My Fated Alpha's Cruel Game (Elena and Marcus) novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Pixel by Pixel

Marcus’s POV

I stared at the note Elena had left behind, the paper worn from my constant handling. The words blurred together as I looked up at Iris, her defiant expression matching her daughter’s stubborn streak.

"You read what she wrote. I have absolutely no clue where she went," I said, my voice strained with weeks of frustration.

"Haven’t heard a single word from her since she walked out that door. You drove my daughter away from everything she knew. Why can’t you just leave her alone now?" Iris’s tone carried a mother’s protective fury.

The memory of that night still haunted me. The twisted metal, the blood, the way her scent had simply vanished into thin air.

"There was a crash that night. Are you completely certain she made it out alive? I was there within minutes. Her trail just disappeared," I said, the words tasting bitter.

"Elena isn’t some helpless girl. When she decides to disappear, she stays gone. I can guarantee you that much."

Iris’s confidence only fueled my determination. I had spent countless hours studying everything about Elena. Her academic records, her legendary pranks against the pack bullies, every detail painted a picture of someone far more cunning than anyone had given her credit for.

"I don’t question her intelligence. Everything I’ve discovered about her proves she’s incredibly resourceful," I admitted.

"Resourceful is putting it mildly," Iris said with a knowing smirk.

"What would you call it then?"

"She’s going to make your life absolute hell until you finally give up this obsession."

The threat hung in the air between us. Iris had no idea how wrong she was about me giving up.

"Like you said, she’s my mate. I won’t stop looking for her. You can leave now," I said, dismissing her with a wave of my hand.

Minutes after Iris left, the cook entered with my lunch tray. Hugo trailed behind him, his expression serious.

"The scouts checked in. They’ve touched down near the college and secured rooms at a hotel in the nearest human town. Tomorrow they start their real search. They’ll canvas every building, every classroom, every corner of that campus if necessary," Hugo reported.

"Perfect. Where’s Viviana right now?" I asked, already dreading the answer.

"Living room with the wedding coordinator. I hope that credit card has a substantial limit. Otherwise, you’re going to hate what comes next."

I grabbed a bottle of bourbon from my minibar and carried it into the bathroom while the shower heated up. The alcohol burned away some of the day’s tension, but nothing could wash away the constant ache of Elena’s absence.

After changing into comfortable clothes, I settled on my bed with the bourbon and pulled out my phone. My thumb scrolled through the photo gallery, stopping at every picture of Elena. Her smile, her laugh, the way her eyes lit up when she was planning some elaborate revenge against her tormentors.

My phone buzzed with a text from Hugo. The attachment symbol made my pulse quicken.

The image loaded slowly, revealing a girl sitting alone in a college cafeteria. Long blonde hair cascaded down her back, obscuring her face. My heart hammered against my ribs.

I immediately started typing messages to the scouts, my fingers flying across the screen. They needed to get in front of her. I had to know if this was really Elena.

The hair was shorter than I remembered, but that made perfect sense for someone trying to hide their identity.

My scouts moved quickly, positioning themselves at a table with a clear view of the mystery girl. I sat on the edge of my bed, bourbon forgotten, waiting for confirmation.

Minutes crawled by like hours. When my phone finally chimed, I nearly dropped it in my haste to open the message.

The image began loading, pixel by pixel, revealing the girl’s face as she looked up from her meal.