Chapter 14

MIA

Six Years Later

The evening was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and earth. I stepped out onto the balcony, watching my son Aiden chase after Logan with wild laughter.

Aiden was only five, but even at his young age, his Alpha blood was unmistakable. He was strong, fast, and fiercely protective of those he cared about. But unlike his father, Aiden was also gentle, his laughter like music that soothed the scars on my heart.

His dark curls bounced with every step, and his golden-brown eyes—so much like Derek’s—glowed in the fading light.

A pang of emotion tightened my chest. Over the past six years, I had built a quiet life, shielding myself from the world I had once known. My family had welcomed me home, though my memories had never fully returned. Some came in fleeting glimpses, fragmented dreams that left me grasping at something just out of reach.

I was seeing a doctor that specialized in memory, on loan from Logan’s small pack, and each day the world I lived in got more and more familiar. Though there was still an emptiness, a part of me that had never quite healed.

Logan knelt in front of Aiden, ruffling his dark curls. “You’re getting faster, pup! You might just beat me next time.”

Aiden grinned, his sharp canines peeking through. “I’ll beat you now!”

I watched them with a mixture of gratitude and guilt. A childhood friend (or so they told me), Logan had been there for me through everything. Long and lanky with sandy hair that was as light and tousled as a wind-swept beach, he had stood by me, protected Aiden, and supported my healing.

He had never pushed for more, though I knew my family wanted it. They thought he would be good for me, that he could replace what I had lost. But even as my family subtly tried to nudge us together, he respected my hesitance.

I turned as Mason entered the courtyard, his sharp blue eyes scanning the scene before settling on me. “We need to talk,” he said, his tone unreadable.

Aiden, perceptive as ever, frowned. “You’re not taking Mommy away, are you?”

Being that I rarely left our pack territory and avoided social events, Aiden was used to always having me to himself.

Mason smirked, ruffling his nephew’s hair. “Only for a bit. Go easy on Logan while I steal her.”

I followed Mason into the kitchen, where he leaned against the white granite countertop, wasting no time getting to the point. “There’s an Alpha Council meeting this month,” he said. “Every Alpha has to bring their Luna or a date.”

“Why are Lunas required to attend?” I asked in mock innocence, reaching out to pull a grape out of the fruit bowl in front of me and popping it into my mouth. “It’s called the Alpha Council.”

He knew how riled I could get about equal rights in the werewolf hierarchy.

“Ha,” he said, thoroughly not amused. “This is the one special Council meeting of the year. The one where Alphas decide which pack is going to host this year’s Alpha Ball. We give the Lunas a little say. They do most of the planning, afterall.”

He smirked at me, and I reached out and swatted his arm playfully.

It was nice having a brother, even when he was purposely irritating.

I chuckled at him. “What does that have to do with me?”

He leveled a look at me. “Mom and Dad are traveling until the 30th,” he said.

“…and?”

He pressed his lips together and smiled with an apologetic grin.

I stiffened, the grape I’d eaten turning into a hard knot as it traveled down my esophagus. “Mason, you know I’ve avoided these gatherings for a reason.” Even thinking about it made my heart rate go up.

“I know,” he said, his voice gentle. “But it’s been six years. You can afford to loosen up a little. Besides, these Alpha-and-Luna gatherings aren’t just about duty. There’ll be good food, entertainment, and a different atmosphere from the usual serious meetings.”

I swallowed, my fingers curling into my palm. Six years of avoiding the spotlight, of staying out of politics and power struggles. Six years of staying far, far away from Derek.

“Will he be there?” I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.

“He notified us in advance about his absence.” Mason hesitated. “Actually…He hasn’t attended the Alpha Council meetings—the ones that mandate that Alphas bring their Lunas—the last few years.”

I studied my brother’s expression, searching for any sign of deception, be he met my gaze head-on.

“Why? I’d think his Luna would revel in attending these things.”

“His Luna?” he asked, puzzled.

“Cassandra.”

“Cassandra Laurent from the Eastern Ridge Pack?” he asked, clarifying.

I nodded.

Mason tilted his head at me. “Derek King isn’t married to Cassandra,” he said. “He’s never married at all.”

My eyebrows rose in surprise. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that information and was afraid to examine the feeling more closely.

If I didn’t need to worry about seeing Derek…

A part of me hesitated, but another part—one I had buried deep—was curious.

“Alright,” I finally said. “I’ll go.”

“Great!” Mason gave me a big smile. “Let’s represent Moonstone. Together.”

The grand hall where the Alpha Council gathering was being held was a spectacle of wealth and power, draped in opulence that only the strongest of the packs could afford. Chandeliers cast golden light across the room, illuminating the polished marble floors and the extravagant gowns and suits of the attendees. The scent of power was thick in the air, a potent mix of dominant Alpha presences and the unwavering grace of their Lunas.

I walked beside Mason, my posture poised but guarded. My brother had yet to find his mate and he was one of the most eligible bachelors in our world. Our family was powerful, rich and well-connected. So of course he drew attention.

Especially with a woman on his arm. I wondered how many people knew that I was his sister.

I could feel the weight of a hundred different gazes. Some curious, some speculative. I wasn’t used to being under scrutiny anymore. My life in the shadows had been safe, comfortable.

This? This felt decidedly the opposite.

Mason, of course, soaked in the attention, greeting fellow Alphas with confidence. I, on the other hand, retreated as soon as I could to a quiet corner, content to observe from the shadows. I had no desire to be the center of attention.

I sat down and ordered a cup of tea, sitting back to watch the blended retinue of werewolves.

And that’s when I heard it.

A woman’s voice, sickeningly familiar and laughing softly as she said his name.

Derek.

My breath caught, and my fingers clenched around the teacup I was holding. Slowly, I turned.

There he was.

Derek King stood just across the room, exuding an effortless dominance that commanded attention. His suit was perfectly tailored, but it did little to hide the raw power in his frame. His dark hair was neatly styled—that silver swoop that had so entranced me on full display—but his face—his face was what undid me.

Time had hardened him. The boyish arrogance was gone, replaced by something colder. Sharper. But his eyes—those same piercing eyes that had once set my soul ablaze—and so like our son’s—widened in shock as they met mine.

“Mia?”

His voice was hoarse, like he didn’t trust his own sight.

I swallowed hard, setting the teacup back into its saucer with a loud clink. I stood.

And that’s when Cassandra sidled up next to him, slipping her hand into the crook of his arm possessively. Whatever feeling that had zipped through me upon seeing him fizzled into nothing.

“My name,” I said, jutting out my chin. “Is Elena.”