Mate by Fate, Bound by Love

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**Ethan’s POV**

I paced impatiently across the palace halls, anxiety gnawing at me as I waited for my Beta to return with news. Deep down, I desperately hoped for good news. Something that could lift the heavy cloud hanging over my head, something to reignite the flicker of hope I clung to. Regret weighed on me heavily, my past decisions haunting me n

I muttered under my breath, “How foolish I was.”

I couldn’t help but question whether I should have gone along with my Beta, or perhaps done the investigation myself. The waiting was unbearable. Frustration bubbled up inside me.

To calm my nerves, I decided to check on my sister, Sophia. I found her sitting up in bed, stretching gingerly. She looked a little better, but I knew full well that for her to truly heal, I had to find Lena. Only she could help my sister. I just prayed she wouldn’t let the past dictate her decision. Would she even consider helping after everything I had done?

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. I’m selfish. But tell me, who isn’t selfish in this world? Are you selfless?

I hurried to my sister’s side, holding her hands. “Sophia, how are you feeling?”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

She gave me a weak smile. “I’m okay, Ethan. But how about you? How are you holding up?”

“I’m… fine,” I lied.

“You don’t look fine,” she said, reaching up to touch my face. “You look troubled.”

I let out a sigh, unable to hide the weight pressing on my chest. “I’ve just been thinking too much lately.”

“Is it because of my health?” she asked, her eyes searching mine.

“Yes, and other things too.”

“Ethan, listen to me.” She squeezed my hand. “I’ve lived the life I wanted. I got married to my mate, became the Alpha Luna, something I always dreamed of. My only regret is not seeing you raise your own family.”

“Sophia, stop talking like that. You’re not going to die. I will find Le-”

I couldn’t even say her name without feeling the sting of my mistakes.

Sophia noticed my hesitation. “Are you okay, Ethan?”

“Yes,” I stammered, avoiding her gaze. “I’m just…”

“Thinking about Lena?” she finished for me.

I looked at her, and my silence confirmed it. I had been thinking about Lena constantly.

“I never really understood why you broke your mate bond,” Sophia said softly. “I remember the day you met her. It was the same day I met my mate. The energy between you two was unmistakable. But then, out of nowhere, you rejected her at the mating ceremony and accepted her cousin instead.”

She paused, her brow furrowing as if she was still trying to piece it all together. “I wanted to ask you back then, but I left for my mate’s pack immediately. And we never really had a chance to talk about it.”

“I was stupid,” I admitted, feeling the weight of my words. “I was confused, carried away by Lauren. She was always there, always trying to pull me in, and I fell for it. She filled my head with lies-telling me Lena’s father was a traitor, that she couldn’t be trusted. I didn’t know what to believe, and I made the worst mistake of my life.”

Sophia sighed. “Ethan, the past is the past. We can’t change it. All you can do now is try to make things right. Are you going to?”

“I want to,” I said, my voice low. “But what if she doesn’t forgive me? What if she takes all that anger out on you?”

Sophia shook her head. “You can’t control how she feels. All you can do is try. Have you even started looking for her?

“Not exactly,” I admitted. “But I sent my Beta to gather information about her, to find out what happened after I rejected the bond.”

As if on cue, my Beta burst into the room, panting heavily as though he had run all the way from the outskirts of the palace.

“What happened?” I asked, my heart pounding in anticipation. “Did you find her?”

He shook his head. “No, my lord, I didn’t find her. But I know what happened to her.”

My pulse quickened. “Tell me everything.”

He took a deep breath before speaking. “After you rejected her, she was forced to live with her uncle. They treated her like a slave, abusing her daily. The night after the bond was broken, she came home late. Her uncle was furious and made her sleep outside. A few weeks later, they found out she was pregnant. They tried to force her to abort the baby, but she refused. That’s when she ran away. Since then, no one has seen or heard from her.”

I stared at him, my mind racing. “No one? Not in the entire town?”

“Yes, my lord. No one has seen her since that night.”

“That’s impossible,” I said, shaking my head. “Someone must have seen her. Someone out there knows something.”

Sophia, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. “Ethan, someone always knows something. You just need to reach the right people. Have her picture posted around the city. Offer a reward for information. Let people know the Alpha is personally looking for her.”

I frowned. “Do you think that will work?”

“It always works,” Sophia said with certainty. “You just have to be persistent.”

“Alright,” I said, nodding. “Beta, gather the guards. Go to her uncle’s house and get a picture of Lena. Then spread it throughout the town. Make sure everyone knows I’m looking for her.”

My Beta bowed. “Yes, my lord. I’ll see to it immediately.”

As he left the room, I looked out the window, the weight of my guilt and hope warring within me. Wherever Lena was, I just prayed she was safe.

As I stood by the window, staring into the darkening sky, I couldn’t help but wonder where Lena was now, how she was surviving. The uncertainty gnawed at me, but I vowed not to stop until I found her.