Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 53 She’s Gone

**Ethan’s POV

“This salmon is absolutely delicious,” Madalynn said.

She sat next to me, her body pushing against mine as she laughed at what another noblewoman was saying as if it was the most amusing thing in the world

Outside, thunder rumbled, and a flash of lightning cast eerie shadows on the walls of the dining hall, causing the candlelight by which we dined to take on a haunting glow.

It wasn't just the weather that was making me feel unsettled. Something wasn't right, and I simply couldn't place what it was.

Madalynn cleared her throat.

“Are you all right?” she asked, her breath warm on my face, making me frown. “You've hardly eaten a bite, and we're on the third course.”

“I'm fine."

I couldn't help but think about Rosalie. I still didn't understand why she hadn't told me about the ultrasound. She had better explain herself to me later tonight.

For some reason, I felt a longing, deep down, to go to her, to make sure that she was well, that nothing was the matter with her or the baby.

But this was a dinner party in my honor. How the h*II could I make an excuse and get up from the table? I was trapped there next to Madalynn

Dinner seemed to drag on forever. Finally, the servants took away the plates, and people started to socialize. Laughter and music mixed with the thunder from the outside, making the night even more irritating.

I noticed Vicky and Georgia were talking in very low voices from a couple seats away. No one else would pay attention to them or be able to hear what they were discussing — except for me.

"... Rosalie... check. We can't just leave, Georgia,” Vicky said in a hushed whisper.

“Sure we can watch.”

I frowned at Georgia's reply.

Then she stood up, drawing attention to herself. “My dearest brother, as lovely as this dinner is, I feel as if the wine has gone to my head and would like to excuse myself. I would hate to embarrass you on your most special night.”

James was in a good mood, and he chuckled at Georgia's words.

Normally, I would've scolded Georgia, but today, my instinct told me it would be best to have them go check on Rosalie. So I said, “Vicky, see that she gets there.”

"Of course, Alpha.” Vicky replied before looking back at Georgia, who kept a stoic face the entire time.

“Told you.” I heard Georgia whisper to Vicky as they walked by me with a smirk.

"You are too much sometimes...” Vicky commented.

Madalynn wasn't paying attention, and didn’t notice their departure until they were out of the dinning hall.

“Where are they going?” she asked

“To the bathroom,” I said without expressing any additional emotions.

A perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised over one eye. She didn't believe me. I didn't care.

After a few minutes, the soft murmur of conversation resumed. Another crack of lightning illuminated the sky. The loudest clap of thunder we'd heard yet had several guests lurching in their seats.

Then Vicky rushed back to the dinning hall with Rosalie’s guards. Panic was all over her face.

In that one moment, I could feel my heart skip a beat.

Thad a sinking feeling in my stomach.

Something bad happened.

Vicky didn’t bother to keep up appearances. Instead, she dropped down next to my ear. I could hear my heartbeat pounding against my eardrum.

"She's gone!”

I couldn't comprehend what she was telling me at first, so I just gaped at her. My mind ran over those two words a few times, trying to figure out what they could possibly mean.

They seemed simple enough, but it couldn't be so.

No. I must have misunderstood.

"What?" I finally asked.

Finally, the wide-eyed panic on Vicky's face broke through my denial. It said clearly, “Rosalie is gone!”

I pushed my chair back and stood, already heading for Rosalie’s room.

I didn't f*cking caring what the rest of the guests might think.

In that moment, the whispered panic I'd been feeling for the last few hours gave way toan overwhelming feeling of dread within me.

I took off in a sprint toward Rosalie’s room. I careened into corners and ran into a few servants, but I didn't care.

I needed to get there as quickly as possible. I needed to see for myself that Vicky was mistaken. Rosalie couldn't be gone. She had to be in her room, sitting there, waiting for me, her hand protectively folded over her stomach where our child slumbered.

"WHERE IS SHE!!" I roared as I burst into our suite. Talon and Vicky followed.

Rosalie was nowhere to be seen. Only Georgia was there, holding two pieces of paper in her shaking hand.

“She left these for us.” Her voice trembled.

One of them had my name on it, but I couldn't bear to look at it- not at the moment.

The others followed me into the room. Vicky snatched the paper with her name on it from Georgia and opened it quickly.

Sinking onto the bed, Vicky read the letter, tears streaming down her cheeks. Talon sat next to her, wrapping his arm around her.

"Why?" Vicky said when she was done reading it. “Why would she...?”

I didn't even want to know what it said, but I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.

My breathing became rapid, and I found myself stumbling. Talon reached out to steady me.

“FIND HER!" I roared in the room, throwing Talon and the rest of my men into action. “D*mn it! Start searching immediately! Go get Samuel!”

"Yes, Alpha,” they answered, heading off in all different directions.

“Rosalie, how dare you!!" I shouted, fury building up inside of me.

All I wanted to do at that moment was punch someone in the face, but there was no one there to take my anger out on. I turned to a picture on the wall and pulled it off of the nail, throwing it across the room. It hit the floor, and the glass shattered into a thousand pieces, startling the others in the room

It did nothing to quell my rage.

"Alpha Ethan!”

I turned toward the door to see a guard standing there, breathing heavily.

"What is it?" I asked him, hope bubbling up inside of me.

"Someone said they saw Rosalie outside just a few minutes ago, near the garden over by the cliff!” My heart began to thump in my chest as I thought about Vicky's reaction to her letter.

There was no time to waste.

Without a word to anyone, I took off toward the door-only for my shoulder collided with Madalynn'’s.

I paused.

“What are you doing?” she asked me. “Move.” I growled.

A look of disgust crossed her face. “Are you running to her?”

“I said F*CKING MOVE!!!" I yelled, and took off without wasting another second on her.

I ran as fast as I could, praying to the Moon Goddess that I reached Rosalie before she did something that couldn't be undone.

The garden and cliffs in question were not too far from her chambers. I ran through the halls and out the closest door.

The storm outside was intense, and I was met with deadly pelting drops of rain that stung my skin as they struck me. But the raging storm was the least of my worries.

I could hear the others following me, but I didn't slow down to wait for them. I needed to get to Rosalie.

I needed her to stay, and I wanted our baby to be safe.

And then I saw her. A bolt of lightning illuminated her silhouette where she stood on the cliffs. It was still dark,

but I could see her figure, wearing a long, blue dress. Her hair was up, and she was crying. “Rosalie!” I shouted, reaching for her. She was several hundred yards away from me still, and the muddy ground made it difficult to run, but I wanted so desperately to grab her, to pull her close. She lifted a hand to her cheek to wipe away her tears, and then her hand reached out toward me. For a moment, I thought she might take a step in my direction.

Thunder shook the earth, lightning crackled behind her, and then... she was gone.

I saw her hanging there for a moment, in the air, before she dipped down below the edge of the cliff. I stopped running the second that she disappeared.

My heart stopped beating.

I stopped breathing

Then.” as thunder tore through the sky, the world came crashing back down on me.

"ROSALIE-!!I" I screamed, knowing that no one could possibly survive that fall.

No longer able to function as a human, to process the emotions flooding my body, I let my wolf take over. With a crack of bones and a ripping of fabric, I shifted. Tossing my head back, I let out a howl that filled the night sky and overshadowed the cacophony of the thunder as every fiber of my being cried out in despair.

Rosalie was gone-and so was our child.