My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 180: Hunt Her Down

Rowan

The shop was small. Shelves lined the walls, packed with dried goods, preserved fruits, and various provisions neatly arranged according to their sections. I moved around the open space picking out a few things we might need for the journey ahead.

Especially food.

Along with some matches to spark fire in case we came across meat we needed to cook.

But mostly, I was looking for something she might like.

She had woken up a bit foggy this morning but mostly calm and at ease in a way I hadn’t seen before, likely an after effect of what she had taken. More importantly, she thankfully had no memory of what had happened.

Relief and sadness had hit me in equal measure.

I was grateful she didn’t remember. Truly.

But part of me... a shameful, selfish part... wished she did remember.

Especially how she had kissed me back like she wanted it as much as I did.

I’d told her about the liquid psychedelic. She had been horrified at first, then embarrassed, then quietly relieved when I explained she would hardly experience any drawbacks that morning due to being a Lycan.

I had then suggested she rest for the day and let her body settle fully before we left by evening.

She had agreed, and then panicked when she couldn’t find her bag.

When she described it to me, I realised with a sinking feeling that I had seen it on the ground beside her when I’d found her sprawled against that low wall, staring up at the sky and mumbling about breathing stars.

I just hadn’t thought to grab it.

My focus had been entirely on getting her back to the inn safely. So, I had gone back this morning, retracing our steps through streets that were now being cleared of festival debris. I had spotted a few wolves hauling items away and her bag had been among them.

The coin pouch was still inside, along with a collection of small trinkets and prizes like she had described.

I had imagined her moving from stall to stall, playing those games, collecting these little prizes. She must have likely enjoyed herself with just how much was in here.

The thought made me smile and I forced myself to focus on the task at hand.

I paused in front of a section of the shelf filled with sweets and other snacks. I wasn’t sure which exactly she would like, so I grabbed a handful of some and placed them into the wicker basket I was holding.

It wasn’t much, but I hoped she would like these.

I made my way to the wooden counter at the front of the shop, where an older woman sat on a stool, fanning herself lazily.

"Will that be all?" she asked, already reaching for the items to tally the cost in an accounting book.

I nodded, reaching into my pouch for coins when I saw it.

A stack of papers sat on the edge of the counter, half-hidden beneath a ledger. The top sheet was face-up, and the image on it made my blood turn to ice.

A detailed sketch of Violet’s face stared back at me.

The drawing was incredibly accurate. Too accurate. Every detail of her face had been captured perfectly. The shape of her eyes, the curve of her lips, the way her hair framed her features.

And the way her hair had been styled...

My stomach dropped.

This had been drawn during the summit.

Someone at the regional conference had drawn this while she stood there, during the trial.

And now that sketch was here. In this small shop. In this capital. Waiting to be distributed.

I felt like an absolute fool.

I should have known and already anticipated something like this happening. Ascalone was renowned for their artistry, and creative innovations. Of course, they would have sketch artists capable of creating something like this among their delegation.

A visual clue was far more effective than mere words. Anyone who had seen Violet would recognise her immediately from the picture.

"Can I help you with anything else?" the woman asked, looking up at me as she handed me the rest of my change.

I gestured toward the stack of papers. "What are these?"

She glanced at the sketches and her expression relaxed. "Ah... Some set of alerts were delivered to my shop a few weeks ago."

A few weeks ago.

The notice had gone out weeks ago.

Before Violet had even set foot on the ship, or arrived in Orpal’s territory...

I stifled the dry laugh about to leave my chest.

Supreme Alpha Tessa was smart. She had already sent these out just in case.

And now that Violet was gone, they were likely going to have these distributed if I wasn’t wrong.

"You said they were delivered a few weeks ago," I pressed a bit. "Should they be on your counter like this?"

"We are supposed to put them up in the streets starting tomorrow," she continued, "And also send copies out to the packs in the territory."

She picked up one of the papers and held it out to me and I took it from her, keeping my expression neutral even as my insides coiled tight.

"Who is she?" I asked.

"Not entirely sure." The woman shrugged. "Word going around is that she is dangerous. Did something bad enough that the Supreme Alpha herself wants her found and brought in." She sighed then, glancing down at the sketch with an almost wistful expression.

"Hard to believe, isn’t it? Someone with a face like that, causing so much trouble that even Lady Tessa is looking for her." She shook her head slowly.

I said nothing.

My grip on the paper tightened, crinkling the edges.

"You don’t mind if I take this." I was already folding the paper and tugging it into the bag.

She just nodded, waving her hand. "Take as many as you like. We’ve got plenty."

I did not like the sound of that.

I left the shop, my mind already working.

We needed to leave now.

We still had that opportunity before the posters would be up tomorrow, which meant Tessa was already going to be coming very soon.