Chapter 1
Third POV
The Night He Vanished
“Rhys, what’s going on?”
He exhaled deeply. “It’s my dad,” he said softly. “He’s sick.”
Elisa’s eyes widened. “Sick?”
“He has brain cancer. It’s advanced. He’s been given a span of three years only to live with strict medical care.”
Her jaw dropped, this isn’t what she was expecting. She sat quietly at the luxury rooftop of her boyfriend’s family mansion. The Helves Pack’s Estate. London’s night air was cold, but she barely felt it. Not with Rhys beside her.
His arm draped over her shoulders. They were supposed to be chatting and romancing but tonight, this news felt heavy.
He had called her up here after dinner. With such a serious tone, Elisa knew something was wrong but couldn’t wait to hear it. Now she was here, he just stared up at the sky, eyes lost in thought. Elisa’s heart thumped. She was eager to know. Now that she knew, she was anxious to know what next.
Not being able to say anything, she reached out for his hand.
“The doctors say he wouldn’t live longer than that.”
“I have to leave. I will have to take over him as the Alpha.”
“What do you mean?” She whispered quietly with a disturbed. “To where? Am I coming too?”
All through their childhood years, high school and even through college, they have been together, so she couldn’t imagine being apart from him even for a day.
“No, you can’t but I’ll come back for you.”
“I will let you know before leaving, the university that has been chosen for me to further my studies. It’s still under debate by the Alpha and the pack elders.”
He sighed.
“But one thing is I’ll be gone for three years.”
“Three years.” She blinked back tears. “Three?”
“I won’t survive living three years without you.” Elisa began to cry.
Rhys turned to her quickly. “No. I’d never want to see your tears, baby. I swear. I’ll come back. You’ll wait for me, right?”
She looked into his eyes, filled with calmness that was falling apart and whispered, “You promise?”
“With everything in me.” He cupped her cheeks. “I will never choose anyone aside from you. I promise.”
Silence took over them.
On the eve of Rhys’ departure, Elisa decided to give him her body. His departing yet promise sex with the hope that this will keep Rhys and her till they return back to each other. It was a steamy and passionate night like never before.
Rhys kissed Elisa like never before, his thrusts were deep and sharp, Elisa moaned so loud, not caring if anyone would hear her. She was eighteen and the next time she would get to be with her boyfriend like this, she would be twenty-one, the age werewolves find their fated mate. Rhys was already twenty-five but hadn’t met his mate yet which was a strong reason she believed that his wolf was just waiting till she became of age.
The night was long. She loved it. “How I wished I could make it stay forever like this and we in this blissful moment.” She said amidst gnashing of teeth. Rhys leaned forward grinning, whispering a “Yeah,” but her earlobe while thrusting deep into her.
With different styles and rounds, he sailed her to the peak of bliss. Elisa dropped to the bed with him. She laid on his body, a soft smile on her lips and getting cuddled to sleep. Tomorrow, she will get to know the university he’s admitted to and how their staying apart from each other would be handled.
She had a whole lot to hear.
But when Elisa woke, the bed beside her was empty, the room as well. Her heart nearly jumped to her throat as she sat up quickly.
“Rhys?”
“Rhys.”
“Rhys.”
Jumping up from the bed, she bent to pick her clothes, the only ones scattered on the floor and rushed out in search of him. She checked the bathroom, rest room, dining, dressing room. No sign of him.
“Rhys—“
“Don’t tell me you’re gone?” Tears began to form in her eyes, she grabbed her chest.
“Rhys?” She called as she stormed through the hallway.
No answer. His scent was faint.
Gone.
She rushed downstairs to meet his parents and sister to ask. Gloom cascaded over their faces, it was enough to tell her that he was gone.
“Where’s Rhys?” she asked breathlessly.
His sister gave a polite but distant smile. “He had to leave early.”
Elisa blinked. “What do you mean? He didn’t even say goodbye.” She fought hard to hold the tears.
