Chapter 14

**Alexander POV**

I was standing next to the window, looking outside towards the forest, thinking of her. Taking in a deep breath, I couldn’t help but wish that things were different. The door to my office opened, and footsteps sounded. I instinctively knew it was Reynard that walked inside, slowly approaching me.
A nudge to my shoulder made me glance towards him. He was offering me a glass filled with liquid. I looked at him in question, and he said, “I thought that you might need something strong to drink.”
I took the offered drink and silently thanked him. I pressed the glass to my lips, about to drink, but stopped when I heard Ryder walk inside the room.
Turning around to look at him, I walked towards my desk, holding the glass in my hand like my life depended on it, waiting, and anticipating any news, craving to hear good news the moment Ryder walked towards me.
Ryder came to a stop before me, before speaking “I am sorry to inform you, Alpha, but we couldn’t find them anywhere. It is like they disappeared from Earth.”
At his words, I squeezed my hands into fists, breaking the glass, the liquid spilling to the floor.
“No!” Reynard yelled, making Ryder and I look at him in question. He was looking at my hand, I hadn't even noticed that the glass cut through my skin. It was bleeding slightly, blood slowly dripping from it.
I watched my brother in confusion, wondering why he had such a reaction. As for me, it didn't matter that my hand was hurt, not when I felt so empty and lifeless inside. Settling my eyes on him, I noticed they were like a storm, rage making his body shake. He slammed his fist into the wall.
“What the fuck is the matter with you?” I demanded, annoyed and at the same time surprised by his reaction.
He raked his hand through his hair as he took deep breaths, trying to compose himself. My eyes went to the dent in the wall, left from the impact of Reynard's punch. Growling lightly, I walked towards my brother, his anger-filled eyes boring into mine.
To say I was surprised by his reaction would be an understatement, but it made me wonder what caused him to react in such a way. He growled, and his stance became hostile towards me, making my dragon feel as though he was being challenged. My own warning growls coming from my chest sounded in return, as I took a warning step towards him, and spoke in an icy, warning tone, “Calm down, Reynard, you do not wish to challenge me.”
His eyes closed as he tried to reel in his dragon, taking in deep breaths until he had regained his control. As he opened his eyes, he looked back at me. “Why are you so determined to find her?”
My own eyes turned dark, not liking that he was questioning me, or asking about her. I knew very well who he meant, and his interest in my mate was not settling very well with me.
“That is my own business, not yours to know,” I answered, growling. Feeling irritated and provoked by him, I continued, “What makes me wonder, dear brother, is why you are so interested in her?”
His breathing was ragged, he was visibly still trying to compose himself as he spoke in a voice filled with venom, “You do not deserve her.”
His answer shocked me, causing Ryder to jump in and try to calm the tension-filled room before it erupted furthermore, "Maybe everyone needs to step back, calm down, and focus on the task at hand with clear heads. Fighting each other won't do anyone any good, nor will it help us find them."
Hearing Ryder's reasoning, I knew he was right, but I would not step down if I was challenged so I continued to watch my brother, a clear warning shining in my eyes.
Finally, a moment later, Reynard was the one to back down, but he growled one more time and walked away without a word towards the door.
He turned around and told me, “I know why you are so adamant to find her, and I know what she is to you, dear brother.” Having said that before I had a chance to react, he then rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. My anger rose, and I slammed my fist into the table, breaking it in half.
I paced around the room, raking my hands through my hair for the thousandth time already today, I couldn’t stop my growls. All I wanted was to go after Reynard and punch him.
Ryder took a deep, loud breath as he shook his head, looking down at the broken table, the contents and papers spread all over the floor from the impact of my punch.
“Damn… I guess we need to get you a new table and computer now,” I heard Ryder mutter, as I looked towards him, watching him pick up the broken monitor, and examine it in his hands.
Was he serious? I thought to myself.
"Fuck the table and the computer, I want her found!" I said angrily, making Ryder exhale deeply as he looked at me.
