Chapter 02

FRANKIE POV (Present Day)

Looking back on the day's events, I wish I had left a clearer trail for others to follow. I foolishly followed Aiden's instructions to the letter.

*Sneak out after everyone goes to bed.

*Meet at the old cabin we used to go swimming at before it became condemned.

*Tell no one.

I was so naive. We hadn’t spoken in days, and then I was suddenly asked to meet him somewhere secluded. Why didn’t I see the red flags flapping vigorously in the wind before me? Why didn’t I tell someone?

After I met him, I realized that things weren’t as they should be.

Aiden continued to detail my expression as he watched the realization smack me in the face, and then the light dimming in my eyes immediately afterward.

I felt it when my heart slowed, rushing to push blood to compensate for the rapid blood loss; it had now slowed to a near stop.

My brain kept me conscious for a moment longer. Long enough to see a flicker of sadness flash on Aiden's face. His wolf was watching just beneath the surface.

“I am sorry, Frankie. This isn’t personal,” Aiden whispered as he stood to his tall length and returned to her side again. "We also apologize for the loss of your wolf years ago. Your sacrifice will be remembered long after you are gone."

With a surge of strength, my eyes widened at the understanding of his words.

Aiden grinned. "You didn't wonder why you were suddenly getting morning smoothies from Ryner?" He acted like he was pondering, but the implication was there. Ryner drugged me daily after Aiden claimed I was his at sixteen. They killed my wolf to ensure he could steal me as his mate. What was their end game for doing this?

She chanted her incantation, and the candles around the barren room began to flicker wildly. The wind around the cabin shook the walls violently, and the pair looked around the room in panic.

“Is that normal?” Aiden asked as the room grew heavy, and the candles snuffed themselves out. The room fell silent and dark. The wind outside had stopped.

A pressure was weighing down on them as darkness surrounded them, promising something unseen, and anger closed in.

The darkness of the room was so sudden, I thought I was finally done, but the candles ignited back to life. The flames were no longer the expected yellow and orange; instead, they were a deep, dark red.

It was an omen of death.

“Answer me, dammit. Is this normal? Does the red flame indicate that it was successful? I will become Alpha now, and the pack is mine?” Aiden's voice was a mixture of panic and excitement. His eyes were wide and wild as he looked around the room, confused.

She was silent. But to look at her, you could see the fear mounting in her eyes. It was all over her expression.

“We need to leave this place immediately.” She rushed out in fright.

“What? What do you mean? You said we needed first to kill the wolf spirit. I did that. Then, when you saw the opening, I had to lure her here and pierce her in the heart, collect the blood and do some incantation. We did all that, but there is more. Right? You said I needed to consume her blood from the chalice. Hand it over. We can’t leave until this is done. I just killed my wife, we need to fu.cking finish this ritual. You promised you could do it.” Aiden was shouting by the end of it.

She looked at him. Her eyes were hollow of anything but fear. “Aiden, we need to leave now!”

“No! I was made promises! I fulfilled my end of the deal!” he shouted angrily. He reached for the chalice to drink the blood, determined to reap his reward for the sacrifice offered.

“No!” She yelled in panic.

The wind picked up, rattling the walls and the surrounding windows shattered into dust fragments. The flames of the candle grew unnaturally large, causing her to take a cautious step back. She shook her head wildly in disbelief.

As I drew my final breath, I heard her whimper that they had been marked for Vengeance and needed to leave that place at once. She didn’t wait for Aiden. She rushed out the door and ran away from the darkness encroaching on the cabin where Vengeance had claimed its presence.

Everything dimmed, and I faded to black at the sound of Aiden’s rushing footsteps out of the cabin behind her.

That was it.

Betrayed and abandoned. I could only pray that the Goddess had seen the crimes and would take action to right this wrong.

I call out and pray for Vengeance.

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