Mate, I found You

Left Out

Chapter 5: Fred’s Perspective

Left Out

Sonia didn’t invite me.

I should have expected it, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

Ever since the fight with Isabella, she had been avoiding me. At first, I thought she was just embarrassed or overwhelmed. But then it became clear—she was doing it on purpose. She wouldn’t look at me in class. She avoided sitting near me. Whenever I tried to talk to her, she found an excuse to leave.

And now, she had completely shut me out.

Her birthday was an important day, yet she had deliberately left me off the guest list.

I clenched my fists, staring at my phone.

Sophia had invited almost everyone in our class, yet there was no message from Sonia. No invitation. Not even a casual mention of it.

It made no sense.

I had done nothing wrong.

Or had I?

A part of me wondered if Isabella’s words had gotten to her. That girl was poison, always whispering in people’s ears, always stirring up trouble. And she hated Sonia. I could see it in the way she looked at her, in the sharpness of her words.

I knew Isabella had tried to make Sonia feel small, to make her feel unworthy.

But Sonia was strong.

She wouldn’t believe her, would she?

I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated.

I needed to talk to her.

I needed to see her.

So I went to the bar.

The bar was louder than I expected.

Laughter, music, the clinking of glasses—it all blended into an irritating hum in the background.

I ignored the noise and scanned the crowd.

Then, I saw her.

Sonia.

She was standing near the bar, laughing at something one of her friends had said. Her face was flushed, her eyes bright.

She looked… happy.

But she was also holding a drink.

A strong one.

And she was swaying slightly.

She was drunk.

I frowned.

Sonia wasn’t the type to drink. She was always responsible, always in control.

So why was she like this tonight?

Before I could think, I moved toward her.

She didn’t notice me at first. She was too busy laughing, too lost in the moment.

Then, as she turned, her eyes met mine.

For a second, something flickered in them—surprise, maybe even something softer.

But then, just as quickly, her expression hardened.

She turned away.

I exhaled sharply.

Fine.

If she wanted to act like I didn’t exist, I wasn’t going to beg for her attention.

But that didn’t mean I would leave her here like this.

I kept my distance, watching as she stumbled slightly.

She was too drunk.

Too vulnerable.

And that didn’t sit right with me.

I stayed close, keeping an eye on her.

Then, I saw her heading toward the restroom.

Alone.

I followed.

Not because I wanted to confront her.

But because something felt wrong.

The restroom door swung open, and I stepped inside just in time to see her leaning against the sink, her head bowed.

She looked tired.

No. She looked lost.

“Sonia,” I said.

She startled, turning to face me. Her eyes were unfocused, but there was something in them—a rawness, a vulnerability I had never seen before.

For a moment, we just stood there.

Then, without warning, she grabbed my shirt and pulled me forward.

And then—

She kissed me.

Her lips were soft, warm, desperate.

It caught me off guard.

But only for a second.

Then, I kissed her back.

I didn’t care that she was drunk.

I didn’t care that we were in a restroom.

All I cared about was her.

For so long, I had wanted this.

For so long, I had been drawn to her, unable to stay away, unable to stop thinking about her.

And now, she was in my arms.

It felt right.

But just as suddenly as it started, she pulled away.

Her eyes were wide, her breathing heavy.

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head.

I stared at her, confused. “Sonia—”

She took a step back.

“This was a mistake.”

A mistake.

The words cut deeper than they should have.

I clenched my jaw.

“So that’s how it is?” I asked, my voice colder than I intended.

She didn’t answer.

She just looked at me, guilt and something else flickering in her eyes.

I let out a sharp breath and took a step back.

“Fine,” I muttered. “Forget it ever happened.”

Then, without another word, I turned and walked away.

I didn’t look back.

Even when I wanted to.

****

I barely slept.

The moment I arrived at school, I searched for her.

But she wasn’t there.

At first, I told myself she was just late.

But as the hours passed, a cold feeling crept into my gut.

Something was wrong.

Sonia never missed class.

By lunch, I couldn’t take it anymore. I turned to Sophia.

“Have you seen Sonia?”

Sophia frowned. “No. She hasn’t answered my texts either.”

That wasn’t normal.

I tried to focus, but my mind kept wandering back to her.

Where was she?

Why hadn’t she come to school?

I had no idea how much worse things were about to get.

Isabella’s Betrayal

After class, I saw Isabella sneaking behind the school building.

She was on the phone, her voice low.

I moved closer.

“…Yes, Victoria,” she whispered.

I froze.

My mother?

Why was she calling Victoria?

“I saw them,” Isabella continued. “They kissed. She kissed him.”

My blood ran cold.

“I knew you wouldn’t approve,” Isabella said smugly. “That’s why I told you. I knew you’d take care of it.”

Silence.

Then, my mother’s voice, calm and emotionless.

“She will regret it.”

The call ended.

My heart pounded.

