While those rogue werewolves were tearing into my heart and liver, the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, mixing with the dampness of the earth beneath me. The growls echoed around me, and I could hear the sickening crunch of bones as they feasted on my pain.

Meanwhile, my mate and Alpha, Ryker, was out wining and dining with his first love, Elara, celebrating their ten-year "anniversary" of meeting. I tried to reach out to him through our telepathic link, desperate for help, but all I got back was a mocking response: “Don't think this will grab my attention. I won’t be coming home tonight, so don’t wait up.”

Honestly, I felt a strange sense of relief that he didn’t come rushing to save me. Knowing Ryker, I’d probably end up in an even worse situation, tangled up in his drama while my insides were being ripped apart.

Fast forward three days, and there he was, Ryker, the Alpha of our pack, playing investigator at the scene. His dark eyes roamed as he analyzed the evidence from a city-wide murder that had everyone buzzing.

“She fought for her life, you know,” he said, his tone serious, pointing around, completely unaware of the irony. Little did he realize, he was dissecting the death of his own bonded mate, the one he couldn’t stand, yours truly.

***

I lay there, discarded like trash, amidst the city's filth. A night-shift worker, taking a shortcut through the alleys, had stumbled up on the gruesome scene. At first, he thought it was just discarded meat, something left behind by those who had little appreciation for life. But then, as he leaned in closer, his heart dropped into his stomach. The sight of a leg bone, cracked and stained with dark congealed fluid, had sent shockwaves of horror through him.

“Dear goddess!” He screamed.

Realizing what he had stumbled on, the old werewolf had hastily reported the carnage to the Pack Enforcers Agency (PEA), drawing their attention to the horrors that lurked in the shadows.

The PEA quickly assembled a specialized task force to hunt down the killer, and before long, they were discovering more bodies scattered throughout the city. It felt like a waking nightmare. The enforcers were in full swing, mobilizing their resources and forming a dedicated unit to solve the chilling case.

While my husband, Ryker, the Alpha, took personal interest due to the unprecedented nature of the crime. Classic! He attended the scene, his presence commanding attention. Even he was taken aback by the horror show as he stared at the blood spatters like it was some messed-up art exhibit.

Task Force Leader and the Alpha’s Beta, Victor Blaze, briefed Ryker. "Alpha, we've never seen anything like this. The brutality is unlike anything we’ve ever seen."

Ryker's eyes narrowed. "I want answers. Who's analyzing the evidence?"

"That would be Kaida Reyes, our top forensic expert," Victor replied.

Kaida, a petite yet sharp-witted werewolf, examined the evidence meticulously. "Check out these stains. Looks like someone was into organ harvesting. And those marks on the wall? The poor victim must have been fully awake the entire time."

Everyone’s faces twisted in a blend of horror and disgust, but Ryker's expression darkened. "Find out who did this."

Kaida nodded. "I'll work around the clock, Alpha."

Victor added, "We'll review pack records, see if anyone's reported any conflicts or grudges."

Peeling off his bloodied gloves, Kaida reported, “My team has concluded that our victim’s a young woman under thirty. Seriously, who did she manage to piss off to end up like this?”

Ryker's instincts kicked in. "This isn't random. Someone's got a grudge and they're just getting started."

And you know what? He nailed it. This really proved that my husband's instincts were as sharp as a scalpel. He wasn’t the Alpha for nothing! Now I wondered how Ryker would react when he finally pieced together the truth – that the victim was his own bonded mate—me.

The investigators soon found a ring at the scene, the key piece of evidence. They handed it to Ryker in an evidence collection bag and he examined it casually.

"Alpha, isn’t this ring a dead ringer for yours?" Victor asked, his voice dropping to a whisper as he also stared at the ring.

Ryker glanced at the ring, smooth and unmarked, and shrugged it off. "Mmm, it’s probably just the same style. Those rings were everywhere back then, you know?"

He walked away from the scene, lost in thought, before dialing my phone. It rang a few times before he abruptly hung up, frustration evident in his eyes. "Look at her, acting all high and mighty after throwing fits every day! Whatever she isn’t picking up, it’s not her, though!"

