- 14 minutes ago
Ashes Of The Dark Moon Asm
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00:01I lay on the busting bed, pain tore through me in waves, my vision went black, but my mate was
00:08right there, Callan, alpha, of the dark moon pack, he gripped my hand, sweat soaked my skin, I forced a
00:18smile, the painkiller walked in, holding a syringe, I thought it was a painkiller, but Callan let go, he stepped
00:25back, the needle pierced my skin, cold liquid, hit my veins.
00:30the dough is, hold it off until tomorrow, I promised Regina, her child comes first, I stared at him, he
00:37didn't look at me, he just watched the clock, tears fell, I tried to scream, I tried to fight, but
00:44the drugs hit, my contractions stopped cold, then everything stopped, when I opened my eyes, I was on stone, the
00:52holding cells beneath the pack infirmary, dark moon's punishment cells, his sister, Seraphina, stood at the door,
01:00a silver dagger, in her hand, don't blame Callan, Regina's pup is the only blood my dead brother left behind,
01:08he's the rightful heir to dark moon, I never wanted to fight her for it, save the act, you pushed
01:13a pregnant widow down the stairs, you tried to kill her so your bastard could claim the alpha title, I
01:18didn't,
01:19another conjecture ripped through me, I stopped breathing, Seraphina squatted down, tapped my cheek with her blade,
01:26pack law is clear, the first recognized heir inherits the alpha title, when an alpha dies without a born heir,
01:32his unborn bloodline comes first, Marcus is dead, but his pup lives, and Callan is only a regent,
01:37so you and your bastard pup, you were finished, the second Regina conceived, I clutched my belly, my vision blurred,
01:45please, get the healer, my pup is coming, the drug lasts three more hours, sit tight, once Regina delivers, you
01:56can push all you want,
01:57she turned to the guards, watch her, watch her, she screams, gagger, the steel door slammed shut, one flickering bob,
02:06blood soaked my gown, wolf's bang in the wars, no my link, no way out, Callan took my phone this
02:12morning, said he wanted me to focus on the birth, it was a trap,
02:16seven months ago, Marcus, the former alpha, died in an ambush, at his funeral, Regina threw up, she was pregnant,
02:26her unborn pup became the pack's obsession, I told the elders, not to worry, Callan and I would still give
02:32dark moon and air,
02:33they just stared at my belly, silent, now I understood, my pup never mattered from the start, the drugs were
02:41wearing off, the contractions hit harder,
02:43I crawled to the door, leaving a trail of blood, I pounded on the steel, please, my pup is dying,
02:52a guard laughed, save your breath, Regina's close to delivering, you'll get out when she's done, but my baby, you
03:02deserve it, after what you did to her,
03:05I collapsed, then I heard Seraphina in the hall, on the call, Callan, how is she doing, Regina's contraction started,
03:14she's fine, is Alexia under control,
03:17under control, she's screaming, what an actress, don't tell me you feel bad, she stole birth herbs, stole herbs, I
03:27never did that,
03:27I haven't forgotten, she nearly killed Marcus's pup on those stairs, I will never let her ruin that bloodline, the
03:35healer swore the injection was safe, let her suffer,
03:38maybe she'll learn, I'll send the healer down when Regina is stable, the call ended, my mate chose her,
03:47I lost track of time in that cell, the blood kept pooling, soaking my gown, just as my vision faded,
03:54goddess, it was Orist, the pack's chief healer, my only real friend here, he dropped to his knees in the
04:00blood,
04:01Alexia, why are you down here, the alpha said you were in the private birthing suite,
