POV: Caden

"Father, when is the meeting?" Sitting in my father's office with him and his advisers I try to stay focused. This past week has been draining. My sex life has gone from one or more females a night to zero. I know it's for the best, which is why it doesn't bother me. I thought I would sink back into depression, but I believe the hope of finally finding her is keeping me sane. I can only pray I find her soon, otherwise I do not know how long I will last, mentally that is.

"In an hour. You should go change." Turning around he faces me. "This is an important meeting Caden. I do not need to remind you how you need to behave do I?" Staring me down, I try not to flinch.

No one but my father has the ability to frighten me. I don't know if it's because he is my King or because he is my father, either way he has the capability to put me in my place.

"No father. I know how important this meeting is and I promise you, I will not screw it up." I couldn't screw it up. If I did, my mate would be pay the consequence.

"Excellent. Now, gentlemen if you wouldn't mind, I need to make a phone call. Meet in the conference room in an hour." Sitting down, he dismisses all six men, including me.

Leaving the office, I head towards my room to don my suit. Each year all the Alpha's converse with my father, the King in hopes of finding my mate. Not that they have the ability to find her. I'm the only person who can find her, who should be able to sense her. They discuss outcomes and solutions to kidnapping and attacks.

When she goes into heat, she will need to be protected. Men and woman have been training for years to be warriors. She will be given twelve guards, three females and nine males. These men have been trained to protect. All nine know that if they try to become sexually active with my mate, not only will he suffer, his family will as well.

One female and three males will constantly accompany her at all times. Rotating between four and twelve hours to make sure they are fully alert and no one knows when the warriors change shifts.

She isn't found and threats have already been given. Daily death threats are either delivered by mail or phone call. Jealous females or furious males. Males despise me for the simple fact of being the Prince of all werewolves, or their girlfriends secretly love me. Either or they feel the need to threaten my mate. Stealing her away from me for their own pleasure is a constant threat. My father has stopped discussing those threats with me since I nearly killed the last male who promised to conquer her body.

It doesn't matter that I haven't found her or gazed upon her body, she is beautiful in my mind and that beauty belongs to me and only me. Anyone who tries to steal her away from me once I have her in my arms will be severely punished if not killed on sight.

Opening my door, I stop short as I notice a maid stuffing a letter into her pocket.

"Are you stealing from me?" I growl out. Does she have a death wish?

"N...n...no...my...prince. I wouldn't dare." She stutters quickly. Her hands fumbling with her maids dress. Checking her over, I notice her dress is made with high quality material.

"Hand over the letter before I have you escorted to the prison." Reaching my hand out I wait. Instead she gazes behind me in hopes of a rescuer. Not today, my dear, not today. "You have ten seconds to hand it over. No one is higher ranking than I, except for my parents, your King and Queen. Their loyalty is to family above maids. Your out of luck, a savior isn't coming to aid you in fleeing."

"I can't my Prince. My family's lives depend on you not reading this letter. Please don't make me give it to you. I can't live without my family." Crying she retrieves the letter. Thinking she might have changed her mind rather quickly, I reach for it. To my shock she rips it in half. "Please forgive me, my Prince."

Growling lowly, I lunge for her, ripping the two halves from her fingers before she can destroy the letter completely.

Keeping her in my eye sight I call guards and Jason. I had a feeling I would need a friend.

Within minutes there were four guards, Jason and my parents standing within my bedrooms solid wood doors.

"Caden what is the meaning of this? Why is there a maid crying hysterically in the corner?" My father commands out of me. He didn't appear to be furious. I could be wrong though.

Studying the maid, I try not to lunge at her once again. My anger from her actions hasn't died down.

"I caught her stealing from me." Holding up the two pieces of the letter I show them what she stole. "Instead of handing it over she attempted to destroy it."

"What does it say?" My mother questions. Hope shines through her words. She is thinking the same thing I am. Is it from my mate?

"I haven't read it yet." Hesitating, I sit down at my desk. Taking the paper out of the envelope I repair the two pieces together on the dark wood of my desk. Taking a deep breath, I force my eyes to follow the words I've prayed to read for years.

___________________________________________________

Dear, my beloved Mate,

These past few years haven't been the nicest to the two of us. I've watched you wreak havoc on my heart. I've prayed daily you would end your ways with the woman of the castle.

