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.

back out. She can’t be in here… I just needed confirmation. Do I keep looking or do I leave the forest? Something else is going on here and

to launch myself at whatever it is, when two guards come running out and it

Zedkiel! An urgent message from the King!” They say, lowering

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

fact that the mind link is blocked.

it. They hurry off and

weren’t allowed

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

hiss venomously, trying

she was simply meant to be taken to the forest-”

I hiss. “I want them arrested right

in the training fields. This was a well-planned game. I’m sorry and we will find her, I promise

did this… and when I fucking

her at any time of the day, up until she went missing.” I snarl. “I’m coming back.”

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 gotten out without

sweatpants and heading straight to the security department. I don’t feel

feel as if I can’t breathe properly. There’s a discomfort in my chest and I feel ill.

the door. The room falls silent, and I notice Dad, Alpha Aeron, and a few of the council members

“Son, calm down-”

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

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

up to me.

and pushing aside one of the men as I look at the screen that Aeron is pointing

the 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

not Evangeline, she doesn’t even walk the same way, nor does she look like Evangeline from the back… She’s the woman in the woods.” I

tries, but I cut him off.

girl in the hoodie. Is she seen anywhere in any of the surveillance footage after this moment?” I rewind the video, watching her walk down

can tell from

“We all know what happened at the ball when

rage blisters. through me like an inferno and I grab his collar, slamming him into the table. “Don’t antagonise me because I

somewhere.” I command. “I’m going

I’m feeling worse, and I take a few deep breaths, trying to get rid of the odd feeling that is wrapping around

the room, I jog down the hall. The best place to catch her scent would be from where she was last spotted.

happened? And who is behind this? Those 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

all locked and bolted. I head lower but I can smell it now, her scent as well as two others that I don’t recognise, but it suddenly just

try to calm it. I already

feel great, maybe it’s

“Evangeline!”