CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 40 MISSING

Victoria

"The only way to survive in our world, ladies, is to understand the delicate interplay of power." Madam Hannah’s voice cut through the elegant classroom like a well-sharpened knife. "A Luna’s greatest weapon is not her claws, but her ability to create harmony where discord threatens to tear apart alliances."

I sat straighter in my high-backed chair, pen poised over my leather-bound. Despite everything happening with Enzo’s disappearance and Aurora’s shocking return, Leo had insisted I maintain my normal schedule.

"Show no weakness," he’d murmured against my lips this morning. "Let them see their Luna is unshaken."

So here I was, in a room full of future Lunas, pretending my world wasn’t unraveling thread by dangerous thread.

"Which brings us to your final assessment." Madam Hannah’s steel-gray eyes swept across the room, lingering momentarily on me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. "In two weeks’ time, each of you will plan and execute a Reconciliation Dinner."

"You will be assigned actual conflicts between real packs," Madam Hannah continued, her voice leaving no room for questions. "Your task is to research the dispute, identify key stakeholders, and create an environment conducive to peaceful resolution. This is not about decorations and menus, ladies—though those details matter. This is about wielding soft power to achieve what Alpha aggression cannot."

When she reached my desk, she paused, her voice lowered for my ears only. "Your circumstances are... unique, Luna Victoria. Given recent events, I’ve assigned you a historical conflict rather than a current one. I trust you understand why."

I nodded, grateful for her rare display of consideration. "Thank you, Madam Hannah."

From across the room, I caught Lilith’s poisonous glare. As Enzo’s official mate, she had always treated me with contempt, seeing me as nothing more than a mongrel servant polluting her perfect purebred world. Today, however, something was different in her expression.

I studied her carefully, noting the slight darkness under her eyes that even expensive concealer couldn’t quite hide, the way her manicured nails tapped an anxious rhythm against her desk. If Aurora had been in contact with Enzo before his disappearance, surely she would have informed his mate?

When class ended, I deliberately took my time gathering my materials, watching as Lilith huddled with her usual sycophants, Cassandra and Vanessa. Their whispered conversation was punctuated by glances in my direction—nothing unusual there. What was unusual was that Lilith seemed distracted, responding to their gossip with half-hearted nods.

Taking a deep breath, I made a decision that surprised even myself. Instead of avoiding their toxic circle as I normally would, I walked directly toward them.

"Lilith," I said, keeping my voice neutral. "May I speak with you for a moment? Alone?"

The shock on all three faces would have been comical under different circumstances. Cassandra recovered first, her perfectly glossed lips curling into a sneer.

"Why would she want to talk to a half-breed like you?" she spat, flicking her platinum blonde hair over one shoulder.

I kept my eyes fixed on Lilith, refusing to rise to Cassandra’s bait. "It’s about Enzo. Something important."

At the mention of her mate’s name, Lilith’s expression shifted. She straightened her shoulders, nodding curtly to her friends. "Give us a minute."

"But Lil—" Vanessa began to protest.

"I said, give us a minute," Lilith repeated, her voice carrying the unmistakable edge of an Alpha’s mate used to being obeyed.

Once we were alone in the classroom, Lilith crossed her arms defensively. "What about Enzo? Is this some pathetic attempt to threaten me with your new... connection?" She practically spat the last word.

"When did you last speak to him?" I asked directly, watching her reaction carefully.

A flicker of genuine worry crossed her face before she could mask it. "Tuesday evening. He said he had business to attend to. Why? What’s happened?"

Tuesday evening. Three days ago, the night before his disappearance. Her response confirmed my suspicions—Lilith genuinely didn’t know Enzo was missing.

"He hasn’t contacted you since then?" I pressed, softening my tone slightly.

"No, but that’s hardly unusual," she replied, defensive pride coloring her words. "Enzo has many responsibilities as Alpha. He doesn’t report his movements to me." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why are you asking about my mate, Victoria? What game are you playing?"

I weighed my options carefully. Telling Lilith about Enzo’s disappearance would throw her into panic and potentially leak information before Leo wanted it public. Not telling her seemed cruel, however, given that she was, technically, Enzo’s mate.

"He’s been acting strangely lately," I said carefully, offering a partial truth. "I wondered if you’d noticed anything... unusual about his behavior."

Something in my tone must have resonated with her, because Lilith’s haughty facade cracked slightly. She glanced around to ensure we were truly alone before leaning closer.

"He’s been different," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Agitated. Taking calls in the middle of the night and leaving without explanation." Her perfectly manicured fingers fidgeted with the strap of her designer bag. "Last week, I found him in his study at 3 AM, surrounded by old pack records—financial documents, territory maps dating back decades. When I asked what he was looking for, he just... snapped at me."

My pulse quickened. "What kind of records exactly?"

"I don’t know—he shut the drawer when I came in." Lilith’s eyes met mine, and for perhaps the first time since I’d known her, there was no malice in her gaze—only confusion and worry. "He’s been drinking more, too. I found empty whiskey bottles hidden in strange places around the house. And twice now, I’ve caught him speaking a language I don’t recognize on the phone—something Eastern European, maybe?"

Each detail was another piece of the puzzle, suggesting Enzo had been involved in something far more complex than simple gambling debts. I nodded thoughtfully, trying to process this new information.

"Thank you for telling me," I said sincerely.

Lilith straightened, her momentary vulnerability disappearing as quickly as it had emerged. "Don’t mistake this for friendship, Victoria. I’m only telling you because..." She hesitated. "Because something doesn’t feel right, and for all our differences, we both care about the stability of the pack."

"Yeah,the stability of the pack," I echoed.

As we gathered our belongings to leave, Lilith paused, her hand resting lightly on my arm. "There’s one more thing. The night before he disappeared—" She stopped abruptly, realizing her slip.

"So you do know he’s missing," I said quietly.