I blindly believed my love letters would prove to you that I do crave your touch, desire your voice and long to be held in your strong arms.

There are no more excuse to be made by either of us. You clearly do not desire me to be your mate as you have clearly made room for your mistress in your bedroom.

This will be my last letter Caden. I need to move on, find a male who will desire me as I desire him. I will not be in second place with you. If you had truly wanted me as your mate you wouldn't have continued to sleep with her.

My 18th birthday is coming up. Please do not look for me as I have moved on.

Sincerely,

Your ex-mate

___________________________________________________

Holding onto the twice pieces I try not to break down. This is the first time I've heard from her and she is informing me to not search for her?

"Caden?" Jumping slightly I try and level my breathing." Caden, you and Marcus need to calm down. Please sweetheart." Listing to my mother, I try and focus on the letter's words. If I let Marcus out, we wouldn't get the answers we both deserve.

"The letter dictates that this isn't the first one." Taking a deep breathe, I unclasp my hands before blood is drawn. "How many letters have you stolen from me?" My eyes stay glued to the letter and its words. Repeating over and over again. Has she truly moved on?

Has she been with another?

That single thought sends Marcus to the surface. Bolting up, I dive at the unsuspecting maid.

"Tell me the truth, otherwise you won't be the only one who suffers for lying to the royal family."

"I can't my Prince, she has my family followed. If I tell you she will have them murdered." Growling, I squeeze her wind pipe, chocking the life out of her.

"Caden!" Hearing my mother scream my name does nothing to me. This maid is hiding information about my mate. If she won't share then she will be punished.

Extending my claw is draw her blood. Normally I wouldn't lay a hand on a female. Now that my mate is involved all reason has flown out the window. Rage rushes through my veins in the urgency of finding her. The need to hold her in my arms is threating to take over all senses.

Before I'm allowed to do extensive harm to this piece of trash, I'm forced away. "Caden, I will not allow you to harm a wolf under my protection." Snarling at the six men holding me back I try to force myself away.

"She is holding information about my mate, father!" Hollering does no good. My body remains pined against the ground. "How can you allow her to get away with this?" Does he truly not care about my mate? "You know what finding her means to me, father. Please don't take this opportunity away."

The anger rushing through my veins slowly vanishes with the thought of losing the only clue as to where she is.

"What is your name?" Father demands.

"Laura, your highness." She whimpers. We can all sense her fear. It's rolling off her in waves.

"Now I will not harm you as my son has..."snarling at my father I try and escaped the guards hold. "... I will however banish you and your family from the kingdom. You will bear the mark of a traitor on your hand." Laura's whimpers turn into deep heaves. I knew my father's plan of attack. Frighten the girl into revealing her secrets. "However if you divulge all to us this instant I will have the guards retrieve your whole family and hide you away until their abductors are taken care of."

Instantaneously her sobs stop. "You'll protect them?"

"I'm your King, sweetheart. My word is law." He proclaims with honesty. My father's never broken his word. Glaring at the girl, I see my father pat the bed for her to sit. "Now, what do you know about the letters?"

"I'm sorry Prince. I truly am." Rubbing her hands together she looks regretful. "When I found the first letter I wanted to rush to you. Not that I read it, mind you. My mistress took it from my hands before I had the chance."

"How many were there?" I demand. She knew I've been searching for my mate for years. How could she be so cold hearted to keep love letters from me? What if my mate requested me to meet her? Could I have had her in my arms years ago? Keeping the snarl in, I wait for her dreaded answer.

"One per week for the past five years, I believe."

"Five years?" I breathe out. Shock couldn't portray how I feel. For the past five years I could have been reading letters from my beautiful mate. Laying down against the hard wood floor, I take deep breaths. Holding the tears in, I tighten my fist until the scent of blood could be smelt throughout the room.

"Caden, breathe my son. I know this is hard. Please listen to her. She may have information on where your mate is. Maybe the letters will give us insight," my mother whispers to me through our family link. I can tell she is sadden by this news. I've watched her over these past few years. Her heart breaks for me. All she wants is for me to find my mate and live happily ever after.

"I do not know if the maid before, I received them."

"Who is your mistress and how did she find out about the letters if you intended to inform your Prince?" My father's voice is soft, though demanding. He leaves no room for disobedience.

"Jessica Lawrence, your highness," she sneers with hate.