04:06Seraphina, save your breath, he chucked me, his face draining of color,
04:09your water broke, you're fully dilated, your pup is coming right now, he tried to mindling the others,
04:15but the wolf's being lost, blocked the signal, he scooped me into his arms, we burst out of the
04:20cell, two guards stepped in our way, stop, miss Seraphina said, said what, to let a pregnant woman
04:25bleed to death, get out of my way, the guards flinched and stepped back, Orist cured me up the
04:30stone stairs, leaving a thick trail of blood, we hit the third floor, the main bursting chamber,
04:36the doors were wide open, it was completely empty, no birthing bed, no monitors, no supplies,
04:43nothing, just bare walls, this is impossible, where is the equipment, footsteps, click down the
04:49hole, Seraphina, oh the equipment, we moved everything to regina's private birthing suite,
04:55to protect dark moon's rightful ear, just as a precaution, are you insane, the luna's baby is
05:01crowning, she needs a bed right now, drop the act, Alessia, Callan already told me the delay drug is
05:08harmless, you're just throwing a tantrum, trying to pull focus from the true pren, I stared at her
05:13perfectly powdered face, six months ago, I spent three nights making her a moonstone pack necklace,
05:20she had hugged my arm, so while we were sisters for life, what an absolute joke,
05:26Aurest sprinted to the pharmacy wing, two minutes later, she ran back, empty handed,
05:31they gutted the pharmacy, no supplies, no blood, the guards took everything to regina's private
05:38birthing suite, alpha's orders, this is murder, she's going to die, the pup is going to die,
05:43the pack comes first, if she dies, she dies, Aurest collapsed in front of me, right in the puddle
05:49of my blood, Alexia, I'm so sorry, I have no tools, no supplies, I can't do anything,
05:56I am so sick of this, guards, get him out of here, two massive enforcers grabbed Aurest,
06:02Aurest, Aurest, the pup is crowning, remember where to press, press it now, bring on the contraction,
06:08they hauled him into the hall, push on the next one, don't give up, save the pup,
06:13the door slammed shut, Serafina pulled out her phone, she started a video call,
06:18Callan, you need to see your mate's latest performance, she flipped the camera toward me,
06:23I saw Callan on the screen, standing outside regina's breathing suite,
06:27when he saw the blood pooled around me, he froze, real shot flashed in his eyes,
06:33but he masked it instantly, what's wrong with her, she's faking, she bled a little,
06:39Aurest is just being dramatic, Callan, is that Alexia, he's blaming me again,
06:45Serafina, keep her locked down, I'm not leaving this floor,
06:50hear that, you and your bastard pup mean nothing, regina comes first,
06:56you thought marrying the alpha made you untouchable, consider this a reality check,
07:01I closed my eyes, I tuned her out completely, my shaking fingers reached for my neck,
07:06for the crescent distress pendant at my throat, my dad gave it to me on my wedding day,
07:11before I left my home pack, he had ruled, they're too long and too fiercely,
07:16for anyone to refuse his call, if you are ever trapped, if you are ever dying, crush it,
07:22my phone found the hidden ledge on the back, Serafina was still pacing, still running her mouth,
07:28some nobody from a weak pack, you married into this pack for power,
07:32I almost laughed, Callan had assumed my home pack was weak, because I had never bothered to correct him,
07:38I squeezed the pendant, I pressed the latch with everything I had left,
07:42no sound, no flashing light, but I knew, the signal went out,
07:46my dad promised help would come in 30 minutes, I clutched my belly, 30 minutes,
07:51could my baby survive 30 minutes?
