere close.
And not safe.
A knock. Then a pause.
He didn’t speak. Didn’t need to.
The door creaked open slowly, and a young maid stepped in with careful hands and downcast eyes. She held a silver tray, shaking slightly as she approached the table.
“Alpha…” she said, voice trembling. “You haven’t eaten.”
Kaden said nothing.
She set the tray down, her hands stiff with tension. She didn’t dare look at him directly.
“The council sent word,” she added, quieter now. “They’re asking when you’ll—”
He looked up,he was not angry, not furious , just cold.
“Leave it,” he said.
She swallowed hard, nodding quickly. “Yes, Alpha.” She turned, already halfway to the door when his voice stopped her.
“Is there any news of Chelsea ?”
The maid froze. Shook her head. “Still missing, Alpha. We searched the east watch but… no trail.”
His jaw tightened, Chelsea.
Kaden stood slowly, walking to the window. The night looked brittle — like glass stretched too thin.
Kael stirred inside him, low and restless.
She’s not gone. But she’s slipping away from us.
He didn’t know if it was a warning or a plea.
“The council is worried.”
He looked up slowly. “Let them worry.”
The maid stepped inside, setting the tray down. Her voice lowered.
“Alpha… there are whispers. About your mark on her. About what happened the night she vanished.”
His jaw clenched. “She was taken.”
“Some say she ran.”
He stood now, sharp and sudden. “She didn’t run.”
Kael stirred for the first time, growling low.
She wouldn’t run. Not from me.
“Then where is she?” She whispered. “Because wherever she is… she’s not coming back. Not on her own.”
Silence stretched between them.
Then Kaden spoke, voice rough:
“She’s in danger. I feel it.”
He turned away from Myra and looked out the window. The moon was pale tonight. Distant. Like it had turned its back on them.
“Send word to the council,” he said. “Duskveil will host a summit. All Alphas still loyal to the North must attend.”
Behind him, the maid hesitated. “Alpha… if I may—”
“You may not.”
She lowered her head. “Forgive me.” And she left without another word.
Kaden stood alone in the room that still smelled like her.
He had let her walk into the Selection.
He had marked her.
He had lost her.
Now he would tear apart the world until he found her again.
End of MARKED FOR PRETEND Chapter 41. Continue reading Chapter 42 or return to MARKED FOR PRETEND book page.