He was so confident because our wedding ring had engravings on it. But seriously, my dear husband, shouldn’t you know that metal engravings can wear away? It only took me six months to buff out our initials.

The pack enforcers were buzzing around like a chaotic hive, five or six of them pulling all-nighters to patch me up. I could barely focus on the frantic energy in the room as my body lay there on the table, cold and still. The sight of all those severed body parts made my stomach churn.

Victor leaned over, his voice steady as he pointed a gloved finger, “Look, the head’s gone, fingers too, and there’s a chunk missing from the ankle.”

Ryker stood off to the side, his expression unreadable. His eyes narrowed, scanning the scene as if he could piece together the story behind each severed limb. After a tense moment, he finally broke the silence. “So, who’s the unlucky one?”

Victor shook his head, frustration evident. “We gotta wait for the DNA results. As soon as someone files a missing person report, we’ll jump on it and try to ID our mystery guest.”

My husband nodded, but his gaze flickered away from my body, avoiding the gruesome sight. Was he grossed out? I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of anger. After all, this whole mess was thanks to him.

At an emergency meeting with the PEA, Victor leaned forward, his voice steady but charged with urgency. "I've analyzed recent cases, and a pattern emerges. Nightfang Haven's been hit with similar atrocities: gutting, bleeding, and dismembering. Someone's seeking notoriety."

Ryker's eyebrows shot up, disbelief flickering across his face. "Nightfang Haven... You’re suggesting a copycat of the rogue pack's M.O.?"

Victor nodded, his expression serious. "Essentially, yes."

Ryker's jaw clenched, determination radiating from him. "Get the other pack leaders on board. We need their insight." He paused, lowering his voice to a near whisper. "This could be more than a lone wolf; it might be a pack-wide threat."

As the tension in the room mounted, two other members of the team, seated at the back, exchanged glances before one of them spoke up.

"We should also consider the possibility that this could be an inside job," the first one suggested in a low voice. "Someone within our pack may have done this."

The second member leaned forward, nodding in agreement. "I agree. We need to vet everyone closely. Trust is crucial right now, and any hint of betrayal could cost us dearly."

Ryker turned to them, appreciating the insight. "You're both right. We can't overlook the potential for internal threats. Victor, can you start gathering intel on our members? We need to ensure loyalty before we move forward."

Victor nodded, taking note of the suggestion. "I’ll set up a series of interviews. We need to assess who’s been acting suspiciously and ensure our defenses are secure."

The room was buzzing with ideas, and everyone was excited to pitch in for the plan. They all knew that the safety of the entire pack relied on working together to prevent more murders.

As the meeting wrapped up, the atmosphere buzzed with a mix of admiration and tension. Ryker, the alpha of the pack, stood tall at the front, even in the low murmurs of the PEA team. They exchanged hushed praises, their voices barely audible, but Ryker could pick out fragments—words like "brilliant" and "quick thinking" floated through the air. But Ryker just made his way out of the room. From childhood, he had so many admirers that he got sick of hearing that kind of praise a long time ago.

Kaida, however, lingered at the edge of the crowd, simply observing everything. As Ryker left the room, he went after him, saying, "Alpha, I think I might have an idea to aid the investigation."

Ryker turned, his brow slightly raised, but Kaida's gaze was suddenly fixed on something else. It was then that I noticed—a single, curly hair clung stubbornly to the fabric of Ryker's jacket.

"Allow me," Kaida said, reaching out cautiously to pluck the hair. "How’s the Luna by the way?”

Ryker's expression shifted, a flicker of something unreadable passing over his face. "She's fine," he replied curtly, but the tension in his voice suggested otherwise. "What does that have to do with this?"

Kaida hesitated, sensing the change in the alpha's demeanor. "I just haven’t seen her around since I started visiting the pack house.”

"Stay focused on the investigation, Kaida. Personal matters are not your concern," Ryker’s tone was as cold as ice. "And learn to mind your business,” he added before snatching the hair and shoving it in his pocket.

