Tragedy Strikes

Avery's POV

“Avery, wait. You can’t just go there alone. It’s not safe with all the mysterious disappearances lately. I will go with you.” He shouted after me.

“No.” I said firmly throwing a dagger look at my so called mate. I couldn’t believe how he could act like he could care.

“Then I will send security to escort you weather you like it or not.” He said but I ignored him and carried on walking.

I needed time to think and to calm down. My head was a blur of chaos that I struggled to make sense of. How could my life be turned upside down in such a small amount of time?

I couldn't stay around my mate for now; I knew I would end up saying things I would later regret. Whether anything had happened between them or not, He had hurt me deeply and seeing him with another woman was tearing me apart.

I decided to talk to Craig later after the new life celebrations because then I would be in a much calmer state of mind.

As I walked through to the pack's main ground, I felt nervous anticipation for the evening's festivities. It was supposed to be a time of celebrating new beginnings within the pack.

“Miss Avery, the beta, has ordered us to accompany you since it is not safe for you to be alone out here with the mysterious disappearances going on.” one of the guards said, stepping in my way to stop me.

He had a very serious expression, and I felt like I was suffocating. I just wanted to be left alone. “No, thank you. I don't need a shadow. Tell your Beta I hope he will accept my rejection.” I snapped, feeling frustration boiling through my blood.

"But Miss, it is Beta’s orders," he said. Not that I could care less. I turned on my heel, ignoring their pathetic attempts to follow me.

"Oh, Cady, there you are." Relief washed over me as I spotted my best friend standing slightly to the left. She looked surprised at first, but concern quickly etched over her face as I ran towards her.

"Avery, what is it? What's going on? Is everything okay?" Suddenly, tears streamed down my face as I collapsed into her arms. "Avery, talk to me. What is it?" She demanded to know.

"It's Craig. He .. he.." I stuttered on my words through sobs. "I found Craig in bed with that bitch Carolina." Saying the words out loud made it even more real.

“What? That bitch!” she whispered, pulling away from my embrace and holding me out at arm's length, studying my face carefully. “Wow. I can't believe this. That bitch. She won't get away with this, and I promise you that. Gosh, she always was a stuck-up jealous slut." I wiped my tear-stained face with the back of my palm and tried to regain my composure, not wanting people around to see me upset, and that would get back to Carolina. I didn't want her to have the satisfaction of knowing she had gotten to me.

"Oh, come on, Avery. Cheer up. The new celebration tonight should help distract your mind. Well, if they aren't cancelled because of all these strange disappearances, I think everyone's a bit on edge.” Cady continued, " I'm sure everyone will want something to look forward to after all."

I appreciated my best friends' attempt to reassure me, but it barely scratched the surface of the turmoil consuming my insides. I was about to open my mouth and say something, but then I heard Cady say something under her breath.

“No, not her. Please go away, " she said. My heart sank as my eyes followed the direction she was staring at, and she was Carolina. She was strutting towards us like a peacock’s feathers in a zoo, with that annoying smug smile etched on her lips like a Cheshire cat. She had confidence oozing from her. I was not in the mood to deal with Carolina right now.

“What do you want now, Carolina? Sleeping with another mate is not enough for you. Are you planning to move on to the Alpha next?” Cady's voice dripped with disgust as she met Caroline’s surprised face.

I smiled, knowing that my best friend would always be ready to defend me against anyone, no matter what.

Caroline shifted to me, her eyes filled with hatred that made my skin itch. "Look at you, Avery, nothing.. you're nothing but trash. The moon goddess cursed Craig to be with you. He deserved better. He made you who you are. He gave you your title. You didn't earn it. You weren't even born in it. You don't belong here. You're just a dirty tramp. Let's be honest: everyone around here thinks like I do.” Carolina chuckled cruelly as she raised her drink as a weapon.

Cady grabbed hold of me by my wrist and shoved me behind her. "You better back off now, bitch." She told Carolina, who could only smirk in response. She knew that Cady's wolf was strong and could quickly bring her down if she wanted to.

She stepped closer to me, not taking her eyes off of me. That horrible cruel smirk was still on her face. “You’re just a weakling Avery. Craig is better off with me.” At first I didn’t feel the force of her unexpected hands on me.

Suddenly I felt myself falling backwards and before I could stop myself, I was drenched in freezing cold water. Carolina grinned at me with a satisfied smirk on her face. “Oh dear, Avery. Perhaps next time you should be more careful.” She sauntered off with a chuckle. Cady growled as she helped me up from the water and I wanted to run after Carolina and strangle her but I stopped in my tracks, unable to move.

Suddenly, an unbearable wave of agony rippled through my chest. It was sharp and nothing that I had ever experienced before. It felt as if my insides were being crushed. I doubled over, clutching my sides; my vision blurred, and everything around me swirled as if I were on a rollercoaster ride.

Images of my past with Craig flashed through my mind: the laughter, the happiness, the tears, even our first kiss, the first time we slept together when he marked and mated with me.

And then screams came from my own throat as I fell to the ground in a heap. Panic swept through the rest of the pack like wildfire. I held my head in my hands and closed my eyes, pleading for the pain to go away.

“Beta Craig has died.” Those words pierced through our shared pack's mind link; it felt like someone had put a jagged knife through my head. Voices echoed in disbelief, anger, mixed emotions with sorrow. It wasn't a joke. It was like a horror movie. How could he be dead?

“No! No!” I whispered, and then I let out an agonising scream of pain. He couldn't be gone!