Liz’s POVLumian and Carlos didn’t waste a second.As soon as Robert’s message came through, Lumian shifted into high gear, practically dragging Carlos with him as they ran through the trees behind the training grounds. I followed, my ghostly form gliding just behind them, heart pounding with a rhythm I no longer had.They were heading straight to the place where I had died.The forest grew darker the deeper we went, the branches closing in above like skeletal fingers. And then I saw it.The blood.A small pool, dried at the edges but still dark and unmistakably real, stained the ground beneath the trees. But there as no body, no sign of the car or anything else just the small pool of blood.I froze.There it was. The final trace of me.And with it came the flickers. Blurry, fragmented pieces of a night that refused to be whole. I saw the inside of a car—cold, unfamiliar. My body pressed to the door. I remember the scent of the driver. Wrong. Foreign. He didn’t smell like anyone from
Liz’s POVThey said I was at my parents’ house.But I wasn’t.And I didn’t understand why they would lie.My mind swirled with disbelief and confusion. I tried to remember the last time I saw them—really saw them. The way Mum used to brush my hair back and hum under her breath. The way Dad only ever smiled when I obeyed without questioning. Neither had visited me in the packhouse recently, not since Judy returned. Not since everything began to crack.I closed my eyes.And when I opened them again…I was there.In my parents’ living room.I blinked in shock, spinning around slowly. I wasn’t with Lumian anymore. I wasn’t tethered to him like a shadow bound by a dying thread.I had moved.Freely.It felt… strange. Lighter. As though something inside me had finally snapped free. Then it hit me—the rejection. I had broken the bond. I wasn’t tied to him anymore.I was finally free.Not just from the mate bond—but from the hold he had on me.I drifted toward the hallway just in time to hear
Arthur’s POVI never should’ve come back.And yet, here I was—on the edge of Blackthorn Pack territory—staring out at the place where my life had nearly ended… and unknowingly begun again.It had been almost a year since Liz saved me.I was barely alive when she found me. I had collapsed near the border of her pack, my body broken and bloodied, my memory gone. The side of my face had been mangled, a deep blue scar stretching from my temple to my jaw. I was unrecognisable. Scary, even.But she didn’t run. She didn’t flinch.She helped me.She brought me into her world, gave me a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, and a name to go by when I couldn’t remember my own.Victor.That’s who I was for nearly a year. A stranger in her pack. An outsider with a scarred face and no past. Most of the pack avoided me—they whispered behind my back, some even sneered when I passed—but Liz never treated me like I was less.She gave me purpose.She gave me a job, working as her assistant. Days turned
Arthur’s POVI couldn’t do it.I stood at the edge of Blackthorn Pack territory for what felt like hours, watching the trees sway in the wind, feeling the weight of memories pressing down on me.And then I turned around.I left.Not because I didn’t want to see her—Moon, I ached to see her—but because I knew if I looked into her eyes, I wouldn’t be able to walk away again.I would’ve stayed.I would’ve thrown everything away just to be near her.So, instead, I ran.By the time I reached my estate, the sky was darker, the weight in my chest heavier than before. I pushed open the doors to my study and stepped inside, shoulders tense, eyes tired.She deserved better than someone who couldn’t even face her.I collapsed into the nearest chair, rubbing my hands over my face.That’s where Finn found me.“Alpha, did you get what you need to do?” he said, stepping into the room.I didn’t look up. “No. I didn’t.”He crossed his arms. “Didn’t or couldn’t?” Finn knew me better than anyone. He co
Liz’s POVI returned to the woods—the place where the truth had started to unravel. But when I arrived, the space was empty.Lumian was gone. So was Robert.Only Carlos remained.My heart sank.They had believed them. My parents’ lie had been enough to stop Lumian from digging further. Maybe he’d convinced himself it was easier that way. Maybe part of him wanted to believe I was okay—wanted to believe I’d simply run off instead of accepting the truth that I was gone.But I hadn’t run. I had died.And no one—not even the man I once loved, not even the parents who raised me—seemed to care enough to keep searching. That was the part that cut deepest. Not the blade. Not the betrayal. But the silence afterwards. The way the world kept turning, like I’d never been part of it at all.The weight of it pressed into my chest like a thousand stones. I didn’t even know where my body was. Just blood in the forest. Just a ghost hovering at the edge of the world, forgotten.I wrapped my arms aro
Liz’s POVCarlos stormed up the front steps of our parents’ house with fire in his eyes. I hovered just behind him, the familiar weight in my chest coiling tight as I watched him throw open the door.“Mum!” he shouted, barely giving the door time to close behind him. “Dad!”Mum appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a tea towel, startled. “Carlos? What’s wrong?”“Where is Liz?” he demanded, his voice shaking with frustration.Dad stepped into view from the hallway, brow furrowed. “She’s resting. Upstairs.”Lies. Still, they lied.Carlos shook his head, eyes narrowing. “No, she’s not. I just came from the forest—there was blood. You told Lumian she was here. Why would you lie?”Mum’s eyes darted to Dad’s, panic flashing across her face. “Carlos, please, lower your voice—”“Tell me the truth!” he roared, every word echoing through the walls. “Did she ever come here?”“No,” Mum whispered, guilt bleeding through every syllable. “We just thought she needed space. That she’d come
