Chapter 11
905words
The world roared in his ears, like a thousand spirit wolves howling in his mind.
He stared intently at the person on the stretcher.
No, that wasn't her.
His Elara was the Moon Goddess's most perfect creation, her skin as white as cream. How could she be this... this ravaged thing?
Her face was disfigured by wolfsbane, her body swollen from the icy rapids.
How could that be her?
"Liars! You're all liars..."
His hands trembling, he lunged forward, wanting to touch her, to find even a shred of proof that this was just an imposter.
But when his fingertips touched that ice-cold skin...
The familiar scent of his mate, a scent that not even death could erase, pierced what was left of his soul like a shard of ice.
He could no longer deceive himself.
That was his Elara.
He tried to take her stiff hand, only to find that no matter how hard he squeezed, the hand that had once caressed his face so gently would never hold his again.
"Elara, be good."
His voice trembled uncontrollably, cracking with a desperate sob. "Stop it. Get up. This joke isn't funny... I mean it. I'm getting angry. You have to get up and comfort me..."
The body didn't move.
Only the wind lifted a corner of the white sheet, revealing an arm charred black from a silver burn.
"Alpha, my condolences."
The Rogue beside him seemed unable to watch any longer and said in a low voice, "The priority now is to see to the Luna's final rites. Please sign the confirmation of mate death."
"Get out!"
Aiden suddenly erupted, shoving the Rogue so hard he stumbled and fell.
"Who said she's dead! She's only sleeping! My Luna is just exhausted!"
It was impossible.
Elara loved him so much she would have given her life for him. How could she possibly leave him all alone?
"Alpha."
Seeing his crazed state, the Rogue handed him Elara's memory crystal.
"Alpha, this was the only belonging of hers we found at the scene. You should take a look."
Aiden paused, then took the crystal and activated it. A flood of damning images and messages assaulted him.
The screen was filled with photos and videos of him and Cassia entangled!
The lewd words he had whispered to Cassia in bed, the images of them wrapped around each other in his study, the voice notes of him flirting with Cassia while Elara was sick...
It was all there.
His face turned deathly pale.
She knew.
When did she find out?!
He frantically scrolled through the records, finally reaching the very first one.
The timestamp was from a month ago. It was a taunting image sent by Cassia.
[Just a little secret for you. Your Alpha is in my bed right now. ??]
And the last mind-link was from three days ago.
It was Cassia's taunt, telling her to get the hell out of Black Moon.
Below it was Elara's one and only reply.
"Fine. Have it your way."
Those few short words struck him like a physical blow, making his vision flash black. He clutched his chest, gasping for air as the agony of the severed mate bond ripped through him.
He could no longer hold back a guttural scream as an overwhelming wave of pain consumed him.
Watching him break down, a flicker of pity crossed the Rogue's eyes, but he still handed him the healer's log.
"This is a report on Luna Elara's mental state over the past month, compiled by the pack healers."
"The report indicates that due to the prolonged strain of a tainted mate bond and sustained emotional torment, she developed severe 'Spirit Wolf Decay.' If someone had shown even a little concern back then, even just one timely moment of comfort, she wouldn't have..."
Aiden couldn't process the rest of the words.
But he understood the meaning. He flipped through the thick log. Every single time Elara had struggled in agony from the damaged mate bond was clearly recorded.
The day she first discovered his infidelity, she had cut her wrist with silver, but he was comforting Cassia.
The day her spirit wolf began to fade from the black magic tainting their bond, he was celebrating Cassia's pregnancy, making passionate love to her.
The day she chose to fall into the rapids, he was whispering sweet nothings to Cassia: "I'll give you anything except the title of Luna."
Every time Elara had self-harmed out of pain, he was with another she-wolf.
And not once had he noticed anything was wrong with her.
Even when he had an inkling, his mind was still completely captivated by Cassia.
So it was.
The one who killed her was not wolfsbane or silver. It was him.
Finally, the Rogue presented the last message she had left:
"Aiden, you were blinded by darkness. Your heart was not your own. Wake up."
Her final warning, combined with the severing of their mate bond, struck Aiden's mind like a bolt of lightning and shattered the black magic's hold.
All his twisted memories snapped back to normal. He remembered how he had been lured, step by step, how he had been controlled.
He looked at the record of her every agonizing struggle, then at his own absurd behavior while he was bewitched.
He buried his face in his hands and let out a desperate, animalistic wail.
