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.
