The Luna Queen - Chapter 37: Chapter 37

_Kayden's POV_
I stormed back to the room. My mind was swirling with anger and confusion. I had given Leah time to think, to process her situation, but now I was ready for answers. I pushed the door open with force, expecting to see her still tied to the bed.
But the bed was empty.
I froze in the doorway, my eyes widening as I scanned the room. The ropes that had bound Leah’s wrists were lying on the floor, loose and frayed. Panic surged through me, and my wolf, Leo, howled in my mind. How could she have escaped?
"Impossible," I muttered under my breath, rushing to the bed to examine the ropes. I had tied her securely, and I had stationed guards outside the room. Leah was still weakened by the wolfsbane
There was no way she could have freed herself without help.
But the evidence was clear. Leah was gone.
My heart pounded as I spun around, marching toward the door. I flung it open and shouted, "Fred! Ray!"
Two of my pack members came running, their expressions tense. "What’s wrong, Alpha?" Fred asked, his eyes flicking toward the room, where they could clearly see the empty bed.
"Leah’s gone," I growled, my voice sharp with frustration. "Gather the guards. Search the entire packhouse. She must be hiding somewhere nearby."
Fred and Ray exchanged a nervous glance before nodding. "Yes, Alpha," Ray replied quickly, already turning to sprint down the hall.
I clenched my fists, my mind racing. How did she get away? I couldn’t afford to lose her, not now, not after everything that had happened. Leah held too many secrets, and there was something about her wolf, something I needed to understand. My gut twisted with the thought of her slipping through my fingers.
Leo growled in my mind, restless and agitated. We need to find her. We can’t let her go.
I paced the room as the minutes dragged on, my patience wearing thin. My pack members searched every corner of the packhouse, checking rooms, corridors, and even the cellar, but there was no sign of Leah.
Finally, Fred and Ray returned, their faces grim. "Alpha, she’s not here," Fred reported, out of breath. "We have searched everywhere. It’s like she vanished."
My jaw tightened, and Leo snarled in frustration. "She didn’t just vanish," I snapped. "She had help."
Leo suddenly stirred in my mind, alert. Kayden, her scent…
My sharp eyes narrowed as I strode toward the window, my senses heightened. I inhaled deeply, catching the faint scent of Leah lingering in the air. It was faint but unmistakable, leading toward the open window.
The window?
I pushed it open and leaned out, my eyes scanning the ground below. It was a long drop, but Leah’s scent was strong here. She must have escaped through the window and found a way to climb down. But how? And why hadn’t the guards seen her?
My heart raced as I stepped back from the window, my mind working furiously. She didn’t do this alone. Someone helped her.
Without wasting another second, I shifted into my wolf form. Leo surged forward, taking control, and together we bolted out of the room and down the hall. I leapt through the door and into the night, my paws hitting the ground with thunderous force as I followed Leah’s fading scent.
The trail led me through the packhouse grounds, past the guards, and toward the southern border of my territory. Leah’s scent was growing fainter with every step, but I was relentless, my determination fueling my speed. I needed to catch up to her before she got too far.
You won’t get away from me, Leah. Leo’s growl echoed in my mind as we charged through the dense woods, our eyes glowing with predatory focus.
But then, as suddenly as the scent had appeared, it stopped.
I skidded to a halt, my chest heaving as I found myself on a dirt road that cut through the forest. I lowered my nose to the ground, sniffing intently, but the scent was gone. It didn’t fade, it just stopped.
Leah must have gotten into a vehicle.
I shifted back into my human form, my eyes narrowing as I surveyed the road. There were tire tracks in the dirt, fresh enough to confirm my suspicion. Leah had been picked up by someone in a car. I clenched my fists, fury boiling in my veins. Who helped her?
My mind immediately went to the rogues I had seen with Leah that night at the temple. They had been close to her, protective even. Were they the ones who had helped her escape? It made sense, but I didn’t have any proof yet.
I growled low in my throat, pacing along the road as my thoughts raced. Leah couldn’t have done this alone. And if those rogues are involved…
Leo snarled in my mind, full of frustration. We need to find her. We can’t let her go.
I nodded grimly. I would hunt her down, no matter how far she ran. Leah had escaped me once, but it wouldn’t happen again. I wouldn’t stop until I had answers, until I knew what she had been doing in that temple and why her wolf had grown so powerful.
As I stood on the road, my chest still heaving from the chase, I made a silent vow.
You won’t escape me, Leah. Not this time.
I marched back to the packhouse, my chest still heaving from the adrenaline and frustration of the chase. Leo was growling in my mind, demanding we continue the search, but I forced myself to return. I needed to regroup, plan, and find out who had helped Leah escape. I slammed through the front doors of the packhouse, my expression dark, and headed toward my office.
As I strode down the hallway, Selena appeared from one of the rooms, her heels clicking sharply on the floor. She had been waiting for me, dressed in an elegant gown that accentuated her status as the future Luna. Her soft blonde hair flowed over her shoulders, and her blue eyes gleamed with a mix of concern and irritation as she hurried to intercept me.
“Kayden, where have you been?” she asked, her voice laced with annoyance. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
I barely glanced at her, my mind still locked on Leah. I was about to brush past Selena when she stepped directly in front of me, forcing me to stop.
“Kayden, listen to me,” Selena said firmly, her tone unusually demanding. “You need to let this go. Leah’s gone. She’s not worth this much trouble. You’re getting married next week. You need to focus on us. On the pack. This obsession with Leah… it’s unhealthy.”
My jaw clenched at her words, my patience already razor-thin. I narrowed my eyes, not in the mood to be lectured, especially not by Selena. “Selena, now isn’t the time.”
But she wasn’t finished. “It is the time, Kayden. You’re the Alpha. You can’t keep chasing after some rogue girl when your entire pack is waiting for you to lead. Our wedding is next week, and....”
I suddenly raised my hand, cutting her off mid-sentence. My eyes burned with a sharp intensity as I looked at her, my voice dangerously low. “You don’t have the right to tell me what to do.”
Selena blinked, taken aback by my tone. “Kayden, I....”
“I am the Alpha,” I growled, my voice cold and commanding. “I decide what’s important, and you need to know your place. Don’t forget that.”
Selena’s face paled, her lips pressing into a thin line. She swallowed hard, a flicker of hurt flashing in her eyes before she regained her composure. “I’m only trying to help,” she said softly, her voice now cautious, almost pleading.
My gaze remained hard. “Stay out of this, Selena. Leah is my business. Focus on what you’re here for.”
For a moment, we stood in tense silence, the air between us thick with unspoken words. Selena finally lowered her gaze, a storm of emotions swirling in her expression; frustration, fear, and something else she wouldn’t voice. She stepped aside, allowing me to pass, though the tension still crackled between us.
As I walked away, my mind shifted back to Leah. I needed to track her down, uncover her secrets. Nothing else mattered right now, not the wedding, not Selena’s concerns. Leo growled in agreement.
You can run, Leah, I thought darkly. But you can’t hide forever.