Christian’s POV
I searched every inch of that cliff.
Every crevice near the broken rope, every pale, wind–blasted rock–I left nothing untouched.
When I reached the bottom, I didn’t stop. The waves were rough, the wind biting, but I still got in a boat and searched, inch
by inch.
I even grabbed diving gear and went into the water, desperate to find any trace, any sign at all.
But there was nothing.
Blair had vanished–like she’d been erased from the world.
By the time I returned to the pack house, I was soaked to the bone, but my heart felt even colder.
Just two days. That’s all it took to make me look years older. The reflection in the mirror was almost unrecognizable.
The moment I stepped into the living room, Carrie came rushing over.
“Christian, I know you’re worried about Blair, but… the dead are gone-”
I lifted my head and stared her down, hard.
Her words clung to my ears like barbed wire, each syllable tearing through me. The look in my eyes made her freeze on
the spot, like she thought I might rip her apart right then and there.
She shut up instantly, not daring to say another word as she stood there staring at me like a statue.
I remained silent, and she seemed determined to match my stubbornness, standing motionless.
If this were the past, I probably would’ve gone over, tried to comfort her, coax her like I always did.
But this time, I just watched her quietly with complete calm, waiting for her to speak first.
We stood locked in this standoff for a long time.
Then her eyes welled up, and a tear hit the floor with a sharp smack.
She wiped it away and ran out of the room, not stopping for even a second–like she’d just been deeply wronged.
Instinctively, I took a step forward, ready to follow her. But I froze.
What the hell was I doing?
How did it get this bad between Blair and me?
Five years ago, when Carrie left me at the altar, I made Blair my Luna–half out of spite.
But in these five years… did I really not fall in love with her at all?
No. That’s not true.
Living with her for five years–how could I not fall for her?
Chapter 11
9.57%
I turned away from Carrie and headed straight to the room Blair and I used to share.
No one had touched it in days–it was empty. The only thing left was the faint scent of cleaning supplies.
I sat on the window seat and stared out at the yellowed leaves falling slowly to the ground.
Memories flickered through my mind–Blair and Carrie, all the moments they’d shared, the glances I hadn’t thought twice about and words I’d brushed off.
Now they came flooding back to me, sharp and unmistakable.
At first, Blair would pout, complain, tell me about her fears and insecurities.
But then… she changed. She went quiet, distant.
It was like there was this invisible wall between us.
And all that time, I thought she was the problem–that she was being unreasonable. That’s why her brother kept blaming
her… or at least that’s what I told myself.
But now… was it really her fault?
I stood and looked around the room–empty and unnervingly so.
Every trace of her life here had disappeared.
The framed photo on the nightstand was gone. The skincare products from her vanity were gone too.
I opened the walk–in closet–and froze.
The wardrobe was completely empty. Not a single piece of Blair’s clothing remained.
A terrifying thought hit me. Had she… planned to leave all along?
No. No way–I shook my head violently.
She wouldn’t leave me. She loved me too much… didn’t she?
Suddenly, I heard a faint vibration from the corner of the room.
I followed the sound and found a phone in one of the drawers.
I entered my birthday–and it unlocked immediately.
She’d never once locked me out. For the past five years, every password on every device had been my birthday.
I opened her messages–and it felt like lightning struck me.
Carrie had sent Blair the photo of the bond–sealing deal between us.
I never thought… not in a million years… that Carrie would send her that photo.
I’d covered it up so well.
I was just trying to stay with Carrie until the end of her life. That was all. After that… Blair and I were supposed to have
forever.
Chapter 11
9.57%
And Carrie knew that. She knew.
Then why the hell would she do something like this?
My thoughts spiraled into chaos.
I scrolled through more of their chat history–every single message from Carrie felt like a punch to the gut.
“A thief is still a thief. Stolen love never lasts. You’re pathetic. No one’s ever really loved you. If I were you, I’d be dead already.”
“You clingy little bitch. I’ll make sure you know exactly who they care more.”
There were so many. Each one crueler than the last.
I couldn’t believe Carrie had actually said those things.
But staring at the messages, I finally understood.
Blair knew. She’d known everything.
And suddenly, my chest felt hollow–like all the life had drained out of me.
She’d planned to leave all along. Then… all those things about Carrie… were they really Blair’s doing?
I wanted to deny it, but the thought had already taken root and wouldn’t go away.
After a long silence, I pulled out my phone and texted Finn:
[Finn. Look into everything Carrie’s done since she returned to the pack.]
