We had been planning to have our Joining Ceremony at the end of the year. We’d already started preparing. I’d even begun looking for a dress, thinking of the day Ryland would claim me as his mate. But after that incident with Selene, he never mentioned it again. The plans were forgotten as easily as I had been.
The last time I saw Ryland in person was when I went to the seamstress to try on my ceremonial gown. He didn’t come, saying he was too busy with pack business. I should have known then that things would never be the same.
Now, here he was, standing over my body in the pack’s lab. His expression was cold, and distant, as though I were a stranger to him.
"Check under her fingernails for DNA," Ryland said, placing my hands in a silver-lined bag and sending them to the lab. I wanted to scream at him. "There is! There is! I left evidence behind!" But no matter how many times I appeared in front of him, he passed right through me.
I floated there helplessly, tears sliding down my ghostly cheeks. I had always believed death would bring peace, but I was wrong. Even in death, I could still feel pain, sadness, and heartbreak.
“Keep an eye on any reports of missing wolves, especially females,” Ryland instructed Beta Ethan “We need to figure out who she was.”
“Alpha, the blood samples are already on their way to the neighbouring pack lab,” Ethan replied. “They’ve got better and more advanced machines than we do. Results should be back in two days.”
Ryland nodded, running a hand through his dishevelled hair. “Let me know when the results come in. I have other matters to attend to. I have to go now.”
With that, he removed his uniform jacket and stormed out of the pack lab, rushing into the pouring rain as he headed toward the healer’s quarters where Selene was recovering.
I followed him, my ethereal form drifting behind like a shadow.
“Alpha Ryland,” A voice called out from across the field. It was Rose, the pack’s head healer, she was walking towards him, holding an umbrella. “Have you heard from Elara? Most of our herb supply in the pack hospital is running low and she usually brings some over. I even called her some hours ago and she promised to come.”