The Luna Queen - Chapter 14: Chapter 14

_Kayden's POV_
I was in my study, staring out the window at the dark forest beyond the pack’s territory. My mind was racing. The guards had searched every corner of the forest, the caves, and even the surrounding areas, yet there was no sign of Leah. How could this be? If she was dead, they should have found her body by now. But she had simply vanished as if the earth had swallowed her whole.
It didn’t make sense. Leah couldn’t just disappear. Not like this. And if she was still alive, where was she hiding? I clenched my fists, feeling the frustration build inside me. She was dangerous, and if she was out there, she would come back. I could feel it. She wasn’t the type to let things go. Leah was strong, stubborn, and clever......too clever for her own good.
As I was deep in thought, the door to my study burst open. I turned, ready to snap at whoever had barged in, but it was Selena. Her face was lit up with excitement, and she held her phone in her hand.
"Kayden, look at this!" she said, practically bouncing as she approached me.
She shoved her phone in front of me and showed me a picture of a red dress. It was long, elegant, with a plunging neckline and intricate lace detailing on the sleeves. The color was bold, fiery, and it was clear that Selena was in love with it.
"What do you think?" she asked, her voice full of anticipation. "I want to wear this for our engagement."
I barely glanced at the dress before answering. "It’s fine. You can wear whatever you want."
Selena’s smile faltered, and her brows furrowed. She lowered the phone, staring at me with a frown. "Just fine? Don’t you like it?"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It’s not that. The dress is fine. I’m just… tired."
Her eyes softened for a moment, but then her frown deepened. "Tired? You’ve been like this for days, Kayden. Ever since Leah disappeared, you have been distracted, distant. You barely even seem interested in our engagement. What’s going on?"
I stood up from my chair and took her hand, trying to offer her some comfort, though my mind was still elsewhere. "I have sent out so many guards, and they have searched the entire forest. No one has seen Leah. She’s just… gone."
Selena rolled her eyes, pulling her hand away from mine. "Kayden, everyone should stop searching for her. We need to move on. You should forget about her. It’s like she is dead. Let it go."
I stared at her, my jaw tightening. "I can’t forget about her, Selena. I have a bad feeling about this. Leah is out there somewhere, and she is a threat. She could come back and cause more trouble for the pack. For us."
Selena crossed her arms and shook her head. "No, she won’t. She is gone. You need to stop obsessing over her and focus on us. We have an engagement to plan, a life to build. Leah doesn’t matter anymore."
I wanted to believe her. I wanted to move on and focus on the future I had with Selena, but something in my gut told me that Leah wasn’t done with us. She wasn’t the kind of person to disappear quietly. She would return, and when she did, I had no doubt it would bring chaos.
Selena stepped closer to me, her voice softening. "What color suit are you going to wear for the engagement? Black? I think you would look great in black. I have already called the designer. She is coming tomorrow to take your measurements."
I nodded absently, my thoughts still on Leah. "Black is fine."
She gave me a small smile, though I could tell she was still frustrated with my lack of enthusiasm. "When will you take me shopping for the rest of the accessories? We need to get everything ready soon."
"I’ll try to finish my work as soon as possible," I replied. "Then we can go."
Selena’s eyes searched mine, as if she was trying to understand what was going on in my head. "Kayden, you’re still thinking about Leah, aren’t you?"
I didn’t answer at first. I didn’t need to. The truth was written all over my face.
"I can’t shake the feeling that she is out there, plotting something against us," I finally said. "Against the pack. She hated me before, and after what I did to her, she is going to come back for revenge."
Selena sighed, her shoulders slumping. "You worry too much. Leah is gone. You did what you had to do, and now we’re free of her. Let’s focus on what’s important; us, the pack and our future together."
I wanted to agree with her, but the unease inside me wouldn’t go away. I couldn’t just forget Leah, not when I had this gnawing sense that she was lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Selena wrapped her arms around me, resting her head on my chest. "I don’t want to talk about Leah anymore," she murmured. "I just want to think about us."
I held her close, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. She was right, in a way. I needed to focus on our future. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the fear that Leah was still out there, watching, waiting.
As I stood there with Selena in my arms, I promised myself one thing: I would find Leah before she found me. Before she had the chance to bring chaos to everything I had built.
But for now, I needed to play the part of the dutiful fiancé. I needed to make Selena happy, and I needed to keep the pack strong.
"Tomorrow, after the measurements, we will go shopping," I told her, trying to sound more engaged.
Selena lifted her head and smiled. "Good. I can’t wait."
She kissed me softly, and for a moment, I allowed myself to forget about the danger lurking out there. For a moment, I let myself believe that everything would be fine.
But deep down, I knew it wouldn’t be.
The next morning, the designer came as planned. I stood still as she measured me for the engagement suit. Selena hovered nearby. She was chatting excitedly about the colors and the decorations which she wanted for the ceremony. I nodded along, offering input when she asked, but my mind was still far away, lost in thoughts of Leah.
The measurements didn’t take long, and soon enough, the designer was gone, leaving me alone with Selena again. She smiled at me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We’ll go shopping this afternoon, okay? Just the two of us."
"Okay," I agreed, forcing a smile.
She kissed my cheek and left the room, and as soon as she was gone, I felt the weight of my worries return. I walked to the window and stared out at the forest again. Somewhere out there, Leah was hiding. I could feel it.
And sooner or later, she would come back.
When she did, I would be ready.