Chapter 89

Chapter 89
+25 Bonus
“Everyone, huh?”
“Well, most everyone. There are some people who believe the rumors about him marrying Felicity, and they’re outraged that he would do such a thing while his wife is still missing. But for the most part, I think everyone can see how much your disappearance has affected Nolan.”
“You know, I don’t regret my decision-but I do feel bad about it sometimes. I really didn’t think any of this would affect Nolan the way it has. Turns out he has a heart after all. Who knew?”
Rae made a soft sound in response and a tense silence fell between us.
Knowing that Nolan was suffering because I was gone was strange. I felt for him, but at the same time a small part of me felt that he deserved it. Maybe if I could just remember more, my feelings wouldn’t be so mixed up.
For now, I would just have to learn to feel with the conflicting emotions.
Nolan POV
I walked beside Cassian, heading down a sidewalk in Moonstone territory not far from his Packhouse. I hadn’t seen him in a few months-not since the search for Ellie had started to die down in the neighboring territories.
It frustrated me beyond reason that no one else seemed to be taking her disappearance seriously, just because a few months had passed. Cassian especially-who had grown so close to Ellie-seemed more reluctant than most to help me find her.
Which made no sense. He expressed concern for her, of course, but something about the look on his face whenever we spoke, and something in the tone of his voice, set me on edge.
I couldn’t explain why, but it made me suspicious. Instinct, maybe. My wolf picking up on something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
Ever since Ellie had vanished, my wolf had been more present-restless and aggressive, almost like he was mad at me for losing our mate. Not that I could blame him. I was furious with myself.
This entire thing was my fault. I had put Ellie in a situation where she was vulnerable and unprotected.
As the wife of an Alpha, she should have had guards assigned to her from the very beginning. Guards who knew her well enough to notice if something was wrong.
But that didn’t bear thinking about now. I was only going to get myself worked up again, going in circles.
We were approaching the Royal Hospital of Moonstone. Maybe the sight of the sign was what sparked these thoughts. I tried to shake them off, but my eyes lingered on the entrance.
The sun was getting low, shadows stretching across the pavement, while Cassian was saying something about their new elder care facility.
And then the wind shifted.
A familiar scent hit me-faint, blurred by the artificial tang of cheap shampoo and body wash-but still unmistakable. Warm vanilla. The scent I had grown almost blind to over the years, now striking me like a blow to the chest.
My instincts screamed. Move.
Before I realized what I was doing, I veered sharply off course. Cassian called after me, his voice sharp with alarm,
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Chapter 89
+25 Bonus
and I heard him curse as he hurried to follow. But I didn’t slow. I didn’t stop.
There on the sidewalk ahead-stood a woman frozen mid-step. Gray moonlight eyes wide, her hair shorter than I remembered. She wore scrubs and an oversized cardigan that hid her figure, but I would have known her anywhere.
I grabbed her arms. Not too tightly, just enough to prove to myself that this wasn’t a hallucination. That she was real.
She stared up at me, mouth open, unable to speak.
“I found you,” I whispered, breathless. My chest ached as the words tumbled out, raw with relief. “I finally found you, Ellie.”
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