A wet nose nudged him awake. Grayson blinkedin the bright sunlight. Xander stood over him, in wolf form.
He had no idea how long he’d bolted around the grounds ofBeckett Hall. In fact, he didn’t even know if he was still on hisland, but he didn’t care. Wallowing in self-pity and licking hiswounds suited him fine.
Grayson growled and bared his sharpcanines. He didn’t need to talk to warn his beta to back off.
Xander transmuted into his human shape.
The guy was either mad or stupid. He snarled.How much warning did he need?
“Shift back, Grayson. I have to tell yousomething.”
Grayson turned and padded away, his headlow. Xander wasn’t worthit. Nothing was worth it anymore. His life had no meaning, nopurpose, not without Jamie.
“It’s Luna.”
Luna? His stomach lurched. He morphed in an instant,appalled he’d not once thought of his daughter. What the hell wasthe matter with him? It was known that those who succumbed to theirwolf could let it take over their mind, but forgetting everything…?“What about Luna?”
“Alice sent me to find you. Luna’smissing.”
The pain in his heart now ached in adifferent way. “When?”
“About three hours ago.”
“Three hours?” he shouted. “Why the helldidn’t you come for me sooner?”
“I’ve been searching for hours,” Xander said,keeping his voice low. “You weren’t easy to find.”
Grayson’s gaze flitted around. “Where arewe? What time is it? How long have I been out of it?” He raked his hands through his hair.“Oh God, if anything’s happened to her, I’ll never forgivemyself.”
“Calm down, Grayson. You’re no good to anyonein this state.”
He never let anyone in his pack talk tohim like that, but his beta had a point. Panic rose in his gut, bubbled into his chest.“I have to find her.”
“We will. I ordered the pack to start thesearch. You weren’t around and…and someone had to take charge.” HisAdam’s apple bobbed. “I… I know it’s not my place, but—”
“You did the right thing, Xander.” Yes, he had underestimated hisbeta; his actions proved he was ready. He patted his upper arm.“Once we’ve found Luna, I’d like to discuss the possibility of youtaking my place as alpha.”
His beta grinned, but quickly put onhis serious face again.“We’ll talk about it later. We have to get back to Beckett Hall andorganise the search party. Are you okay to go wolf again? We’ll getthere faster.”
“Of course I’m okay.” He wasn’t, not withLuna missing, but if going wolf and risking losing it to his beast again meant he’d findhis daughter sooner, then he would.
* * *
Alice greeted him in the hall, herconcerned, wrinkled face looking ten years older. “Where the hellhave you been?” She slapped his bare arm, her blow surprisinglystrong. “I’ve been worried sick over your rogue wolf act, and nowwith Luna missing, I don’t know how much more I can take.”
“I’m sorry, Alice, I didn’t think.” No,because he’d been hell-bent on the road to self-destruction.
“No, you didn’t,” she reprimanded. “Whileyou were off wallowing in self-pity, did you stop to think what itwould do to Luna? Sheloves Jamie too, as do I. We were all devastated when sheleft.”
Guilt reigned. His aunt spoke the truth. “Metoo, but I need to find Luna right now.”
“I know you do. With you leaving as well,it only made things worse with Luna. The dear pupthought everyone abandoned her.I tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t listen.”
“It’s not your fault, Alice, it’s mine. I’llmake it up to you, I promise, and to Luna.”
She softened. “What about Jamie, will youmake up with her?”
“Jamie and I are over. Shesaw me shift and she lookedterrified.”
“Are you certain of that? Jamie is not thetype of girl to scare easily, and she knew what she was gettinginto.”
“It doesn’t matter. If it wasn’t me wolfingout that made her leave, then whatever Imogen said to herdid.”
“What did that gold-digger do this time?”
“I don’t know. She wouldn’t tell me, but itdoesn’t matter. Jamie will never forgive me.”
“Poppycock!” said his aunt. “You love Jamieand she loves you. Surely she’s worth fighting for?”
“She is, a thousand times over, but she doesn’t loveme.”
Alice clipped his ear this time. “Didgoing rogue wolf make you lose your mind completely? You have twopeople who worship the ground you walk on, and if you’re notcareful, Grayson Beckett, you’ll lose both ofthem. Now get out thereand find your daughter, and when you’ve done that, you can go toJamie’s and get her back before someone else snaps herup.”
Grayson rubbed his stinging ear andregarded his wise old aunt. She was right. One hundred per cent.His heart pounded withrenewed hope.
* * *
Jamie’s doorbell rang. She ignored it.
She sat on her sofa and blew her noseagain, then threw the tissue on the side table, another one to addto the pile. The sapphire engagement ring sat next to the tissuebox, a depressingreminder of what could have been. Cujo woke on her lap, his bigbrown eyes looking at her, as though her dog understood herpain.
The tears flowed.
How many more tears could she shed forGrayson? And for Luna and Alice too? She missed them all somuch. In a short time,they’d made their way into her heart, and for the first time in herlife, she’d felt like part of a happy family.
More tears trickled down her cheeks.
The doorbell rang again.
Cujo pricked up his ears, then ran towardsthe hallway.
“Come back, Cujo. I’m not in the mood toanswer the door.” Plus she probably looked horrendous, with puffyeyes, no makeup and dressed in her slouchy clothes—not that shecared.
She’d tried to block it out, but lastnight’s events replayed in her mind like a mantra, and no matter how many times she wentover it, the ending was the same.
Grayson had only proposed to her because hewanted a marriage of convenience, a mother for Luna and to lookgood in front of his pack.
The bell sounded yet again. Thistime, whoever it washeld their finger on the button.
Cujo yapped excitedly.
Jamie got off the sofa. Woe betide anyone whowanted to wind her up today. She’d give them a piece of her mind,all right.
She marched into the hall and flung the dooropen.
Her anger drained away. “Luna…?”
Luna offered a forlorn smile. Her cheekswere grubby andtear-stained, her hair
