Chapter 3 Find her!

~Lucian~

As I rode through the countryside, the scenery passing me by in a blur, my thoughts were fixated on the dark-haired girl that I had in my home.

I had decided to take this journey to make an important negotiation with a pack, to focus on matters of the pack, and to put aside the tumultuous feelings that she stirred within me. But it seemed that even the rolling hills and verdant forests couldn't banish her from my mind.

I could still smell her sweet scent on my clothes, and feel the softness of her skin beneath my fingers. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face, her dark curls tumbling down her back, her full lips curved in a smile. Her bright green eyes that always seemed to be filled with fear, no matter how I tried to act as normal as I could be.

Even as my beta recounted pack affairs, I struggled to concentrate. His words were a mere buzz in my ears, drowned out by the incessant echo of Amara's voice. It was as if she had taken root in my mind, a stubborn weed that refused to be plucked.

I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the thoughts. It was foolish to be so preoccupied with a woman, especially one who was not even my mate or wife. But every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face, felt her touch.

I knew deep down that I was merely running from my feelings, and that until I confronted them, they would continue to haunt me. I had damaged her, I wanted to view her as just someone to discard after her job is done but it was so goddamn hard. I couldn't just let her go, I have grown possessive of her. And I want to make amends. To make her feel better than I did in the past.

After I got back to the estate, my idea was to summon her to my chambers. I felt guilty, though I would never apologize but at least maybe flowers would make her day. Not sure.

Then, I decided to just visit her chambers. And now here I was, in her chambers, staring at the space where Amara used to be. Her clothes were gone. The space where her essentials used to be was now empty. Marcus, my beta, walked in and gave me a questioning look.

"You summoned me. How was the trip?" he asked.

I shrugged. "A success but also disappointing. I couldn't focus on anything except her. It's like she's haunting me."

Marcus sighed. "You seem more obsessed than I thought. Maybe it's time to let her go. It was a well-planned escape. So she has probably been planning it for weeks. "

I felt a surge of anger rise within me. "Don't you dare suggest that. I won't give up on her. She might even be with child right now. I need to know. "

I turned to Elsie, Amara's maid. "Elsie, where is Amara?" I demanded.

Elsie shook her head. "I don't know, Your Highness. She disappeared in the night. I searched for her but couldn't find her."

My frustration grew, and I clenched my fists. "You know more than you're letting on, Elsie. She wouldn't have been able to escape without help."

Elsie looked down, avoiding my gaze. "I swear, I know nothing. I would never betray you or Amara."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I knew Elsie was telling the truth. We had been close since childhood.

"Fine. But if you hear anything, anything at all, you'll come to me immediately. Understood?"

Elsie nodded, and I could see the relief on her face. "Of course, Your Highness. You have my loyalty."

I dismissed her with a wave of my hand, lost in my thoughts once again. I knew I had to find Amara before it was too late.

Just as I was about to leave the room, Elsie, Amara's maid, stopped me. "Your Highness, may I speak with you for a moment?"

I turned to her, curious. "What is it, Elsie?"

"Why do you need her back, Your Highness?" Elsie asked. "Do you truly care for her or is it just a matter of pride?"

I felt a pang of guilt at her words, realizing that my actions might have come off as possessive rather than caring. But I knew deep down that it was more than just pride.

"I don't know. Sometimes there is no reason for something. But I know this is not about pride. This is just about something that I can't explain." I said, my voice low and sincere.

Elsie was like a second mother to me and she would understand me best. She could understand the feelings I could not put into words. "I just want to see her one more time and make sure she is fine." My wolf seemed to happily agree to that idea when I said that, feeling a bit more relaxed than it did when we had discovered that Amara was missing.

Elsie's expression softened, and she hesitated before speaking. "She ran off to the south, Your Highness. She's headed towards the mountains. To my cousin."

Relief flooded through me, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for Elsie's loyalty and willingness to help.

"Thank you, Elsie," I said, giving her a small smile. "You don't know how much this means to me."

As I left the room, I felt a newfound determination to find Amara and bring her back to me.

I looked at Marcus who stood not too far from me and gave him a stern look.

"Gather the search troops and find her!"