Finding Her

Chapter 2

King Luca’s POV

Eight years later.

“Another invitation.”

My Beta Johnny tosses a heavy white and gold envelope onto my desk, next to where his feet are propped on it as he leans back in his chair, lazily shuffling through the mail.

“Can you RSVP for us, please?”

Johnny raises an eyebrow at me.

“You don’t even know when it is or who sent it.”

“We will make it work.”

Johnny sighs and tosses the rest of the mail onto the desk.

“Look, as much as I love a good party…can’t we just stay home for a week? It’s exhausting constantly running around to fight and party, then fight and party again.”

“What else is there to do?”

I laugh as I reach for the invitation.

“I don’t know.” Johnny leans forward. “How about having a more private party? Come on man, you’re the freaking King. Use it to your advantage.”

He leans back again, shaking his head.

“Women throw themselves at you all the time. Why don’t you let yourself have some real fun? I know I would be if I were you. That’s the best perk of the job.”

Using a pen, I open the invitation.

“I will have plenty of fun at the party to…celebrate the new Alpha of the Southern Silvers Pack.” I give him a pointed look. “And I think you have enough real fun for the two of us anyway.”

Johnny chooses to ignore this.

“Southern Silver’s Pack? Isn’t that the one with the ancient old geezer as their Alpha?”

He leans forward to frown at the front of the invitation.

“Hence the new Alpha ceremony.”

“Sounds boring.”

“It’s our duty to attend.”

“Pshh.” Johnny folds his arms across his chest.

“King Cameron doesn’t go to this many parties, guarantee it. You just go to all these lame parties to look for that girl you grew up with.”

My face stays passive, but my chest gives a painful pang.

“It’s our duty-”

Johnny rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

“Well, if you ask me, you should still go out there and have some fun. There is no guarantee that chick is truly your mate, and even if she is, the chances that she isn’t having fun with someone else in the meantime-”

“She wouldn’t do that. She is saving herself for me.”

Johnny laughs.

“I love you man, but sometimes, you are living in a dreamworld.”

He stands up, knocks his fist against the desk, then exits.

Sighing, I slouch against my seat.

Sometimes, I cannot help but to agree with my Beta.

Why has Rose not come looking for me yet?

She knows where I am.

Everyone knows that I am the King and exactly where to find me.

It’s not a secret.

But she hasn’t come for me yet.

So, here I am, forced to go to one event after another at every pack in my territory, both Lycan and werewolf, searching for her.

Was I wrong?

Is she not my mate?

Has she found her true mate and forgotten all about me?

No.

I know that she is destined to be with me. And I will find her.

If she hasn’t come to me yet, it’s because she isn’t able to.

She needs me to find her.

And I will. No matter how long it takes.

Burying my face in my palm, I throw my head back with a low groan.

Even if it is utterly exhausting. It’s worth it. Or it will be…

When I close my eyes, I can still see her beautiful face, just as clear as if it were yesterday, before being yanked away from her…

With a sigh, I drop my hand onto the desk with a loud thud and pick up a pen to fill out the RSVP card.

You never know.

There’s a knock on the door and, recognizing the knock, I call for my brother to enter.

Trevor limps into the room, heavily leaning on his cane, his scarred face wearing his custom gloomy frown. His eyes fall to the card in my hand.

“Another party?”

I tuck the card into the included small envelope and toss it onto the desk in front of me.

“Southern Silver’s is getting a new Alpha.”

“Hmm. About time. Their current Alpha is only a hundred years old.”

“So I’ve heard.”

Trevor settles himself ungracefully into the chair across from me, looking from the envelope to me suspiciously.

“That’s a small pack. They won’t expect you to actually show up. You’ll overwhelm them with your visit.”

“I’ll give them plenty of notice and take fewer men with me.”

Trevor sighs.

“Luca…”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

Trevor rolls his eyes upward and shakes his head.

“Father would have-”

“It doesn’t matter what he would have done, he isn’t here anymore, and I am the King, which is what he wanted.”

Trevor purses his lips.

“Yes, you are. A king who is searching for his childhood crush instead of taking care of his duties.”

“I would have to disagree with you on that, brother. I have never neglected my duties since I took this position. I take great care of my people. And I visit more packs in my territory than any other King before me. We are wealthier, happier, more peaceful…”

“Ha. That’s because the last two kings were complete imbeciles.”

Trevor gives a harsh laugh.

I nod at him and tap my fingers restlessly on the desk.

“What’s brought you here, Trevor? What’s up?”

Trevor looks uncomfortable.

It’s been like this since I became king. The original plan was for Trevor to be king, but since he was injured so badly during an attack that he can’t fully shift anymore, I was the next in line.

And since he is the oldest of my remaining brothers, he is the one that they have appointed to be my ‘advisor’…basically telling me what my younger brothers are too scared to.

“Trevor?”

“It’s just that, a lot of people are talking about you not having a Luna. They want a Queen, and you can’t blame them. They don’t want you to grow harsh like the previous Kings…”

“I am trying-”

“Yeah, Luca, we all know that you think little Rosey was your mate, but that’s just it, isn’t it? One can never tell who their mate is-” he cuts me off when I try to protest. “-no matter how much you think that you can. It just doesn’t work that way, and it’s time for you to move on.”

“I am not harming anyone by searching for her. I am not utilizing any extra resources. I am only fulfilling my duties as king and if I happen to find her…”

“Yeah, you gotta drop it. Stop going to these small pack ceremonies. Host here. Let your mate find you. It gives more of a chance for other’s here to find their mate if you are the host, and it doesn’t create financial burdens on these smaller packs.”

“If we cannot tell who our mates are before we come of age, then you cannot be certain that Rose isn’t my mate.”

Trevor shakes his head, but I smile.

“I hear you. I will take a break from these visits and host more.”

Trevor leans back in his chair looking satisfied.

“Right after I attend the new Alpha ceremony for the Southern Silver’s pack.”

I tap my envelope in front of me and Trevor throws himself back in an exasperated sigh.

Laughing, I stand and walk around the desk to place my hand on Trevor’s shoulder.

“I thought you loved me being away? You get to be in charge when I’m gone.”

Trevor mumbles and I pat his shoulder as the door opens and a young man with curly dark hair enters.

Handing him the envelope with a smile, he gives me a nod and exits.

Once again, I feel the familiar faint flicker of hope…maybe this time…maybe this will be the time that I finally find my Rose.