The Alpha's Omega Mate-Chapter 125: Who is she?

~Kai’s POV~

My eyelids twitched slightly in irritation, my thinned eyes fastening on the men standing in front of me with their heads bowed and their distinctive smells wafting around them like an invisible cloud of smoke.

The leader of them however, a man popularly known as Beta Orion of Shadowfang pack, didn’t have his head bowed like the others did, and from the stubborn set of his chin and the hard lines around his eyes, I instantly deduced that he was a proud one, and someone I wasn’t interested in dealing with by this time of the night.

"Good evening Beta," I drawled just as my eyes roved his body with more than enough contempt. "To what do I owe this surprise visit?"

My voice dripped with sarcasm and I noticed the way the warriors behind him flinched at the tone; but he didn’t. Good.

He gave a curt nod then raised his eyes to meet mine. Usually, I would’ve been taken aback by the amount of hostility I found oozing off of him in waves, I would’ve been pissed by his nonsensical show of pride in my pack; But for some strange reason, I wasn’t. I was simply surprised. Fascinated. Maybe intrigued was the right word for it.

Wasn’t he the same person only a few nights ago by my borders respectfully asking for Dahlia like the weak prick that he was?

Wasn’t he the well known soulless man hiding behind his Alpha like a mini—

"Alpha Kai," he called out suddenly, snapping me out of my train of thoughts, and again, I looked up at him, not bothering to hide the irritation on my face. "I understand that it’s very late, and very wrong of me to be here. But the matter on ground is one that should be treated with urgency. Miss—"

"Is that so?" I drawled. Even though there was a smile on my face, it was nowhere close to my heart and I couldn’t bring myself to understand why I was so piqued by his presence... why the proud set of his chin infuriated me.

Maybe it was because of the way I’d seen him look at Dahlia that night.

Maybe it was because of how overly protective he’d been of her.

Of my mate. My betrothed.

My blood boiled. "You should’ve waited until morning at least if you’re damn sure that it is wrong of you to be here." I seethed, only stopping when I saw him wince. At least that was the best reaction I’ve gotten from him so far.

Gulping, I looked away from him, blaming myself for being unreasonably irritable— well not totally unreasonable. I drawled; "But you’re here already, so I think it’s best you simply tell me what it is that must’ve brought you here."

"Dahlia is missing." He muttered without blinking.

At first, I tried to shake off his words. I tried to delude myself into thinking that I had not heard him correctly; But when I saw the grimness in his eyes, and the hard set of his jaw, my heart dropped.

"I know it’s wrong of me to say this, but because the last time she wandered off, we found her here, so I simply thought to check here first."

Now, all traces of my initial rage have worn off. Even the irritation I once felt for being forced to entertain these guests when all I wanted to do was rest in the softness of my lush bed disappeared. My body shook, my heart thumping so wildly against my chest, I feared everyone could hear it.

Oh gods no... nonono!

"Have you tried to search for her besides here? I mean, trace her? Her smell? Anything?"

"Gone." Orion answered quickly, not even looking at me.

His cryptic response, along with the fire burning through my lungs made me irritated all over again, and I snapped; "What do you mean gone? Gone how?"

"Like it’s gone gone. We cannot trace her or her daughter. It feels like she’d disappeared off the surface of the earth. Like she had used a cloaking spell."

Despite the murmurs all around me and the ringing in my ears, one word stuck out to me. It replayed itself over and over again in my head, almost making me question my understanding of English as a language. I froze in surprise. "She has a daughter?"

"Yes," Orion stated, then tilting his head at me, he added; "You didn’t know?"

"I don’t know her."

"You do not give off the impression that you do not know her." He pointed out, gesturing at whatever expression he could see on my face. "...in fact, you seem like you know her— a lot. And I find that intriguing but strange."

"Strange?" I frowned, cocking my eyebrows. "How so?"

Beta Orion seemed to ponder over my words for a few seconds, his finger digging into his chin. He drawled; "I don’t know. I don’t know how to explain it."

But I knew. I understood what he was implying... I could see it in the way his eyes darkened significantly as he watched me with eagle eyes. Deciding to ignore him, and to not push this any further, I asked;

"So now that you’re here, what do you want?"

"Access." He answered immediately, deciding to drop the topic as well. "I need you to give my soldiers and I access to check through the surrounding forests of your pack. We’ll be quick and we’ll be gone before the crack of dawn."

Silence. It descended upon us heavily as we all stared each other down.

It was at that moment that my Beta, Xander, decided to join us. He had his signature flirty smirk on but as soon as he noticed the tenseness in the air, and threw one thoughtless look at our visitors, his face became stone cold. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

He grunted; "Shadowfang."

"Hollowfang." Orion greeted back, nodding. "It’s a pleasure to meet you again."

From here, I could already see that Xander was seething. He has a messy past with Orion— one that has made both men be at cutthroats with each other for as long as I can remember.

I turned to Xander, momentarily ignoring Orion’s irritating presence in the room, and muttered; "They’re looking for one of theirs and they think she might be here."

"Can’t they mind-link her or something?" Xander seethed, stopping to eye Orion before turning back to me. "Isn’t that sensible?"

I turned to face Orion. "Well?"

"We cannot." He answered, sounding almost ashamed. "She’s not been fully accepted into the pack so she hasn’t undergone the rites that make her one of ours."

"So she cannot be mind-linked?"

"No."

"Damn...!" I spat, pushing myself out of my chair. "You can search the forests but I’ll have some of my soldiers following you. You’re not to leave by the crack of dawn, you’re to leave as soon as the clock strikes midnight! Deal?"

The anger that radiated off Orion was palpable. He nodded once. "Deal."

And with that, he left the hall but not before at least six of my soldiers joined his ’crew’

I then turned to Xander who looked as though he couldn’t believe I’d allowed his sworn enemy into the pack and snorted; "Wipe that stupid look off your face."

"What look?" He snarled, still eying me. "You don’t want me to look at you funny but you just allowed my enemy into our lands? To move freely until twelve?!"

His response made me chuckle despite the tremor in my spine. "Forgive me."

"No."

"Please."

Xander scoffed again, crossing his arms over his chest. "You’ll need to earn my forgiveness this time." He snapped, and yes, his actions should make me feel better, but it didn’t.

I was scared. I was beyond terrified— for Dahlia.

I wondered where she was, why she had escaped... that, coupled with the fact that she has a daughter. But most of all, I wondered why I couldn’t feel her presence the way I’d felt it the last time she ventured into my pack.

If I didn’t feel it, then it means she isn’t here.

"Kai?" Xander’s voice snapped me out of my reverie and I glanced up at him to find him already watching me skeptically; "What has the missing person got to do with you?" He asked, but I could only stare at him wordlessly.

Because what do I say?

That she’s mine?

That we were betrothed when we were kids?

"She’s... someone I used to know." I simply said, then turning to the door, I added; "Now, come with me, let’s look for her."