07:53I was fading fast, Serafina stood over me, still running her mouth,
07:58he marked you for the baby, nothing more, that doesn't make you lunar,
08:02I didn't answer, I just dug my thumb into the spot he'd show me,
08:06pushing as hard as I could, praying for America, the drugs had completely worn off,
08:11the pup was coming, a scream ripped from my throat,
08:14Serafina stepped back in disgust,
08:16God, you're annoying,
08:18Leah, get in here and deal with her,
08:24The pup is crowning,
08:25then get it out,
08:27but I'm not a healer,
08:30she's hemorrhaging,
08:32we have nothing,
08:34they're both going to die,
08:36then that's her fate,
08:38I'm going to watch the true heir be born,
08:42keep an eye on her,
08:44don't let her bleed out too fast,
08:46that child still carries alpha blood,
08:48the door slammed shut,
08:50leaving me alone with a terrified girl,
08:52another contraction tore through me,
08:54but I couldn't push,
08:55I had lost way too much blood,
08:57my body was shutting down,
08:58the baby was stuck,
09:00the clock kept ticking,
09:01every single second was pure agony,
09:04and then,
09:04a deafening crash,
09:07the steel door was kicked right off its hinges,
09:10a squad of pack warriors stormed in,
09:12clad in peach black combat gear,
09:14leading them was Luca,
09:16massive,
09:16deadly,
09:17my father's war commander from silver moon,
09:19the largest pack in the south,
09:21goddess,
09:22I am so sorry we're late,
09:24Luca,
09:25don't speak,
09:26save your strength,
09:27he spun back to his men,
09:29get the trauma team up here,
09:31now,
09:32Giseph,
09:32lock down every exit in this building,
09:34Leia tried to make a run for it,
09:36a guard named her heart against the floor,
09:38let me go,
09:39this is dark moon territory,
09:41you can't just barge in here,
09:42Luca slowly rose to his full height,
09:44his pupils were wide,
09:45shifting into pure,
09:47predatory gold,
09:48he stared down at her,
09:50dark moon territory,
09:52by tomorrow morning,
09:54there won't be a dark moon pack,
09:58one minute later,
09:59the trauma team rushed in,
10:01they loaded me onto a mobile gurney,
10:03pushed me into a concealed medical transport,
10:06inside was a full surgical unit,
10:09monitors,
10:10ventilators,
10:10high end equipment,
10:12blood pressure dropping,
10:13she's in hemorrhagic shock,
10:15fetal distress,
10:16we need an emergency c-section right now,
10:18but her vitals are crashing,
10:20the surgery is too risky,
10:22Luca jumping into the transport,
10:23do it,
10:25I take full responsibility,
10:26I grabbed his wrist,
10:28with my last hands of strength,
10:29save my baby,
10:31please,
10:32save him first,
10:34don't speak miss,
10:35save your strength,
10:36your father is on his way,
10:38you just have to hold on,
10:39you and the pup are going to make it,
10:42cardiac arrest,
10:43paddles,
10:44now,
10:45the fetal trace is crashing,
10:46we're losing the pup's heartbeat,
10:47no,
10:48keep trying,
10:49keep trying,
10:49it's too late,
10:51the pup,
10:52there's no heartbeat,
10:53the baby is gone,
10:54and then,
10:55everything went black,
10:56darkness,
10:57I don't know how much time passed,
10:59but finally,
11:00my eyes flattered open,
11:02I stared up at a strange ceiling,
11:04the sharp smell of bleach,
11:06filled air,
11:07Alessia,
11:12where is my baby,
11:13the entire room went dead silent,
11:16a few seconds later,
11:17a man turned around,
11:19standing at the foot of my bed,
11:21it was my father,
11:23deep lines of grief,
11:24etched into his face,
11:26dad,
11:30Alexia,
11:32he's gone,
11:33isn't he,
11:35the blood loss,
11:37the pup was deprived of oxygen,
11:39for too long,
11:40our healers tried everything,
11:47where is Callan,
11:49he's with Regina,
11:51she had a boy,
11:53they've already forgotten you,
11:55a bitter,
11:56hollow laugh escaped my lips,
11:58the sound even scared me,
11:59dad,
12:00I need a favor,
12:02I want a corpse that looks like me,
