Desired By Three Alphas; Fated To One-Chapter 287: Missing

Nathan's POV

I was in the kitchen when it hit me.

Not a sound.

Not a scent.

Pain.

Sharp. Sudden. Vicious.

My wolf howled inside my chest—loud, frantic, agonized—like someone had driven a blade straight through our bond.

I froze mid-step, the glass in my hand shattering on the floor.

"No—" I breathed.

My heart slammed violently against my ribs, dread flooding me so fast it stole my breath.

Something was wrong.

"Hailee," I whispered, already moving.

I didn't think. I ran.

My wolf clawed at me from the inside, snarling, pacing, slamming against my ribs like a beast trying to tear free.

Something is wrong. Something is wrong. SOMETHING IS WRONG.

I burst down the hallway, boots pounding against stone, ignoring the guards calling after me.

I reached her room.

The door was open.

The bed—

Empty.

No Hailee.

No warmth.

No scent.

My scream tore out of me before I could stop it.

"HAILEE!"

Guards rushed in instantly. Peter was right behind them, his face already pale the second he saw the bed.

"What is wrong?" he whispered.

I turned in a circle, my vision tunneling, my chest tightening like it was being crushed.

"She was here," I said hoarsely. "She was here—I left her for five minutes—"

My wolf was howling now. Not inside.

Out loud.

A raw, broken sound ripped from my throat as panic detonated through me.

"This place is warded," I snarled, spinning toward the guards. "SECURED. No one gets in without being seen!"

One of the guards swallowed. "Alpha—there was no alarm—no breach detected—"

"THEN HOW IS MY MATE GONE?" I roared.

The walls seemed to shake with it.

Peter grabbed my arm hard. "Nathan. Look at me."

I did.

His eyes were sharp now. Focused.

"She might just be around… maybe taking a walk," he said quickly. "Let's go to the CCTV room. Now."

We ran.

The CCTV room doors flew open, and the screens activated instantly. Peter's fingers flew over the controls, pulling security feeds.

"Here," he said sharply.

The footage played.

Timestamp: minutes after I left.

My chest locked up.

Three masked men.

They moved fast. Efficient. Professional.

They entered Hailee's room like they knew exactly where everything was.

Then—

My vision blurred red.

They carried her out.

Unconscious.

Limp.

Her head lolled against one man's shoulder.

My mate.

Taken.

Something inside me snapped.

I slammed my fist into the stone table, cracking it clean down the middle.

"This place was supposed to be untouchable," I growled. "Who the hell are they?"

Peter's jaw tightened. "This isn't Callum's usual style."

My wolf snarled viciously.

"Callum," I said slowly. "Or someone who knows her well."

Peter hesitated.

"…Could it be Callum's men?"

I didn't answer.

I was already pulling out my phone.

Calling.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

No answer.

I called again.

And again.

And again.

My grip tightened.

Finally—

The call connected.

"What do you want, Alpha Nathan?" a voice snapped harshly.

I froze.

That wasn't Callum.

"That's not Callum," I said coldly.

Silence.

Then a sharp exhale.

"This is his Beta," the man said. "What do you want?"

My voice dropped into an authoritative tone.

"I want to speak to Callum. Now."

The Beta let out a bitter laugh. "You've done enough. He's barely alive. What—do you want to finish the job?"

My blood turned to ice.

I didn't give him time to breathe.

"You guys took her," I said into the phone, my voice shaking with rage I could barely control. "I know you did. Don't lie to me."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end.

Then anger.

"You've lost your mind," the Beta snapped. "Our Alpha is fighting for his life. Do you think we have time to kidnap anyone?"

My wolf snarled viciously inside me, claws raking my ribs.

"You expect me to believe that?" I growled. "Three masked men walk into a secured palace, take my mate, and you want me to think it's a coincidence?"

The Beta's voice hardened.

"We are not your enemies," he said coldly. "Not today. Not ever. Every healer in this pack is with Callum right now. Every guard. Every witch. We are trying to keep him alive."

I clenched my jaw.

"Then where is she?" I demanded.

Silence.

Then, quieter—but still angry—he said, "You have made more enemies than you realize, Alpha Nathan. Don't put this on us just because it's convenient."

My chest tightened.

"You're saying it wasn't you," I said slowly.

"Yes," he replied. "And I'm warning you—leave us alone. We're not your problem."

Before I could answer—

The line went dead.

I stared at my phone, my hand shaking.

Slowly, I lowered it.

My wolf was still howling. Pacing. Slamming against my chest like it wanted to rip free and hunt.

I turned to Peter.

"It's not them," I said hoarsely.

Peter was already thinking, his eyes distant, jaw tight.

"I know," he replied quietly. "If it were Callum's men, they wouldn't hide it. They'd want leverage. This was… silent."

My stomach twisted.

"Who else?" I asked. "Who else would dare?"

Peter exhaled slowly.

"Someone who knows her," he said. "Someone who knows the palace. The wards. Her habits."

My blood ran cold.

My wolf growled low.

"No," I whispered. "No—"

Peter met my eyes. "We can't guess. We need answers."

He turned sharply toward the doorway.

"I'm calling a seer."

"Now," I said immediately.

Peter didn't argue.

He moved fast, already pulling out his own device, barking orders to guards to lock the city down, seal exits, and double patrols.

I paced the room like a caged animal.

"She was weak," I muttered. "She just woke up. She could barely stand—"

My voice broke.

"She trusted this place," I whispered. "She trusted me."

My wolf let out a broken sound inside me—half snarl, half whine.

Find her. Find her now.

Peter returned moments later, his face grim.

"The seer is on her way," he said. "But Nathan… if whoever took Hailee used old magic—"

"They did," I cut in. "I felt it. The bond didn't break. It screamed. Then went quiet."

Peter nodded slowly. "Then this won't be easy."

I slammed my fist into the wall.

"I don't care how hard it is," I snarled. "I will tear this world apart if I have to."

The doors opened, and guards rushed in with updates—no sightings, no alarms triggered, no scent trail outside the palace.

Nothing.

Like she had vanished into smoke.

My chest burned.

"Prepare the trackers," I ordered. "Every one of them. I want wolves, witches, hunters—everyone."

"Yes, Alpha," they answered in unison.

Peter stepped closer, lowering his voice.

"Nathan… listen to me. You have to calm down."

Guilt punched me in the gut.

"I should've stayed," I whispered.

Peter grabbed my shoulder firmly. "This is not on you. Don't let that thought weaken you."

I closed my eyes for a second, forcing myself to breathe.

Then I opened them.

"She's alive," I said with certainty. "I know she is."

Peter nodded.

"Then we find her."