Jake’s POV
She ran.
Weeks ago now, but I still remember the exact second it happened—like a snap inside my chest I didn’t see coming.
I’d been in the war room. Two wolves arguing over border disputes, yapping like pups over who pissed where. I remember that because the moment her scent vanished—gone, just like that—I stopped hearing them. Just stood there, breathing in air that didn’t smell like her anymore.
That’s when I knew.
She was gone.
No permission. No warning. No note. No trace.
Ruby ran from me.
And ever since, I’ve been crawling through every inch of this territory like I could pull her scent out of the dirt. Burned half a dozen patrols trying. Threatened three trackers. Two of them quit. One of them went home in bandages.
The Alpha didn’t say a word.
Of course he didn’