Arthur’s POVFrom the moment we crossed into Blackthorn Pack territory, I knew something was wrong.It wasn’t the usual tension that accompanied a royal visit—this was different. Heavier. The air clung to my skin like mist before a storm. Guards lined the perimeter with forced discipline, their stances too rigid, their eyes too watchful. Patrols were doubled, movements tight and rehearsed. Whatever was happening here, it was internal. A rot growing from within.Finn noticed it, too. “There’s been trouble here,” he muttered under his breath.I gave a curt nod. “And it’s not about us.”A few minutes later, Lumian appeared at the gate with his Beta, Robert, close behind. Both were dressed perfectly, the image of polished authority, but I saw past it. Lumian’s eyes were tired. Too tired. He was hiding something.“Alpha King,” he said with a forced bow. “Welcome to Blackthorn. I trust your journey was smooth?”“Where is your Luna?” I asked, skipping all pleasantries.His expression flickere
Arthur’s POVThe office door opened with a sharp click.Carlos entered quickly, eyes flicking to me, then to Lumian. His shoulders were stiff, posture guarded. The second he stepped in, Lumian gestured toward me.“This is Alpha King Arthur,” Lumian said.Carlos froze, then bowed immediately. “It’s an honour, Your Majesty—”“Where is the Luna?” I cut him off, my tone like a blade slicing through the formalities. Carlos blinked, taken aback. His eyes darted to Lumian for direction, but I didn’t give him the chance.“He is not asking the questions,” I snapped, voice cold. “I am. So answer me.”Carlos straightened slowly. His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “No one knows where she is,” he said. “She’s been missing since the day before yesterday.”My chest tightened, a low heat blooming in my chest.“That’s not all,” I said, voice calm but sharp enough to cut steel. “You’re holding back. I can see it all over your face.”Carlos hesitated.I took a step closer. “Say it.”He swallowed again,
Liz’s POV Everything happened so fast from there. Lumian still stood frozen; his lips parted, eyes locked on Robert like he couldn’t comprehend the words. He didn't want to believe that his trust beta would say them. Arthur took a step forward, his face filled with rage, and his body tensed like a coil ready to strike. I thought he was going to grab Robert, demand answers, throw him against the wall, and do something. But he didn’t get the chance. The door slammed open behind them, and Carlos stormed in. “What the fuck did you just say?” Carlos growled, eyes wild and locked on Robert. He didn’t wait for a reply. Carlos lunged forward like a bullet, slamming into Robert so hard they both crashed to the floor. Robert didn’t even try to defend himself. He just lay there, eyes hollow, mouth slightly parted like he’d already surrendered to whatever punishment Carlos had in store. “You killed her!” Carlos screamed, his fists crashing down onto Robert’s face with bone-snapping force.
Liz’s POVI was tired of listening to the fighting, the shouting, and the way Lumian’s voice filled the room as if it still held weight as if he had the right to speak for me. As if anything he said could undo the damage.Arthur was trying. I could see that. Every word he flung was for me. He wanted the truth no one else was willing to dig deep enough to face. And for that, I was grateful in ways I didn’t know how to say out loud. If I still had a heart to give, I think it would’ve reached for him then.But Lumian?He was still trying to protect his own comfort and reputation as alpha. Still denying, hiding behind “my Beta wouldn’t lie” and “Sura confessed,” as if that was enough. One scared omega could’ve done all of this alone. He hadn't just failed me. He had failed the whole pack by being so wrapped up in Judy and letting someone come into his pack and take one of his own. I could feel it in my bones that soon, the pack would begin to question him as their alpha.I couldn’t stand
Arthur’s POVI told myself I was going to be civil. That I would walk into Lumian’s office, ask a few questions, and keep my temper buried beneath whatever scraps of control I had left.But the moment I neared his door, I felt the pressure building again tight and hot, like a dam ready to burst.I stepped inside without knocking.Lumian looked like hell. He was slouched over his desk, elbows pressed into the wood, his hands running through his hair like he’d been clawing for clarity that wouldn’t come. A cup of coffee sat untouched beside him, long gone cold.When he lifted his head, the shadows beneath his eyes were deeper than I’d ever seen them. But the tension between us crackled instantly.“Alpha King Arthur,” he said, flat and guarded.I didn’t waste time. “Did you speak with Robert?” He nodded once. “Yeah. I did.”“And?”Lumian leaned back. The chair creaked beneath him. “Same as before. He said he didn’t see Liz that day.”My jaw tightened. “That’s a lie.” “You don’t know that
