Chapter 8: Goodbye, My Family

Pack Security headquarters erupted into chaos.

Officers rushed in every direction as orders echoed through the corridors.

"Seal the eastern border!"

"Search every checkpoint!"

"No vehicle leaves without inspection!"

Ella Carter had disappeared.

Detective Marcus remained surprisingly calm.

"She can't get far," he said.

"Every exit from Pack territory is already being monitored."

Ryan stood motionless.

His mind wasn't focused on finding Ella.

It remained trapped inside that basement.

He still couldn't erase the image of me lying alone on the cold concrete floor.

"Captain," Marcus called.

"There's something else you should see."

He led everyone into the forensic laboratory.

A technician placed my recovered phone onto the table.

"We managed to restore the remaining deleted recordings," she explained.

"Most were corrupted, but one audio file survived."

Ryan's heart sank.

"Play it."

The room became silent.

Static filled the speakers.

Then my trembling voice emerged.

"Mom..."

"Dad..."

"Conner..."

"Ryan..."

"If you're hearing this..."

"Maybe I wasn't important enough for anyone to answer."

A long pause followed.

Soft sobs echoed through the recording.

"I kept telling myself..."

"Someone will come."

"Ryan promised he'd always protect me."

"Mom said family never leaves each other behind."

"Dad said I would always have a home."

"Conner said he'd never let anyone hurt me."

"I believed all of you."

Even I hadn't remembered recording those words.

My strength had been fading.

I must have spoken without realizing the phone was recording.

"Maybe..."

"Maybe I expected too much."

"If I don't survive..."

"Please don't blame yourselves."

"Just..."

"Love each other better than you loved me."

The recording ended.

Nobody in the room could speak.

Mom collapsed into Dad's arms, crying uncontrollably.

"She was comforting us..."

"Even while she was dying..."

Dad buried his face in his hands.

"I don't deserve to be called her father."

Conner punched the wall so hard that blood ran down his knuckles.

"She was alone..."

"My little sister was alone..."

"And I called her childish..."

Ryan stood perfectly still.

Tears streamed silently down his face.

He remembered every promise he had made during our mating ceremony.

"I'll protect you until my last breath."

"You'll never face danger alone."

Every promise had been broken.

Not by fate.

By him.

The Alpha entered the laboratory carrying a small velvet box.

Inside rested the Distinguished Service Medal that should have been placed around my neck.

"Tomorrow," the Alpha announced quietly,

"we will hold Sophie's memorial service."

"She will receive the honor she earned."

"The entire pack will attend."

Ryan slowly accepted the medal.

His fingers shook as he traced the engraving of my name.

"I should've been there," he whispered.

"Instead of Ella's graduation..."

"I should've been beside my mate."

The Alpha looked directly at him.

"Regret is the punishment that follows every selfish choice."

"You will carry yours for the rest of your life."

The next morning, rain fell across the entire territory.

Hundreds of werewolves gathered outside the Pack Memorial Hall.

Warriors stood in perfect formation.

Black flags fluttered silently in the wind.

My coffin rested at the center of the hall, covered with white lilies.

I floated nearby, watching everyone arrive.

Many of the faces were familiar.

Children I had rescued.

Families I had protected.

Warriors who had fought beside me.

One by one, they placed flowers beside my coffin.

Several openly wept.

"She saved my daughter."

"She rescued my brother."

"She never abandoned anyone."

Hearing those words brought me more peace than any medal ever could.

Ryan stepped forward wearing his formal captain's uniform.

His eyes were red from an entire night without sleep.

He carefully placed the Distinguished Service Medal on top of my coffin.

"Sophie..."

"I'm sorry."

"Those words are worthless now."

"But if I could trade my life for yours..."

"I would do it without hesitation."

He lowered his head until his forehead rested against the coffin.

Behind him, Mom, Dad, and Conner quietly followed.

None of them could stop crying.

"Forgive us," Mom whispered.

"Please..."

"Just once more..."

I looked at each of them.

For years I had dreamed of hearing those apologies.

Now that they had finally come...

My heart felt strangely calm.

Hatred had disappeared.

So had resentment.

Only sadness remained.

Because forgiveness no longer changed anything.

As the memorial ceremony ended, Detective Marcus received another phone call.

He answered immediately.

His expression hardened.

"We've found Ella."

"She was arrested while trying to cross the northern border."

"She'll be brought directly to the Pack Court."

Ryan slowly lifted his head.

His eyes held no love anymore.

Only disappointment.

The truth had finally caught up with Ella.

And tomorrow...

Justice would decide her fate.