Chapter 6 The Empty Bedroom

One Month Later

Kieran Ravencrest sat in the master bedroom of Ravencrest Manor, checking his watch for the third time in ten minutes. 9:47 PM.

Mira was late. Again.

He'd showered an hour ago, made the requisite preparations, and had been waiting in bed ever since. The breeding schedule was clear-tonight was optimal for conception. His mother had reminded him twice this week, and even Astrid had mentioned it yesterday, though she'd seemed less enthusiastic than usual about the arrangement.

10:15 PM. Kieran pulled out his phone and scrolled through emails, trying to ignore the growing irritation. This was unlike Mira. Whatever else he could say about his wife, she'd always been dutiful. Always shown up when required.

10:43 PM. He called her. The phone rang once, then went straight to voicemail. Her voice on the recording sounded younger, happier-from before their marriage had become whatever this was.

"Mira, where are you? Call me back."

He hung up and called again. Same result.

11:20 PM. Kieran got out of bed and dressed, his wolf restless with irritation. He was the Alpha. He didn't wait around for anyone, not even his Luna. Especially not for a wife who seemed determined to make everything difficult lately.

He headed downstairs, where Fletcher appeared from the shadows as always.

"Fletcher, when did Luna Mira arrive?"

The butler's expression remained carefully neutral. "She hasn't arrived this evening, Alpha."

"What do you mean she hasn't arrived? She knows what tonight is."

"I'm aware, sir. But I haven't seen the Luna in four weeks. Not since..." Fletcher trailed off delicately.

"Not since what?"

"Not since she collected some of her belongings and left a document on your desk."

Kieran's jaw tightened. "What document?"

"I believe it was legal in nature, sir. I placed it in your study."

Kieran strode to his study and flicked on the lights. His desk was immaculate as always, but in the center sat a manila envelope he'd never bothered to open. He'd assumed it was more of Mira's dramatics-another emotional letter he didn't have time for.

He opened it now.

Divorce papers. Fully executed, notarized, only awaiting his signature.

But that wasn't what made his blood run cold.

Beneath the divorce papers was a custody agreement. Mira had signed over full custody of Brielle to him, requesting only reasonable visitation rights.

No fight. No demands. Just... surrender.

And beneath that, something smaller. A pregnancy test, positive, with a note attached: Handled it.

Kieran stared at the test for a long moment, his mind refusing to process what he was seeing. Positive. She'd been pregnant. And "handled it" could only mean one thing.

His wolf surged forward with a roar of grief and rage that surprised him. She'd terminated his child-their child-without even telling him. Without giving him a choice.

"When did she leave this?" His voice came out rougher than intended.

"Four weeks ago, sir. The morning after she signed the custody papers."

Four weeks. She'd been gone for four weeks, and he hadn't even noticed. Hadn't even thought to look for her beyond irritation that she wasn't answering his calls about Brielle's school enrollment.

Kieran pulled out his phone and dialed Mira's number again. Still straight to voicemail.

He tried texting: Where are you? We need to talk.

The message showed as delivered but not read.

He called the pack healers. "This is Alpha Ravencrest. I need Luna Mira's current location."

"I'm sorry, Alpha, but the Luna is on extended leave. She requested all her assignments be redistributed."

"Extended leave? Where did she go?"

"I don't have that information, sir. You'd need to speak with Director Vale."

Kieran hung up and immediately called Lucian Vale's office. The phone rang five times before going to voicemail.

"Lucian, this is Kieran Ravencrest. I need to know where my wife is. Call me back immediately."

He paced the study, his wolf clawing at his control. Mira had vanished. Completely. And he had no idea where to even start looking.

His phone rang. Lucian.

"Where is she?" Kieran demanded without preamble.

"Good evening to you too, Kieran." Lucian's voice was cool. "I assume you're referring to Mira?"

"Of course I'm referring to Mira. Where is she?"

"On assignment."

"What assignment? Where?"

There was a pause. "I'm not sure I should tell you that. Mira specifically requested minimal contact with Ravencrest Pack during her term."

"She's my wife-"

"She's my employee," Lucian interrupted. "And one who explicitly asked not to be disturbed. She's earned the right to that request."

"Lucian, this isn't a game. I need to speak with her."

"Why? Because you finally noticed she's gone?" The judgment in Lucian's voice was unmistakable. "She's been gone a month, Kieran. If it was urgent, you would have noticed sooner."

"Just tell me where she is."

"The Outlands Health Initiative. Six-month assignment in remote villages. No cell service, no email, no way to contact her except through emergency relay, which I control." Lucian's voice hardened. "And I don't consider your sudden interest to be an emergency."

"Six months?" Kieran's mind reeled. "She signed up for six months without telling me?"

"Why would she tell you? You made it clear she was only relevant once a month for breeding purposes. She's not breeding anymore, so what do you need her for?"

The words hit like a slap. "That's not-we have an arrangement-"

"An arrangement she's terminated. The divorce papers are signed, Kieran. All they need is your signature. I suggest you give her what she wants and let her move on with her life."

"This is about more than divorce-"

"Is it? Because from where I'm standing, you've been perfectly happy with your new little family unit. I hear Brielle's settling in well at the city apartment. Astrid's been wonderful with her, hasn't she?"

"How do you-"

"I keep tabs on my employees. Mira is an exceptional healer, and she's been systematically destroyed by your neglect and your mother's abuse. So yes, I'm protective of her. And no, I'm not going to help you track her down so you can add to her suffering."

"I'm not trying to hurt her. I just need to talk to her about-" Kieran looked down at the pregnancy test. "About something important."

"Then you can talk to her when she gets back. Six months. Give her that time to heal."

"Lucian-"

"Goodbye, Kieran. Don't call again unless it's a genuine emergency."

The line went dead.

Kieran stood in his study, holding a positive pregnancy test from a child that no longer existed, looking at divorce papers from a wife who'd disappeared, and for the first time in years, he felt something close to panic.

She was gone. Really, truly gone. And he had no way to reach her, no way to explain, no way to fix whatever this was.

His phone buzzed. A text from Astrid: Is everything okay? You've been gone a while.

Right. Astrid was still at the city apartment with Brielle, waiting for him to return from "taking care of business" at the manor.

Kieran looked around his study-at the divorce papers, the custody agreement, the pregnancy test. Evidence of a marriage he'd destroyed through neglect and a wife he'd reduced to a breeding vessel until she'd finally had enough.

Everything's fine, he texted back. Be home soon.

But nothing was fine.

His wolf was howling, agitated in a way Kieran didn't understand. Mira had only been gone a month. Why did it feel like something essential had been ripped away?

He tried to call her one more time. Straight to voicemail.

"Mira, I... we need to talk. About the papers, about everything. Just call me back. Please."

The "please" surprised him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd said that word to his wife.

Kieran gathered the papers and locked them in his desk drawer. He'd deal with this tomorrow. Or next week. Whenever Mira decided to resurface and be reasonable about things.

Because she would come back. She had to. She was his Luna, bound to him by pack law and mate bonds. A few months of whatever this was would pass, and things would return to normal.

They had to.

But as Kieran drove back to the city apartment, back to Astrid and Brielle and the life he'd built without Mira, his wolf remained restless. Unsettled.

Like it knew something Kieran hadn't accepted yet.

Some absences couldn't be waited out.

Some departures were permanent.