เข้าสู่ระบบElena’s povLydia didn't wait to be invited in.She stepped past Blake like he wasn't even there, her heels clicking against our hardwood floors. "I'm here in my capacity as Chief Warrior," she announced, smoothing her dress as she surveyed our living room. "A formal visit."Blake moved to block her path. "Elena isn't feeling well. Whatever this is, it can wait.""Oh, it won't take long." Lydia's smile didn't reach her eyes. "I simply wanted to meet with the former strongest female warrior of Silver Creek Pack. Before her... unfortunate condition." Her gaze slid to me. "We have so much in common, Elena. I thought we might talk."Ayla growled weakly inside me. She recognized a threat when she saw one."I don't think we have anything to discuss," I said."No?" Lydia tilted her head, innocent as a viper. "That's a shame. I was hoping to share some good news. You see, I have a boyfriend who loves me very much just as much as your mate loves you, I imagine."Blake's jaw tightened. "Lydia.
Blake’s povElena held me like I was the only thing keeping her from falling apart.We were standing in the cemetery, her mother's grave fresh in the earth beside us. She hadn't cried during the funeral or when her father announced he was leaving the pack. But now, alone with me, she finally broke."You're all I have left," she whispered against my chest. "You're my only family now."I held her tighter. "I'm not going anywhere."Later that night, after the marking ceremony, she lay in my arms and traced the fresh bite on her shoulder. "Promise me," she said. "Promise you'll never leave me.""Never," I swore. "Only death could separate us."She smiled then, and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.I woke with a start.Sunlight streamed through unfamiliar curtains and Lydia lay beside me, her dark hair spread across the pillow, a satisfied smile on her sleeping face.My stomach turned.I sat up slowly, careful not to wake her, and pressed my palms against my eyes. What am I
Chapter 4: Once Unfaithful,Always UnfaithfulElena’s povI couldn't take off the wedding dress fast enough.My hands trembled as I fumbled with the buttons, the zipper, the delicate lace that suddenly felt like it was strangling me. Sarah knocked on the dressing room door, asking if I was okay.Lydia's voice still echoed in my head. He'd given her everything he'd given me.When I finally emerged in my regular clothes, Blake was waiting by the door, scrolling through his phone. He looked up and smiled like nothing was wrong, "Ready to go?" he asked.I nodded, not trusting my voice.I stared out the window on the way home, feeling Ayla curl up small and wounded inside my chest. The seven-diamond necklace felt heavy around my throat. I wanted to rip it off and throw it into the woods.“He loves you,” Ayla whimpered. “He must still love you.”“Does he?” I thought back. “Or does he just love the idea of having a mate while he plays house with someone else?”She had no answer for that.Sin
Elena‘s POVI'd been sitting in the same plastic chair for two hours, waiting for my test results. At some point, I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, someone was saying my name."Elena?"I blinked awake and a familiar face swam into focus,"Jacob?"He sat down in the chair beside me. "I thought that was you. What are you doing here? Are you okay?"Jacob. I hadn't seen him in almost four years. We'd dated briefly before I met Blake, nothing serious, just a few months of shy glances and awkward first kisses. He'd wanted more, but then I found my fate mate, and everything changed."I'm fine," I said automatically. "Just a routine checkup."He studied my face, and I knew he could see the lie. I'd lost weight since we last met. "I heard about Blake's campaign," he said, changing the subject. "Running for Alpha is such a big deal.""It is.""You must be proud of him."I smiled, but it felt hollow. "He's worked hard for it."Jacob nodded slowly. "Elena?" A nurse ap
Elena‘s POVI woke before dawn and reached for the calendar on my nightstand.Day twenty-nine.The red marker felt heavy in my hand as I drew a line through yesterday. Blake was still asleep beside me, his breathing deep and even. I watched him for a moment, the curve of his jaw, the way his dark hair fell across his forehead. I slipped out of bed and padded down the hallway to the kitchen, where I made a phone call I'd been dreading.Sarah picked up on the second ring. "Elena? It's five in the morning.""I know, I'm sorry." I kept my voice low. "I need to ask you something.""Anything." She said without hesitation.That was Sarah, my oldest friend and the only one who'd stuck by me through everything. She didn't ask questions when I showed up at her door crying. She didn't judge me when I made excuses for Blake. She just loved me, quietly and completely."The severing ritual," I said. "The witch gave me the details. I need someone to handle the arrangements after I'm gone and make
Elena‘s POV“Once the severing ritual begins,” the witch said, “everything that makes you Elena will disappear from this world. Are you sure?”She didn’t look surprised when I told her I wanted to disappear.She poured tea into a chipped cup and pushed it toward me across the table. I didn’t touch it. My hands were trembling too much, and I didn’t want her to see.“It’s permanent,” she continued. “Even the people who loved you will forget your face.”“I know.”She studied me for a long moment. I thought about the healer’s face when she told me my artificial heart was failing.“There’s nothing left for me here,” I said.The witch reached into a drawer and pulled out a slip of paper. Her pen scratched across it, the ink dark as old blood.She slid it toward me.Elena will completely disappear from this world in 30 days.“Someone will come for you when the time arrives,” she said.I folded the paper and tucked it into my coat. “Thank you.”Outside, I pulled it tighter and started walkin







