Chapter 1

Alpha Simon Lloyd's childhood friend, Gracie Green, almost drowned and died. Because I stood by and didn't save her, he decided that I deserved punishment. He tied me up in the bathtub, binding my wrists and ankles.

After locking all the doors and windows, he left. Unbeknownst to him, the moment he walked out, the clear water from the faucet slowly turned into silver nitrate.

I screamed for help until my voice broke. In desperation, I shifted into my wolf and tore the ropes apart with my claws, but it was useless. I still couldn't get out of the bathroom.

All I could do was watch the silver solution spread across my fur and skin. For a werewolf, silver was poison. After I died, my soul drifted out of the bathroom.

In the living room, Simon stood in front of the full-length mirror while his assistant, Connor Whyley, held up two suits for him to choose from.

The reflection showed a sharp-looking man, his blue eyes scanning the details of each outfit with a focused intensity. His face, however, was full of frustration and anger.

"Three days have passed, and the marking ceremony is right around the corner. Why isn't Juliette apologizing yet?"

Beside him, Gracie adjusted his tie gently. "Come on, Simon. I know Juliette didn't mean it."

He yanked off the suit jacket in irritation. "How can she be so cruel, knowing that she's my Luna? She pushed you into the water and yet denies it, shirking responsibility. A Luna like that doesn't deserve me!"

She put on a sympathetic face as if defending me. "Juliette just loves you too much. I can't blame her for being jealous of the bond we've had since we were kids. She only pushed me because she couldn't control her feelings for you. It was out of love, that's all."

Her words sounded like they were in my defense, but in reality, they made it sound like it was my fault for hurting her.

Simon's expression softened slightly as he turned to Connor. "Has she conceded yet?"

"No," Connor replied. "There's not a single sound in the bathroom. Alpha, don't you think we should let her out before something bad happens?"

"What could happen? She'll just starve a little," Simon argued. "I should've punished her a year ago when she caused Gracie to lose her pup. I let her off because I was soft, so that's why she's bold enough to put Gracie in danger again."

He added, "Keep her locked up. She can only be let out when she admits her fault. If the marking ceremony gets delayed, so be it." Then, he dismissed Connor.

Gracie covered her mouth, a smug smirk dancing on her lips. I hovered nearby, my soul bitterly laughing.

Even then, Simon foolishly believed things could go back to the way they were if I just admitted I was wrong. Little did he know that both his mate and unborn pup were dead.

I pressed my hand against my swollen belly, tears sliding down my face.

"Sorry, my pup," I muttered. "The world didn't get to meet you."

I was three months along and had planned to tell Simon during the marking ceremony, but it seemed impossible now.

Three nights ago, I died with my pup. The bathroom in that old estate had long been abandoned. Water, electricity—everything was cut off. When I was locked in, the faucet valve broke and started leaking water.

At first, I tried to fix it, but the liquid burned my hands and began to rot my skin. That was when I realized that it wasn't normal water. It was mixed with silver nitrate.

As an Omega, I didn't have the ability to self-heal. The silver ate through me faster than I could imagine. I pounded on the door, screaming for help.

Yet the guards in charge showed not an ounce of mercy. "The Alpha said this is a lesson for you."

"The valve is broken! There's silver nitrate in the water! I'm burning. Send a healer!" I shouted.

Footsteps echoed outside, then faded. They didn't hear me.

I tried to climb onto the bathroom counter, desperate to avoid the spreading silver solution, but the ceiling's fire sprinkler began to spray the very same poison.

A torrent of silver burned my face and body. I lost my balance instantly and fell straight into the bathtub. Pain exploded through me, and then I was out.

When I came to, I was already dead. I hovered in the air, taking in my body that had now corroded into nothing but a skeleton.