Chapter 6
Ford’s POV
Icy water filled my lungs as my consciousness faded into darkness.
“Alpha! Alpha!”
Someone was dragging me, pulling me back from the brink of death.
I opened my eyes to see the frantic faces of the rescue crew.
“Don’t save me,” I pushed them away, my voice a raw whisper. “Let me die here.”
“Alpha, you can’t give up!” my Beta yelled, grabbing my arm. “The pack needs you!”
Needs me? I murdered my Luna. What right did I have to live?
They dragged me back onto the boat by force, wrapping me in blankets.
But no matter what they did, I couldn’t feel any warmth.
The void in my chest was a wound that would never heal, a constant, screaming reminder of what I had lost.
Back in the pack lands, I refused all treatment, all comfort.
I walked straight to our bedroom.
The place where Shelly and I had spent countless nights.
Her faint scent of jasmine still lingered in the air.
My eyes fell on the photo frame on the nightstand.
It was from our Mating Ceremony.
Shelly was in a long white dress, smiling at the camera.
Her eyes were filled with so much hope for our future, so much love for me.
And I was holding her close, my gaze fixed only on her.
We were so happy then. I loved her so much.
“Why?” I grabbed the frame, my voice breaking as I spoke to her picture. “Why did you leave me?”
But the Shelly in the photo just kept smiling, forever unable to answer.
A volcano of rage erupted inside me.
“WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DIE?” I roared, smashing the frame against the floor. “YOU PROMISED YOU’D ALWAYS BE WITH ME!”
Glass flew everywhere, shattering Shelly’s beautiful face.
But it wasn’t enough.
I lunged at her vanity, sweeping everything off it.
Perfume bottles, jewelry boxes, makeup-all of it crashed to the ground.
“LIAR!” I roared, shattering the mirror with my fist. Glass sliced my knuckles, but I didn’t feel the pain. “YOU SAID YOU’D NEVER LEAVE ME!”
1/2
I ripped her dresses from the closet, shredding the silk and lace with my bare hands, desperate to erase her from my world.
In my frenzy, I knocked over the nightstand.
Thump.
A white envelope fell out of a drawer and landed silently on the floor.
I froze, staring at it.
Written on the front, in her neat script, were the words: “For Aiden”
My hands started to shake.
What was this?
I picked it up carefully, as if it were the most fragile thing in the world. I tore open the seal. Inside was her familiar handwriting.
“Dearest Aiden, By the time you read this, I’ll be gone.”
My breath caught in my throat.
“The pain of losing Ford is too much to bear. As his Luna, I can’t imagine a world without him. Every breath I take is a reminder that I’ll never see him, hear his voice, or feel his touch again.”
Tears blurred my vision.
“I know it’s selfish, but I can’t endure this pain. Aiden, please forgive me for not being strong enough to live on. Please take care of the pack for me. Be a good Alpha.”
No, Shelly, don’t say that-
My hands trembled so violently the words swam before my eyes.
“Ford, I miss you so much. The very air feels thin without you. Wait for me. Our baby and I will be with you soon.”