“I get it, Alex, but what I don’t understand is… What Reynard is saying?” Ryder asked slowly.
Feeling annoyed, I tried to calm my raging anger. I couldn’t look at Ryder as I mumbled, “Nothing.”
Ryder stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ve known you for as long as I can remember, Alex, and I know that you haven’t been telling me everything, but I was willing to let it go. However, I can see that ever since Emily and Nerissa ran away, you haven’t been yourself anymore,” he told me, making me stop and look at him. “We are best friends, Alex, and I see you not only as my Alpha, but also as my family, so when you are ready I am here to hear you out, and I will do everything I can, as you know, to find them if it is that important to you.” I contemplated silently, taking in his words. Should I finally reveal the truth or keep it to myself? He was waiting for me to say something, it was obvious in the way he stared me even though I was avoiding his gaze.
I walked towards the couch and tossed myself down on it, holding my head in my hands as I heard him move to open a cabinet. The sound of liquid being poured filled the silence. His footsteps reached me as I removed my hands from my head in time to see him offer me a glass of whiskey. I took it from him as he sat down opposite me on the other leather couch in the room.
He raised his glass and took a sip of his drink as I gulped down mine, now holding an empty cup in my hand. He was silent, giving me time to decide on what I wanted to do. I finally spoke in a gruff voice, not looking at him. “I found her.”
He looked at me, confusion evident on his face. “Found her?”
Exhaling loudly, I looked at him. “My mate. I found her.”
His expression was priceless as he looked at me, surprised at first, but soon I could see his eyes grow wide, and I knew he must have realized who it was.
Ryder moved in his seat, closer to the edge while he kept his eyes locked on me. “It is Nerissa, isn’t it?”
Hearing her name made my heart race. The emptiness that overtook me from the moment she left made me walk around like a zombie, void of any emotion. I felt incomplete. Utter loneliness and sorrow mixed with the anger I felt towards myself.
Swallowing down the lump that pressed on my throat, I spoke, “Yes… I know I shouldn’t have done what I did and treated her as badly as I did, but what was I supposed to do? We were taught from the moment we were born about their kind and the prophecy. We trained and learned how to find them and eliminate the threat that they represent. But, I couldn’t do that, not when I saw her in that first moment. The moment when the truth hit me like a lightning strike, words I never expected to hear from my dragon revealing that she was my mate, I just couldn’t let her die, Ryder. Not then, not ever.”
Ryder nodded his head, taking in my words. “I get it, I feel the same way as you do…” I looked at him, confused for a moment, and not understanding what he meant by that. When he noticed me looking at him with confusion, he continued, “E-Emily is…”
He swallowed loudly but before he could continue, I finished for him, understanding clearly what he was trying to say. “She is your mate, isn’t she?”
He looked at me for a moment before he nodded his head. “Yes.”
I stood up and walked towards the liquor cabinet before I grabbed the half-full, whiskey bottle and took it with me as I went to stand next to Ryder. I refilled his glass and did the same with my own.
I sat back down in my seat and raised my glass in the air. “Well, we both got screwed fucking good by the Goddess and our destined ones, but it is time for some changes to finally start. We no longer live in times like our ancestors did, and no matter what, we should accept our fate and protect our mates. Are you with me?”
Ryder raised his glass, clinked it with mine, and drank it down in one go. He wiped the corner of his lips as he smirked. "Let's not keep our mates waiting, shall we?"

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*Author's note:
Hi there,
Thank you so much for supporting me and reading my story. I would really love to hear your thoughts so please don't be shy to leave your comment.
Also this book has been published (edited and polished version) and book two called Cursed or Blessed by The Fire (unedited version) is available on Bravonovel and Joyread while edited, polished and extended version will be available on Amazon soon. If you want to know when and where I'm releasing my books, publishing dates and what story I'm curently working on then please join my FB Readers group to stay up to date.
Thank you <3
Happy reading!
Love, Amanda <3*