Chapter 3

Shane

The annual festival preparation had turned my office into a war zone with files piled across my desk. Three different reports were open on my laptop, and another stack of documents sat on the chair beside me because there was nowhere else to put them.

The elders wanted the festival arrangements approved before the end of the week, every department seemed to have suddenly remembered that nothing could be finalized without the Alpha's approval.

I rubbed my forehead, trying to force myself to concentrate on the report in front of me.

The headache had been sitting behind my eyes for the past hour, growing slightly worse every time I looked at another page.

"Exhaustion is starting to get to me." I groaned as I dropped the file on the desk and leaned back in my chair.

Lately it felt like there was something missing, as if there's a space my life that wasn't there before.

Fuck! I needed sleep. I hissed.

Maybe I should go back to the Luna's quarters tonight instead of spending another night in the small room attached to my study. Karri's scent would probably cure this faster than any medicine.

The thought made me pause…Karri.

I glanced at the clock before looking back at my desk. When was the last time I saw her? My brows pulled together. It has to be two weeks ago.

I sat upright instantly…Two weeks?

How had I gone two weeks without seeing my own mate? Karri and I worked around the same official building almost every day. Her office wasn't far from mine. I’ve never had any reason to look for her, she had always popped out in front of me with a bright smile on her face. How come she hadn't shown up with even his lunchbox like she used to?

Most times Marisa preferred we had lunch together outside so I don't gr the chance to eat them every time and just handed them to Jayson, my beta.

As if on cue, Jayson pushed my office door open, stepping in with extra stack of files in his arms. Dear Goddess, there are more? I don't think I'll survive this night if even look at any of those for another minute.

“Here are the last set, they only need your signature before dispatch.” he slid the files across the table.

“Hey Jayson, did Karri come to the office today?” I asked without thinking.

“Yes, but she barely left her office these days. Her assistant has been the one submitting all the paperwork.” He responded without sparing me a glance as he flipped through some paper.

I frowned. That was strange.

Karri had never sent her assistant to submit documents she was supposed to bring directly to my table. She always came herself, even when the paperwork could easily have been delivered by someone else. She used those moments as an opportunity to see me. Even when I barely responded to her, she would stand there and talk about her day, knowing I was listening.

"Did she look sick?" Jayson finally looked up at me, hesitating before giving me an answer.

"Well, she isn't as active and excited as she used to be. She looked a little pale." My jaw clenched slightly as I watched him. "But why are you suddenly asking about the Luna?"

He raised a brow. "This is the first time."

I didn't give him an answer and just glanced at my wristwatch. It was 10pm already.

I looked around my office, then back at the files covering my desk. I had been working late for weeks, barely leaving this place until everyone else was already asleep. Maybe tonight I could finally get some proper rest.

I pushed myself out of the chair, grabbed my phone and keys from the desk and slipped them into my pocket.

"You can go home to your mate tonight, Jayson." Jayson looked at me like I had suddenly grown another head.

"Shane? Did you hit your head? You have been making me work overnight, but suddenly asking me to go home? Is it really you talking?"

I ignored him and walked toward the door. "Don't make me change my mind."

"Good night, Alpha." He quickly gathered his things behind me. I left the office before he could say anything else.

The drive from the official building to the pack house took barely five minutes. The Alpha and Luna stayed at the far end of the pack house, away from the rooms where the rest of the staff and pack members lived.

When I reached our door, I reached for the handle and tried to open it, it was locked.

I frowned at the door. Why would she lock it when her husband was still out?

I paused as the realization clicked…I had been working late for weeks. Most nights, I didn't even make it to the bedroom. I slept in the small room attached to my study whenever I decided to work through the night.

Maybe Karri had simply stopped expecting me to come home. And why was the place usually quiet as if there are no staff in the building?

I pulled out my phone and dialed Karri's number, but the call ended after the first ring. I stared at the screen for a moment, wondering if she was already asleep before dialing again. This time, the phone rang three times before she picked up.

"Hello?"

Her voice sounded sleepy, like I had just woken her up. "It's me. I'm at the door."

There was a brief silence before I heard movement from inside. Soon, the lock clicked and the door opened, my gaze immediately falling on Karri. She stood there with her hair slightly messy from sleep, wearing only a thin, see-through silk lingerie that left little to the imagination.

For a moment, I simply stared at her. She looked just as surprised to see me standing there as I was to see her dressed like that.