When Kaida said nothing else, Ryker just strode off.

Left behind, Kaida awkwardly rubbed his nose, wondering what he had said wrong. I wished I could give him a pat on the back, but my hand just passed through him.

I wanted to tell him, if he found my head, he'd see I had short, straight hair. That one on Ryker’s shoulder belonged to Elara. That night I got murdered, she was snuggled up to my husband, leaving behind that little souvenir.

It’s been three long days since I’ve been home, and my mate, Ryker, hadn't even tried to find me. Last time we had a spat over Elara, I crashed at my best friend's place for a few days. He probably assumed I was mad again and didn’t want to deal with it.

Then Elara called him, her voice shaking. "Ryker, there's supposed to be a thunderstorm tonight, and I'm so scared. Can you come stay with me?"

I watched as Ryker's grip on his phone tightened and loosened. He said, "I'm mated, Elara. It's not really convenient for me to come to your hotel." Just when I thought he might be showing some common sense, he added, "But you can come to my pack house. She's not home."

Even Elara was surprised. "Are you sure? What if she suddenly comes back? We wouldn't be able to explain ourselves."

I snorted. She knew exactly what she was doing, and here she was, playing the innocent.

Ryker asked, "What do we need to explain to her? This is my pack, and you're not just a packmate, but also a friend. Don’t worry about what she thinks."

He sounded so confident. "Besides, she's not coming back."

Elara went quiet for a moment, then asked, "How do you know?" Realizing her tone might've been off, she quickly added, "I mean, did your mate get mad at you again?"

Ryker nodded. "Yeah, on the anniversary of our bonding, I told her I was going to see you. It's so frustrating. She’s always suspicious about everything! I’m mated to her, but that's never enough for her! Unlike you, Elara. You've put up with so much over the years and never complained. I should be apologizing to you."

I almost laughed when I heard him. No sane person celebrated their bonding anniversary with their ex-lover after committing to their mate. And the day they celebrated was the day I died. Ryker, are you planning to celebrate your anniversary next year or mark my death?

***

Elara rushed over to the packhouse—my home—and as soon as she saw Ryker, she practically leaped into his arms. "Ryker, it's so dark and creepy outside, I'm freaking out!"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I watched her. It's dark every night, and I had never seen her this scared before.

Ryker gave her a reassuring hug, patting her back gently. "Don't worry, I've got you." He showed her the candles he bought, a bunch of emergency ones, clearly meant to calm her down. "With these, even if the power goes out during a storm, we'll still have light," he explained.

Elara sighed, leaning against his shoulder. "Ryker, you're my hero."

As I stood there, watching them, a sharp pang of jealousy pierced through me. Ryker’s warmth enveloped her, and I could almost feel the intimacy of that moment—the way he held her… It was as if my heart was being squeezed by an unseen hand, twisting and turning with each reassuring word he spoke to her.

Watching them now, I suddenly wished I could claw my way back to him. But instead, I was left as a mere observer, trapped in a world where I could no longer reach him.

It was getting late, and Elara needed to freshen up and hit the bed. She headed into my bathroom, shutting the door behind her and started raiding my skincare stash without a second thought. After she was done, she left everything in a mess, not bothering to put the caps back on properly.

She chuckled to herself. "Shirley won't mind, she's not coming back anyway."

In the mirror, I watched Elara silently, being all transparent. Outside, thunder rumbled, and when lightning struck, a figure materialized on the floor. Elara screamed and called out for Ryker. He burst through the door, shielding her in his arms.

She trembled against him, muttering, "Isn't this kinda risky? What if your mate shows up..."

Ryker shrugged. "I don't know." He glanced up, the lightning casting a cold glare on his face. "Even if she did, she's got no right to say anything. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have left, and we wouldn't have missed out on all these years together." I could hear the resentment in his voice. "You don’t need to stress about her. If she bites the dust out there, it doesn’t bother me one bit."

I felt a chill run down my spine at those words . Fine, mate! Your wish is my command. I hope you're truly as indifferent as you claim to be.