The halls of Blackthorn Manor were quiet, almost eerily so. The storm of the past weeks—the lies, the betrayals, and the tension between Alan and Julia—had left a residue of unease in every corner. Alan strode through the corridors, urgency pulling at his chest. His mind was a whirlwind, heavy with the echoes of Julia's absence.
He had been searching for her since the moment she disappeared from his chambers, leaving nothing but a faint trace of her presence behind. Every instinct of his Alpha self screamed at him, clawed at him, demanding that he find her. His wolf paced beneath his skin, restless, angry, and desperate.
And then he saw Mary. His little sister, now awake from the coma that had stolen six long months from all of them. She sat quietly in the sunlit room near the northern wing, pale but alert, her eyes sharp and determined.
"Mary," Alan said, voice heavy with relief and guilt. "Where is she? Where's Julia?"
Mary's gaze softened slightly but held firm. She took a deep breath, gathering the weight of what she had to reveal. "Alan… she's gone."
The words struck him like a physical blow. "Gone?" he repeated, voice trembling. "What do you mean gone? Where is she? Did she… leave the clan?"
Mary nodded slowly, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "She left. Weeks ago. Before I could even wake up properly, before you even knew she was gone. She… she realized her worth, Alan. She realized that she wasn't meant to live under your control, or anyone else's. And she left to build her own life, her own clan, on her own terms."
Alan felt as if the ground had shifted beneath him. His heart thumped painfully in his chest, every beat echoing with the weight of his failure. "She… she left because of me?" His voice broke, barely above a whisper. "Because of everything I've done… everything I let happen?"
Mary's expression was gentle, but her words were firm. "Yes, Alan. You may not have meant to hurt her, but your actions, the way you treated her after… everything… made her realize she couldn't stay. And she has every right to protect herself. She saved me once, Alan. She risked everything to save my life from those hooligans… and you punished her for it. For months, she lived as though her life wasn't her own."
Alan closed his eyes, the pain and guilt flooding him. He could feel the bond they had shared, frayed and trembling in the distance where Julia had once been. Her absence was a void, impossible to fill, and he knew—knew—that his obsession, his control, and his pride had driven her away.
"Mary… she saved you?" Alan asked, voice shaking. "She… she saved you from… the hooligans?"
Mary nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "Yes. She didn't hesitate. She stepped in, fought for me, and yes… she paid the price. Six months in a coma because of her bravery. She's stronger than anyone knows, Alan. Stronger than you realize. And she left because she knows her worth. Because she knows she doesn't need to be controlled, even by her mate."
Alan sank into the chair beside her, burying his face in his hands. His wolf growled low in his chest, frustrated and furious, but Alan's human side felt the crushing weight of loss. She is gone. She chose herself over me. And I… I failed her.
Mary reached out, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder. "Alan… you cannot undo the past. But you can honor her strength. You can learn from this. Respect her choice. And… if she ever returns… be the mate she deserves. Not the one you wanted her to be."
Alan nodded slowly, swallowing hard. "I… I see that now, Mary. I see it all too late. I thought… I thought she would forgive me, that… that the bond would keep her here. But she left because she had to. Because I was too blind to see her worth."
Mary's eyes softened, understanding his pain but not excusing it. "Alan… it's time to let her go, at least for now. She's not yours to claim, not until she's ready. And you… need to face what your pride and anger have cost you."
Alan exhaled shakily, the reality settling in. The manor felt emptier than ever, the corridors stretching endlessly as if mocking him. Julia's absence was a living, breathing wound in his chest.
"Do you… do you know where she went?" he asked quietly.
Mary shook her head. "No. She left quietly, without a trace. But… Alan… she's building something new. Something of her own. And if she returns… it will be on her terms. Not yours. Not anyone's."
Alan's amber eyes glimmered with a mix of despair and longing. His wolf, restless and insistent, pressed against him, demanding action. But Alan's human side knew the truth. He could not chase her. Not now. Not when the bond had been so damaged, not after everything that had happened.
He leaned back in the chair, chest tight, mind racing with regret. "I… I should have seen it sooner. I should have listened to her. I should have protected her instead of… letting her life become a living hell. And now… she's gone."
Mary squeezed his shoulder once more. "She's gone, Alan. But she's alive. She's safe. And she's stronger than ever. Remember that. Respect that. Honor that."
Alan closed his eyes, letting the weight of her words sink in. The Alpha of Blackthorn, feared by all, humbled by the loss of his mate, finally understood the cost of obsession and pride.
Outside, the wind rattled the windows, carrying with it the faint scent of the forest and rain-soaked earth. Somewhere, beyond the manor walls, Julia walked free—her head held high, building a life that was hers alone. A life she had fought for. A life she had earned.
And Alan, left with the echoes of what could have been, knew one thing with certainty: he had lost her, not because of fate, but because he had failed to see her worth when it mattered most.
The bond, though still faint, throbbed in the distance—a reminder of what once was, and a promise of what might be… someday, if she allowed it.
But for now, Julia was gone. And Alan was left with the harsh, bitter taste of regret.