What was the reason for her continued concealment from him? Did she genuinely not desire to be his Mate? If that is the case, why not communicate directly with him? The procedure was intended to be conducted in that manner; it was improbable to succeed without direct, in-person interaction.
How could he recognise her as his Mate or accept her rejection if he was entirely unaware of her identity? It was exceedingly perplexing for him. To all those who were aware of it. He was not a cruel or unpleasant Alpha; rather, he was a just and accessible individual. He was strict, yet to his knowledge, no one in his pack feared him.
He sought confirmation of what his pack Doctor Samuel had suggested: that the pain he experienced that night indicated a rejection of a Mate Bond that was being severed, albeit incompletely. Nolan had been his Gamma.
Nolan seemingly empathised with her anguish at the moment of rejection when she articulated it or something similar. Luca and Enzo transported him to the pack’s hospital, unaware of his condition. They all believed that someone had indeed poisoned him. He had initially thought that. The girl in his bed had been masked with fragrance, making it feasible.
Nolan did not pursue his Alpha in distress; instead, he embarked on a personal mission that night to locate the girl, but he was unable to detect her scent. He could only monitor her pain, as her Gamma, due to the bond between a Luna and her Gamma.
Nolan had sensed her disconnection from him when she rejected the pack, immediately understanding its implications: she had become rogue and fled from the group. Nevertheless, this did not dissuade the man; he ventured into hostile territory alone to pursue her and attempt to retrieve her.
Encountered the border patrol officer, who had informed Luca, noting his incapacitation at the moment, regarding a girl who had recently deviated from the group, detached herself from the pack before his eyes, and subsequently fled. Nolan returned that night without any results.
They were all aware that females fared poorly in rogue territory; Nolan had been unable to detect the girl’s scent, and the inadequate description provided by the patrolman had not aided him either. The description indicated a height of approximately 5 feet 8 inches, characterised by a slender physique. The individual was noted to have dishevelled brown hair and brown eyes. That was all; there were no distinguishing characteristics, not even the appearance of her wolf. However, upon further inquiry with the patroller the following day, it was revealed that she had not transformed into her wolf but had fled in human form.
Ryder extricated himself from his musings. Brianna Layla possessed brown hair and brown eyes and was of appropriate height. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, he gazed at Stella and sighed, exasperated by the entire situation.
“Content?”She had aimed directly at him, which merely elicited a frown in response to her demeanour.
“I require a conversation with her.” Ryder extended his business card, observed the woman glance at it momentarily, yet she made no effort to accept it from him. He sighed again, somewhat heavily, and said, “I recognise that I disturbed her yesterday.” “I apologise for that,” he said, placing his card on the counter she was behind and tapping it. “Give it to her,” he instructed, gazing directly at her. Subsequently exited the store.
Ryder’s wolf-like hearing detected the sound of his business card striking the bin, accompanied by her softly uttered words, “never going to happen, a*s-hole,” just before the door closed.
He relinquished it, was profoundly discontented, yet had to release it. Wished the woman would reconsider and retrieve that card to inform Brianna of his desire to apologise. It is probable that Stella and Brianna were acquaintances, and he had observed Brianna’s distress yesterday; he could easily envision her condition upon returning to the store after he departed with Sadie.
Brianna could have informed her Assistant Manager that she was acquainted with him and wished to avoid any future encounters. He was unaware, yet it appeared thus to him at this moment.
Luca was seated behind the wheel of the waiting car down the street. Ryder did not wish to intimidate her by having his entire unit enter her store behind him. He chose to proceed independently. She had already fled once, indeed twice now. Probable. Entered the vehicle. “Not present; he has apparently departed for the extended weekend,” he responded to his Beta’s unvoiced inquiry.
“Do you hold that belief?””
I genuinely lack knowledge on the matter. However, she is unequivocally absent. I can inform you that Stella, her Store Manager, does not harbour any fondness for me. I attempted to be cordial towards her and maintained my composure. It was inconsequential. She would not schedule an appointment for me; her books are reportedly closed for the next six months. He realised he was more than frustrated at the prospect of not working from this store for weeks.
“She has fled, in other words,” Luca sighed.
“I am uncertain.” Ryder gazed out the window. “It may no longer be possible to apprehend her.”
Silence pervaded the car for several minutes. “Perhaps it is time to relinquish, Ryder.”
