The night was quiet as Landon and I drove home, the hum of the car’s engine a comforting backdrop to the silence between us. The cool breeze brushed against my skin, a peaceful contrast to the warmth of his hand holding mine. I glanced up at him, feeling a pang of happiness mixed with uncertainty. Landon had always been my anchor, but lately, there was something distant in his eyes—a distraction I couldn’t quite pinpoint.

Just as I was about to ask him what was on his mind, his phone rang. He stopped abruptly, pulling his hand away from mine to answer the call.

"Yeah?" His voice was low, tense.

I tried not to listen, but in the confined space of the car, it was impossible to ignore. Whoever was on the other end spoke urgently, their words too muffled for me to make out. But I could see the change in Landon’s demeanor—his knuckles turned white, and a muscle in his jaw ticked.

After a few terse responses, he hung up and pulled the car to an abrupt stop on the side of the road. The suddenness of it made my heart skip a beat.

"Landon, what’s going on?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned to me, his eyes hard and unreadable. "You need to get out."

I blinked, not sure I’d heard him right. "What? Why?"

"Get out of the car, Emery," he repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

A cold wave of shock washed over me. "But... it’s dark, and Mom is still waiting for us!"

His expression didn’t soften. "I don’t have time for this. Get out, now."

I stared at him, disbelief and hurt coursing through me. "Landon, please—"

"Now!" he snapped, cutting me off.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I fumbled with the seatbelt, my hands shaking. I didn’t understand what was happening or why he was doing this. The door creaked as I pushed it open, the cool night air rushing in. I stepped out onto the deserted street, the darkness swallowing me whole.

Before I could say anything else, Landon slammed the door shut and sped off, leaving me standing alone on the side of the road. The sound of the engine faded into the distance, and with it, the last bit of warmth I felt.

This wasn’t the first time he had left me like this, but it hurt more each time. Why did he always have to leave when I needed him most?

Feeling a mixture of anger and sadness, I forced myself to keep walking. The night seemed to grow darker with each step I took, the silence around me becoming oppressive. I tried to push away the nagging thoughts in my mind—the doubts and fears that had been building up for weeks.

Suddenly, a rustling noise broke the silence. I paused my senses on high alert. I scanned the dark alleyways and empty streets but saw nothing. Just as I was about to dismiss it as my imagination, something—or someone—burst out from the shadows.

A powerful figure tackled me to the ground with terrifying speed and force. I gasped; the wind knocked me out of me as I hit the pavement hard. The figure loomed over me, and in the dim light, I could see the crazed eyes of a rogue werewolf. Its snarl sent shivers down my spine, and the stench of blood and sweat filled my nostrils.

I struggled to push the rogue off, but it was too strong, too wild. Its claws raked across my arms, leaving deep, burning gashes. Pain shot through my body, but I couldn’t stop fighting. I kicked and scratched, trying to get away, but it was no use. The rogue was relentless, driven by a madness I couldn’t understand.

“Help!” I screamed, but my voice echoed back at me, swallowed by the darkness.

The rogue’s jaws clamped down on my shoulder, and I cried out in agony. Blood poured from the wound, soaking my clothes. I felt my strength waning, my vision blurring. The pain was unbearable, searing through me like fire, but the worst part was the fear—fear that this was it, that I would die alone on this cold, empty street.

In my final moments, as the rogue’s teeth tore into my flesh, my thoughts turned to Landon. How could he have left me like this? How could he have abandoned me?

Tears mingled with the blood on my face as my life slipped away. I wasn’t ready to die, not like this, not when I had so much left to say, so much left to do. The unfairness of it all consumed me, filling me with a deep, burning rage.

With my last breath, I closed my eyes and prayed—prayed for a second chance, for the strength to fight back, for the opportunity to make things right. I prayed that this wouldn’t be the end, that somehow, some way, I could have another chance at life. But deep down, I knew it was impossible.

I never thought that my death would be so... ordinary. There were no dramatic last words, no flashing of my life before my eyes—just pain, then darkness, and then... nothing. I floated in the abyss, disappointed and bitter. After everything, this was how it ended. A werewolf’s jaws on my throat, blood pooling around me as I gasped for air, and alone.