“It was for the best. Sudden departure. Security reasons. You understand.” The Luna said coldly. The Alpha was silent, staring at Elisa.
“I can’t believe this.” Elisa snapped, panic creeping in. “Where is he going to then, perhaps I can get there to meet him?”
“I’m sorry, dear. We can’t say.” She disclosed.
“Please. I won’t tell anyone. I just—please tell me where he is going.”
“The less you know, the safer it is for him.”
These words haunt deep, she felt like an outsider, like she never belonged all these while. “But I was his girl, his promised Luna. He even asked me to wait for him.” She was on the verge of tears. “Why can’t I just know where he is?”
“He will be in a place you can’t go to.” The Alpha finally spoke, his tone, cold and sad.
What does he mean? Because my family isn’t rich enough to sponsor my travel?
Her heart cracked but she couldn’t say anything.
“He’ll reach out when the time is right.” The Luna added but this didn’t sit well with Elisa, she sensed deception. What if Rhys was never going to come back for her?
Elisa didn’t believe the Luna, nor Rhys, his promise. Not fully.
Elisa felt so betrayed, thinking both Rhys and his family were playing her and didn’t want her to become the next Luna. She tried his number but it said, “Sorry the number you’re trying to call is unavailable.”
Each call, she received the same repeats. She stood there, the world seemed to exist without Rhys in it. It was a great void. She returned to her family, heartbroken and sunk in despair.
Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months without hearing from the love of her life. Still his family refused to speak to her about his whereabouts but each time, they met her with gloomy faces and a sad tone.
“Something is wrong!” She thought but more of that she’s no longer needed in Rhys’ life.
Her instinct asked her to give up and move on but her wolf refused to. She wondered if she could stay till the three years and meet him again.
Maybe she needed to.
The memory of his sweet touches and soothing voice stayed with her, but the hope of meeting him again began to fade.
It was over three years and Rhys hadn’t returned, so she decided to move on with her life, her dream to further her studies in America. Part of her that couldn’t let go thought she could meet him over there.
Then came the letter.
A full scholarship to the New York University, located in Sowlfield Pack. A chance to study music, her true passion. She had always dreamed of majoring in Arts, painting but now the only way she felt she could heal was making music about the man she loved and lost. This was her motivation.
Though she was set for a new beginning, some remnants of her past will accompany her forever in music.
One thing was left. The scholarship interview. With this, she would be flying to NYU. Days passed quickly and the scheduled day for the interview arrived. It was set to be held on Zoom. A professor will be in charge.
Inside of her, she was praying to the moon goddess for a more lenient interviewer, this interview would determine whether her resumption would be sooner or postponed.
When she sat on the camera to see her interviewer, everything stopped. Her breath caught in quick paces. She grabbed her chest quickly but then she remembered it was a very important interview.
Right before her was the Rhys she was dying to hear from, to see and meet.
“Why should we meet when I’m already starting to move on and why didn’t you call me?”
“Are you now a professor? Of Music? Why did you switch to Music when you were in Visual Arts?” Her mouth switched from one question to the other but all she got was the serious Rhys staring at her coldly and puzzled from his eyeglasses.
“Can’t you remember me?” Her desperate wolf was almost breaking loose.
Silence. Then a heavy breath.
“Have we met before?”
Elisa’s heart cut. “If not, please settle down for this interview.”
“I don’t think I know you.”
Elisa went speechless and shattered. Is he for real? She began to wonder next why he wasn’t returning to Helves Pack but now a professor.
Does he want to cut ties with me, his family and the pack forever?
What happened to him?
What did we do?
These questions clashed with his first interview question, striking her focus into two directions. Rhys looked so real. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. She couldn’t wait to meet him.
But his eyes, they spoke something different. Like he never knew her. Elisa wondered if he was pretending or he was his lookalike but how can something look exactly the same like him?
Something was wrong somewhere.
And as Elisa sat across from him, blinking back tears, one terrifying thought filled her mind.
Has Rhys actually moved on with another girl?