Chapter 4

Staring up at the cloudy sky, I watch the slow movement. It calmed me or rather being in this spot calmed me. The same place I fed her food. Where I felt the first brush of her lips on my fingers. Gulping, I try to picture her beautiful face smiling up at me.

So little memories together and they are fading. I'd known her for such a short time, a few weeks maybe. Honestly, I couldn't tell how long we've tried to fix a broken relationship. If you could even call what we had a relationship.

We both felt betrayed by the other. Neither one wanting to take the blame. I slept around, creating a horrible position for her to be in. No female wants to come in second to her mate, which is what I had done to her. Shaking my head, I howl agonizingly into the cool afternoon air. I misused my power growing up. If I'd only been a male searching for his mate and not a Prince looking for his Princess, none of this would have happened.

I didn't blame her one bit for hiding from me all these years. She had every right to be wary of our future together. What female wouldn't think twice about their mate cheating, when it's all he'd done for years?

At this point I didn't care if she second-guessed me, all I want is her to be in my arms. Where I know she is safe and sound. She could run from me in the castle, hide and worry every bone in my body until I turn blue with fear. As long as she showed herself before nightfall, I wouldn't be angry at her.

It's all she knows how to do. Run and hide. I can't force her away from something I caused her to do. I know that now. I know what I must be to her when I find her. A mate who lets her be. Who doesn't become angry at every little disrespect aimed at him.

She needs the freedom to run free with the ones she loves. She'd told me once how she'd take runs with the guys. It would be hard for me to let her run with Nik, knowing the bond they share. But in the end if I don't trust her to be true and faithful to me, then we honestly won't last as a couple. Trust works both ways.

Standing up, I pick a rock from under the water, throwing it across the miniature ripples from the waterfall. She could be here right at this moment if it hadn't had been for that ridiculous order.

"Son, it's time," my father comes to stand behind me. Gripping my arm, forcing me to watch my mate run away once more.

"I have to go after her father. She needs me right now. We can't let this get between us. She will understand why I had to testify against Nik. She has to know." I keep chanting in my head how she will understand. She will forgive me when I meet up with her. This isn't the end of our barely their relationship.

"The council has decided this will be the perfect time to test out her loyalty," he states with worry. We all knew what the test entailed. It's been brought up in multiple meetings.

"No, I will not subject her to that right after this hearing. She isn't in her right mind. Who knows what she will do. For all, we know she might get hurt. I will not allow my mate to be in danger because of a stupid test the people and council members demand."

"It's already put into place, Caden. I'm truly sorry." He steps back from me with a frown. "This is for your own good Caden. Remember that."

"What is?" I watch as he takes my mother's crying form into his arms. Cooing into her ear to try and calm her down. "What are you doing father?" My mother's cries frightened me. What is happening that I do not know of?

"Prince Caden, this is for not only your protection but your peoples as well. We cannot allow you to interfere with the test and endanger our men." Commander Togen and Terek step forward with the rest of the Commanders.

This wasn't good. I had to leave. To get to Claudia before the test. Spinning around, I come face to face with guards. Three of them held royal silver chains. Backing up, I shout to everyone present, "No! I will not sit and watch my mate be tested! She will need me, her mate to help her figure things out. She has no idea what is about to happen, no experience in this type of situation."

"Caden, please do not make this harder on us then it already is," my father states, his back rigid with self-loathing.

Taking a deep breath, I brace myself. I was in for a fight. "You're asking me to get chained to a chair and watch my mate go through a test, which could kill her. Are you fucking insane?" I shout with fury. 

"Caden, enough! You will obey my order as your King. Commanders chain him to the chair. We need to get this damn test over with before we cause any more distress to my family." He tucks my mothers face further against his chest. She wouldn't stop crying and for good reason. 

My body moving instantly. I've lost all control. Snarling viciously at the men and my father. How could he do this to me? His own son! "I'll never forgive you if she is hurt. None of you." My eyes connect with my parents. If I lose her to this stupid test, they'd never see their son again.

I ignored my Queen's cries to my King. She begs him to end this disaster from happening. With one whisper in her ear, he ended her cries.

"If this test ruins our son's life, I will never forgive you, Luca. Remember that tonight when you come searching for me." She stands tall, back straight as she walks towards me.

The council's chairs and table removed long ago, three chairs sat in their places. The Commanders grab onto my arms, dragging me to my chair. It's been made for this test. Bolted into the ground. I won't be able to break free from it once the chains were secured around my body and it.

A type of cloth was placed over my bare skin, preventing the silver from touching me. Unless I shifted around and the cloth slipped away. Which I knew would happen. No way could I sit back and watch Claudia go through with this test and act as if nothing was happening to her.

I take a deep breath once the mile-long chain is wrapped around every inch of my body and secured by bolts in the ground and chair.

"Let's get his damn test over with," the King states before sitting down in his chair, waiting for his wife's hand. Instead, she stands to my left and places her hand on my shoulder. She was choosing her son over her mate and the courtroom knew it. "Very well. Commander Tarek lets start."

