Chapter 171
Sarah’s POV
The Alpha said something–short, clipped, and commanding–but the restaurant noise drowned it out completely. I caught only fragments, like a name or a warning, but nothing clear.
“I’m sorry, could you please speak up? I can’t hear you,” I said, pressing the phone tighter against my ear.
Suddenly, the call disconnected.
I stared at my phone, puzzled. The number was domestic, not international.
“Sarah, who was calling?” Elena asked, taking a sip of her wine.
“No idea. Wrong number, probably.” I shrugged, trying to brush it off.
Just as I finished speaking, my phone vibrated again—this time with a text message: “Ms. Winters, is my niece
with you?”
Niece? His niece? Is that what he was referring to on the phone?
Who was this person, and why would he think I had his niece?
Another text quickly followed: “Please go somewhere quiet and call me back, Ms. Winters.”
The formal way they kept addressing me suggested this wasn’t a case of mistaken identity.
For some reason, little Pudding’s face flashed through my mind.
Could she be missing? Had her uncle found my business card and assumed she might have sought me out?
I stood up abruptly, nearly knocking over my water glass.
“Mom, what’s wrong?” Aria asked, concern evident in her eyes.
“Keep eating. I need to make a quick call outside. I’ll be right back,” I said, already hurrying toward the stairs.
The entrance was still bustling with activity, so I moved to a quieter spot near the side of the building. My heart
pounding wildly, I returned the call.
“Hello?” I said tentatively.
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“Sister!” The sweet, high–pitched greeting hit my eardrums unexpectedly, striking straight to my heart.
I looked up sharply toward the sound.
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A few steps away stood Pudding, wearing a small backpack and a baseball cap turned backward, excitedly waving her little hands and bouncing on her toes. “Sister!”
“Pudding!” I called out, instinctively moving toward her. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced the back of my
My entire body went limp. The phone slipped from my hand, crashing to the ground with a loud thud.
My eyelids grew heavy, darkness encroaching on my vision. In the final moment before unconsciousness claimed me, my mind screamed silently: “Pudding, don’t come closer!”
neck.
Author’s POV
Elena and Aria had spent nearly half an hour enjoying their food and drinks, but Sarah still hadn’t returned
from her phone call.
Aria glanced at her watch, concern creeping into her voice. “It’s been almost thirty minutes now. Mom’s call is taking forever.”
Elena felt a strange uneasiness settle in her stomach–that instinctive warning that something wasn’t right.
“Let’s go downstairs and see what’s happening.”
Without wasting another moment, she grabbed Aria’s hand and hurried toward the exit.
The restaurant was still bustling with activity, people waiting on chairs for available tables, but Sarah was
nowhere to be seen.
Elena’s heart rate quickened as she pulled out her phone and dialed Sarah’s number.
After a few rings, the mechanical voice on the other end sent a chill down her spine: “Sorry, the number you
have called is switched off.”
Despite being in a crowded, seemingly safe public place, Elena felt her skin prickle with goosebumps. Her wolf senses heightened with alarm.
Sarah would never turn off her phone without reason–not when she was with them, not when she had a four-
year–old daughter to look after.
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“Sarah! Sarah!” Elena called out, clutching her phone tightly as she searched the area. “Sarah, where are you?”
People around them cast curious glances their way, mouths moving in words Elena couldn’t process.
The background noise blurred into a chaotic hum as panic took hold. “Sarah! SARAH!”
Tears welled in Aria’s eyes as the gravity of the situation hit her. “Aunt Elena, what’s happening? Has Mom
disappeared?”
“Security footage–we need to check the cameras.” Elena muttered, almost to herself, ignoring Aria’s question
as she sprinted back toward the mall’s upper level.
“Aunt Elena, wait for me!” Aria called, racing after her as Elena approached the mall security office.
Within minutes, they had convinced the staff to pull up the footage from downstairs.
“Look, Aunt Elena! There’s Mom!” Aria exclaimed with relief when Sarah’s familiar figure appeared on screen.
Elena leaned forward, her heart in her throat, watching intently as Sarah moved across the frame.
But their relief was short–lived. The footage showed Sarah heading toward a quieter section of the mall,
eventually disappearing into a blind spot where the cameras couldn’t reach.
“Mom’s gone!” Aria cried out, panic lacing her voice.
Elena’s brow furrowed deeply. “Are there any other camera angles?”
The security officer shook his head dismissively. “None in that area.”
He added with casual indifference, “She’s a grown woman–probably just had an emergency to deal with and
forgot to tell you. Why don’t you head home and wait? She’ll probably turn up soon enough.”
His cavalier attitude pushed Elena over the edge.
Her eyes flashed with barely contained fury as she snapped, “That’s easy for you to say! It’s not YOUR friend who’s missing!”
The security officer recoiled, stunned by her outburst. Even Aria looked shocked at the normally composed
Elena’s reaction.
“I’m sorry,” Elena said after a deep breath, regaining her composure. “That was uncalled for.”
She turned and walked out of the security office, her mind racing through possibilities–none of them good.
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“Aunt Elena, where are you going?” Aria called after her, anxiety evident in her voice.
Without turning back, Elena replied tersely, “Taking you home.”
“Home? But I want to find Mom!” Aria protested, tears threatening to spill over.
Elena stopped and turned to face the frightened girl.
Her expression softened as she placed her hands on Aria’s shoulders. The teenager’s face was a mirror of
–
Sarah’s those same expressive eyes now clouded with fear. 1
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“Listen to me, Aria,” Elena said gently but firmly. “Your mother would want you safe above all else. I need to look for her, and I can do that more effectively if I know you’re protected.”
“But-”
“No buts,” Elena cut her off. “I promise you, I will find her. But I need you somewhere secure while I do.”
She pulled out her phone and made a quick call.
“My assistant will stay with you at the hotel until we return. She’s trustworthy and capable–a wolf from my pack who knows how to handle herself if necessary.”
By the time they reached the hotel where Sarah was staying, Elena’s assistant was already waiting in the lobby.
The woman–tall with vigilant eyes that missed nothing–nodded respectfully to Elena.
Tears glistened in Aria’s eyes as she reluctantly stepped out of the car.
She fought hard to keep them from falling as she waved to Elena. “Bye, Aunt Elena. I’ll be good and wait at home for you both to return.”
Elena’s heart ached for the girl, but she had no choice. With Sarah missing, her priority had to be finding her friend while ensuring Aria remained safe.
She closed the car door and immediately accelerated southeast, driving straight toward the David Pack’s headquarters.
