Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Mia Heartman

Mia woke up the next morning still feeling the pain and heartbreak from the previous day's event. She tried to push the thoughts of how Alex had treated her in front of his study out of her mind, but they kept resurfacing, causing a sense of reluctance toward the day ahead.

As she got out of bed, Mia couldn't help but feel that everything around her seemed to be moving in slow motion. She tried to shake off the feeling and went about her morning routine, but her thoughts kept wandering back to what had happened the day before.

When Mia arrived to work at the garden, she tried to focus on her tasks, but her concentration was severely lacking. She found herself staring at the flowers not really taking care of them. Annabel tried to engage her in a conversation, but she was distant, lost in thought.

After a few hours of working in a daze, Mia decided to take a break and go for a walk. The fresh air and change of scenery helped to clear her mind. However, as soon as she returned to the palace, the feeling of reluctance returned.

The rest of the day passed in a blur with Mia feeling like a mere spectator in her own life. She couldn't shake the feeling of pain and heartbreak, and every time she thought about the events of the day before, tears threatened to spill.

As the day drew to a close, Mia sat solemnly in her room, feeling drained and defeated. She knew that she couldn't keep going on like this, but she didn't know how to move forward.

She tried to distract herself with a book, but got flashes of Alex's retreating figure. She felt a sense of anger and frustration at him, but also a deep sadness that things had turned out this way.

Mia realized that she couldn't keep avoiding the situation. She needed to face her feelings head-on and try to come to a resolution with Alex. The thought of it made her anxious, but she knew that it was the only way to move forward.

She sighed heavily and rested her head on her hand. How was she supposed to move on from this?

All she had done was love and care for him, but she had been treated with indifference and avoidance in the end.

She knew she deserved better, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

Meanwhile, Alex was consumed with his work. He had tasked himself with finding the link between the meals eaten by the victims of the Red Moon killer, and he was determined to solve the case. His mind raced as he poured over the evidence, searching for any clues that could help him crack the code.

But even as he worked, his thoughts kept drifting back to Mia. He knew he had hurt her, but it was for both their good. He told himself these lines severally and it had helped but not this time.

She deserved better than someone who would treat her so callously and it was bound to get worse as time went on.

He was doing it again, he needed to get her out of his mind.

Alex continued his search for the elusive link in the killer's meals. He knew he needed to stay focused, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he had made a mistake, that he needed to make things right. But he wouldn't. He couldn't.

The darkness of the night stole the light from the day and Mia sat alone in her room, still reeling from the day's events. She knew it wasn't his fault. Or maybe she was only making excuses for him. She wasn't sure.

Meanwhile, Alex sat in his office, surrounded by papers and evidence. He knew he needed to find the link in the killer's meals, but he couldn't seem to concentrate.

In the end, both Mia and Alex were left grappling with their own demons. They were hurting and as they went about their not so separate lives, they couldn't help but think about each other and yearn for the comfort of the other.

Alex needed to fight off this constant thoughts. He pondered on what he could do, while bending his head in thoughts.

After a few more minutes of critical thinking, he finally came to a conclusion. He needed to leave and since they had found poison in the meals of the dead wolves, he would use the opportunity to search for the only expert he knew on poisons and find out just what exactly the poison does. That would be a good start and good for his mental health since the poison expert was in the Diamond Shadow Pack.

The longer the distance, the more severed the mate bond. Maybe he would finally be able to catch a break from Mia's thoughts and move on with his life.

Although a little voice whispered just at the back of his mind that he was wasting his time, he would still venture on said trip as planned.

The next day, he prepared his men and went with Hendrix, Gerald, Theo and five other well trained men in about three different carriages.

The third carriage was the one Mia was brought in for the celebration of their wedding. It was built for a female and anyone who beheld it would believe a woman owned it.

She did however, but she wasn't in it. Alex wished she was and didn't at the same time.

He knew she hated entrapment and he would have loved to take her out on a trip; not like this one, but at least, one.

But he couldn't; he wouldn't.

He shut his eyes tightly as he tried to pry thoughts of her out of his mind, when he heard the loud sound of fire arms going off…