Lochlan’s POV
The day that I lost my mate was one of the worst days of my life. I was devastated and heartbroken, and I felt like my world had been shattered into a million pieces. It was as if a part of me had died along with her, and I knew that I would never be the same again.
For weeks after her disappearance, I searched high and low for her. I scoured the woods and the surrounding areas, desperate to find any trace of her. But it was as if she had vanished into thin air. None of the neighbouring packs had seen her, and I could no longer mindlink with her or pick up her scent. It was as if she had never existed.
I was consumed with guilt and regret. I knew that I had messed up, that I had made a terrible mistake. I had been unfaithful to her with that slut Tara, and I knew that it was my fault that she was gone. My wolf still had not forgiven me, and I could feel his anger and betrayal simmering just beneath the surface.
As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months, I began to lose hope. I knew that I had to move on, that I couldn't keep searching for her forever. But it was easier said than done. I missed her so much, and I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to her.
In the end, I knew that I had to find a way to move on. I couldn't keep living in the past, and I couldn't keep punishing myself for what I had done. I knew that I had to find a way to forgive myself, and to try to make amends for my mistakes.
It wasn't easy, but I knew that I had to try. I had to find a way to move forward, to live my life without her. And so I did. I threw myself into my work, and I tried to be the best alpha that I could be. It wasn't the same without her, but I knew that I had to keep going.
I remember the day Tara came to me, begging me to make her my Luna. But I couldn't do it. I despised her, and I knew that I could never love her the way that I had loved my true mate. I missed her every day, and I knew that she should never have been treated the way that she had been.
It was Tara's fault that Catarina had gone. She had been the one to drive her away, to make her feel like she wasn't good enough. And I knew that I could never forgive her for that.
Catarina had been my everything, my soulmate, my true Luna. She was beautiful, kind, and loving, and I knew that I would never find anyone else like her. And so I mourned her, every day, missing her more than words could say.
Tara was nothing compared to her. She was cold, calculating, and manipulative, and I knew that she would never be able to fill the hole in my heart that Catarina had left behind.
Tara was unwavering in her desire to give me an heir. She saw it as her duty to the pack, to ensure that our bloodline would continue on for generations to come. But I knew that having a child was not something that should be taken lightly. It was a huge responsibility, one that required a strong foundation of love and respect between two partners.
I couldn't simply have a child with her because it was expected of me. I needed to have a deep and abiding love for my partner, one that would allow us to face the challenges of parenthood together.
So I gently explained to Tara that I couldn't make her my Luna, that I couldn't have a child with her, because I didn't feel the way that I should. I knew that it was a difficult conversation, and that it would likely cause problems within the pack, but I also knew that it was the right thing to do.
In the end, I had to follow my heart, and trust that the right mate would come along when the time was right. And while it was hard to let go of the idea of having an heir, I knew that it was better to wait for the right person, rather than settling for someone who wasn't right for me.
The memory of Catarina still lingered in my mind, even after all these years. I missed her more than words could express, and I longed to feel her warm embrace once again. I knew that I had made a mistake, that I had let her slip through my fingers, and I vowed to spend the rest of my life making it up to her.
Every day, I prayed that I would find my way back to her, that I would be given a second chance to make things right. I imagined what it would be like to hold her in my arms again, to feel the warmth of her body against mine, to hear the sound of her laughter ringing in my ears.
And though the years passed, and my hair turned gray, I never gave up hope. I knew that somewhere out there, Catarina was waiting for me, and I would do whatever it took to find her. I would travel to the ends of the earth, cross oceans and mountains, and brave any danger, just to be with her again.
For me, there was no other option. I had to find her, and I had to make things right. I owed it to her, and to myself, to give our love a second chance.
I could never accept her rejection, it hurt me to see the pain and anger in her eyes the day she rejected me. I lost everything that ever meant anything to me then. I could easily have stepped down as Alpha but there was no way I was going to do that. I believed that Catarina would see sense and come home to me one day.