Chapter 6: The Lies Begin to Collapse

Ryan couldn't take his eyes off the recovered message.

The words burned into his mind.

[It would be so much better if you'd just drop dead.]

His hands trembled so violently that he nearly dropped the phone.

The Ella he knew was gentle.

Kind.

Compassionate.

She couldn't possibly write something so cruel.

Could she?

Detective Marcus carefully took the phone back and sealed it inside another evidence bag.

"Our forensic department recovered this from deleted data," he explained.

"Someone erased it from the sender's phone shortly after it was sent."

"But digital evidence is difficult to erase completely."

Ryan slowly looked toward the house.

Through the living room window, he could see Ella sitting beside Mom.

She was crying softly while everyone comforted her.

It was the same innocent face that had fooled everyone for years.

"Captain," Marcus said quietly.

"We're not accusing anyone yet."

"But until the investigation is finished, I suggest you keep an open mind."

Ryan nodded silently.

For the first time since becoming mates with me...

He questioned someone other than Sophie.

Inside the house, another team of investigators searched every room.

One officer entered my bedroom.

Everything remained exactly as I had left it.

The curtains were still open.

My service medals hung neatly on the wall.

Training certificates filled one bookshelf.

My journal still lay on the floor where Conner had thrown it.

"Detective," the officer called.

"You should see this."

Marcus entered the room.

He picked up the notebook.

Only one number was written across the first page.

100.

Beneath it, someone had written one final sentence.

"The hundredth disappointment will be my last."

Marcus frowned.

"Who wrote this?"

Conner slowly stepped into the room.

The moment he saw the page, tears filled his eyes.

"Yesterday..."

"Yesterday morning it only said ninety-nine."

"She... she must've written this before leaving for the ceremony."

He remembered laughing at the notebook.

He remembered calling it childish.

Now every word felt like a knife.

"What does the number mean?" Marcus asked.

Conner swallowed hard.

"I think..."

"I think Sophie counted every time we disappointed her."

The room became painfully quiet.

Mom covered her mouth.

"No..."

"She wouldn't..."

Conner slowly looked at her.

"Wouldn't she?"

"Mom... when was the last time you attended one of her award ceremonies?"

Mom couldn't answer.

"Dad?"

"Do you remember her birthday last year?"

Dad lowered his head.

"Ryan..."

"Do you remember your mating anniversary?"

Ryan closed his eyes.

He couldn't.

Every question exposed another forgotten promise.

"We failed her," Conner whispered.

"Over and over again."

"And she kept counting."

Marcus carefully placed the journal inside an evidence bag.

"This may help establish the victim's emotional state before the attack."

"Take it with the rest of the evidence."

Meanwhile, another investigator walked into the living room carrying a small transparent bag.

"Detective, we found this under the sofa."

Inside the bag was a silver key.

Marcus examined it closely.

"What key is this?"

Dad answered immediately.

"That's the spare house key."

"It disappeared about a month ago."

Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"Did anyone report it missing?"

"No," Dad admitted.

"We assumed it was misplaced."

"Interesting," Marcus murmured.

He turned toward Ella.

"Miss Carter... do you know anything about this key?"

Ella's eyes widened just enough to notice.

"No..."

"I've never seen it before."

"Really?"

Marcus held up another evidence bag.

Inside was the keychain recovered from one of the arrested rogue wolves.

It matched perfectly.

Same wolf-shaped charm.

Same scratch marks.

Same missing blue crystal.

Ella's breathing became uneven.

"That's impossible..." she whispered.

"I... I don't know how..."

Ryan stared at her.

"Ella..."

"Didn't you tell everyone you lost your house key two weeks ago?"

She froze.

"I..."

"Maybe that's another key."

"It isn't," Marcus interrupted calmly.

"Our forensic team already matched the broken keychain pieces."

"They're identical."

Silence spread through the room.

Mom looked from Marcus to Ella.

"Sweetheart..."

"Why would your key be with rogue wolves?"

Ella suddenly burst into tears.

"I don't know!"

"Maybe they stole it!"

"Why is everyone blaming me?"

She ran upstairs before anyone could stop her.

Ryan instinctively started after her.

Then he stopped.

Yesterday...

He had chosen Ella.

Today...

He remained standing exactly where he was.

Watching him, I felt a strange emptiness.

This was what I had wanted for so long.

For him to finally believe me.

Yet now that it was happening...

I no longer cared.

Because the person he finally trusted no longer existed.

Marcus quietly closed his notebook.

"Captain Ryan," he said.

"We've received confirmation from Pack Security."

"All three rogue wolves have been captured alive."

"One of them has already agreed to testify in exchange for a reduced sentence."

Ryan looked up sharply.

"Testify?"

"About what?"

Marcus's expression turned grim.

"About who hired them."

Every person in the room stopped breathing.

Upstairs, the sound of a glass shattering echoed through the house.

Ella had heard every word.