The Matchmaker (by Sophie Smith) novel Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

He needed her. He had said it. His own words, unfiltered, spoken with conviction. And yet, days later, Saphira still wasn’t sure how to feel about it. The weight of those words lingered, resting in the quiet spaces of her thoughts. But what unsettled her most wasn’t just the declaration itself-it was what had followed.

Nothing.

Nikolas had excused himself that day, and since then, she had hardly seen him. His absence left a hollow space she couldn’t quite define, something unresolved, something unspoken. Was it avoidance? Distraction? She had no answer.

So, instead of dwelling, she had thrown herself into the pack, spending the last few days mingling, getting to know the faces and rhythms of those who called this place home. Finn and Amara had been her anchors, their companionship something steady amidst the uncertainty. And despite the lingering unease surrounding Nikolas, she felt it-her own quiet belonging.

For the first time, she was starting to feel like part of the pack.

But the moment of peace shattered instantly.

“Saphira! We need you, quickly.”

Jed’s voice rang across the dining hall, urgent and sharp. He was running-fast, direct-eyes locked onto her as he approached.

Saphira shot up from her seat, heart hammering against her ribs. “Is everything okay?” she asked, already moving, her body reacting before her mind could catch up.

Jed didn’t answer. He only gestured for her to follow; urgency etched into his every step.

Confusion churned within her, but she kept pace, trailing him through the corridors until they reached the office. The moment she stepped inside, the air

shifted.

Tension. Panic.

The warriors stood gathered, their expressions tight, strained-fear rippling beneath composed exteriors. Saphira’s stomach twisted at the sight. Something

was wrong. Deeply wrong.

Instinctively, she scanned the room, her gaze searching, hoping-desperate to land on familiar golden eyes.

She found nothing.

The realization gripped her like a vice.

“Where is Nikolas?” she asked, her voice sharper than she had intended.

Jed turned to her, his expression grim, unreadable.

“He is missing.”

Time seemed to halt for a fraction of a second-long enough for Saphira’s pulse to stutter, long enough for her mind to trip over the words that had just been spoken.

Nikolas. Missing.

The world around her blurred slightly, the faces in the room fading into the background as her thoughts raced. She opened her mouth, but nothing came. A breath caught in her throat, pushing against the rising panic threatening to take hold.

No. Nikolas didn’t just go missing. He was the leader of this pack, the steady force that commanded presence no matter where he was. The idea of him

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CHAPTER 29

suddenly disappearing felt wrong-like something fundamental had been torn out of place.

Her chest tightened, unease crawling up her spine.

She blinked, forcing herself back to the moment, her gaze darting to Jed, desperate for answers. “What do you mean missing?” she demanded, her voice sharper than intended. She wasn’t concerned with softness right now-she needed the truth.

Jed ran a hand through his hair, his posture tense, the usual confidence in his stance faltering. “We lost his trail a few hours ago,” he admitted. “No communication. No signs of where he went.”

Saphira’s heart pounded harder. Hours? No-this wasn’t normal. If Nikolas had left, he would’ve said something. If he had gone somewhere, someone would have known. The fact that no one had a clue where he was meant one thing.

Something had happened.

She turned her gaze to the warriors, scanning their faces, searching for more-something they weren’t saying. But all she found was unease, frustration, an underlying current of fear none of them dared to fully voice.

Nikolas was powerful. Nearly unstoppable. And yet, he was gone.

Saphira clenched her fists, trying to steady herself. She couldn’t afford to spiral. Not now.

“We need to find him,” she stated, the steel in her tone leaving no room for argument.

Jed nodded. “We will.” But despite the certainty in his voice, the tension in his shoulders remained.

Saphira knew that whatever had happened-whatever had taken Nikolas-was something far bigger than any of them had anticipated.

And she wasn’t going to stop until she brought him back.

Saphira barely had time to steady herself before Jed was speaking again, his voice low but urgent.

“What was the last thing you talked about?” he asked, his sharp gaze locking onto hers.

She swallowed hard, dragging herself back through the last conversation she had with Nikolas. The unease she had felt, the creeping suspicion about the Elders’ trail-it hadn’t been fully formed then, but now? Now it felt impossible to ignore.

“The last time we spoke,” she started, exhaling slowly, “it was about the trail his sister left. About how it led toward the Elders but then disappeared-twice. It didn’t make sense to me. The Elders oversee all supernatural creatures, they have patrols, magic, and influence. There’s no way they wouldn’t have noticed something-especially someone as important as Zafira vanishing at their borders.”

Jed’s brows furrowed, his expression darkening. “And Nikolas? What did he say?”

“He listened,” Saphira admitted. “Really listened. He told me he hadn’t thought of it that way before, but once I said it, it clicked for him. And then…” She hesitated, the memory of his words still lingering in her chest. This is why I need you.

“And then what?” Jed pressed.

“He told me he needed me,” she said, voice quieter now. “Like… really meant it.”

A tension passed through Jed, but he didn’t comment on that. Instead, his mind was already whirling elsewhere.

“So you think the Elders have something to do with this?”

Saphira hesitated, weighing the possibility. “I don’t know if they’re directly involved, but something about that trail feels wrong. If Nikolas was thinking the same thing, maybe he went to investigate further. And if he did…”

Jed cursed under his breath, finishing the thought for her. “Then maybe someone didn’t want him finding answers.”

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Saphira’s stomach twisted at the implication.

Nikolas had vanished. And if she was right-if her suspicion about the Elders’ trail wasn’t just paranoia-then he hadn’t disappeared by accident.

He had been taken.

And they needed to find him before it was too late. She needed to find him. Her mate.

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