Kian's POV
"I don't care whether or not she's dead. I want her body, even if you have to drag it here," my father, the pack's former Alpha, Marek Blackthorn, snarled, his glare burning straight through me. "And I will not accept any excuses."
"My men are already searching for her. They've been at it since the day she vanished. She hasn't shown up at the university in weeks. If she were still in Ravencall, we'd have found her by now," I replied, my tone sharper than I intended.
His eyes flashed with fury, as if he were still Alpha and I was the reckless boy he used to train. He might have passed the title to me, but he never truly let go of the power. And just because I respected him as my father didn't mean I would tolerate his overreach.
His eyes darkened as a growl rumbled in his chest. Without warning, his hand shot out and wrapped around my neck. I didn't fight him. I stood there, reminding myself that Marek Blackthorn wasn't just anyone he was a warrior, once feared by all the rival packs.
"Marek!" my mother, Elara, called, her voice slicing through the tension. But it wasn't enough to stop him. He growled lowly again, warning her to stay out of it. She hesitated, silent for a few heartbeats, torn between stopping him and letting him release his fury.
"You don't talk back to me, Kian," he growled, his grip tightening. "That girl's family gave their lives for you and your mother. The least we can do is protect her until she finds her mate. Do you understand me?"
His words hit like claws through my chest. If he ever found out I was her mate, the mate who rejected her he will tear me apart himself. There wouldn't be a funeral for me, just a pile of ash. The truth I wanted to spit back was cruel: maybe she should have died with them. At least then I wouldn't be in this mess. He released me, and I stumbled back, rubbing my neck. His cold, calculating gaze didn't waver as he turned for the door, Elara trailing behind him. She knew better than to provoke him when he was like this but I still hated the thought of her alone with him, even if I knew he'd never hurt her.
"I want her found. Alive or dead, it doesn't matter. I want answers, Kian. Why did she leave? Where is she now? If you can't give me those answers, you'll pay for her disappearance," he said before storming out.
The door slammed behind him, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. I wanted to scream. To throw something. To tell him she never should have mattered. But I knew better. He valued Aria more than he would ever admit. Maybe even more than me. I collapsed onto the couch, the weight of everything crushing my chest. Aria's absence gnawed at me, and my wolf paced angrily beneath my skin. Being here living with Vivienne only worsened the agitation.
"Kian?" Vivienne's voice rang out from the foyer as she entered, arms loaded with grocery bags. Once, her voice brought me comfort. Now it scraped across my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. I couldn't explain it. Couldn't stop it. She handed the bags to a maid and approached me, dropping her car keys onto the coffee table.
"When are you going to tell me what I did wrong? Why won't you even look at me?" she asked sharply. "Please, Kian, if I messed up, tell me. Let's fix it."
We have been drifting apart for weeks, but her growing desperation for a child had made things worse. She thought I didn't know but I did. I knew she had stopped taking her birth control right after Aria disappeared.
"You can start by getting back on your birth control," I said coldly.
"It's my body, Kian. What I do with it is my choice."
"Then you can dream about me touching you, Vivienne," I cut her off, meeting her eyes. She flinched at my words, but she didn't back away. Instead, she sat next to me, arms folded tightly.
"What happened to the life we planned? You refuse to mark me, you won't even try for a child, and ever since that little—"
"Don't," I growled, cutting her off. "Don't you dare finish that sentence."
She looked away, her boldness withering.
Taking a breath, I knelt in front of her, resting my forehead against her thighs, an apology I didn't feel but forced myself to give.
"I'm sorry. Dad got under my skin. I shouldn't be taking it out on you," I muttered. Her fingers slipped into my hair, gently stroking, trying to soothe the edge of my mood.
But her touch felt wrong. Every part of it felt like a lie, and I was beginning to hate it
Marek's words echoed in my head. Maybe if I found Aria her body, her scent, something I could finally end this restless hunt. But the thought of her being gone forever, It made my wolf claw at my insides.
"Is this about her again?" Vivienne asked, voice softer now. "Is he still pressuring you about her?"
"Yes," I admitted, eyes closed. "This whole thing is driving me insane. Especially since both he and Mom blame me for her leaving."
And the truth? They weren't wrong. Aria left because of me. I saw the heartbreak in her eyes every time she looked at me with Vivienne. Three nights after the last time we… she locked herself away. I'd stood outside her house, listening to her heartbeat, just to make sure she was alive.
"They shouldn't keep blaming you, Kian. She made her decision. That wasn't on you," Vivienne said, trying to sound supportive. "You had nothing to do with the Omega leaving. That was her choice."
"I'm the Alpha," I said, eyes hard. "It's my duty to protect everyone in this pack. Aria was part of this pack. Her family died for us."
"That was years ago, Kian. You've done more than enough—"
"No amount of money will ever repay what her parents did," I snapped. It was the only truth I wouldn't allow myself to ignore.
I stood and grabbed my jacket from the hook. There was one last place I hadn't checked—a tiny café Aria used to love on the far end of town.
"For goddess' sake, can't you just spend one night with me, Kian?" Vivienne asked, desperation cracking through her voice.
"I have responsibilities, Vivienne. Playing house won't fix anything," I said, pulling on my jacket.
Each step toward the door made my chest ache more. I just needed closure, dead or alive, I needed to know.
"Kian…"
I turned, meeting her eyes one last time.
"Don't wait up for me tonight," I said, cold and final. "You have things to do in the morning." And with that, I shut the door behind me not even looking back