The Alpha King’s Lost Mate

CHAPTER FOUR:THE ANNIVERSARY

SERENA'S POV

I stared at Ethan from the passenger seat.

"About us?"

He kept his eyes on the road.

"Yeah."

My stomach tightened.

"What happened?"

"Nothing happened."

"Then why are you acting like we're about to have a breakup conversation?"

He sighed.

"I'm not."

"You're being weird."

"I know."

The rest of the drive passed in silence.

I didn't understand what was happening.

For the past few weeks, Ethan had been distant. He came home late, canceled plans, and seemed distracted whenever we were together.

Now he was taking me somewhere quiet because we needed to talk.

My mind immediately began imagining the worst.

Had he met someone else?

Was he unhappy with me?

Did he no longer love me?

I hated that those thoughts were even entering my mind.

After nearly twenty minutes, Ethan pulled into a small restaurant on the other side of town.

I stared through the window.

"This place?"

He smiled.

"Remember it?"

I looked again.

Then I recognized it.

My heart softened.

It was the restaurant where we'd had our first proper date.

Three years ago.

"You remembered."

"Of course I did."

He parked the car.

For the first time that evening, I felt some of the tension leave my shoulders.

Maybe I'd been worrying for nothing.

Maybe Ethan hadn't brought me here to end our relationship.

Maybe he'd brought me here to remind me why we'd started in the first place.

He came around and opened my door.

I smiled.

"Trying to impress me?"

"Maybe."

I laughed.

"You're too late. I've already been impressed."

He took my hand.

We walked inside together.

---

The restaurant hadn't changed much.

The same small tables.

The same warm lights.

The same quiet music playing in the background.

I looked around, remembering that nervous twenty-one-year-old girl who had sat across from Ethan three years earlier.

I'd been terrified he would think I was boring.

Instead, we'd talked until the restaurant closed.

Tonight, sitting across from him again, I realized how much had changed.

A waiter brought us menus.

Ethan ordered for both of us.

When the waiter left, I looked at him.

"So?"

"So what?"

"You said we needed to talk."

He lowered his eyes.

"I know."

My heart started beating faster.

"Ethan."

He reached across the table and took my hand.

"I'm not breaking up with you."

I blinked.

"I didn't say you were."

"You were thinking it."

I looked away.

"Maybe."

He squeezed my hand.

"I love you."

I looked back at him.

"I love you too."

"But things have been difficult lately."

I swallowed.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

His apology caught me off guard.

"I've been distracted. Work has been crazy."

"I understand."

"I don't want you thinking it's because of you."

I nodded.

But something inside me still wasn't completely convinced.

He leaned closer.

"I have to travel for work tomorrow."

"I know."

"I'll probably be gone for several days."

"How long?"

"I'm not sure."

I frowned.

"You really don't know?"

"Not yet."

I looked at him carefully.

There was something in his expression I couldn't read.

But I loved him.

So I pushed the doubt away.

"Okay."

He smiled.

"Okay?"

"Okay."

He lifted my hand and kissed it.

"Thank you."

I smiled.

For tonight, I decided not to question anything.

For tonight, I wanted to remember the man I fell in love with.

---

ADRIAN'S POV

I hated the council.

That was my conclusion after another two hours of listening to them argue.

I sat at the head of the table, barely paying attention as two Alphas debated territory.

My mind kept wandering.

That strange restlessness was still there.

It had become worse.

I could feel my wolf pacing.

Searching.

Waiting.

I didn't know what he wanted.

And I was beginning to lose patience.

"Adrian."

I looked up.

My mother was staring at me.

"What?"

"You weren't listening."

"I was."

She raised an eyebrow.

"What did Elder Marcus just say?"

I looked toward the older wolf.

He looked uncomfortable.

I leaned back.

"Something about the eastern border."

My mother sighed.

"Exactly."

Damien coughed to hide his laughter.

I glared at him.

"Don't."

He immediately looked away.

The meeting continued.

Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore.

I stood.

"We're done."

Several council members immediately protested.

I ignored them.

I walked out.

Damien followed.

"You know, one day you might actually finish a council meeting."

"One day they might actually say something worth hearing."

He laughed.

"You've been in a terrible mood lately."

"I'm always in a terrible mood."

"Not like this."

I stopped walking.

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing."

"Good."

He hesitated.

Then he said quietly, "Your wolf."

My jaw tightened.

"What about him?"

"He's looking for something."

I stared at him.

"I don't know what."

Damien's expression became serious.

"Maybe you should find out."

I looked away.

For the first time, I wondered if something really was wrong.

I just didn't know what.

---

That same night, while Adrian stood in his office trying to understand the strange behavior of his wolf, Serena and Ethan left the restaurant together.

The anniversary dinner had gone better than Serena expected.

She had laughed.

She had relaxed.

For a few hours, she had forgotten about Ethan's recent distance.

As they drove home, she rested her head against the window.

She believed everything was going to be okay.

She believed their relationship could survive whatever was happening.

She believed tomorrow would look much like today.

She was wrong.

Because tomorrow, Ethan would leave town.

And while he was gone, Serena's ordinary life would begin moving toward a world she didn't even know existed.

Neither she nor Adrian knew that their first real encounter was approaching.

And when it happened, neither of them would ever be the same.