Chapter 6 She’s gone

Zarek’s POV

Did she really leave? It was impossible. Freesia would never leave me. I mean, she loved me. She’s loved me since she was seventeen…no, even earlier than that. She might have been hurting, sure, but there’s no way she’d abandon the pack. She’d never abandon me.

A soft knock on the door broke my stream of consciousness. A beta had returned. He only shook his head slowly, but I understood the implication. Freesia was gone.

Rage surged through my body as I clenched the note Freesia left. Years of pining over me, lusting for me, and this was all she left me with?

I’d tear this damn letter to shreds.

–

“She’s what?”

“She’s gone, father.”

I’d never seen him look so enraged. He’d been pacing the kitchen since I broke the news, frantically combing his hands through his thinning ash hair.

“Get me answers, Zarek!” he shouted.

I understood immediately that this was an order, not a request. “Bring her home…dead or alive.” He spared me a final agonized look before retreating to his study.

I haven’t been able to rid myself of the vague notion that I had something to do with Freesia leaving. It seems like my wolf blames me, too. Look what you’ve done, Zarek. Those words have rattled my mind since her disappearance.

I knew that I’d been harsh to Freesia at times, but is the fault really all mine? The night we had sex, Freesia could barely contain her pleasure. She enjoyed herself plenty; it wasn’t like I forced myself onto her. And she knew about my relationship with Isabella beforehand–it’s not like I kept that a secret. She chose to sleep with me of her own free will, so it’s ridiculous to assume I’m the only one at fault here. She’s just being immature.

But I knew Father wouldn’t see things the same way. If he found out what happened…he would never forgive me. My only choice was to take this secret to the grave.

How irritating. Why make such a fuss about a stepdaughter you're not even related to by blood? Even while missing, Freesia still causes nothing but trouble for me.

Maybe she’ll come back once she’s had a chance to think things through. Girls at her age love to throw tantrums over the most trivial matters. They think running away from home makes them a rebel, but it's just extremely foolish. She’d come to her senses soon enough, I’m sure of it.

–

In the meantime, I decided to search for her myself to appease Father’s orders.

I checked her best friend’s house, Hana, the same one she’s had since she was twelve. She said she hadn’t spoken to Freesia in months. I went to the park near her high school–the one with the pond and family of ducks she liked to feed when they came around. I even looked for her at the dessert shop she visited when she was feeling down.

Damn it, Zarek. I avoided her almost entirely during my four years at university, yet I still remember all the places Freesia enjoyed so vividly. Well, I guess Freesia has always been a boring person. Of course her tastes wouldn’t change even after all those years. That’s just the kind of person Freesia is.

I opened the Line app to give her my twelfth call of the day. I stared at our text messages in frustration.

Freesia, where the fuck are you?

Pick up the goddamn phone, Freesia. Stop being stupid and come home already.

I’m not going to ask again. Come home. NOW.

But I did ask again. Well, I suppose it was more like I demanded again. But how can I be expected to be nice at a time like this? She disappears without a word, just an ominous letter that I can’t decipher. I’ve already sent countless messages and calls, all ignored. She obviously turned off her phone, so it’s not like she’d read them, anyway.

–

By the time I’d searched every place I could think of, it was dark, and there was still no sign of Freesia. It’s like she left without a trace–no scent, no clues, nothing. I returned empty-handed.

“Welcome home, Zarek.”

Damn it all. Why is she being so stupid?

“Um…are you okay?”

Was there something I missed? Is there still somewhere else I should have checked?

“I’m sure she’ll be fine, babe. Don’t worry about her.”

How far does she think she’ll make it on her own? A weak Omega like Freesia, with no family to protect her, won’t last a year without the pack. What the hell is she doing?

“Zarek, please!” It’s Isabella. Always running her goddamn- “Why are you acting like this? You’ve always hated Freesia! She’s not even your real stepsister! It’s better now that she’s gone!”

Her statement hung in the air. She was right. I’ve always hated that fat, annoying stepsister of mine. She constantly got on my nerves, ruined my mood–I should be glad she’s gone. So why don’t I feel even a shred of relief?

Isabella had done nothing to help my mood, but the last thing I needed was to add to my troubles by arguing with her. I drew a deep breath, doing my best to calm myself down. “She is still my sister, even if only in name. You need to understand that.”

Isabella’s expression turned to one of sympathy.

“I understand,” she said, apparently satisfied with my explanation.

She sighed, then pulled me in her arms and planted kisses along my cheeks and lips. I allowed her pathetic attempts to comfort me until they turned into something repulsive. Her tongue slid down to my neck, and her legs wrapped around me like a saddle.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I spat. “You think now is a good time for that?”

“Zarek-” Isabella leaned back, eyes wide with shock.

I shoved her off my lap. “Go home, Isabella.”

“I’m sorry, I just-”

I cut her off. “I won’t ask again. Go!” She got the message this time and took her leave. She looked at me with wanting eyes one last time before she walked out the door.

I retreated to my bedroom and crashed on my bed, exhausted both in mind and body. I stared at the ceiling, retracing my steps for some trivial detail I might have missed.

I decided it was best to just wait her out. She’ll get bored, hungry, or lonely soon enough and come home. There was no doubt in my mind about that.

I whipped out my phone and sent Fressia one last text message before closing my eyes to try to sleep.