Robert’s POV I left Judy’s room in silence. Her denials, her hurt expression they, echoed in my mind, but I couldn’t focus on any of it. I didn’t know if she was lying or not. At this point, I didn’t know anything. My head was spinning, my chest tight. I just needed to think to work it all out. I headed toward the edge of the compound, away from the crowd, away from the whispers and the guilt I could feel crawling under my skin. The further I walked, the heavier my legs became. I sat on a bench just outside the old training ring, elbows on my knees, palms pressed together. And then I started to go over it minute by minute. The day Liz disappeared. I had been stationed near the south gate. I remember it clearly because nothing felt unusual… until Judy linked me. She had sounded panicked. Said Liz forced her to leave. Said she was scared. Told me I had to stop her. So, I left my post. Fifteen minutes. That’s all. I found Liz. Running errands being the perfect luna tha
Robert’s POV I didn’t stop to think. I just went straight to her. Her room was as pristine as ever, with flowers in a vase by the window and a book half-open on the armrest. She looked up as I walked in, surprised but not alarmed. “Robert?” Her voice was soft, light. “What’s wrong?” I closed the door behind me. “We need to talk.” She sat up slowly, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “Of course. About what?” “You,” I said, keeping my voice low. “And Liz.” Her eyes didn’t change not right away. But I saw it. A flicker of tension beneath the calm. “I remembered something,” I continued. “The day Liz went missing… You mind-linked me. Said she forced you to leave. That you were upset and scared that she was going to do it again.” She nodded slowly. “I remember.” “I left my post,” I said. “Because of you.” She blinked at me as if waiting for the point. “I need to know the truth, Judy.” I stepped closer. “Did you lie to me? Did Liz really force you out of the pack or had
Robert’s POVThe mind-link came through.“Robert. Come to my office. Now.” Lumian’s voice was clipped, strained, barely masking the edge of something darker beneath.I hadn’t slept. Not properly. Not since they found her. Not since I saw her lying there, cold and still, and realised it was too late to fix the things I never said.I didn’t ask questions. Just shifted direction and headed straight for his office.When I stepped in, he was already pacing. His movements were restless, the way they got when something didn’t sit right.He stopped when he saw me. “Arthur seems to believe you saw Liz the day she went missing,” he said, getting straight to the point.His words knocked the wind straight out of me, and I struggled to stand there. I did.But I hadn’t told anyone that. The only other person who knew… was Liz. I stared at Lumian, my mouth suddenly dry. “Why would he think that?” Lumian narrowed his eyes. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”For a moment, I couldn’t speak. I coul
Arthur’s POVI sat at the side of the room, arms crossed tightly over my chest, as one by one, the guards and staff filtered in. Liz sat beside me, quiet, unmoving.Lumian asked most of the questions. His voice was clipped and mechanical as if he were just trying to get through the process.The guards answered everything the same way. No, they hadn’t seen her leave again after coming home from shopping. Yes, they had been on duty. No, nothing unusual. It felt rehearsed like they’d all convinced themselves there was nothing to question in the first place.My eyes drifted toward Liz. Her face was unreadable, but her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. She studied everyone, even Lumian. And every time he brushed past a detail or cut off a question, her jaw tensed.The last guard exited, and silence fell over the room. Lumian leaned back in his chair with a frustrated sigh, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.“We’ve gotten nothing,” he muttered. “All of them saying the same thing
Lumian’s POVI hadn’t moved all night.The ballroom was quiet now. The scent of her still lingered, soft and haunting beneath the sharp tang of blood and grief. I had been sitting there beside her body for hours through the silence, the dark, and the ache that wouldn’t leave my chest.Her lifeless face was the only thing I saw when I closed my eyes… and when they were open.She didn’t look angry. Or scared. She looked peaceful. And somehow, that made it worse. Because she hadn’t died peacefully, she had died scared, alone. Begging for someone to help her. Begging for me.And I hadn’t come.I’d failed her.Not just as her mate but as her Alpha.My legs ached when I finally stood. The early light of morning bled through the high windows, pale and unwelcome. A new day had started. But it didn’t feel like something new had begun. It felt like something had ended.I gave her one last glance.“I’m sorry,” I whispered, though it wasn’t nearly enough.I don’t know how I made it to the hallwa
Liz’s POVIt should’ve felt satisfying. Seeing Lumian fall apart, Carlos screams and fights like his heart has only just started beating again. I should’ve felt vindicated.But all I felt was hollow.There was a part of me that had clung to the idea that maybe they cared. That maybe somewhere deep in their souls, they’d felt me slipping away and regretted it. But what I saw in that ballroom wasn’t regret. It was a reaction. They panicked as they realised it was too late.Carlos had looked broken, his grief so raw it had cracked open the room. But I didn’t know what to do with that. He was my brother. He was supposed to protect me. He was supposed to know me better. And Lumian… he was supposed to love me.Instead, I lay in the middle of a room full of strangers who once called me their Luna, and not one of them had come looking for me.Not even him.Arthur’s hand never left mine. He held onto me like he knew that if he let go, I might vanish completely. When he pulled me from that room