12:04I want Darkmoon to believe I died that night,
12:08we can do it,
12:09a substituted body,
12:11scent masking,
12:12by the time they see her,
12:13even a mate won't smell past death,
12:15wolf laid,
12:16and your blood,
12:19to Alpha,
12:21Callan,
12:21and Regina,
12:23we have an heir,
12:26I stood in the center,
12:28of the great hall,
12:29holding a newborn pup,
12:30in my arms,
12:31just hours old,
12:32but already,
12:33Darkmoon's greatest hope,
12:35Alpha,
12:35Oris needs to see you,
12:36it's about Alessia,
12:37it's an emergency,
12:38the sheer terror in his eyes,
12:40sent a chill down my spine,
12:41a sick feeling,
12:42twisted in my gut,
12:44I grabbed Serafina,
12:45and dragged her with me,
12:46the path to the infirmary,
12:48was dead quiet,
12:49a thick trail of blood,
12:51led down to the holding cells,
12:52my heart skipped a beat,
12:54why the underground cells,
12:57Alpha,
12:57Callan,
12:58I am so sorry,
13:01massive hemorrhage,
13:02hypoblumic shock,
13:04we lost them both,
13:05drained of all blood,
13:06eyes shut,
13:07chest perfectly still,
13:09it was my Alessia,
13:10my mate,
13:13why didn't anyone tell me,
13:14why didn't anyone tell me,
13:16she was bleeding out,
13:19Alpha,
13:20I tried everything,
13:21but Miss Serafina,
13:23said she was faking,
13:24she wouldn't let me treat her,
13:28Callan,
13:28I thought it was an act,
13:30she was just putting on a show again,
13:35you hit me,
13:38so you locked her in a holding cell,
13:40like a rogue,
13:41like she was nothing,
13:43I just told her to wait,
13:45she is your mate,
13:46two lives Serafina,
13:48I told you to watch over her,
13:50and this is what you do,
13:52I did it for the pack,
13:53for the air,
13:56the air,
13:57deep inside the moon shui,
13:59I carried her casket to myself,
14:01placed it right before the moon goddess statue,
14:04I knelt by the wood,
14:05staring down at Alessia's face,
14:09Callan,
14:10you haven't eaten in a week,
14:12Alexia is gone,
14:13why are you doing this to yourself,
14:14do you know how terrified,
14:15she must have been,
14:16lying alone in that freezing cell,
14:18waiting to die,
14:19it was to make sure,
14:20the air was born safely,
14:21you made the right choice,
14:22as an alpha,
14:22so you think your pup's life,
14:24was worth more than hers,
14:25of course,
14:26this is Marcus's child,
14:27the only legitimate heir,
14:28to dark moon,
14:29Callan,
14:30stop obsessing over a dead woman,
14:31I gave this pack,
14:32its heir,
14:33I'm the one dark moon needs,
14:35get out,
14:36take your pup,
14:36and get out of my sight,
14:40I slumped down against the casket,
14:42and buried my face in my hands,
14:44through the hidden camera feed,
14:45I watched his shoulder shake,
14:47what an absolute joke,
14:49he threw me away,
14:50like garbage when I was alive,
14:52now he wants to play the grieving mate,
14:58heavy footsteps pounded down the hall,
15:00Tony burst into the room,
15:01Alpha,
15:02it's a disaster,
15:03our border patrols were completely wiped up,
15:06the silver moon pack hit our eastern and southern territories,
15:09every single guard is dead,
15:10I froze,
15:11our iron and medical supply lines are cut,
15:13three allied packs broke their treaties on the spot,
15:16even the pack council froze our credit line,
15:18and worse,
15:20silver moon has moved against us,
15:22no pack will stand with us now,
15:23the bad news just kept coming,
15:25generations built dark moon,
15:27now it was falling apart,
15:28who was doing this,
15:29how did they know exactly where to hit us,
15:31Tony,
15:32find out who is pulling the strings,
15:35I want a name,
15:37three days later,
15:38the two encrypted phones on my desk,
15:40wouldn't stop ringing,
15:41another territory lost,
15:42Alpha,
15:44we haven't tracked down the mastermind yet,
15:46but we found something else,
15:49those birth herbs,
15:50it was Regina who stole them,
15:52he slid a photo across my desk,
