GIFTED RILEY by Lacy Mierr

Chapter 57: Where Is My Mate?

*Nicolas*

I don’t think I have ever made it back to the Evermane pack faster than I did today. Not with the need to find Riley being so great. I didn’t dare: try taking my time to get here..

This was going to be an easy trip. I was going to find my mate. Ask her why she decided to block the communication between us. Then I will probably grovel when I find out it was my fault. Everything was going to be fine and go to plan.

I strolled through pack grounds with Vera a step behind me. Ready to stand by my side in anything that was going to happen. Many wolves were standing around, talking amongst themselves.

I decided that the avoided eye contact was from being the Lycan king. Nothing else.

I didn’t have to storm too far into the pack lands when I saw just the three I was looking for other than my actual mate.

–

Alpha Noah, his Beta Liam, and Ava were all huddled together, discussing something frantically. I just barely got into their hearing’s reach before they noticed me and went quiet. I frowned at the trio, watching their glances between themselves.

Vera branched off to a second group of highly placed wolves nearby, so she was in earshot while still getting new information at the same time. Those wolves seemed anxious to say anything as well.

They all seemed to search for a way out of the conversation with me, but I was quick enough to speak up before they could t e r, “Just the wolves I was looking for.” Even the Alpha flinched at my sharp tone. I hoped I made it clear I wasn’t playing nice.

“Lycan King, what a pleasure!” Noah turned to address me fully. Both of the wolves beside him respectively bowed their heads, but I didn’t care for any niceties.

“Where is Riley?” I looked over each of them as I got straight to the point. They tried avoiding my gaze and decided to watch their feet instead. My expression lifted to a snarl and I could even hear Vera growl behind me, “Where is my mate?”

Again, no one could find it within themselves to answer me. I gritted my teeth as I stared down at each of them with a blistering glare. After a moment, my eyes locked on to Noah. His cheeks were flushed with a panicked gaze that glanced between Liam and Ava.

Trying to figure out what to tell me. Trying to figure out what lie they could feed me. I was sure.

I took Noah by the throat, just barely lifting him from the floor. I made it so that we were at eye level with each other. “I won’t ask again. Where. Is. Riley?”

Chapter 57, Where is My Mate

Noah tried to gasp for air but was stopped by my tight hold on his airway. I glared back at him, slightly satisfied to do this. I had disliked him since I found out that he was an ex-boyfriend of my mate.

“Please put him down!” Ava cried almost instantly, which I expected from his chosen mate. She continued to plea for the Alpha I had by the throat. Not that I really cared for her pleas. I wanted information and I didn’t plan on relenting anytime soon.

Liam also came to his Alpha’s aid, “Wait! You don’t have to do this, Nicolas!”

I still refused to let up. My grip tightened while I had no answers. My eyes narrowed up at the Alpha wolf too as he scratched at my hands to let him breathe.

It was when his face began to turn purple that they decided to fess up, “We only found out that she was gone this morning!”

I dropped Noah in a heartbeat, turning my angry expression towards Liam, “You’ve known my mate was gone since this morning and DIDN’T TELL ME?!” I roared at the measly wolf in front of me.

Noah fell to the ground, choking on his breath. Trying hard to get back to his feet. Which was a struggle for the Alpha, since he was lacking the necessary oxygen to his brain.

“I was the one that found out,” Ava intervened. If she wanted to take the brunt of my anger, she succeeded. I whipped around, snarling at

1021

Chapter 57: Where is My Mate?

her this time. “I realized it was very late and Riley still hadn’t got up yet, so I went to go check on her.”

My anger continued to fester as I stared down at the she-wolf, finally letting me hear the terrible news. I knew this was going to happen. I should have never entrusted these amateurs with the life of my mate. This was me getting the consequences of my actions.

A growl rumbled in my chest, telling her to continue. “When I got up there to call for her, her room was empty… I’m not sure how long she was gone. It must have been some time within the night. She didn’t tell anyone.”

My mate had to be in trouble. There was no reason for Riley to flee from the Evermane pack or me. She was so set on helping them. through their recovery, that I was sure that there was nothing that anyone could say to get her to change her mind.

That meant that someone had to have taken her from her room in the middle of the night. Someone stole her from right under the noses of the guards around the pack. To say I was furious was an understatement. I should have set my guards with her. Why did I ever think to trust these measly wolves after the attack not too long ago?

“I ordered my healthiest and strongest Evermane soldiers to be out there looking for her,” Noah was quick to tell me, finally pulling himself together. Like that would make me feel any less murderous towards them now. “If anyone were able to find them, it would be them.”

I glared down at the boy before deciding punishment wouldn’t be worth it until Riley was tucked safely under my arms. I turned away. and started storming in the other direction, calling to Vera as I passed.