To Watch My Killer Fall

For seven years, I loved my Alpha, Kaelen Thorne.

I held on to his promise that our torment would end once his sister-in-law, Seraphina Vance, conceived the child of prophecy.

Then, we could complete our final bonding ceremony.

But that was a lie.

After Seraphina's pregnancy was magically confirmed, a public announcement shattered my world.

Kaelen would officially name her the Pack's Luna.

I confronted him, brokenhearted.

Convinced I had cursed Seraphina, he threw me into a silver-lined confinement cell.

For five whole days.

"Feel her fear!"

On the sixth day, Kaelen finally opened the door.

A casual smirk played on his lips. "Alright, had enough? Ready to apologize?"

He was met only by the foul stench of decay and silver, and my cold corpse.

He had killed his fated mate.

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1

"Elara's been quiet the last few days. Think she's learned her lesson?" Kaelen Thorne murmured.

He held Seraphina Vance in his arms, his fingers twirling a lock of her long hair as he pressed a deep kiss to her neck.

"If I'd known she'd be this obedient, I would've tossed her in there the first time she gave you grief. You wouldn't have had to suffer so much."

Seraphina's cheeks were flushed with a seductive blush.

She snuggled deeper into Kaelen's embrace and smiled sweetly at him.

But Kaelen's Beta, Liam, hesitated.

"Alpha, Elara's been in the confinement cell for five days with no food. Do you think she's—"

Before Liam could finish, Kaelen’s Alpha command slammed into him.

Liam let out a muffled grunt, his knees buckling.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't you dare mention her name again! That venomous bitch doesn't deserve to be Luna. Seraphina is my mate now!"

Kaelen wasn't wrong.

He had, indeed, performed a ritualistic bonding with Seraphina.

"Babe, it's just a piece of paper, a ritual. It means nothing. I'm only getting her pregnant to fulfill an ancient family prophecy," he had once told me.

"My brother, Damien, is dead, and I have to handle all this."

"If I don't do this, the Vance clan backing Seraphina will devour everything the Thorne family has built for three generations."

"I swear, this ritualistic bonding will end within a year."

"And then, my one and only Luna will be you."

He'd held me tight as he whispered those promises.

At first, he used his duty to the clan to pressure me.

He claimed that refusing would tarnish the Thorne family's reputation and shame his elders.

He couldn't let his family down.

Reluctantly, I agreed to endure it.

However, that choice only emboldened Kaelen.

"Babe, it's just a pup. I have no feelings for her. Once she gives birth to the child of prophecy, I'll sever the mate bond with her and we can have our final bonding ceremony!"

"Stop crying. You think I want this? If you hadn't brought back that cursed relic, would my flight have crashed? Would I need to atone for your sins?"

No matter how much I cried and protested, he always had an excuse to silence me.

"Alpha! There's a strong scent of silver from the confinement cell. Her life is in danger! I think you should go see... Elara."

Kaelen's patience with Liam snapped.

He strode over to his Beta, kicked him aside, and warned him never to mention my name again.

"So what if it smells? She can rot in there and think about what she's done! Stop questioning me! I know what I'm doing. Now, get out!"

Kaelen was unusually agitated.

Even he wasn't sure why he felt so frustrated.

"Don't worry, Seraphina. I'll handle everything. I swear my brother's soul won't be left to wander in torment."

Seraphina walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You're the best. I'm sure Damien would rest in peace knowing you were taking such good care of me."

"But will Elara be scared? Shouldn't we let her go?"

Kaelen snorted disdainfully, completely unconcerned.

A tearful, bitter laugh escaped me as I listened to their shameless excuses.

The truth was... I was already dead.

When my soul left my body and drifted out of that dark, narrow confinement cell, I even felt a sense of peace.

My blood had pooled around me, and my corpse was beginning to stink.

The cell door was carved with layer upon layer of silver runes, a cage meant to hold me for eternity.

"Do you know how ridiculous she looked when I first locked her up? Kneeling on the ground, begging me?"

"She might be desperate now, but did she spare a thought for how desperate my brother was when he died by her hand? Or how you were nearly killed by the magical backlash?"

"Elara thinks she can do whatever she wants just because I love her, including going after my family. I won't let her off so easily!"

What Kaelen didn't know was that I wasn't just fighting for my own life.

I was pregnant.

I was begging him for our pup.

A silver chain was clamped over my mouth, silencing my screams. I could only pound desperately on the cell door, my arms becoming a bloody mess as the stench of burnt flesh rose from my silver-seared skin.

"Stay in there and think about what you've done!"

Warm blood gushed from between my legs, and I knew I had lost our pup.

I ignored the excruciating pain of the silver eroding my body and used my last ounce of strength to slam against the cell door, hoping Kaelen would understand my helplessness.

"So, you are scared, aren't you? Now you know the terror Seraphina felt from the magical backlash."

In the end, my wolf withered.

Before I closed my eyes for the last time, I heard him say coldly, "Seal that cell shut! I've had enough of her racket! Let me know when she's learned some goddamn obedience."

The new runes added to the door pierced my heart and shackled my soul.

With that, all my love and hope for Kaelen dissipated, and my world crumbled into nothing.