His Dark Obsession by Moonlight Muse

49. Against Time
ZEDKIEL.
I shifted the moment I left the castle. The urge to crush the camera entices me, but instead, I hang the strap around my neck and
bundle my clothes together before breaking into a run. 1
I’ll find her and if anything has happened to her... The forest is dangerous and it’s not somewhere I want Evangeline alone.
I try not to think of the worst. Obviously, they will have people posted there, but still. It’s over an hour later and I reach the forest,
trying to catch her scent. I ran as fast as I could and although I made it here at record speed; I’m beginning to feel extremely
uneasy.
There’s nothing...
I’ve been here countless times; I know where all the store cabins are, and any houses located in the area. I’ll check them all out.
With each passing hour, my restlessness is growing. I need blood, but at the same time, I can’t shake off the growing unease.
Am I overreacting?
I finally reach the deepest part of the forest and approach the small cabin that sits in the middle. I slam into the door, ripping it
from its hinges in my anger as I glare into the room. For a moment, my heart skips a beat, and my gaze falls on the top that she
had worn that morning, but it’s only for a split second because I realise that it’s not her.
This woman may have similarly styled black hair and may be wearing the same outfit- is the same build and Evangeline’s scent
lingers on them, but it’s not Evangeline.
She’s sitting on the armchair, her back to me and I storm over.
“Where is she?” I growl into the extremely silent room.
Was this all for nothing? I have just reached the woman, grabbing her arm, when I tense – realising what is missing in the quiet
room.
In my rage, I hadn’t realised that there is no heartbeat.
I shift back, crouching in front of the woman, her head is tilted sideways, and she’s staring ahead. Her mouth is parted and
there’s foam at the corners of it.

She’s dead.
“What the fuck...” I mutter. I check her pulse, but there isn’t one.
For a second, I wonder if this is all part of the twisted games, but then I realise it can’t
She’s dead...
“This woman is fucking dead. What the fuck are you lot playing at?” I snarl knowing they can hear me through the camera.
“Where is Evangeline!”
I hope they find a way to reach me, because I fucking need an answer.
I look at the woman. She’s still warm, meaning she died recently... but this means Evangeline is out there somewhere else.
My stomach twists, and my eyes blaze red as I leave the cabin, growling in rage. I need to talk to someone right now. Something
isn’t right and if this isn’t part of the fucking tournament which I’m certain that it isn’t, it means Evangeline is in danger.
Somewhere.
I shift again heading back out. She can’t be in here... I just needed confirmation. Do I keep looking or do I leave the forest?
Something else is going on here and it’s fucking getting to me.
The rustling in the trees makes me pause and I’m about to launch myself at whatever it is, when two guards come running out
and it takes my all not to kill them.
“Alpha Prince Zedkiel! An urgent message from the King!” They say, lowering their
heads. Their hearts are beating extremely fast, and I can tell they have come as fast as they could.
Shifting to my human form, I glare at them, hating the fact that the mind link is blocked. “What is it?” I growl.
“There’s an... issue. The king...” They hold the phone out to me and I take it. They hurry off and I’m certain it’s because they’re
scared for their pathetic lives.
“What?” I snarl, I thought phones weren’t allowed in this shit tournament.
“Zedkiel... we saw you through the camera and... Evangeline is the one who should have been there. Something has gone
wrong; we have sent a team out to look for Evangeline ” 1

“So she’s missing?” I hiss venomously, trying not to lose control.
“I’m sorry Zedkiel, I don’t know how this happened, she was simply meant to be taken to the forest-”
“Who was responsible for escorting her!” I hiss. “I want them arrested right now.”
“They’re dead, Zedkiel. We found them in the training fields. This was a well-planned game. I’m sorry and we will find her, I
promise you that.” Dad’s voice is calm, but I know he’s worried. 1
Someone did this... and when I fucking find them...
“Check the security footage – any that caught her at any time of the day, up until she went missing.” I snarl. “I’m coming back.”
My eyes flash and I shift, crushing the phone in my hand as I turn and head back towards the castle. I will search from there.
There are guards everywhere around the castle. She can’t have gotten out without no one seeing her.
I get back to the castle in record time, pulling on my sweatpants and heading straight to the security department. I don’t feel
great.
I am near enough to the castle when I suddenly feel as if I can’t breathe properly. There’s a discomfort in my chest and I feel ill. 1
“Any news?” I growl, pushing open the door. The room falls silent, and I notice Dad, Alpha Aeron, and a few of the council
members are here.
“Son, calm down-”
My eyes blaze and I’m in front of Dad. “Do not tell me to calm down when my woman is missing!” I hiss venomously, grabbing
him by the collar. Everyone tenses and a few of the guards get up, but Dad motions for them to step down. Like they could take
me, anyway.
“There is something that came to our attention.” Aeron says, looking concerned. He can stop fucking pretending. He didn’t seem
to care when his mother gave
Evangeline up to me.
“What?” I snarl, letting go of Dad and pushing aside one of the men as I look at the screen that Aeron is pointing at.

