Chapter 13 Menu Xavier froze , panic tightening in his chest like a vise . His wolf clawed at his ribs , a primal fear gripping him . Celeste's things were all gone , and their absence could only prove that she must have run away from home . Her scent lingered faintly in the air , a ghost of her presence . My own scent was overwhelmed by it and his wolf howled in anguish and I was gone . Why exactly ? Why did she leave without a word , and where would she go after leaving ? These questions swirled in his mind , and he himself was utterly puzzled . He was lost in a storm of confusion , unable to grasp the my reason for sudden departure . Could it be because of Vivian ? The thought struck him like a physical blow , his wolf recoiling in disgust . His heart skipped a beat at the thought . But it shouldn't be , he had kept it so well hidden , and besides , Celeste had never questioned him . He had cloaked his indiscretions in secrecy , believing I was oblivious to his betrayal . Then was it that Blood - Core Replacement ? His gut twisted at the thought , guilt gnawing at him . Thinking about it now , even though she made a mistake , his attitude at the time was too strong , and Celeste's expression that day when she came home wasn't quite right either . He remembered my wounded gaze , the quiet resignation in my eyes . She probably stormed off in a huff that day . But these were just his personal guesses ; if he wanted to know why , he still had to find the person first . He needed to find me , to understand the pain he had caused . Xavier asked all of Celeste's friends one by one , but everyone said they hadn't seen her recently . He reached out to every member of my pack , seeking any sign of my whereabouts , but they all claimed ignorance . Suddenly , he thought of The Sloane Family . The Elder Pack . Although Celeste rarely went back to her maiden home after arguments , this time she packed so cleanly , it was highly likely she had gone back to The Sloane Family in Austin . Thinking of this , he opened his contact list . He first called his father - in - law , but several calls resulted in a ' phone off voice prompt , just like Celeste's . In the end , even his mother - in - law was the same . He tried to reach my parents through Mind - Speak , but his thoughts were met with silence . The more Xavier called , the stronger his unease grew . He had a premonition that he had been blacklisted , and even felt that Celeste was about to disappear from his life . He felt the bond between us fraying , the connection weakening with each unanswered call . No , this is impossible . 4.5 % < Chapter 13 Mara No matter how serious their argument , as long as they didn't divorce , they were still husband and wife . Celeste was probably just too angry and was waiting for him in Austin to reconcile . As long as our blood bond remained , there was still hope for reconciliation , but the silence was deafening . Right , he had to go to Austin . He had to go to The Sloane Family territory , to plead for my forgiveness and salvage our bond . Just as he was about to leave , the phone in his hand rang , but it wasn't Celeste or her parents . It was the security team he had hired . His wolf tensed , sensing the urgency in the call . " Mr. Sinclair , we've found the person . " Breathing sounds came from the other end of the phone , accompanied by faint wails , " He was hiding in a small town called Woodbury ; he's been apprehended now . " The voice was strained , filled with the sounds of violence . This person referred to Graham . The rogue wolf who had caused so much pain and chaos . He had escaped during the chaos of that kidnapping , and Xavier had been holding a grudge ; he was unwilling to accept being fooled once . both angry that Vivian was hurt and He had vowed vengeance on the one who had dared to betray him . So he had been secretly sending people to look for him . He swore if he could find that person , he'd never let him off easily , but now he had more important things to do . He longed to unleash his fury on Graham , but my absence overshadowed all other concerns . བ ང Just as he was about to speak , the other end said again , " After Graham was beaten up by us , he confessed to a lot of things . He said the person who conspired with him behind the scenes was Vivian . " Vivian ?! Xavier froze mid - step . His scent turned sharp with shock , disbelief warring with a growing sense of dread . didn't interrogate Aside from the surprise , the unease in his heart grew even stronger , so he spoke to confirm again , " Are you sure you the wrong person ? Not Celeste , but Vivian ? " He desperately hoped for a mistake , a chance to cling to his misguided trust . " It's Vivian . " The other side paused , then firmly said , " Our interrogation methods won't make mistakes . As for Celeste , according to Graham's confession , she should be the victim . " The voice was cold and resolute , confirming his worst fears . It was Vivian , after all . Xavier never imagined that the one crying ' thief would end up being the mastermind . He had been blinded by her lies , manipulated by her deceit . And Celeste ... He actually believed Vivian's words . He had doubted my loyalty , questioning my actions based on her poisonous whispers . He really thought she was colluding with Graham , deliberately putting on this act to get revenge for the fall . He had condemned me without proof , succumbing to his own insecurities and biases . 4.5 % < Chapter 13 Menu Maybe Celeste's departure also had something to do with her ! Perhaps Vivian had driven me away , poisoning my mind with her lies . and manipulations . Thinking of this , Xavier's anger flared . His scent turned volatile , a dangerous mix of fury and guilt . He said sternly to the other end , " Help me check again what else Vivian has done in the past month . Be quick , I want to know the result tonight . I'll give you triple the payment . " He demanded the truth , desperate to uncover the extent of Vivian's treachery . He hung up the phone, still trembling with rage . His wolf howled in outrage , demanding retribution for the pain inflicted on me . At this moment , he seemed to sober up a lot , recalling how looking back , every argument with Celeste seemed to trace back to Vivian . He saw a pattern of manipulation , a deliberate attempt to undermine our bond and drive us apart . Could it be that Celeste really knew everything ?! Perhaps I had seen through Vivian's deception all along , silently enduring the pain of his betrayal . Time passed little by little . Xavier sat alone on the sofa , waiting from dusk till night . He hadn't received the news yet , but Vivian arrived instead . The night was dark , with a promise that she would pay The moment she entered , her face was filled with unconcealed joy . Her scent was sharp with triumph , a chilling display of her wickedness . She looked around the room and indeed didn't see Celeste . Then she pretended to be anxious and said , " Xav , I tidied up your office before getting off work , and then I found ... I found this . " She feigned concern , masking her glee with a false display of worry . As she spoke , she handed over a red booklet . And the three words ' Divorce Decree ' were printed on it , the glaring words were exceptionally dazzling . The words Blood - Bond severance papers were a physical manifestion . < Chapter 14 Ch