"How could you let me die like this, Selene? What did I do wrong? You're so cruel!" I cursed the Moon Goddess, my thoughts filled with rage.

The silence of the void was deafening, pressing in on me from all sides. "Is this it?" I screamed into the nothingness. "Is this all I get? It’s not fair!"

Suddenly, a shiver ran through the void, a pulse of light piercing the darkness. I blinked, startled, as the light grew brighter, forming into the shape of a woman. Her silver hair cascaded down her shoulders like moonbeams, her eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. She radiated power, her presence both comforting and terrifying.

"Selene?" I whispered, my voice trembling. I had never seen the Moon Goddess before, but I knew—somehow, I just knew—it was Her.

"You dare curse Me, child?" Her voice was soft, but it echoed in my mind.

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. What could I possibly say to Her? I was nothing, just a soul adrift in the afterlife. Who was I to demand anything? However, when I recalled the way I died, I was overwhelmed with anger.

"Yes, I did!" I snapped. "You took everything from me! You let me die horribly. Why? Did I deserve that?!"

Selene’s eyes softened, just a fraction, and She floated closer to me. "You suffered greatly, Emery," She said, her tone laced with sorrow I hadn’t expected. "But your suffering was not of My design. Fate weaves a complex tapestry, and not all threads are within My control."

I wanted to argue, to demand more answers, but something in Her gaze stopped me. There was a sadness there, a deep, ancient grief that seemed to span lifetimes.

"You wish for justice, for understanding," She continued, "and I cannot fault you for that. You were wronged, and for that, I am sorry."

To my utter shock, She extended Her hand toward me. "I offer you a chance, Emery. A chance to see the world as it is, to understand the truths that have been hidden from you. You will walk as a soul, unseen and unheard, but you will see everything."

My brows furrowed. A chance? A chance to see what had happened, to find out the truth? I hesitated, but only for a moment. "Yes," I said firmly. "I want to see everything."

Selene nodded, a faint smile touching Her lips. "Then go, child. Learn what you must."

With a wave of Her hand, the darkness dissolved, and suddenly, I was falling—falling back into the world I had just left behind. The sensation was disorienting, but when I opened my eyes, I was floating above the street where I had died. Everything was as it had been—cold, dark, and silent, except now, I was the ghost, weightless, and invisible.

As I stared at my corpse, my thoughts turned immediately to Landon. There was only one person who could make him panic like that.

With a thought, I willed myself toward Allison’s house, my form gliding effortlessly through the air. When I arrived, the house was dark, but I knew they were there. I could feel it—could feel them.

I passed through the front door like a wisp of smoke, the inside of the house quiet and still. But as I moved through the rooms, the silence was broken by soft, muffled sounds. A breathy gasp, a low moan. My heart—or whatever was left of it—clenched painfully as I followed the sounds to the bedroom.

There they were, tangled in the sheets, bodies pressed together in a way that left no room for doubt. Landon’s hands roamed over her skin, his lips on hers, moving with a fervor and desperation that I had never felt from him. My breath caught in my throat, even though I no longer needed to breathe. This was real. It wasn’t some nightmare or a figment of my imagination.

I wanted to scream, to tear them apart, but I was powerless. All I could do was watch as the man I had loved—who I thought had loved me—betrayed me in the worst way possible.

"Thank you for being here," Allison murmured, her voice dripping with coyness.

Landon didn’t respond, but the look in his eyes said it all. There was no hesitation, no regret. Just a dark, twisted desire that made my insides churn.

A sob welled up in my chest, but no sound came out. I had been right to doubt him. He had never truly been mine. And now, here I was, a ghost in the moonlight, forced to witness the cruel truth of my own life.

I backed away, the scene growing fainter as I retreated, unable to bear it any longer. Selene had given me a chance to see, but what was the point? All I had found was more pain, more betrayal.

I had always known that Allison was his previous mate, the one destined to be with him. But she betrayed him, and I was the one who stayed by his side when he was at his lowest.

