32

[Ragnar’s pov]

As I drove back to Zilver's place, my mind was swirling with thoughts and doubts. I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe he had ditched me when it came to Jade. It didn't make sense why he would suddenly refuse to let his own sister accompany me in the first place. My heart sank at the possibility that he might have abducted her to throw the blame on me.

As I parked the car near Zilver's house, I took a deep breath while controlling my rage, trying to calm my racing thoughts. I knew I had to confront him about this, to find out the truth about why he did all that if he was behind all that. Stepping out of the car, I walked up to the front door and without hesitating for any moment I barged inside.

Inside, I heard some shuffling on the right side and soon enough Zilver appeared as Lily followed him to the hall. His expression was guarded, as if he was expecting my arrival. But perhaps not that soon. My hunch grew stronger that he might have known something which I did not. "Ragnar, what brings you here?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant and normal.

"I need to talk to you," I replied, my voice tense. "It' is about Jade. We were supposed to go together to the Gravestone pack as planned, remember? But suddenly, she disappeared in the middle of nowhere to somewhere I don’t know. I can't help but wonder if there is something you are not telling me.”

Zilver's eyes darted away, and he seemed to struggle for words. "Look, it's not what you think," he finally said, his voice wavering slightly. "I had my reasons for not telling you many things, but I can't explain them right now properly. Trust me, this time I have no say in it. If she disappeared then I have no hand in the matter.”

I clenched my fists, frustration boiling inside me. "Zilver, she is my mate! If there is something going on, I deserve to know. We have been through so much together, and I won't stand by while you keep me in the dark." I yelled at him while keeping my voice in check as it was his territory and not mine.

For a moment, Zilver's composure faltered, and he looked torn. "I didn't want to involve you in this mess," he admitted reluctantly. "But fine, I have to tell you. Jade has been targeted by the most dangerous individual, and I couldn't risk putting her through the stress of an unnecessary burden of thoughts. Especially when she is pregnant."

A mix of worry and anger coursed through me. "Targeted? By whom? Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? And for what reason was she being abducted?” I confronted him with a loud voice as Zilver sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I wanted to protect her and you. I thought if I handled it discreetly, it would be better. But now, it seems I have only caused more trouble."

As I listened to his explanation which was very vague and I could not comprehend anything completely. I began to understand his intentions, though I still couldn't condone his secrecy. "We need to find her and face this together," I said firmly. "No more keeping secrets. Jade is your sister and my mate, and I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe."

Zilver nodded, his eyes reflecting relief that I wasn't abandoning him in this difficult situation. "You are right. I should have trusted you from the start." I couldn't help but wonder what other surprises awaited me, but one thing was certain: we would have faced them as a united front.

Zilver and I stood at the spot where Jade had vanished, the weight of uncertainty heavy upon us. The memory of that dreadful day haunted us both, but we were determined to find any clues that might lead us to her. We began searching the surroundings meticulously, scouring the road and the edges of the dense forest.

How could someone so dear to both of us suddenly disappear without a trace? It didn't make sense, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. Zilver's face was etched with worry and guilt. He blamed himself for not being more vigilant, for not protecting his sister better.

But I couldn't let him shoulder the burden alone. "Zilver, it is not your fault, I understand you were protecting her and wanting me to take her away as soon as possible," I said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We will find her. We just need to keep looking." I spoke to him as we stood in the middle of that street deep inside the forest.

He nodded, grateful for the support, but his gaze remained fixed on the forest ahead. "You are right, Ragnar. Let's keep searching. I just want to make sure that my hunch is right.” I knew that Zilver knew something which I did not, and I needed to know everything.

We ventured deeper into the woods, calling out Jade's name, hoping against hope that she might respond. The silence that greeted us was disheartening, but we refused to give up. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly as we scoured every nook and cranny, but still there was no sign of her.

As dusk began to settle, we returned to the spot where we had started. The fading light cast long shadows around us, and Zilver could see the exhaustion in my eyes. The same fatigue mirrored in my own reflection when I caught a glimpse of myself in a nearby puddle. But we couldn't stop now; Jade's safety was at stake.

Zilver leaned against a nearby tree, taking a moment to catch his breath. "What if we never find her, Zilver? What if she is gone forever without a trace?" I whispered with a voice trembling with fear. As I aimed to extort more information from him which he had been hiding from me.

He stepped closer, placing his hand on my shoulder once again. "We can't lose hope," he said firmly. "Jade is strong, and she knows we are out here looking for her. We will keep searching, no matter how long it takes. We won't stop until she is safe."

I managed a weak smile, appreciating his determination. "You are right, Zilver. We can't give up on her." With renewed resolve, we decided to widen our search area, covering more ground in the hopes of finding any clue that might lead us to Jade. The night grew darker and the forest became eerie, but we pressed on, guided by the love and bond we shared with her.

As the moon bathed the landscape in its pale glow, we continued our search. Hours turned into what felt like an eternity but our determination never wavered. Finally, when the first rays of dawn began to paint the horizon, I finally came to a clearing.

There at the edge of the clearing, I found something: a torn piece of Jade's dress, caught on a low-hanging branch. It was a faint glimmer of hope, but it meant that we were on the right track.

"This is it, Zilver," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "We are getting closer." I narrowed my eyes at alpha Zilver who seemed hesitant and not happy. His reaction made my hunch accurate that something was definitely wrong and he was hiding many things from me. Secrets.