"Caden!" A familiar voice pulls me out of the past.

"Commander Tarek," I spit. The taste on my mouth from saying his name is distasteful. I do not blame him fully from what happened to Claudia that afternoon. He'd been doing his job. One which helped take her away from me. "What is the meaning of your interruption? You know I do not want another scent to taint this area."

"I know Sir. It's just we've found a scent. Togan has informed me it smells a bit like yours. We believe it's her. It's Claudia."

Striding over to him, I head towards the exit of my sanctuary. "You either take me to the spot now or get me someone more capable to do your job."

In the blink of an eye, he is racing past me in his wolf form. Leading me far away from the castle and its guards. Not that that mattered, I could hear the paws behind us slamming into the ground with every stride the wolves took. The King and Queen didn't want to chance my death. I've been followed every time I left the castle walls.

Not soon enough we come to a stop. Six guards are searching the surrounding area in wolf form. Their nose's ability to pick up my scent easier.

Togan steps up next to us in human form. "In the center is where I smelt your scent, my Prince. I warned all wolves to stand back and search the surrounding areas. We haven't located any trail. If she was here, she's long gone by down." He steps back, giving me room to enter the small clearing.

I block everyone out. My main focus was her scent. One I've been desiring to smell in person for two months.

Marcus pushes forward. He wouldn't miss a thing if he was in charge. His nose to the ground we dart to the center. Immediately we find her delicious scent. Cinnamon, how I've missed it. Marcus plants his bottom in one spot, inhaling her scent. It calms us because it means when she was here, she was alive.

"How long ago do you think she was here Marcus?" I ask him.

"It hasn't rained in 5 weeks. With how strong the scent is, she could have left this morning. The ground has been stepped on. If you look in front of us, you will see the remains of a fire pit. Next, to it, the ground is bare, as if someone laid next to it for hours, or days. Whoever took her, could have tried to save her. With all her injuries it could have taken weeks for her body to heal enough to be transported to another spot."

"You mean the trackers could have run off her kidnapper?" I seethe with anger at the possibility of her being moved because our trackers found their location.

"It's a high possibility. Though I'm worried, Caden. Her scent is mixed with death. It could mean our worst fears have come true," Marcus snarls with just the mention of her death.

"No! The very idea of her leaving us on this earth alone is unthinkable! She is alive, she has to be," I shout at him. Our minds clashing inside the wolfs body.

"We will find her Caden. We have to. Otherwise, I believe we will no longer stay of right mind. I will never mate with another female wolf. Annabelle and Claudia are it for me."

"Same here."

"Prince Caden? Any information you can give me and the trackers?" Togan questions from the side. He's stayed in his human form. No one speaks to me in wolf form anymore. It's what I first demanded. The first voice I want in my head is Claudia's. Until then, they will shift into human form and ask their questions.

Marcus shifts his head back and forth. We'd taken a few steps in each direction. Her scent never left the center. My mother's ideas were panning out to be true. The only way for her scent to disappear without physically moving is by magic. A wizard or witch has her.

"I'm sorry my Prince. The men will continue to search for our Princess." Togan bows his head before transforming into his wolf and racing away, nose stuck to the ground in hopes of finding her.

"Are we staying here Prince Caden?" Tarek steps up, his hands on his hips.

Marcus shifts his head up and down. Her scent is strong around us, calming our racing heart. We haven't felt this close to her in two months. A few hours here will do us no harm.

"Very well. The guards and I will keep watch. If anyone dares to approach we will question their appearance before deciding the correct action."

Marcus shifts his head up and down. No words are needed for Tarek to understand us. It's the way we've acted for the past month. We are of few words unless it's a male threatening us to mate another. Then we have plenty of words to say.

What was happening here? Why wasn't she found sooner if she was held here? This place isn't too far from the bridge. The trackers must have crossed this grassy area at least once before. Then why not see her?

"Magic, he must have used magic to conceal her from the world," Marcus cuts into my thoughts.

"But then why let it be known now?" I growl. Nothing is making sense!

"I do not know Caden. He must have an end game."

"One we will find out. If it's the last thing we do Marcus, we will find her and kill the bastard who believes he can steal our mate from us," I pull Marcus muzzle back and howl to the sky. One filled with vengeance.

"He will rue the day he stole her from us. I will rip him limb from limb. My teeth will sink into his flesh, slowly at first, we don't want him to die quickly. Maybe we will subdue him with a needle filled with a paralyzing drug. He won't be able to move as I draw my claws down his bloody flesh, creating new holes." Marcus sends out a howl, warning the man who has our beloved mate to watch his back because once we find him, he will undergo a torture given to the worst traitor to the crown.

A torture where you never die. 

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#1 What happened to Caden during the test?

#2 Do you believe Claudia is alive?

#3 If you do, what is happening to her at this point in time?




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