After everything, how could he still look at her like that? She didn’t deserve his forgiveness, yet here they were, locked in each other's embrace.

Landon and I had been together for years now, and everything was fine until the day Allison returned. Despite being engaged with Landon, we hadn’t marked each other, a fact that gnawed at the back of my mind every time I saw that taunting glint in Allison’s eyes. We were a couple, but we weren’t mates, not truly.

I still remember the day I learned they had broken their bond. A ripple of elation had run through me, so powerful it almost knocked the breath from my lungs. Landon was free. He was no longer tied to the woman who betrayed him, the woman who didn’t understand the treasure she had until she lost it. I thought, naively perhaps, that this was my chance.

I’d admired Landon from afar for so long, even before Allison came into the picture. My admiration turned into love, quiet and unassuming, hidden in the shadow of his bond with her. I knew better than to interfere with fate, so I kept my distance, content with being a supportive friend. But when their bond broke, I saw an opportunity. A chance to step into the light and show him that I could be the one for him.

So, I made my move. I was careful, not wanting to rush him or make him feel pressured. Landon had been through enough. I wanted to be a source of comfort, of stability, something he could rely on. And for a while, it seemed like it was working. We grew closer, our relationship blossoming into something more. But there was always a part of him that was distant, a part of him that I could never fully reach.

And now, seeing them together again, it felt like a cruel joke. The bond they once shared may have been broken, but there was still something between them, something I could never compete with. It wasn’t fair. I had done everything right and played my part perfectly, but it was as if the universe was conspiring against me, constantly pulling them back together no matter how hard I tried to keep them apart.

I tore my gaze away, unable to stomach the sight any longer. The bile of resentment burned at the back of my throat. I wanted to hate Landon for his weakness, for still being drawn to her despite everything she had done. But more than anything, I hated myself. For thinking that I could ever replace the connection they once had, for daring to believe that I could be more to him than just a substitute.

...

I stared at the ceiling, my body still humming from the heat of the moment, trying to process what had just happened. Allison lay beside me, her breathing steady, but I couldn't bring myself to relax. What the hell had I just done?

Suddenly, the shrill ring of my phone cut through the silence, jolting me back to reality. Seeing the caller, I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the screen, but I knew I couldn’t ignore it. I pressed the button and brought the phone to my ear. “Hello?”

“Landon,” her voice was strained, tinged with worry. “Is Emery with you? I was waiting for you two last night but you didn't come.”

My heart sank as I realized that I had forgotten about her. A sense of guilt twisted in my gut, but I tried to compose myself.

“No,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “Something important cropped up so I had to leave last night”

“Is that so? Emery didn't come home last night, and she’s not answering her phone. I thought maybe she was with you.” Her words were like ice water thrown in my face.

I sat up, the bed suddenly feeling like a trap I needed to escape from. “I’ll look for her,” I hurriedly said, already pulling on my clothes. “I’m sure she’s fine. Maybe she just needed some time alone.”

But the words felt hollow, even as I said them. I had no idea where Emery was or what she was doing. How could I, when I had been so consumed by… this?

“I’m sure she’s okay,” I repeated, trying to reassure both her and myself. “I bet she's with her best friend."

I ended the call, shoving the phone into my pocket as I turned to Allison.

“I have to go,” I said, not bothering to explain as I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door. The guilt was suffocating, pressing down on my chest with every step I took.

Allison sat up, confusion written across her face. “What’s going on?”

“Emery’s missing,” I replied curtly, the words bitter on my tongue. “Her mom can’t find her, so I have to look for her.”

Allison frowned, confusion clouding her features. “Now? Can’t it wait?”

“No,” I snapped, harsher than I intended. “It can’t.”

I saw the hurt flash in her eyes, but I didn’t have time to deal with that now.

Without another word, I left, almost slamming the door behind me.

The air was cool against my skin, but it did nothing to calm the storm brewing inside me.

I drove around aimlessly, searching for her, but she was nowhere to be found. The more I looked, the more I started to believe that she wasn’t in any danger. She was just… angry.