His Dark Obsession by Moonlight Muse

49. Against Time

ZEDKIEL.

I shifted the moment I left the castle. The urge to crush the camera entices me, but instead, I hang the strap around my neck and bundle my clothes together before breaking into a run. 1

I’ll find her and if anything has happened to her… The forest is dangerous and it’s not somewhere I want Evangeline alone.

I try not to think of the worst. Obviously, they will have people posted there, but still. It’s over an hour later and I reach the forest, trying to catch her scent. I ran as fast as I could and although I made it here at record speed; I’m beginning to feel extremely uneasy.

There’s nothing…

I’ve been here countless times; I know where all the store cabins are, and any houses located in the area. I’ll check them all out. With each passing hour, my restlessness is growing. I need blood, but at the same time, I can’t shake off the growing unease. Am I overreacting?

I finally reach the deepest part of the forest and approach the small cabin that sits in the middle. I slam into the door, ripping it from its hinges in my anger as I glare into the room. For a moment, my heart skips a beat, and my gaze falls on the top that she had worn that morning, but it’s only for a split second because I realise that it’s not her.

This woman may have similarly styled black hair and may be wearing the same outfit- is the same build and Evangeline’s scent lingers on them, but it’s not Evangeline.

She’s sitting on the armchair, her back to me and I storm over.

“Where is she?” I growl into the extremely silent room.

Was this all for nothing? I have just reached the woman, grabbing her arm, when I tense – realising what is missing in the quiet room.

In my rage, I hadn’t realised that there is no heartbeat.

I shift back, crouching in front of the woman, her head is tilted sideways, and she’s staring ahead. Her mouth is parted and there’s foam at the corners of it.

She’s dead.

“What the fuck…” I mutter. I check her pulse, but there isn’t one.

For a second, I wonder if this is all part of the twisted games, but then I realise it can’t

She’s dead…

“This woman is fucking dead. What the fuck are you lot playing at?” I snarl knowing they can hear me through the camera. “Where is Evangeline!”

I hope they find a way to reach me, because I fucking need an answer.

I look at the woman. She’s still warm, meaning she died recently… but this means Evangeline is out there somewhere else.

My stomach twists, and my eyes blaze red as I leave the cabin, growling in rage. I need to talk to someone right now. Something isn’t right and if this isn’t part of the fucking tournament which I’m certain that it isn’t, it means Evangeline is in danger. Somewhere.

just needed confirmation. Do I keep looking

pause and I’m about to launch myself at whatever it

An urgent message from the King!” They say,

fast, and I can tell they have come as fast as

form, I glare at them, hating the fact that

out to me and I take it. They hurry off and I’m certain it’s because they’re scared

snarl, I thought phones weren’t allowed in this shit

saw you through the camera and… Evangeline is the one who should have been there. Something has gone wrong; we have sent a team out

I hiss venomously, trying not

this happened, she was simply meant to be taken to the forest-”

her!” I hiss.

well-planned game. I’m sorry and we will find her, I promise you

and when I

security footage – any that caught her at any time of the day, up until she

flash and I shift, crushing the phone in my hand as I turn and head back towards the castle. I will search from there. There are guards everywhere around the castle. She can’t have

my sweatpants and heading straight to the security department. I

am near enough to the castle when I suddenly feel as if I can’t breathe properly. There’s a discomfort in my chest and I

room falls silent, and I notice Dad, Alpha Aeron, and

“Son, calm down-”

grabbing him by the collar. Everyone tenses and a few of the guards get up, but Dad motions for them to step down. Like they

to our attention.” Aeron says, looking concerned. He can stop fucking pretending. He didn’t seem to care when

up to me.

one of the men

forest, she went into the bathroom. The two guards waited down the hall for her, just out of range of the cameras … however a woman in a hoodie comes out first, we think perhaps it’s Evangeline and she had changed clothing… As you can see, a short while later Evangeline comes out, but when I observe closer, I feel

from the back… She’s the woman in the woods.” I scoff, looking at him. “I’ve known her for far less time and I can tell you that

but I cut him

job to figure out. I need to find her.” I growl. “The girl in the hoodie. Is she seen anywhere in any of the surveillance footage

Evangeline. I can tell from the

what happened at the ball when she was given to you. She wanted

through the room as white-hot rage blisters. through me like an inferno and I grab his collar, slamming him into the table. “Don’t antagonise me because I will kill

camera from the time of this video. We must find her somewhere.” I command. “I’m going to try to see

look back at the screen. She had gone right from the north hallway… I’ll start there. I’m feeling worse, and I take a few deep breaths, trying

best place to catch her scent would be from where she was last spotted.

are questions I will find the answer to, but for now, finding her is my priority. What if she’s hurt? If something happens to her… My stomach twists and I push the thought away, reaching the north hallway soon

I close my eyes trying to capture her scent. It’s a few moments before I smell it, the faintest hint of her scent. My eyes flash and I slowly follow it. At times, I

frown as I speed up scanning the rooms that are all locked and bolted. I head lower but I can smell it now, her scent as well as two others

as I try to calm it. I already feel weak and it’s crippling

don’t feel great, maybe it’s all

“Evangeline!”