Lilah’s POV

The moon was high in the night sky, casting an eerie glow over the clearing where my body lay.

Wrapped in a rough blanket, I was loaded onto a stretcher. The cold of the night seeped into me as they took me back to the pack’s station, a place filled with whispers, secrets, and now—grief.

“They’re going to have a hard time figuring out who she is,” Drake, the forensic healer, said quietly, his voice heavy with sadness. “DNA tests could take days. This isn’t just a regular case.”

From where I lingered, I watched my mom, Elena, standing there, staring at the ground. She took off her gloves and tossed them aside, her shoulders slumping under the weight of it all. The truth was, she had been too late to save me.

“Elena,” Charles, the pack’s Beta, said gently, pointing at my mangled form. “The victim’s family must be heartbroken. We need to catch the monster who did this.”

My mom’s face stayed calm, but I could feel her pain. “We’ll find whoever did this,” she said firmly. Charles added, “With Alpha Blake leading the investigation, I’m sure this case will be solved quickly. He’s the best we have.”

I had seen Alpha Blake in action before—his strong presence and sharp instincts made him a great leader. Growing up, I had often looked up to him from afar. He was more than just a leader; he was the strength of our pack.

As the night dragged on, Alpha Blake took control, inspecting the scene with focused intensity. “We need to gather all the information we can,” he told his team. “Pay attention to every detail. This isn’t just about solving a case; it’s about keeping our pack safe.”

While he led the investigation, my mom was crushed by grief, and I could sense her sadness from where I lingered. I wondered how she would react when she found out it was my body lying there. Would she feel sadness? Regret? I remembered the day she screamed, “I wish it was you who died!” Those words cut deeper than any knife.

As they worked, Beta Charles noticed the tension in my mom’s stance. “Listen, Elena,” he said, trying to lighten the mood, “why don’t you take a break? You should be with your daughter. I heard it was her special day.”

Her face changed for a moment, a small smile appearing as she typed a message. “It’s not my daughter’s special day,” she corrected him softly. “It’s my niece’s. Mia is waiting for me to join her for dinner.”

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Charles looking confused. “So, her niece is the one who sometimes brings meals here,” he mumbled, scratching his head.

“Why doesn’t she ever talk about her daughter?”

That was a question I shared, but I would never know the answer.

In the days that followed, Alpha Blake led the investigation while my mom stayed close, both emotionally drained and fiercely protective. She knew he was committed, but I could feel his stress; the weight of responsibility was heavy on him. He was determined to find my murderer, but I could see the cracks in his resolve.

One evening, as he went through files in the dim light of his office, frustration bubbled up. “There’s something about these cases,” he grumbled, rubbing his temples. “The patterns don’t add up.” He slammed a folder shut, the sound echoing like thunder in the stillness.

I watched him struggle, my heart aching for him. Would he uncover the truth? Or would he fall into the same trap that got me?

Suddenly, he jumped up from his chair, startling Finn, one of the assistants. “Finn! I need you to look into any connections. Check for anything unusual—friends, family, places they went. There has to be a link.” His voice was strong, but I could hear the fatigue hiding underneath.

Finn nodded quickly and got to work while Alpha Blake paced the room, his mind racing. I was the key, but how could I make him see that?

That night, as the high ranks of the pack and the elders gathered to honor me, they lit candles under the full moon. The atmosphere was somber, filled with whispered prayers and sorrowful howls.

I could feel their love surrounding me, but I was still stuck in this realm, unable to reach out.

While they were busy praying over my body, I noticed Alpha Blake staring at me intensely. I didn’t know if he could see me or if it was just a coincidence, but he was staring right where I stood.

“I don’t know why you seem familiar to me… like you’re connected to me,” I heard him whisper. That night, even though I was neither alive nor dead, I felt something inside me stir.

Lilah’s POV

It had been a week since I vanished into the shadows. The moon hung low in the sky, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor.

Yet, my mother, a powerful healer of the pack, acted as if I had never existed at all. I had been following her for the past few days. Ironically, it was Mia, my cousin, who first sensed my absence.

“Aunt Elena, Lilah hasn’t been home in days. Do you think something’s happened to her?” Mia asked, her voice trembling as she looked up at my mother. Dressed in flowing white clothing that made her appear fragile and delicate, she looked almost ethereal.

Mom flashed Mia a warm smile, one she never had for me. “Don’t worry about that reckless girl. She probably wandered off into the woods, chasing after some foolish adventure. I’m here for you, just like your mother wanted before she… died.”

Tears welled up in Mia's eyes as she hugged Mom tightly. “I knew it, you’re the best to me, Aunt Elena.”

Mom held her close, a gentle smile spreading across her face. “You’re my favorite, Mia. You always will be.”

Watching them, my heart felt like it was being ripped apart. Here I was, a lost spirit in my own home, seeing the motherly love I’d never known being given freely to someone else. My father had died when I was very young, and after my mother’s sister, Madeline, succumbed to illness, Mom had taken Mia in, making her the center of her world.

Suddenly, my memories crashed over me like a wave. After Madeline’s death, Mom had kicked me out of my room to make space for Mia. I had protested, refusing to leave my room, but Mom’s patience was thin. One slap across the face had silenced me.

“Lilah, do as I say! Or I’ll kick you out of this house!” she shouted, her eyes blazing with anger.

That night, I had cried myself to sleep in the dark, damp basement, suffocating in my own sadness. When I surfaced the next day, my swollen eyes had drawn no pity from her.

And now, as I stood there, a mere observer in my own life, I felt only pain.

Mia handed Mom a bright, shiny certificate, pride lighting up her face. “Aunt Elena, look! I won first place!”

Mom’s eyes sparkled with genuine delight as she examined the certificate. She pressed a big kiss to Mia’s cheek. “Sweetheart, you’re incredible! I’m so proud of you!”

“Thank you! I wouldn’t be who I am without you,” Mia gushed, her voice warm and sincere. “Can I call you mom?”

Mom looked surprised, and for a moment, her eyes glistened with emotion. “Oh, my dear girl. Of course you can.”

“But what about Lilah?” Mia hesitated, biting her lip. “She’s your real daughter. Wouldn’t she be upset?”

Mentioning my name turned Mom's smile into a scowl. “Lilah? She might as well be dead for all I care.”

At that moment, I thought to myself, You got your wish, didn’t you, Mom?

Seeing them embrace felt like a dagger to my heart. I should have seen this coming. Since Mia moved in, she had easily stepped into the role of the perfect daughter, charming my mother at every turn. She brought gifts, cooked meals, and even visited Mom at the pack house when she was buried under her work with Alpha Blake.

Mia fit the role of Mom's daughter far better than I ever had. The cool night air brushed against me, a reminder of my solitude as I floated, lost in the depths of my sorrow.

As the moon hung high, illuminating the forest, I couldn’t help but wonder, Does Mom even spare a moment to think of me? Does she remember how I spent my birthday alone?

I wanted to scream, to tell her that I was here, that I existed beyond her negligence.

But my voice was lost in the wind. Deep in thought, I decided to leave them be, because it just proved how much Mom loved Mia.

While I wandered outside, I suddenly saw Alpha Blake. He looked stressed, clearly dealing with the case. As I accidentally walked toward him, he stopped, and that made me stop too.

When I looked over my shoulder, my eyes widened as I saw him looking my way, almost as if he could see me.

“What the hell did I just feel?” he whispered, talking to himself.

At that moment, I felt like he was sensing my presence.