Kingsley's POV
"Hey, I thought you weren't going to come," Mark exclaimed.
Upon my arrival, I noticed Mark and Finley strolling towards me.
"Kingsley, this guy said he's bringing a date tonight. Can you believe it?" Mark pointed at Finley and said.
"Oh, yeah? Who is it?" I replied absentmindedly, unable to divert my gaze from scanning the surroundings.
"That's the one I mentioned to you guys before, the one I met at the hospital," Finley explained.
Mark's curiosity was evident, "Come on, spill the beans. What's she like?"
Finley smiled and said, "She's very straightforward and cute. Her thoughts are written all over her face."
Mark teased, "Brother, women are the most enigmatic beings in the world. Don't be deceived by their delicate appearance."
Finley chuckled, "She's different. I'm quite certain she's the most captivating person I've ever met."
Mark grew more intrigued, "What kind of charm does this woman possess? You've only met her a few times and you're giving her such high praise? I'd love to meet her immediately. Where is she?"
Finley elaborated, "Something just came up; she went to change."
Mark swiftly changed the topic, "Joyce has dressed exquisitely today to see you. If she catches sight of you with a female companion later, she might create a scene."
At the mention of Joyce, Finley cast a glance at me, "I'm much older than her. She's like a sister to me. I'll marry whomever I choose, and she'll have to come to terms with that sooner or later."
I nodded without saying a word. Just then, Finley's phone rang.
He answered the call, and though I couldn't hear the conversation from the other end, I caught Finley saying, "Alright, I'll come over and pick you up."
Finley looked at both Mark and me and announced, "My girl's ready now. I'm going to bring her over. We'll be back in a few minutes."
Once Finley left, Mark instructed the waiter to bring over two glasses of champagne. "Listening to these old men can be dull, don't you think?"
I took the drinks he offered, yet my eyes wandered aimlessly, failing to spot Freya. My wolf was restless, missing the presence of his mate.
Where on earth had she gotten to again?
Mark appeared puzzled. "I was just about to ask you. What are you looking for?"
I took a sip of my drink. "Clearly, I'm searching for my Luna."
Mark froze. "I haven't seen her. Is she here?"
I frowned. "I told her to come with Joyce first."
"I didn't see her. When I saw Joyce, she was alone."
I pursed my lips, placed my glass down, and picked up my cell phone, dialing Freya's number.
I made a few consecutive calls, but they were all unanswered.
I stood up and approached Joyce, who wasn't far away.
The moment she spotted me, Joyce's expression tensed, though she attempted desperately to make it look natural.
"Kingsley, you're finally here. Let me introduce you to my friend."
Joyce stepped forward, reaching for me with enthusiasm.
I brushed her hand aside and said casually, "Come here, I have something to ask you."
Joyce hesitated but followed me. "What do you want to ask?"
"Where's Freya?" I got straight to the point. "She came with you, so where is she?"
Joyce's eyes rolled, and she promptly responded, "When she arrived, she mentioned needing to use the restroom. I greeted the security guard at the entrance, and I went inside first. Who knows where she went?"
My face darkened, sensing her dishonesty.
"Joyce, you'd better tell the truth. Where the hell did she go?"
Joyce's voice escalated, "If you don't believe me, you can review the surveillance footage!"
At that moment, I noticed my Beta walking through the door, nodding at me.
I gave Joyce a cold stare, and her eyes flickered.
As she was about to say something else, I cut her off and walked away.
"What's going on?" I inquired, approaching Jeremy.
"Alpha Kingsley, you had earlier asked me to look into Luna Freya's whereabouts on the day of the stampede, and I found it."
"Luna Freya was present on the day of the accident."
My pupils contracted, and I lifted my gaze to meet Jeremy's eyes.
Jeremy glanced at me, letting out a sigh accompanied by a shrug. "Yes, she was injured too and was subsequently taken to Athana National Hospital."
He then handed me a file.
"Here's Luna Freya's medical record."
With hands trembling, I found myself holding that document.
Fractured 11th rib on the right side; multiple soft tissue contusions; limited mobility of the right wrist; bleeding from the forehead with bruising; headache; nausea; and other symptoms. Recommended to stay in the hospital for observation...
My throat tightened as the events of that night replayed before my eyes, scene by scene.
My wolf whimpered in pain at the thought of his mate being hurt.
Clearly, she had returned that night with a bruise, but she hadn't said anything.
Was that why she suddenly brought up divorce?
My Luna wouldn't cry out in pain to me again, nor would she reveal her soft, vulnerable side to herself again.
This realization suddenly didn't sit well with me.
Describing the feeling was difficult for me.
I was always someone who detested trouble, whether it was related to work or life, and I preferred things to be simpler and cleaner.
But not Freya.
Her arrival had disrupted my routine, which had been set in stone for over twenty years, and it had even annoyed me at times.
I used to hope that she would be like the mate I had envisioned—intelligent, understanding, completely self-reliant in life—and that she wouldn't cause me too much trouble.
Yet, when she truly managed not to bother me with anything, it felt as if a piece was missing from my heart, and I couldn't find comfort in that.
I closed my eyes.
"Alpha Kingsley..." Jeremy began, but I growled in pain, "Leave me alone."
As my Beta, Jeremy couldn't disobey me and so he departed.
I looked around anxiously, trying to locate Freya, impatient to explain the events of the day to her.
But she was nowhere to be found.
Just then, a familiar scent reached my nostrils.
I gazed in the direction from which the aroma wafted, only to spot Finley with an incredibly well-built woman on his arm.
They chatted and laughed as they made their way toward the center of the venue.
A slight distance separated us, preventing me from discerning the woman's facial features.
Nevertheless, her tall frame and shapely contours made it evident at first glance that she was strikingly attractive.
Mark squinted his eyes and quipped, "I never knew Finley had a thing for the sultry types. I always thought he leaned more towards the innocent ones."
He playfully nudged me and added, "Similar to your taste, perhaps."
I shot him a disapproving look without uttering a word. Yet, my gaze brushed over that figure next to Finley, a vague sense of familiarity washing over me.
"Come on, let's go over there together," Mark insisted, tugging at my arm.
Mark slapped Finley on the shoulder and exclaimed, "Kept us waiting for half a day, and look who finally shows up—our newest arrival... Wait, what?!"
The moment Mark caught sight of Finley's companion, his voice nearly cracked, his eyes appearing as though they might pop out of their sockets.
Meanwhile, I watched the scene unfold with a cold detachment, my inner wolf howling in fury at the sight of his mate with another man.
If Finley weren't my friend, I was fairly certain that a surge of jealousy would've driven me to throttle him right then and there.
Freya seemed equally dumbfounded, frozen in place. Clearly, she hadn't anticipated that Finley knew me at all.
Finley himself remained oblivious, even after witnessing Mark's stunned reaction. He inquired, "Do you know her?"
Subsequently, Finley warmly introduced us to Freya, "Meet my friends. This is Mark, who's the same age as me, and Kingsley, the only married one among us."
After a pause, Finley turned to me and asked, "Kingsley, where's your Luna?"
The atmosphere froze for a few seconds.
"My Luna..." I stared icily at Freya, my gaze settling on the hand she rested on Finley's arm. "Well, you might want to direct that question to the young lady by your side."