15:54it was Regina,
15:56clutching a small glass vial,
15:57my hands started to shake,
15:59and there's this,
16:00you need to brace yourself,
16:01Alpha,
16:02he handed me a sealed bloodline test report,
16:04I ripped it open,
16:06my eyes scanned the bottom line,
16:07the air,
16:08he wasn't Marcus's,
16:10then whose child is it,
16:11Roberto Santini,
16:13the beta of the Santini pack,
16:16our deadliest rival,
16:18now it all made sense,
16:19Regina betrayed Marcus,
16:21got pregnant by the enemy,
16:22then framed Alessia to cover it up,
16:23and I,
16:25I believed every lie she told me,
16:28Tony,
16:29get every elder to the council chamber,
16:31now,
16:32one hour later,
16:33the chamber was full,
16:35Regina walked in,
16:36holding the pup,
16:37smiling,
16:38she thought this was another celebration for her,
16:40then she saw my face,
16:41the smile vanished,
16:43I turned on the screen,
16:44first image,
16:45Regina in a motel room,
16:47kissing a man,
16:48Regina shot to her feet,
16:50her face went white,
16:51Callan,
16:52they're fake,
16:53that baby is Marcus's and mine,
16:55someone's framing me,
16:57then I pulled up the second image,
16:59the bloodline report filled the screen,
17:01match probability,
17:02that child is not of dark moon blood,
17:04his father is Roberto Santini,
17:07second in command of the Santini pack,
17:09our sworn enemy,
17:11you betrayed my dead brother,
17:12you slept with the enemy,
17:13got pregnant with his bastard,
17:14then tried to pass him off as dark moon's heir,
17:16Marcus found out didn't he,
17:18that's why you sold out his location,
17:19you're the one who got him killed,
17:21yes,
17:21Marcus found out about me and Roberto,
17:23he said he'd expose me,
17:25I couldn't let that happen,
17:29now you know the truth,
17:31now you know who you helped kill Alessia for,
17:35I know I was wrong,
17:36but I thought I was protecting the pack,
17:39I thought I was protecting Marcus's bloodline,
17:41for what,
17:42for an enemy's pup,
17:43you locked Alessia in that underground cell,
17:46you let her bleed out to protect our enemy's child,
17:49lock her in that same stone cell,
17:51no food,
17:52no water,
17:52let her feel what Alessia felt,
17:54let her wait for death the way Alessia did,
17:57when it was over,
17:59I walked to the moon trine,
18:00I dropped to my knees beside the casket,
18:02I found the truth Alessia,
18:05but it doesn't change what I did to you,
18:09I'm sorry,
18:10I'm so damn sorry,
18:14three months passed,
18:16I looked around my empty office,
18:18the portraits of past Alphas,
18:20were still on the walls,
18:21the moon goddess relics,
18:22still sat on the desk,
18:23my great grandfather's ritual blade too,
18:26everything else was gone,
18:27sold,
18:28most of the money went to debt,
18:29what was left,
18:30I gave to the pack members before they left,
18:32a final settlement,
18:33enough for them,
18:34to leave Darkmoon behind,
18:36one week later,
18:37I moved into a run down apartment,
18:39in the southern quarter,
18:40not because I was broke,
18:42because I didn't deserve anything better,
18:44I killed my mate,
18:46my wolf howled inside me,
18:48day and night,
18:49every night,
18:49I called Alessia's number,
18:51every night,
18:52I left another voicemail,
18:54Alexia,
18:55I know you can't hear this,
18:57but I need to say it,
18:59this was my fault,
19:00I killed you,
19:02I killed our baby,
19:04I drove Regina out,
19:06Serafina was punished too,
19:07but none of that brings you back,
19:10brings you back,
19:11I sold everything,
19:12the land,
19:13the businesses,
19:14all of it,
19:15but I kept one thing,
19:16enough to buy a burial plot,
19:18right beside yours,
19:19maybe I can spend eternity,
19:20trying to earn your forgiveness,
19:22every afternoon,
19:23I went to the cemetery,
19:25I sat by her headstone,
19:27for hours,
19:28I'm scared I'm going to forget your voice,
19:30your smile,
19:32the way you smelled,