Loud gasps echo above me. "You mean the Jessica Lawrence, Caden has kept in his bed for the past year?" My mother couldn't be right. Jessica wouldn't stoop that low, would she?

"Of course she would. She wants the crown," Marcus snarls for the first time in days.

"Yes, your highness. On my first day cleaning the royal rooms, she stormed this room demanding the letter. At first I didn't want to hand it over. I told her it belonged to the Prince, not her. I tried to bypass her to get to the door. I truly did." Glaring up at her I notice her face has gone pale.

"What did she do next, my dear?" My father softly asks.

"She..." Sobbing she wipes the tears streaming down her face. "She punched me in the face before calling for help. Two men instantly entered the room, to drag me out. Not before she stole the letter from my hands."

"Did they beat you?" I demand with fury. I attacked her for trying to protect the ones she loves. She stood up and instead of being rewarded for finding the letter she took a beating.

"Yes." The sound of her voice breaks my heart. They destroyed her loyalty and soul. How I wish to have their necks in my hands right this instant. They will rue the day they went against the crown. "My family and I spent two whole days locked up and tortured until we all promised loyalty to her and her men."

"What did they promise you if they went against them?" I watch as my mother takes Laura's hand in hers.

"I have a younger sister. They...they..." She sobs into her hands.

"They promised to rape her didn't they?" Nodding her head to my father, I pound my fist into the ground. The ground will flow with blood once we get our hands on them. "Cade, Joshua I need you to retrieve Laura's family and put them into protection. Once they are safe find out from her parents who the traitors are then send them to the dungeons."

"Yes, my King." Two sets of hands remove their grip on my body. "Laura where is your family during this time of day?" Cade inquires.

"The gardens, Sir."

"Your family will be protected Laura. I promise you that. Cade and Joshua are the best at hiding people. Do not worry over your family's health."

"Thank you, My King. You do not know what this means to me." Surprisingly she hugs her softly.

"I do Laura. Now I need to know if those letters still exist." Please. I need to read those letters. Reading them may give us the insight we need to find her before she vanishes from me.

"They do. She tries to convince me otherwise. I've watched her hide them multiple of times. She hides them under the third floor board from her bathroom door."

Pushing against the hands I try and force myself up off the ground with no luck. "Men let him go. We need to retrieve those letter before Jessica tries to destroy them." Immediately I'm up off the ground once the hands leave my body.

Racing through the halls, I head towards the sound wing of the castle. It's where all high ranking families live. I didn't wait to listen to my father's words on hunting down Jessica and her family. He could deal with those traitors. I don't believe for one minute her parents didn't know what she was doing.

Dodging servants, I try not to run them over. Being a Prince doesn't give me the right to disrespect a person underneath me unless they deserve it.

It takes me nearly five lengthy minutes to reach her bedroom door. Slamming it open I race in the direction of the bathroom. Falling to my knees in front of the third floor board, I rip it up with my bare hands. Not giving a damn if I break a finger.

Slowly leaning back on my heels, I take deeps breaths. There has to be nearly a thousand letters crammed underneath the three boards I ripped up. Gently reaching in I retrieve one. With shaking hands I pull the letter out.

What will it say?

"We are here for you Caden. If need be we will take all the letter to our family room and read them all day. Nothing is more important than finding her." Nodding to my mother, I take another deep breath before opening the letter.

___________________________________________

Hello Love,

Today I went running in wolf form with my brother and his best friend. I felt free for the first time in over a month. They made me laugh and forget all my troubles inside the castle. I didn't know what to do with myself until we came upon a group of wolves. At first I was frightened, thinking we would get into trouble running near high ranking wolves. That is until I saw my best friend. He knew I was there and veered the group away from us. Hiding in the bushes I gazed upon your handsome black wolf. Mine called silently to yours. We wanted to run up to you and proclaim us as your mates, instead I ran as far as I could.

You broke my heart all over again when I saw the she wolf underneath you. It wouldn't have mattered anyways if I went up to you. You already had a female.

Once again I'm sadden to know I will not have you smile down on me with love. Instead it's given to another. I pray one day we will have the chance to be together. Until then I will stay in the shadows waiting for you.

With all my love,

Your Mate

___________________________________________

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Chapter Questions: How is Caden going to feel now that he has read a letter?

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