Till we meet again, Rowan

It was late at Silverfang Pack headquarters. The task force hadn’t let up on my case, not once, as if determined to solve what had happened to me—or, perhaps, what I had done. They’d been at it for days, scrutinizing every trace, every scent, every lead, unwilling to give up the search. The stale smell of coffee hung in the air, tinged with the scent of stress as Caden finally called for a break. Exhaustion was etched into his face, but Rowan merely nodded, his expression as unbreakable as ever.

Rowan stretched, heading toward the food counter as if on autopilot. Phoenix, one of his colleagues, nudged him with a lopsided grin. “Hey, Alpha Rowan, what’s a big shot like you doing here, queuing up for food with us?” He chuckled, adding, “Where’s your Luna tonight? Didn't she usually bring you something, some home-cooked meal or whatever?”

Rowan’s face twisted, and his grip on his cup tightened. “Why bring her up?” he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. “It’s disgusting.”

The casual banter halted immediately, a shadow falling over the group. Caden, noticing the tension, tried to defuse the moment. “Hey, it’s been a while since we saw her around. I remember she used to stop by whenever you pulled an all-nighter. Used to spoil you with snacks too, right? And half of those snacks ended up here anyway, in my gut.”

Rowan gave him a hard look, one that silenced any further jokes. “Those snacks, huh?” he sneered. “Glad someone enjoyed them.”

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, glancing at Caden as if to say, Did I say something wrong? Then he turned to Rowan, now in a more serious tone. “Alpha, is everything alright? Is she… missing?” The hesitation in his voice betrayed genuine concern.

Rowan let out a snort. “Missing?” He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “If she had even a sliver of fight in her, I might actually respect her. She was like a shadow, an annoying pup always underfoot. But now? Now it’s been two days of blissful silence. I can actually think.”

Little did he know, I was there, watching from the shadows—an invisible figure, no longer bound by the ties that held me close to him. I smiled to myself, imagining the shock that would cross his face when he realized the peace he’d longed for was now permanent.

Just then, a patrol wolf burst into the room, his face ashen, clutching a file to his chest as though it weighed him down. He made his way to Caden, voice almost a whisper. “Sir… we’ve received an identification report on the remains found near the northern border.”

Caden held out his hand, and the patrol wolf hesitated, his gaze flicking nervously toward Rowan. He cleared his throat. “Perhaps… perhaps Alpha Rowan should hear this first.”

Rowan raised an eyebrow, looking up from his coffee. “Me? I have no business with this case. You know that.”

But Caden’s eyes didn’t waver, his expression uncharacteristically tense. “Rowan, when was the last time you heard from your mate? Has she… contacted you recently?”

Rowan waved a dismissive hand, his patience thinning. “She messaged me just a few days ago. Just another one of her nagging texts, I’m sure.” He shrugged, oblivious to the worry etched on his comrades’ faces. “What’s this about?”

Caden took a step closer, his tone grave. “Rowan… has it been more than three days?”

Rowan’s face dropped as the words sank in, like a blow he hadn’t braced for. The realization hit hard, cracking the indifference he’d worn like armor. He straightened, his hands curling into fists. “What are you trying to say, Caden?”