19:34camellias,
19:35cold night air,
19:37my wolf is dying Alessia,
19:39it doesn't eat,
19:40it doesn't drink,
19:41it doesn't move,
19:43it just lies there,
19:45waiting to be with you again,
19:47truth is,
19:49so am I,
19:51cells,
19:53sever moon pack,
19:54my phone kept buzzing,
19:55on the table,
19:56just like always,
19:57I didn't answer,
19:59the call died on its own,
20:01then Callan's broken voice,
20:02filled the room,
20:03this was my fault,
20:05I killed you,
20:06by now,
20:07I felt nothing,
20:08at first,
20:09I listened to every message,
20:10his apologies,
20:11his pain,
20:12the way he tore himself apart,
20:14I listened with no expression at all,
20:16then my dad walked in,
20:17he looked at the phone,
20:18said nothing,
20:20he just handed me a file,
20:22dark moon is gone for good,
20:24and Callan's in bad shape,
20:26I took the file,
20:27flipped through it,
20:29faster than I expected,
20:31Alessia,
20:33are you really gonna watch him die,
20:35I looked up,
20:36what else would I do,
20:37dad do you think,
20:38I should forgive him,
20:40he deserves to die,
20:42I'm just scared,
20:43you'll get trapped in this,
20:44I closed the file,
20:46smiled a little,
20:47don't worry,
20:48the moment my baby died,
20:50I was done,
20:52now I'm just here to collect,
20:54you've changed,
20:56you used to laugh all the time,
20:58now even your smile,
20:59doesn't look real,
21:01people grow up,
21:03some people need time,
21:04for them,
21:05one betrayal,
21:05and one death are enough,
21:07my dad didn't say anything else,
21:09he just stood there with me a while,
21:11then he left,
21:12three years later,
21:13I took my father's seat,
21:14a billion dollar deal signed,
21:16Alessia Silvermane,
21:16Silvermane,
21:17Silvermoon swept the east coast,
21:19all under my rule,
21:20Alpha,
21:21the report you asked for,
21:22about the north,
21:24it's all in here,
21:25Luca handed me a folder,
21:26Callan of Darkmoon,
21:28less than six months left,
21:29his wolf was close to going dark,
21:31I closed the folder,
21:33I closed the folder,
21:33get the car ready,
21:36now,
21:36the forecast says a blizzard is coming tonight,
21:40now,
21:43North,
21:44Ashen Cemetery,
21:45snow was coming down hard,
21:47the moon was gone,
21:48buried behind thick clouds,
21:50I stood in front,
21:51of a new headstone,
21:53my son's,
21:53white marble,
21:55carved into it,
21:55was a tiny wolf pup,
21:57curled in the arms of the moon,
21:59I sat a white rose,
22:00on the stone,
22:02mom's here,
22:02through the wind,
22:03I heard footsteps,
22:05heavy,
22:06dragging,
22:06like an old wolf,
22:08about to fall,
22:08I turned around,
22:10a figure staggered through the blizzard,
22:12Callan,
22:13his hair was completely white,
22:14his cheeks were hollow,
22:16those golden alpha eyes,
22:17that once shook the whole north,
22:18were dim now,
22:20clouded,
22:20like dying embers,
22:21he barely even smelled like a wolf anymore,
22:24just a dying man in the snow,
22:26no,
22:27no that's not possible,
22:29another hallucination,
22:31the healer said it's all in my head,
22:33my wolf's gone mad,
22:35I said nothing,
22:36he dragged himself closer,
22:38shock,
22:38wild joy,
22:39then fear,
22:40Alexia,
22:41he reached for me,
22:42you're alive,
22:43I stepped back,
22:46don't touch me,
22:47but I saw your body,
22:49I smelled you,
22:51your scent was gone,
22:52that body was fake,
22:53I'm Alessia Silverhone,
22:55my father is the alpha of silver moon,
22:57I'm his only heir,
22:58it was you,
22:59the territories,
23:00the businesses,
23:02the ambushes on our patrols,
23:04all of it,
23:04yes,
23:05why didn't you tell me who you were,
23:07because my father would have never approved,
23:08so I hid it,
23:10I married you behind his back,
23:11if I had known who you were,
23:13I never would have,
23:14never would have what,
23:15treated me like that,
23:17let me die,
23:18Calen,
23:19stop lying to yourself,
23:21you never loved me,
