The Truth about the Heart
Scarlett’s POV:
I watched as Lucian gripped my letter so tightly his knuckles turned white. His whole body trembled with barely contained emotion.
“This is a lie,” he snarled at Sarah, crumpling the paper. “You’re working with Scarlett on this, aren’t you? Some kind of sick test?”
Sarah’s face remained cold as winter. “Don’t you dare accuse me of lying about my best friend’s death.” “Then prove it.” His voice cracked. “Prove that she’s…”
“Follow me.” Sarah turned without another word and walked toward the hospital.
Lucian followed, his desperation growing with each step. I drifted behind them, bound to his presence by our cursed connection.
Dr. Kane was in his office when we arrived, as if he’d been expecting us. His usually warm face was grave as we entered.
“Tell him,” Sarah commanded. “Show him everything”
Dr. Kane pulled out a thick medical file from his desk’drawer. “Alpha Lucian, please sit down.”
“I don’t want to sit.” Lucian’s voice was raw. “I want the truth. Now.”
“Very well.” Dr. Kane spread out test results and medical charts across his desk. “Luna Scarlett first came to me exactly one month ago with severe cardiac symptoms.”
Lucian snatched up the earliest report. The date matched perfectly our wedding anniversary.
Hope flickered across his face as he read. “You told her three months,” he grabbed Dr. Kane’s collar suddenly, eyes wild. “It’s only been one month. She can’t be- there’s still time!”
His voice rose with desperate energy. “I’ll find the best doctors in the world. I’ll gather every powerful witch in the territory. Whatever it costs-”
“Alpha,” Dr. Kane’s voice was gentle but firm. “Please release me.”
Lucian’s hands fell limply to his sides.
“Yes, initially I estimated three months,” Dr. Kane continued, straightening his coat. “But several factors accelerated the curse’s progression dramatically.”
“What factors?” Lucian demanded. “What happened to her?”
“Severe emotional distress.” Dr. Kane met his eyes steadily. “The curse fed on her pain, growing stronger with each new… upheaval.”
“What kind of upheaval? Lucian’s voice rose again. “Tell me exactly what happened!”
I watched as Dr. Kane glanced through my medical notes. Each spike in the curse’s power was carefully documented, though he couldn’t reveal their true cause.
ד
+25 BONUS
The Truth about the Heart
“That’s not my place to say,” Dr. Kane said quietly. “But the removal of her healing ring was the final Caralust.
Lucian staggered back as if struck. “The ring… but Lily needed it. The baby-”
“Was never in danger,” Sarah cut in, her voice sharp as a blade. “Did you ever wonder why Lily conveniently collapsed right when the ceremony was starting? Right when everyone would see you choose her over your own mate?”
The color drained from Lucian’s face. “What are you implying?”
“I’m not implying anything,” Sarah spat. “I’m telling you directly you chose your pregnant mistress
your dying mate. You gave away the one thing keeping Scarlett alive.”
over
“No,” Lucian shook his head violently. “You’re twisting everything. Scarlett gave the ring willingly-”
“Because she’s selfless!” Sarah’s voice cracked with emotion. “Because even dying, she couldn’t bear to see you in pain. Even knowing it would kill her faster, she still put you first–like she always has!”
“You’re lying,” Lucian whispered, but his voice held a note of uncertainty. “This is all some elaborate trick. Scarlette dead. I would have felt it through our bond…”
can’t
“Mate contact? Scarlett doesn’t even have a wolf…” Sarah’s laugh was bitter.” Don’t kid yourself, Lucian, it’s not a bond, it’s just a one–sided sensing of you as an Alpha. When was the last time you used your power to sense her location? When was the last time you chose her over Lily’s message?”
Lucian clutched his chest, “It’s so quiet,” he whispered. His eyes widened with growing horror. “I can’t feel her anymore. Why can’t I feel her?”
“Because she’s gone,” Sarah said mercilessly. “Your mate is dead, Alpha. The woman who saved your life, who loved you through everything she’s gone,
–
“No!” Lucian slammed his fist into the wall, cracking the plaster. “There would be a body. Where is her body?”
her “You tell me,” Sarah’s voice dripped with scorn. “You’re the one she loved most. You’re her mate, Alpha, the center of her world. If you don’t know where she’d go to die, what does that say about you?”
Dr. Kane stepped forward, holding out more medical documents. “Alpha, you should know she tried everything possible to stay alive. Visited seventeen different doctors and witches across the territory. None could help.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?” Lucian’s voice broke. “Why didn’t anyone tell me she was dying?”
“She did tell you,” Sarah’s words cut like knives. “Every time she smiled through her pain while you ran
was fading away. to Lily. Every time she watched you build a future with another woman while sho
Through our bond, I felt Lucian’s heart fracturing as the truth finally began to sink in.
“I’ll find her,” he said hoarsely, “I don’t care what you say. I’ll tear this territory apart until-”
“Why?” Sarah blocked his path. “So you can what – apologize to her corpse? Tell her dead body how sorry you are? Where was this determination when she was alive?”
The Truth about the Heart
+25 BONUS
“BECAUSE I LOVE HER!” he roared. The windows rattled with the force of his anguish.
“Loved,” Sarah corrected quietly. “Past tense. She’s gone, Alpha. All that’s left are her letters.”
She pointed to the envelope in Lucian’s hand. “Wait, Alpha, the truth will slowly unfold. She wanted you to understand what you have thrown away. A letter every other day, remember?”
Lucian stared at the envelope, his hands shaking.
“I don’t want letters,” he whispered. “I want her back.
“That’s not an option anymore.” Sarah turned away dismissively. “You made your choice when you gave her ring to Lily.”
I watched through our ghostly bond as my mate stumbled from the hospital, his entire world crumbling around him. His denial was finally giving way to the horrible truth that he had thrown away the one person who had loved him completely, and now it was too late.
