The gates of Silverwater were large and tall, made of pure silver that seemed to shine even in the sun. The pack was moderately large, filled with people.

Warriors bowed as Thorne's carriage drove into the land, followed by his men and horses.

Adina watched from where she was seated next to Thorne as the people moved about their daily routine. They all looked stressed, some more than others. Her brows furrowed as she watched them.

"It must be the toll of losing their fellow pack members." Thorne's voice jolted her out of her thoughts. Adina glanced at him, lips pressed into a thin line.

"They look tired," she said.

He nodded, "They do. That's why an internal investigation is needed. They can't continue to live in fear of who might be the next priest to go missing."

Adina nodded, her heart clenching. She couldn't imagine the worry the people were all saddled with.

Soon enough, they arrived at the pack house where the alpha and Luna lived. The carriage came to a halt. Waiting at the main courtyard were Alpha Jordan and his Luna, Sienna.

The pair stood with a smile on their faces, both dressed in ceremonial robes embroidered with silver thread. Their pack members stood behind them.

As soon as Thorne stepped out of the carriage with Adina next to him, Alpha Jordan stepped forward, bowing low. "Your Majesty. Welcome to Silverwater."

"Alpha," Thorne greeted smoothly, offering a nod of acknowledgment.

The Alpha, Jordan, turned towards Adina with a respectful smile. "My lady." He gave a curt nod.

Adina smiled back, feeling Thorne's hand on her lower back. "It's a pleasure, Alpha Jordan," she replied.

Luna Sienna stepped forward next, offering a warm, practiced smile. "Your Majesty, you honor us with your presence."

Thorne gave a faint nod of acknowledgment. "Thank you for receiving us on such short notice."

"We're always at your service, Your Majesty," Sienna said smoothly, then turned toward Adina with a genuine smile. "And you, my lady, welcome. I hope the journey wasn't too tiring."

"Not at all. Thank you, Luna," Adina replied with an easily practiced smile. Perks of once being a Luna.

The Alpha gestured toward the entrance of the pack house. "We've had rooms prepared for your majesty, the lady, and your entourage."

Thorne shook his head, "My lady and I will share a room." He replied, not missing a beat.

A small flicker of surprise crossed Jordan's face before he nodded, his eyes shifting briefly toward Adina.

But Luna Sienna only smiled wider, as if she'd expected it. She turned toward her mate and elbowed him gently. "Told you," she whispered. "The king and his mate wouldn't be sleeping in separate rooms."

Jordan cleared his throat and nodded stiffly. "Of course."

Sienna stepped closer to Adina again. "If you don't mind, I'd love to give you a quick tour of the quarters. We made sure to scent the room with calming oils. I thought it might help ease the fatigue from traveling."

Adina glanced up at Thorne, and he gave a curt nod, his fingers brushing lightly against hers. "Go ahead. I'll join you shortly."

With a nod, Adina let Sienna guide her toward the staircase of the pack house, leaving the king and the alpha alone.

As soon as the women were out of sight, Thorne turned to Jordan and Mason. "Let's talk."

The Alpha led them toward his study. Once the doors were shut, the mood shifted. The warmth from the welcome was gone, and instead frustration and dread filled the air.

Alpha Jordan shifted uncomfortably under the king's gaze, while Mason remained by the wall, eyes narrowed and arms crossed.

"What's the situation on the ground?" Thorne asked, his voice clipped.

"It's worse than before, Your Majesty," Jordan began grimly. "Three more went missing last night."

"Just last night? Why has it taken you and the others so long to report? Over forty people missing in this district and no one thought to include it in the report until now?" He snapped angrily.

The alpha lowered his head. "Forgive me, my king, but we didn't think much of it," he replied.

Thorne shook his head. This was a man supposed to lead his pack, and he was here saying he didn't think much of his own people missing. How insolent.

Thorne's voice raised. "You didn't think much of your own people vanishing into thin air?"

Jordan swallowed hard. "In the beginning, it was only men going missing. And some of them, well, they had a history of leaving their homes for a few days at a time. Gambling dens. Brothels. Running from debt or duty. It didn't raise any alarms."

"And now?"

"Now… there are too many of them disappearing; it can't be taken as them leaving their homes."

Thorne stepped closer to the alpha. "So you ignored it until it spiraled out of control?"

The alpha stiffened but didn't speak.

"Give me the numbers."

"Fifteen people have been reported missing from Silverwater alone, Your Majesty."

"Fifteen? And you didn't think this is a call for help?" Thorne barked out angrily.

The alpha didn't dare speak.

"What's the ratio? How many of them are men and how many are women?"

"I'm afraid twelve are men, three are women. Those women were the ones reported missing just last night."

Thorne exhaled slowly, his jaw tight. "That's a large gap."

Mason finally spoke from where he stood, arms crossed. "And they've all disappeared without a trace?"

Jordan nodded. "No blood. No scent trails. No signs of a struggle. It's like they just walked out of their homes and never returned."

Thorne's eyes narrowed. "And what about the women who've gone missing? Any similarities?"

Jordan hesitated for a beat before answering, "One was a priestess. Another, a maid. The last—she was pregnant."

"The same too? Like they just walked out of their homes?" He asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Thorne turned to Mason, who was already frowning. "Get a list of names. Dates. Everything. I want full profiles. Where they were last seen, who they were seen with, what time of day they vanished. Leave nothing out."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Mason pulled out his notebook, scribbling already.

"I want to know what the common factor is here that we are missing. How come they're all disappearing?"

"Alpha Jordan, you'll show me around your pack. I want to see for myself just what is going on."

The alpha nodded. "As you command, Your Majesty."