Frederick''s POV


    My hands gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary, and my jaw clenched.


    My phone rang again.


    I pressed the button on the dashboard. "Tell me you have good news," I said sharply.


    The voice on the other end hesitated. "I''m sorry, sir, but we still haven''t found the staff. We searched the southern borders and near the old ruins, but there''s no trace."


    My patience snapped. "Then search again!" I growled. "Every inch of thatnd. I don''t care how long it takes. I want her found!"


    "Yes, sir," came the hurried reply before the line went dead.


    I exhaled heavily, dragging a hand over my face. I need to find thatdy who lied about me sending her to kill Selene''s mom. Once I get her, I will be able to prove to Selene that I am innocent, and maybe she could agree to be with me.


    I sighed and took a deep breath. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t stop thinking about her.


    It had been just three days since thest time I saw her, and these past three days have been hell for me. It felt like a part of me was missing. In a short time, I had gotten so used to her presence in my mansion that now her absence has left a huge void in my life.


    I knew I shouldn''t go to her. She didn''t want to see me.


    And yet, the thought of her made it impossible to stay away.


    Maybe I was a fool.


    Maybe I was addicted to the pain she brought with her name.


    But I turned the wheel anyway.


    Toward the Full Moon Pack.


    Because no matter how much she pushed me away, I couldn''t stay away from her.


    Reaching the Full Moon Pack, the guards at the gate immediately straightened when they saw my car.


    They let me through without a word.


    I parked in front of the mansion and stepped out, taking in the silence that hung in the air.


    The ce felt different—heavy, quiet—like the whole house was mourning.


    And I understood why.


    A guard approached quickly, bowing slightly. "Greetings, Alpha Frederick. Do the Alphas know you''re here?"


    I shook my head. "I''m not here for the Alphas," I said simply, moving my eyes around. "I''m here for Selene. Where is she?"


    The guard hesitated. His eyes darted toward the main building, then back to me. "Lady Selene doesn''t want to see anyone."


    My jaw tightened. "That''s not what I asked. I said, Where is she?"


    He swallowed nervously. "In her room, sir. But—"


    I didn''t wait for him to finish. I was already walking.


    I didn''t even know what I was going to say when I saw her.


    All I knew was that I wanted to see her.


    I''d gotten used to her presence in my mansion—her voice, her stubborn silence, the way she''d nce at me when she thought I wasn''t looking.


    And now, without her, the ce felt cold and lifeless.


    I ran a hand through my hair, letting out a long breath.


    If only she would just listen, just give me a chance to exin that I never sent that woman to harm her mother.


    That woman—the liar, the one who started all this—was still out there somewhere.


    And until I found her, I couldn''t prove my innocence.


    Couldn''t make Selene believe me.


    Still, I couldn''t wait any longer.


    I needed to see her.


    Even if she mmed the door in my face again.


    I reached the living room and met with Alpha Levi, who was speaking to a guard. The moment he saw me, a big frown etched on his face, but I didn''t care. I wasn''t here for him.


    He sent the guard away and red at me. "What are you doing here, Frederick?" He sounded so pissed to see me.


    I kept myposure. "I''m here for Selene."


    He raised a brow at me. "Selene has made it clear that she doesn''t want to see you. Please leave."


    My frown deepened. "If she doesn''t want to see me, she can tell me herself."


    Levi scoffed in annoyance and took a step closer to me.


    "What the hell is your problem, Frederick?" he snapped. "Youe here again, uninvited, acting like you have some right to this house. What do you even want? You don''t want Olivia anymore—is that it? You can''t have her, so now you want Selene?"


    His words hit me like a blow, but I didn''t respond right away.


    Maybe because deep down, I didn''t have a clean answer to give him.


    I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to keep calm. "This isn''t about Olivia," I said quietly. "I''m not here for her, Levi. I''m here for Selene."


    He scoffed and crossed his arms. "Get out."


    "I''m not here to cause trouble," I said, my tone steady but pleading. "I just need to see her. Once. That''s all."


    Leviughed dryly. "You don''t know when to quit, do you? You''re only going to make things worse."


    I took a slow step forward, lowering my voice. "Please, Alpha Levi. I know this is your home, and I have no right to ask. But I''m begging you. Let me see her. I need to talk to her."


    Levi stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. I could see the irritation still there, but something else flickered behind it—maybe pity, maybe curiosity.


    He finally exhaled and looked away. "You''ve got thirty minutes," he muttered. "After that, I don''t want to see your face anywhere near this house. Understood?"


    Relief rushed through me, though I kept myposure. "Understood," I said quietly.


    Levi brushed past me, his shoulder bumping mine as he went. "You''re a fool, Frederick," he said under his breath before walking off down the hall.


    Maybe I was.


    But love makes fools of us all.


    I drew in a deep breath, steadying myself before turning toward the stairs. Thirty minutes. That''s all I had.


    And somehow, I had to make her listen.


    As I neared her room, I hesitated for a moment outside the door, my heart hammering. I could smell her—her scent, soft and familiar, flooding my senses like a drug I''d been starving for.


    But then I heard it.


    A soft sound at first—barely there. A muffled whimper, followed by a low moan.


    I froze.


    My brows furrowed as I leaned closer to the door. Another sound came, clearer this time. A man''s low groan.


    My blood ran cold.


    No.


    It couldn''t be.


    Without thinking, I grabbed the handle and pushed the door open.


    The sight that met my eyes felt like a de twisting deep into my chest.