The fall of an Alpha

Six

By evening, the palace had become quiet again.

The festival grounds had been cleared, and most of the guests had returned to their rooms. The activities for the following day had also been cancelled.

I was in my study when someone knocked.

"Enter."

The door opened, and one of the guards walked in.

"Alpha."

"What is it?"

He held out a folded letter.

"This was found at the main gate."

I took it from him.

"Who brought it?"

"No one saw them."

I looked at the letter before opening it.

There was no name on it.

I unfolded it and read.

You searched everywhere, yet you still haven't found what you lost.

I continued reading.

Cancel the festival. Send your warriors home. Stop looking for the Luna.

My grip tightened around the letter.

Then I read the last line.

She is closer than you think.

I read it again.

Someone knew Sepharena was missing.

I looked at the guard.

"Who found this?"

"One of the guards at the main entrance."

"Bring him to me."

"Yes, Alpha."

He turned and left.

I looked down at the letter again.

My mind went back to the last time I saw Sepharena.

I folded the letter and placed it on the table.

"Beta."

The door opened a few moments later.

He stepped inside.

"Alpha?"

I picked up the letter.

"Read this."

I read the letter again before handing it back to my Beta.

"Find out where this came from."

"We will."

"And don't let anyone outside the palace know about it."

"Yes, Alpha."

I remained in my study.

The words kept coming back to me.

She is closer than you think.

*

*

*

I was already outside when my father approached me.

"Lucian."

I turned.

"I'll be leaving today."

I frowned.

"Leaving?"

"I have a journey to make."

"Where?"

He shook his head.

"Somewhere I need to go."

I stared at him.

"Now?"

"Yes."

I looked toward the warriors searching the forest.

"My Luna is missing."

"I know."

"And you think this is the right time to leave?"

He didn't answer immediately.

"I won't be gone forever."

I looked away.

I was already annoyed enough without having to deal with this.

My father and I had never been close. We rarely agreed on anything, and most of our conversations ended before they became actual conversations.

So I didn't stop him.

"Fine."

He nodded.

"I'll see you when I return."

I said nothing.

He walked away.

I watched him leave the courtyard before turning back toward the warriors.

*

*

*

That night, I sat alone in my study.

I had been sitting there for a while, staring at the letter on the table.

I picked it up again and read it.

She is closer than you think.

I dropped it back on the table and leaned back.

My mind went back to the festival.

There had been so many people that night. Alphas, their guards, servants, warriors and members of the pack.

I remembered Sepharena sitting beside me earlier that day.

Then I remembered leaving her in the main hall when the council called for me.

She had told me she would wait.

I rubbed my face.

I couldn't remember seeing her after that.

Then something came back to me.

The eastern path.

One of the guards had mentioned it earlier.

Someone had been seen there during the festival.

I hadn't paid much attention to it at the time.

I sat up.

The eastern path wasn't somewhere people usually went during a festival. Most of the guests stayed around the main hall and the gardens.

Then there were the footprints we found.

They had led toward the forest.

I looked at the letter again.

Maybe they were connected.

I thought about the warriors who had been stationed around that area.

There was one who came to mind.

He had been around my Beta for years. He knew the palace well and had access to most of the grounds.

I had seen him around the eastern side several times.

The warrior.

The eastern path.

The footprints.

The letter.

I leaned back again.

It was possible that I was wrong.

But I couldn't ignore it either.

For now, he was the only person who came to mind.