Heavy rain fell over Silvercrest City.
Adrian stumbled out of the airport and rushed straight to the pack memorial hall designated by the Council Enforcement Office.
Cold air hit him as he entered.
Marcus Reed stood quietly in the center of the hall.
On the table before him were a Memorial Urn and a bloodstained Official Death Scroll.
“Where’s Elena? I want to see her!”
Adrian’s eyes were bloodshot. He charged at Marcus and grabbed his collar.
“Where have you hidden her? She can’t be dead!”
Several Royal Guards from Silvercrest Dominion seized Adrian, twisted his arms behind his back, and kicked him to the floor.
Marcus straightened his tie and looked down at him with contempt.
“Alpha Adrian, Elena Silvercrest bled out.”
“This was the final mark she left while she was alive.”
Marcus tossed the bloodstained Sanctuary Lockdown Scroll at Adrian’s feet.
Adrian picked it up with shaking hands. My bloody fingerprint was clearly visible on the parchment.
“The healers said she was in so much pain her nails tore. She bit through her lip trying to hold on for her child.”
Marcus’s voice was icy.
“But because of the Sanctuary Lockdown Scroll you left behind, no one dared transfuse her blood. No one dared operate.”
“She stayed conscious while she felt every drop of life leaving her body. Then she died in that room.”
“Your mate and your daughter. Both dead, Alpha Adrian. You killed them with your own hands.”
Every word cut deeper than a blade.
Adrian stared at the bloody print. A broken sound escaped his throat.
“No… I was only gone one day. I gave her the best healing sanctuary…”
He lunged for the Memorial Urn and clutched it to his chest, sobbing so hard his tears and snot soaked its surface.
“Elena, I was wrong! Please come back!”
“I’ll never go to Frostvale Territory again. I don’t want any of it. Please, wake up!”
Marcus watched without sympathy.
He took my backup phone from his bag and threw it in front of Adrian.
“Save the performance, Alpha Adrian. Elena saw this before she died.”
Adrian picked up the phone and opened the screen with trembling fingers.
There were only two things on it.
One was Derek’s ten-second video meant to prove I was safe.
In the video, I lay pale and motionless in a pool of blood while Derek watched without lifting a finger.
The other was Serena’s voice message and photograph.
In the recording, Adrian’s gentle voice said, “Can’t she be reasonable? Tell her to stay in her treatment room…”
The photograph showed him kissing the back of Serena’s hand.
The caption read: [I’m the one he truly cares about.]
Adrian stared at the evidence, his fingers trembling so badly he could barely hold the phone.
For the first time, there was no lie left for him to hide behind.
The deception he’d thought flawless had been nothing more than a revolting little performance in my eyes.
He believed I’d died disgusted with him, hating him with every last breath.
“No, that’s not… How did Serena even get her number?”
Adrian clawed at his hair.
“Elena Silvercrest left instructions for the disposal of her inheritance and alliance rights,” Marcus said.
He produced one final document.
“She controlled the principal alliance resources supporting Blackthorn Pack, along with all the Royal Pack Support she provided you years ago. All of it has now been reclaimed.”
Adrian jerked his head up, disbelief written across his face.
“What did you say? Elena owned those territorial resources and rights?”
Marcus gave a cold laugh. “Did you really think your own abilities were enough to secure a foothold in Silvercrest Dominion, Alpha Adrian?”
“For eight years, the Royal Heiress of the Silvercrest bloodline has been feeding you resources from Silvercrest Dominion behind the scenes.”
“Now the Silvercrest Royal Bloodline has taken its support back.”
“Adrian Blackwood, it’s time you paid the price.”