Sonia hadn’t just skipped school.

She had been taken.

By my mother.

I had always known my mother, Victoria, to be a woman of control.

She was powerful, calculating, and ruthless when it came to protecting the family’s legacy.

But this time, she had gone too far.

Sonia was missing, and I knew exactly who was responsible.

After overhearing Isabella’s phone call, there was no doubt in my mind. My mother had orchestrated this.

And I wasn’t going to let her get away with it.

I stormed into the mansion, my heart pounding with fury.

Victoria was in the grand hall, sitting with her usual air of superiority. She sipped her tea, unbothered, her sharp eyes flickering toward me as I entered.

“Fred,” she greeted coolly. “To what do I owe this dramatic entrance?”

I clenched my fists, trying to control my anger.

“Where is she?” I demanded.

Victoria didn’t even blink. “You’ll have to be more specific, dear. Who are you referring to?”

I took a step forward. “Don’t play games with me, Mother. Sonia. Where is she?”

A slow, knowing smile spread across her lips. “Ah, that little girl. You mean the orphan?”

Rage surged through me.

“You had her taken,” I accused. “You ordered her kidnapping because she kissed me.”

Victoria sighed, setting her cup down with a soft clink. “Oh, Fred. You’re being dramatic. I simply did what was necessary.”

“Necessary?” My voice shook. “Necessary for what? Keeping me away from her?”

She stood up gracefully, her presence radiating authority. “You are my son. You are meant to lead this pack one day. You need a worthy mate, someone of status, strength, and bloodline. That girl is nothing. A weak, abandoned stray. You don’t need distractions, Fred.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “You think you get to decide who I care about?”

“I know what’s best for you,” she said firmly. “And Sonia is not it.”

A bitter laugh escaped me. “So what did you do to her, huh? Locked her away? Had her beaten? Are you trying to scare her off?”

Victoria tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable.

“She was handled accordingly,” she said.

Something inside me snapped.

“If you don’t tell me where she is, I will renounce my inheritance,” I said, my voice like steel.

For the first time, Victoria’s confidence wavered.

“Don’t be foolish, Fred,” she said sharply.

I held her gaze. “I’m serious. I’ll leave it all behind. The Alpha title, the pack leadership—everything. I’ll hand it over to Ethan.”

Her face darkened. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.”

A long silence stretched between us.

Then, her jaw clenched.

“You are making a mistake,” she said coldly.

“Where is she?” I repeated.

Victoria exhaled through her nose, then turned away. “An abandoned warehouse outside the city. You should hurry if you want to find anything left of her.”

Her words sent a chill down my spine.

Without another second wasted, I turned and bolted out the door.

The Search for Sonia

Daniel was already waiting for me outside.

I had called him the moment I realized Sonia was missing.

“You got an address?” he asked as I approached.

“Yes,” I said. “Let’s move.”

We jumped into the car, speeding toward the location Victoria had given me.

The drive felt like an eternity.

My mind was racing with the worst possibilities.

Was she hurt?

Was she even alive?

I couldn’t think about that.

I wouldn’t.

I refused to believe she was gone.

When we arrived, the sight of the warehouse sent a fresh wave of dread through me.

It was isolated, surrounded by nothing but dead trees and silence.

The moment we stepped inside, the metallic scent of blood hit me like a punch to the gut.

Daniel cursed under his breath.

The room was a mess.

Blood splattered the walls.

Bodies littered the floor—men, their throats torn out, their limbs twisted unnaturally.

It looked like a m******e.

And in the center of it all—

A figure stood.

A wolf.

Not just any wolf.

Sonia.

Her fur was pure silver, shimmering under the dim light. Her eyes glowed like molten gold.

Power radiated off her in waves.

I had never seen anything like it.

My breath caught in my throat.

She was supposed to be weak.

She was supposed to be just an orphan with no real strength.

But standing there, surrounded by c*****e, she looked like a goddess of destruction.

Her chest rose and fell heavily.

Then, her legs buckled.

Before I could react, she collapsed.

“Sonia!” I rushed forward, catching her before she hit the ground.

Her wolf form flickered, and within seconds, she shifted back into her human body.

Her clothes were tattered, her skin covered in bruises and cuts.

But she was breathing.

She was alive.

I held her close, brushing her bloodstained hair from her face.

She looked so fragile now, so different from the unstoppable force she had been just moments ago.

“What the hell just happened?” Daniel whispered beside me.

I didn’t answer.

Because I had no idea.

All I knew was that Sonia was more powerful than anyone had ever imagined.

And now, she was in my arms.

I had almost lost her.

I wouldn’t let that happen again.

“Let’s get her home,” I said, lifting her gently.

Daniel nodded. “What about the bodies?”

I glanced at the destruction around us.

“They deserved worse,” I muttered.

Then, without another word, I carried Sonia out of the bloodied room and back to where she belonged.

With me.