It was late at the Silverfang Pack headquarters. The task force hadn't let up on my case, not for a second. They were relentless, combing through every trace, every scent, every lead as if they were determined to figure out what had happened to me, or maybe what I had done. They'd been at it for days, and the stale smell of coffee mixed with the tension in the air. Finally, Caden called for a break. His face was drawn with exhaustion, but Rowan merely nodded, his expression as solid as ever.

Rowan stretched, heading toward the food counter like it was all automatic. Phoenix, one of his colleagues, nudged him with a grin. "Hey, Alpha Rowan, what's a big shot like you doing here, standing in line for food with us?" He chuckled and added, "Where's your Luna? I thought she always brought you a home-cooked meal, or something?"

Rowan's face darkened, and his grip on his cup tightened. "Why bring her up?" His voice was low, barely above a whisper. "It's disgusting."

The banter fell flat, an uneasy silence settling over the group. Caden, noticing the shift, tried to ease the tension. "It's been a while since we saw her around. She used to stop by when you pulled all-nighters, bringing you snacks, half of which ended up here in my gut."

Rowan shot him a hard look, shutting down any further jokes. "Those snacks, huh?" he sneered. "Glad someone enjoyed them."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, glancing at Caden as if to ask, Did I say something wrong? Then he turned back to Rowan, his tone turning serious. "Alpha, is everything alright? Is she… missing?"

Rowan snorted, but there was no humor in it. "Missing?" He laughed bitterly, but it was hollow. "If she had even an ounce of fight in her, I might respect her. But now? Now it's been two days of blissful silence. I can actually think for once."

What Rowan didn't know was that I was watching from the shadows, an invisible presence, no longer tethered to him. I couldn't help but smile to myself, imagining the look on his face when he realized that the peace he'd been yearning for had become permanent.

Just then, a patrol wolf burst into the room, face pale, clutching a file like it was weighing him down. He hurried to Caden, his voice barely a whisper. "Sir… we've received an identification report on the remains found near the northern border."

Caden extended his hand, but the patrol wolf hesitated, glancing nervously at Rowan. He cleared his throat. "Perhaps… perhaps Alpha Rowan should hear this first."

Rowan raised an eyebrow, glancing up from his coffee. "Me? I have nothing to do with this case. You know that."

But Caden's eyes didn't waver, his expression grim. "Rowan, when was the last time you heard from your mate? Has she… contacted you recently?"

Rowan waved him off, his patience wearing thin. "She messaged me a few days ago. Just another one of her nagging texts, I'm sure." He shrugged, oblivious to the unease creeping into his colleagues' faces. "What's this about?"

Caden took a step closer, his voice more serious. "Rowan… has it been more than three days?"

Rowan's expression faltered, confusion spreading across his face as he tried to process Caden's words. His shoulders tensed, and a chill seemed to settle over him. "What are you trying to say, Caden?"

In the heavy silence that followed, Caden didn't answer immediately. His gaze remained locked on Rowan's, his words carrying a weight that seemed to press down on the room. "We found… remains near the border. We were able to identify the scent, Rowan." He paused, as if bracing for the impact of his next words. "It was her. It was your mate's scent."

The room fell deathly quiet. The sounds of clinking plates and muted chatter faded as the words sunk in. Rowan's face went slack, unreadable, as though he was fighting to accept the gravity of what he was hearing. His coffee slipped from his hands, spilling across the table, but he didn't notice.

"This is some kind of joke," he muttered, voice barely audible. "She's not… she can't be…"

But Caden didn't flinch. His expression remained grim. "I'm sorry, Rowan. We've confirmed it. The scent... there's no mistake."

Rowan's hands clenched around the report, his eyes darting over the words as his voice trembled. "The deceased is… Luna? No, this is impossible!"

He staggered back, nearly losing his balance. "How… how could it be her? This feels like some twisted nightmare... she… she…"

Caden reached out to steady him, but Rowan pulled back. "Caden, is this for real? Or is this some sick game? Did Luna set this up to mess with me? Even now?"

Caden's jaw tightened. "Are you serious right now? Look, I know you and Luna weren't exactly close, but even you must realize I wouldn't make light of something this severe."

Rowan's face hardened, his eyes flashing with bitterness. "You don't know what she was capable of," he spat. "She even sabotaged my first love, drove her out of the pack, made her leave the country. That's the kind of wolf she was. She manipulated everything and everyone."

Hearing Rowan's words made a bitter smile twist on my lips. I had no idea he'd been carrying such resentment toward me. All these years, I thought I had been the one desperately holding on, but Rowan had been the one to carry the weight of his hatred all along.

Memories of my naive, youthful love for Rowan flooded my mind. Back in the academy, when I first saw him, I was captivated. I had no idea that he was secretly involved with Selene, the pack's beloved Luna-to-be. They kept their relationship hidden, so I worked tirelessly, trying to gain his attention, cooking him meals, doing his tasks, anything to make him notice me.

After six months of doing everything for him, he coldly rejected me. "Don't waste your time. I'm just not into you."

But then, out of nowhere, he proposed. "Let's give it a shot." Blinded by love, I said yes, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he was finally seeing me. Little did I know, I was nothing more than a rebound, a Band-Aid for his broken heart.

When Selene was about to leave for good, Rowan fell to his knees, begging her to stay. He was broken, pleading with her like his life depended on it. I stood there, watching the scene unfold, my heart shattering with every word they exchanged. After Selene left, Rowan came to me, hollow-eyed.

"Luna, let's be real," he said, his voice empty. "You're just… settling."

His words sliced through me, but I was too deep in love to understand. When Selene left him for good, I thought I had finally won his heart. But the truth was, I was just the one left behind.

On our wedding night, he came back drunk, staggering toward me with a bitter laugh. "This is all your fault. You drove Selene away, made her leave the pack!"

I froze. "I don't love you," he slurred, his words cutting me deep. "Why did you have to push so hard to marry me? You ruined everything."

And in that moment, I understood. I wasn't the one he wanted, never had been. Selene's lies had poisoned his mind, and I was just the one left to pay the price.