Digging My Grave

Royce returned with the medicine just in time to see Jason Smith, in his wolf form, charging toward him.

Jason nearly knocked him over. He stumbled back and cursed.

But Jason couldn't hear anything anymore. He stood in front of my corpse, his eyes brimming with tears. He reached out to touch my hand but flinched back from the icy coldness.

He finally broke down and cried as he spoke to me, "Diana, why are you lying here all alone? Why didn't you become my Luna back then? I would never have let you suffer like this!"

Tears were probably contagious. I'd been surprisingly calm since my death, but seeing Jason cry made my own eyes burn.

Jason was the Alpha of the Stormclaw Pack. If he got here this fast, he must have taken care of a lot of trouble along the way.

Too bad he was still too late.

I was an orphan, taken in by the former Alpha of Stormclaw Pack, Jason's father, George Smith, who made me Jason's sister in name.

Jason hadn't liked me at first. He used to call me Mud Princess and Stray Dog. We fought all the time. But later, he started to care about me. Every time someone mocked me, he was the first to bare his fangs and claws at them.

I left Stormclaw Pack because of Royce.

George had taken me in to use me as a bargaining chip, a gift to win favor with other packs.

I knew Jason loved me, but I also knew George would never allow us to be together. Leaving him was the better choice.

Jason understood this, too, which explained why he covered for me when I escaped Stormclaw Pack.

"Run! Run faster!" The wind carried his voice to my ears. That day, I thought I was running toward freedom.

But in the end, I still had to rely on Jason to collect my corpse.

He carried my body outside and happened to bump into Royce.

Julia had whined that the medicine was too bitter and wanted some honey, and Royce was about to head to a distant pack to trade for it.

He hadn't even bothered when I had only asked him to bring me something to eat on his way back.

"Move. Get out of my way!" Jason's voice was sharp and hostile. Seeing Royce's face now made his blood boil with hatred—there was no way he'd show even a shred of politeness.

Royce glanced at the corpse in his arms with an unreadable expression. Instead of getting angry, he simply stepped aside.

But just as they were about to pass each other, Royce's eyes landed on my arm.

"Wait a minute!" He frowned and asked suspiciously, "Who is that in your arms?"

I watched Jason anxiously, unsure how he would answer.

On one hand, I didn't want him to say my name. Disappearing from Royce's world just like this would be fine. But on the other hand, I wanted him to tell him. I wanted to see how Royce would react to my death.

Jason gave Royce a cold glance and said, "This is my Luna."

Both Royce and I froze.

Royce knew Jason loved me. He had even enjoyed flaunting our relationship in front of Jason until Jason eventually stopped coming to see me.

Royce asked, "Why didn't I know you had a Luna? Who is she? Since when were you together?"

Jason had no desire to waste words on him. "What does it have to do with you?"

Royce's temper flared. He sneered. "And here I thought you loved Diana so deeply. Turns out you've already moved on. So much for your so-called love."

Jason took a deep breath, his gaze turning icy. "Oh, please. Is there any Alpha in this world who loves his Luna more than you do?"

With that, he turned and left.

I knew Jason had said that for me. Royce knew the truth of his own feelings, after all.

Floating in the air, I watched the shame and rage twist Royce's face. For the first time, he looked a little ugly to me.

I placed a hand over my chest. It felt like I didn't love him quite as much anymore.