I flutter my eyes open and I'm in my room. I feel a grip on my hand; I look to my side and find Chloe with tears in her eyes. Chloe's here; I wanted to believe the last thing I remember was a nightmare, but if she's here, it must be true. Someone really kidnapped Mom.

"Chloe, what am I going to do?" I ask, barely audible as tears form in my eyes. It doesn't take me more than a second before they burst from me.

"Everything is going to be fine; we're going to find her," she says, pulling me into a hug.

***

After crying until I'm out of tears, I walk out of the room to find my mate. I remember picking up his scent before I blacked out, so I'm surprised I didn't see him when I woke up. I'm hurt he didn't wait around to see if I was okay or come by after.

I knock on his door and wait for him to tell me to come in before I walk inside. His scent inside the room is soothing, and I can hear his heartbeat from inside. I gently open the door and find my mate putting on his shirt. Before his shirt drops on his body, I get a beautiful glimpse at his hard abs. I can feel my cheeks heating up with the thought of my hands running all over them.

"What do you want?" he asks sternly. I'm sad that's the first question he asks me. I just woke up after fainting, and he can't even ask me how I'm doing. That hurts a lot, coming from my mate.

"I'm sure you heard my mother is missing. I would like to leave to look for her."

"You're not going anywhere."

"Why?" I ask, confused.

"Because it's not safe for you to leave."

"Why is it not safe for me to leave?"

"Word has spread that I have found my mate. A lot of enemies will be after your life."

"I know that, but it's not like if I was captured they could use me to threaten you. You don't care about me. It might actually make your life easier."

"I don't need to show you that I care about you. You're not leaving,"

He isn't making sense. If you don't show someone you care about them, how will they know?

"I need to leave. I can't sit here and do nothing while my Mom is missing."

"Your old Alpha is searching for her," he says as if that means the problem is solved.

"Even so, I have to try and find her myself."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do," I'm not trying to argue with him.

"Elizabeth," he says in a warning tone. This is the first time he's used my name, and he's angry. It makes me sad that the first time my mate calls my name is with anger. And he has no right to be. "You're not leaving this territory, and that's final."

I'm about to protest, but I know it'll be of no use. I quickly walk out of his room and return to mine, where I suddenly feel drained about everything. My Mom is missing, my mate refuses to allow me to look for her, and he talks to me like I'm not his mate, his equal. I don't hold back the tears, allowing them to fall like almost every day in my horrible life since I met my mate.

I hear my door open while I'm lying on the bed. I don't need to look to know who it is. I pick up Chloe's scent, but it's not only hers I smell. She also smells of Liam. Once she stands in front of me I can't stop myself from crying more when I see the marking on her neck.

Chloe has only been here a few hours, and she and Liam have already completed their mating process. I don't want to be jealous of my best friend, but it hurts. I've been here longer and met my mate first, but my mate is why I cry in my bed. Why was I given such a cruel mate? Why?

"Liz, why are you crying? Are you hurt somewhere? Are you crying about your Mom?" Chloe asks worriedly.

"Both," I say, barely audible.

"Where are you hurt? Do you need me to get the pack doctor?" she asks and searches my body for injuries but finds none because I'm not physically injured.

"Chloe, it hurts, here. The way he treats me hurts, and I can't do anything to stop the pain," I say between tears as I point to my heart. I feel like they're squeezing my heart and pulling it out of my body. Everything he's done to me, seeing how Chloe is happy with Liam only after meeting today and with Mom gone, it's too much for me right now.

Chloe doesn't say anything but wraps me in her arms. This only makes matters worse. She smells of Liam, and I want to tell her that I don't want her around me right now because she smells of her mate. But I can't. That would make me look like I'm not happy for her, which I am. But I'm also jealous of what she has. She has a good mate while I'm stuck with a horrible one.

I stop crying after I've calmed. Right now, I'm looking at the ceiling, wondering about the horrors my Mom might be facing wherever she is.

"Did you speak to the Alpha King about helping search for your Mom?" Chloe asks, beside me on the bed.

"I didn't ask him to help. I asked him if I could leave, but he refused."

"Why?" Chloe asks confused.

I tell her about our discussion this morning.

"I understand why he wants you to stay, but I also understand how it's more important for you to try and look for her yourself. He could try to help you understand better."

"I know my life is in danger because I'm his mate, but he doesn't understand how I need to do something. Sitting here, just wondering if she's doing okay is killing me."

"I know. Don't worry. I'll talk to Liam and see if he can convince him to allow you to look for her. He can have one of his pack warriors follow you back home."

"Thank you. I hope he listens to Liam because if he doesn't, I'll have to leave without his approval."

"I don't think that's a very good idea. What if something happens to you?"

"I can't think about that right now. But if by the end of tomorrow he doesn't allow me to leave, I'll leave regardless."

"Hmm," Chloe says. She knows once I've made up my mind, there is no changing it.

***

The following morning, while I'm about to step into the kitchen to make breakfast, I hear Liam and Nate arguing in the living room.

"You have to understand why she needs to leave. This is her mother we're talking about," Liam says. Chloe must have spoken to him last night before they went to bed.

"I don't want to understand; I just want to keep her safe."

"I know, but she needs to help with the search for her Mom. Staying here and doing nothing is driving her crazy. Let her go, or at least send her off with your best warriors to protect her."

"I'm not allowing her to leave, and that's final," Nate says, sternly.

"If you don't mind me asking, why?"

"You don't need to know why. All you need to know is that my mate is never leaving this place," he says and walks out of the room.

I don't understand why Nate keeps shielding me from the world. Or is he hiding me fro the world? First, he won't let me speak to my Mom or Chloe. Now he won't allow me to look for my Mom while she's missing. It's like I'm his prisoner here. I wonder why he keeps shielding me from anything related to my old pack.

***

Later at night, I prepare to leave. Since my mate didn't want me to go the proper way, I'll escape tonight. I dress in all black to make it easy to blend with the night. I leave a note for Chloe telling her not to worry about me and wait for my safe return. I tie a rope of clothes I made to my window to get down quickly without making any noise. I could easily jump down from the second floor where my room is, but every werewolf around would hear me when I touch the ground.

I release a breath of relief when I touch the ground without making a sound. I gently walk away from my mate's house, praying dearly I don't get caught. When I'm close to the border line, I hide behind a tree and check how many guards are on duty. There seem to be quite a lot, but I have a plan. I quickly take off my clothes and shift into my wolf. I climb the tree and growl very loudly in the opposite direction that they're standing. They hear this and waste no time checking what's happening. I use this opportunity and run past the territory line while making sure to mask my scent, so they won't be able to follow me when they realize I'm gone.

Being able to mask scent is something only I can do, and I don't know why. When I was younger, I used it on my friends when we played hide and seek. I stopped once I found out I was the only one who could do it. Mom's made me promise never to tell anyone about it. With Mom on my mind, I increase my speed. I run to the main road to find a ride back to my old pack. I hope this plan works.