Chapter 6 – Where Is My Mate?

Blayze

Sunlight streaming through the window woke me, and I smiled at the memories of last night flooding back. My body felt pleasantly sore, marked by passion and need. I reached for Elara, wanting to hold her close, but my hand found only empty sheets.

"Elara?" I murmered softly, figuring she must be in the bathroom. When no answer came, I sat up, noticing the sheets were cold where she should have been. Whats going on?

Something's wrong, my wolf growled inside me. I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the slight burn that hadn't been there yesterday. Looking down, I froze.

There on my left pec was a white wolf mark - the sacred symbol of true mates blessed by the Moon Goddess herself.

"She's our mate," I whispered in awe. "Our true mate." Joy and confusion warred inside me. Why hadn't I felt the mate bond when we first touched? When we first kissed?

Find her, my wolf demanded. Now.

I threw on clothes and checked the bathroom. Empty. My heart started racing.

"Guards!" I bellowed, yanking open my chamber door. Two beta guards immediately appeared. "Where is she?"

They exchanged confused looks. "Who, sir?"

"Elara. The woman who was with me last night." My voice came out in a growl as anxiety clawed at my chest.

"We... haven't seen anyone leave your chambers, Alpha heir," the first guard said carefully.

I grabbed him by the collar, my wolf surging close to the surface. "Then how is she not here?"

"Blayze!" My father's voice cut through my rage. I released the guard, turning to see the Alpha King striding toward us. "What's going on?"

"Elara's missing." The words tasted like ash in my mouth. "She was here last night. She's my mate - look." I showed him the mark on my chest.

His eyes widened. "The wolfless girl? Your true mate?"

"Yes, and now she's gone." I ran a hand through my hair, fighting to stay calm. "I need search parties. Now."

"Of course." Father's expression hardened with concern. "Marcus," he addressed his head of security, "organize teams. Search the entire mansion first, then expand to the grounds. No one rests until we find her."

Guards scattered to obey as I paced, my wolf howling inside me. Where could she have gone? Why would she leave?

"Sir!" A young guard ran up, holding something small. "We found this in the garden beneath your balcony."

My heart stopped. In his palm lay Elara's silver hairpin - the one I'd carefully removed from her dark curls last night.

"There are signs someone climbed down," the guard continued. "But the trail goes cold at the garden wall."

Did someone took her?, my wolf snarled. Was our mate was stolen from us.

Red tinged my vision as rage and fear consumed me. If anyone had dared harm her...

"Find her," I ordered, my Alpha voice making the guards flinch. "Search every corner of this territory. I want every available wolf looking. Now!"

As they rushed to obey, I clutched her hairpin, the metal biting into my palm. Last night I'd finally found my true mate - the one person the Goddess chose for me. And now she was gone.

"I will find you, Elara," I whispered, letting my wolf's determined howl echo across the territory. "Whatever it takes."

I wouldn't rest until she was safe in my arms again. Someone had taken my mate.

And they would pay dearly for it.

"Blayze! Blayze!" My mother's voice rang through the halls as she hurried toward us, her long silver dress flowing behind her. "Your father just told me - you found your mate?"

I turned to see her beaming face, so different from her disappointed expression at the ball yesterday. "Yes, mother. It's Elara."

"The brave girl from last night?" She clasped her hands together. "Oh, I knew there was something special about her! The way she protected you from that dire wolf..." Her smile faltered when she saw my tense expression. "What's wrong?"

"She's missing," I growled, still clutching her hairpin. "Someone took her from my chambers."

Mother's face paled. "Took her? But how? The guards..."

"Didn't see anything," Father finished, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "But we'll find her."

"Tell me everything about her," Mother demanded, grabbing my arm. "Where does she live? Her family name? Anything that could help us locate her."

I opened my mouth, then closed it as realization hit. "I... I don't know." Shame colored my voice. "We never discussed it last night. Everything happened so fast with the dire wolves, then the ball, then..."

"You mated without knowing her full name?" Mother's eyes widened.

"I know her first name is Elara," I snapped, frustration making my wolf restless. "She had an invitation to the ball - that means she's registered somewhere."

Father nodded thoughtfully. "We sent invitations to every unmated female named Elara in our territory and neighboring packs. The records should be in my office."

"I'll check them myself," Mother declared. She squeezed my hand. "We'll find her, son. Yesterday I was heartbroken thinking the Goddess hadn't chosen a mate for you. Now look - you have the mark! She's your true mate, and nothing can break that bond."

I touched the white wolf mark on my chest, feeling it pulse faintly. "Can you feel her through the bond?" Mother asked hopefully.

"No," I admitted, worry gnawing at my gut. "I should be able to, shouldn't I? But there's nothing - just... emptiness."

"That's not normal," Father frowned. "Unless... dark magic could suppress a mate bond."

A growl ripped from my throat at the suggestion. If someone was using magic against my mate...

"Here!" A guard rushed in, carrying a thick ledger. "The invitation records, Alpha King."

Mother snatched the book, quickly flipping pages. "Elara... Elara... Here! We sent invitations to seven Elaras."

"Show me," I demanded, looking over her shoulder as she read:

"Elara Williams from Blue Creek Pack..."

"Elara Martinez from River Valley..."

"Elara Bennett from our own Silver Moon Pack..."

"Elara Thompson from..."

"Wait," I interrupted. "That's her - Elara Bennett. From Silver Moon."

"Are you sure?" Father asked. "How can you tell?"

I pulled down my shirt collar, showing them how the white wolf mark seemed to glow brighter. "Because when you said her name, this reacted. She's the one."

"Elara Bennett..." Mother's face scrunched in concentration. "I don't recall a Bennett family in our pack."

"Search their records," I ordered the guard. "Find out everything about the Bennetts and where they live. Now!"

As the guard hurried off, I stared out the window at our territory. Somewhere out there, my mate was waiting. Someone had taken her from me, tried to hide our bond.

They would regret that decision.

We'll find her, my wolf promised darkly. And whoever took her will pay in blood.

I gripped her hairpin tighter, watching the sun climb higher in the sky. "Hold on, Elara Bennett. I'm coming for you."

"My Lord," a guard rushed in panting.

"What?" I snapped.

"I checked checked, Elara Bennett was banished by her stepmother." He ended the words stammering.

"What!? Banished?" I repeated mu heart pounding.