“Earlier today, when Evangeline was meant to be escorted to the forest, she went into the bathroom. The two guards waited
down the hall for her, just out of range of the cameras ... however a woman in a hoodie comes out first, we think perhaps it’s
Evangeline and she had changed clothing... As you can see, a short while later Evangeline comes out, but when I observe
closer, I feel that she is slightly taller, and her physique is also different...
I stare at the screen. “There’s no maybe, anyone can tell that’s not Evangeline, she doesn’t even walk the same way, nor does
she look like Evangeline from the back... She’s the woman in the woods.” I scoff, looking at him. “I’ve known her for far less time
and I can tell you that in one glance.”
“Someone planned this-” Franco tries, but I cut him off.
“I don’t care, that’s your fucking job to figure out. I need to find her.” I growl. “The girl in the hoodie. Is she seen anywhere in any
of the surveillance footage after this moment?” I rewind the video, watching her walk down the hall.
That’s Evangeline. I can tell from the sway of her hips...
“Perhaps she escaped.” Franco muses. “We all know what happened at the ball when she was given to you. She wanted to
leave-” 2
A vicious growl leaves my lips, tearing through the room as white-hot rage blisters. through me like an inferno and I grab his
collar, slamming him into the table. “Don’t antagonise me because I will kill you.” I hiss, ready to rip him to shreds. I throw him to
the floor and look at the cameras.
“Check every camera from the time of this video. We must find her somewhere.” I command. “I’m going to try to see if I can catch
her scent.’
I’m about to leave when I look back at the screen. She had gone right from the north hallway... I’ll start there. I’m feeling worse,
and I take a few deep breaths, trying to get rid of the odd feeling that is wrapping around me.
Leaving the room, I jog down the hall. The best place to catch her scent would be from where she was last spotted.
What happened? And who is behind this? Those are questions I will find the answer to, but for now, finding her is my priority.
What if she’s hurt? If something happens to her... My stomach twists and I push the thought away, reaching the north hallway
soon enough.
I sniff the air, a lot of people have been here since. I close my eyes trying to capture her scent. It’s a few moments before I smell
it, the faintest hint of her scent. My eyes flash and I slowly follow it. At times, I can barely catch it, but I follow it. Soon the sounds

of the hustle and bustle of the castle fade away and I’m heading deeper into the old part of the castle.
Is she here? I frown as I speed up scanning the rooms that are all locked and bolted. I head lower but I can smell it now, her
scent as well as two others that I don’t recognise, but it suddenly just seems to stop.
“Evangeline!” I shout, my heart racing as I try to calm it. I already feel weak and it’s crippling me.
I don’t feel great, maybe it’s all the running....
“Evangeline!”
Silence.
The smell of water and rust fills my nose and I break into a run down the corridor only stopping when my foot splashes in water,
and I look down at the ground. Water is seeping out from the old pool roompoolroom, and I glance at it sharply. It’s bolted, and I
take a few steps back. The lock’s rusted and I’m sure I can break it with ease. I run at the door, slamming my shoulder into it, it
trembles, and I back up and run at it again. This time it flies off its hinges, hitting the floor with a clang. I scan the room, my eyes
going to the pool. The water’s dirty and dark. 1
She’s here, I know she is... I step to the edge, my heart sinking as I look down.
Is she ok?
My heart’s thundering as I stare into the water. Taking a deep breath, I dive in. I scan the murky water, my eyes widening when I
see her lying at the bottom. She’s tied to a rock and her body is lying there limp.
I swim over to her, slowing down when I realise there’s a faint glow around her lifeless body and her eyes are open, but they’re
milk white, glowing faintly as they stare lifelessly, but I can tell she isn’t conscious.
What is that?
I quickly cut the rope that binds her to the rock, snaking my arm around her waist and swim to the surface. I push myself out with
one hand, lift her out and place her on the floor. Water is still overflowing out of the pool.
“Come on...” I mutter, feeling her pulse, it’s there, albeit faint.
I begin pumping her chest, trying to get rid of the water in her lungs.

“Fuck!” I growl. The faint light around her
begins to fade away and I’m too fucking stressed to care what exactly it is.
Evangeline, come on!”
Suddenly her eyes fly open, and she chokes, bringing up water. She rolls onto her side, coughing and spluttering. I help her up
onto her knees as she coughs and chokes on the water she’s swallowed. I grip her waist as she continues coughing and I rub
her back. Her entire body is shaking, and she whimpers before she vomits, emptying all the contents of her stomach. I hold her
hair back, relief flooding me when she wipes her mouth with the back of her sleeve.
She’s ok, fuck she’s ok.
“Ouch...” She coughs, retching before she almost tumbles face forward into her vomit.
I catch hold of her, pulling her against my chest. “I’m sorry... I...”
“It’s not your fault. This wasn’t part of the tournament.” I growl as I hug her tightly, holding her trembling body against my chest.
“Why would...” She trails off weakly and it’s then I realise something.
My heart thuds as I slowly look down at the woman in my arms. That heavy weight that had been consuming me... the
discomfort... That was her pain, the moment she had brought it all up, and come to, the pain inside of me had vanished too.
I was feeling her pain...
That could only mean one thing, and it shakes me.
Evangeline may not know it, but she’s my mate. She has to be, only a fated mate can feel the pain of the other... 5
She looks up at me weakly, her chest still heaving and it’s like I’m seeing her for the first time...
She’s destined for me. 17