Bella:
Despite my vacation nearing its end and the unsettling possibility of Sebastine stalking me from the shadows, I woke up with a wide smile. For now, I felt on top of the world. The triplets had gone off in their various ways to prove their worthiness, sometimes making me feel undeserving. Yet, this was all part of the Moon goddess's design, and she knew best.
I opened my eyes slowly, careful not to disturb Ryder's firm hold on me. His steady breath against my neck was a comforting rhythm, but I needed a moment to myself. I wriggled out of his arms, slipping quietly out of bed, and made my way to the balcony. The chilly morning air greeted me, biting at my skin, but the view was worth it.
The snow-covered beach stretched out before me, meeting the icy waters of the ocean. Birds chirped in the trees nearby, their melodies echoing in the calm air. I gripped the railings, feeling the support of the balustrades beneath my fingers, and let the serene scene wash over me.
Suddenly, Ryder's phone rang. I expected him to ignore it, to savor the peaceful morning with me, but he answered immediately. I didn't pay attention to the caller at first, assuming it was one of our parents. But then Ryder screamed. "What the fuck!"
His outburst made me lose my grip on the railing. I rushed inside, my heart pounding, to see his face pale and his phone slipping from his hand. My mind raced with possibilities, each more dreadful than the last.
"Has something happened?" I asked, my voice trembling. He looked at me, his breath quickening, eyes wide with shock.
Ryder got out of bed at once, his movements frantic. "Finn just called... their mum is dead."
The words hit me like a sledgehammer, knocking the breath out of my lungs. My blood ran cold, a chill rushing down my spine faster than lightning. This had to be a nightmare. I pinched my arm repeatedly, desperate to wake up. I couldn't bear to think of her face-the beautiful woman I had seen just days ago. This couldn't be real.
"Please, tell me it's not true," I pleaded, grabbing Ryder's hand. Tears welled up in my eyes. The last thing I needed was the death of someone so important to my future.
She was supposed to be my future mother-in-law. Now she was gone.
"I wish it were a lie, Bella, but it's not." Ryder shook his head, his own tears threatening to fall. He wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb, his touch gentle despite the turmoil in his eyes.
"Where are the twins? And what happened to her?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Ryder let out a heavy sigh, bracing himself for the painful truth.
"Vampires." The word hung in the air, heavy and ominous. "The Beta left Dusk Pack earlier and returned to the Thorne Pack. His wife was traveling late because of a flat tire. She was attacked. Her body was found this morning at the boundary of the Thorne Pack."
The words felt like a dagger to my heart. This wasn't what I needed right now.
Voices in my head rose up, blaming me for everything. I had seen something but said nothing. The more I thought about it, the heavier the weight of guilt became, crushing me from within.
Both our phones rang suddenly, quieting the voices in my head. I rushed to mine, seeing it was my mother calling. Ryder answered his call, which I assumed was from the alpha, so I didn't answer mine.
"Okay, Dad," Ryder said, ending his call. "My father wants us back at the pack house immediately. He's already sent orders for the cars to be ready in an hour or less."
**
The ride back to the pack was silent, each passing moment filled with unspoken words and heavy hearts. The prospect of spending our last week before resumption mourning was unbearable.
The chauffeur opening the door jolted me back to reality. Ryder stepped out, offering his hand to help me out of the car. Our parents stood in front of the house, their faces etched with worry and sorrow.
"Bella," my mother called, rushing to pull me into a tight embrace. I knew she was most worried about me, aware of how deeply this loss would affect me.
If there was a vampire on the loose, the pack would tighten security, and I would be in danger. But I could take care of myself.
"I'm fine, Mother," I said, pulling away, showing no interest in her pity.
Ryder greeted his father, and they stood in awkward silence as workers moved our luggage into the house. The silence stretched on, heavy and oppressive, until I decided to break it.
"We would like to visit the twins," I voiced, my mind unable to stay away from my mates during such a dire situation.
The alpha turned to me, his expression somber. "We were thinking the same, Bella. We were waiting for the workers to finish, because we haven't paid the Beta a visit since we heard the news." He looked at me for a moment before continuing. "When we got the news, we made an emergency trip home."
That made sense, and yet, it did nothing to ease the ache in my chest.
When the workers finished, the alpha signaled to two of them. Two cars were prepared-one for Ryder and me, and the other for Alpha Fred and my mother.
On the way to the Beta's house, my phone started ringing, causing my heart to flinch. At first, I thought it was Sebastine, so I hesitated to look at it. Curiosity got the best of me, and I checked the caller ID to see Hazel's name displayed. My mind calmed. I was about to answer when the call ended.
I tried to call her back, but she texted instead.
"I'm on my way to the pack, but I figured you would be busy all day with Ryder," she added with a wink emoji. "So, I'm just going to send you the pictures I've taken so far."
A series of pictures flooded in, capturing moments from the entire break. They made me smile, a brief respite from the grief until I scrolled further and saw one that sent a shock through my chest, causing my heart to stop briefly. A picture of Sebastine and Hazel. How could this be possible?
My breath hitched, and I felt my stomach churn. The shock was overwhelming, and I clutched my phone tightly,
trying to steady myself. The world seemed to tilt, the gravity of the image pulling me into a whirlpool of confusion and fear. How could Sebastine be with Hazel? What did this mean?