23:22you loved a version of me,
23:23you thought you could control,
23:24a woman you thought had no pack,
23:26no power in coming for her,
23:27someone easy to discard,
23:28so why are you here,
23:31to watch me fall apart,
23:35no,
23:36you're not worth that,
23:37I came to see my son,
23:42our baby,
23:44my son,
23:46you don't have the right,
23:49I think about him every day,
23:51what he would have looked like,
23:53what color his eyes would have been,
23:55if he'd be scared the first time he shifted,
23:57but,
23:57he died,
23:58because of me,
23:59I know,
24:00I pay for it every day,
24:02my wolf mourned him every night,
24:03until it couldn't mourn anymore,
24:05you think that's enough,
24:06Alexia,
24:08please,
24:09forgive me,
24:10I never got you Callan,
24:11but I never forgave you either,
24:15please,
24:16I can make it up to you,
24:18with what,
24:19your life,
24:20he reached for his own throat,
24:22under wolf law,
24:23that was total surrender,
24:25lower than kneeling,
24:26worse than death,
24:27I give you my throat,
24:28you can tear it out,
24:30I won't fight back,
24:31I don't need your life,
24:33watching you suffer is enough,
24:34please don't leave me again,
24:36Alessia,
24:37I love you,
24:38I always loved you,
24:40from the first time I caught your scent,
24:42my wolf chose you,
24:43it was always you,
24:45you loved a ghost,
24:46a version of me you thought you could own,
24:49no,
24:50no,
24:52but the real me,
24:53you never knew her,
24:55I had my own pack,
24:57my own power,
24:58my own fangs,
25:04behind me,
25:05Callan let out one last how,
25:07not human,
25:08weak,
25:09broken,
25:10then gone,
25:11swallowed by the storm,
25:13I never turned back,
25:14the blizzard was shut out,
25:16Luca glanced at me,
25:17through the rear view mirror,
25:18he didn't say a word,
25:20I closed my eyes,
25:21in the dark,
25:22I let myself feel it,
25:23for three seconds,
25:24only three,
25:25then I opened my eyes,
25:27let's go,
25:28the engine started,
25:29the car pulled away from the cemetery,
25:32snow kept falling,
25:33soon,
25:34it covered the blood,
25:36everything he left behind,
25:37as if none of it had ever happened,
25:40six months later,
25:42spring had reached the south,
25:43new bots covered the park outside,
25:45alpha,
25:46we got word from the north,
25:48I didn't look up,
25:49I just kept signing the papers in front of me,
25:51what is it,
25:53alpha canin is dead,
25:55my pain stopped for one second,
25:57a tiny dot of ink bled onto the page,
25:59then I kept writing,
26:01how did he die,
26:02froze to death in an alley behind the market,
26:04he lost his ability to shift,
26:06his wolf was gone a month earlier,
26:08what else,
26:10Luca pulled a clear evidence bag,
26:11from his coat,
26:12he sighted on my desk,
26:14he was holding a photo,
26:16the patrol team had to pry it out of his frozen,
26:18I looked down,
26:19it was an old photo,
26:20the corners were worn soft,
26:22in the picture,
26:23I was standing in Docmo Manor's garden,
26:25sun on my face,
26:26smiling,
26:27I remembered that day,
26:29the first spring after our mating ceremony,
26:31you smell like home,
26:32I turned the photo over,
26:34there was writing on the back,
26:36crooked,
26:37shaky,
26:38handle the funeral,
26:39bury him in Ashton Cemetery,
26:41near your son's grave,
26:42no,
26:44further away,
26:46yes alpha,
26:47Luca,
26:48put one white rose there,
26:50just one,
26:51yes alpha,
26:52he left,
26:53the office went quiet,
26:54sunlight spilled through the floor to ceiling windows,
26:57landing on my left hand,
26:59my ring finger was bare,
27:01the only sound in the room,
27:02was a scratch of ink,
27:03across paper,
27:05far outside,
27:06wing moved between the towers,
27:07with a low moan,
27:09maybe,
27:09it was a wolf howl,
27:11maybe,
27:11it was the wind,
27:13maybe,
27:13it was nothing at all,
27:15I never looked up.
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