~Lucain’s POV

The days without Bella felt like an eternity. Every passing hour that she was missing clawed at my sanity, and I could feel myself unraveling. She was everywhere—in the quiet moments, in the storm of my thoughts, and even in my dreams. Yet when I woke, she was gone, leaving behind only an empty bed and a gnawing ache in my chest.

I refused to attend to any council meetings. They kept sending my Beta to remind me of my duties, as if I could simply set aside the fact that she was gone. What did they expect me to do? Smile and pretend everything was fine while...