Alpha's Regret After My Death

Maybe I was the first Luna in Silver Ridge Pack’s history to die on her wedding day. Today was February twenty-fifth. It was a Saturday, the sun was shining, the wind cool and sharp. I was standing at the altar with my soon-to-be husband, Ryker, Alpha of the Silver Ridge pack. Our families and pack members were seated in the white, orderly chairs set out in rows, their smiling faces watching as we exchanged our vows. Ryker’s warm words about loving me and promising to protect me for the rest of our lives fill me with absolute joy, and I can’t help the goofy smile I’m sure is plastered on my face as I stare up at him. “And now, you may exchange rings.” I hear the priest saying from beside us. I slide Ryker’s ring on first, and as he’s about to slide mine on, his phone starts ringing. At first, I only gave him an annoyed look, because why was his phone even turned on right now anyway? My face contours in pure confused irritation though, when he actually stops to pull his phone out and answer the call, right in the middle of a ceremony. That was nothing compared to what came next. I can’t hear the words that are said, just a woman’s voice saying one short sentence. Ryker’s eyes shoot up to meet mine at once, and I can feel my heart rate increasing in my chest. Why was he looking at me like that? Something between panic and guilt. Who was that? What had they said? “Ryker…?” I say as he starts backing up, the ring he was supposed to be putting on my finger right now still clutched in his hand. I can already hear the whispers from the audience starting as he turns and starts fast walking back down the aisle towards the exit, leaving me standing alone at the altar. “Ryker!” I call after him, but his only response is the sound of the doors slamming shut behind him. “Uh…” I hear the priest stammering from behind me, and I do my best to swallow the tears welling up. I lifted the front of my dress, walking quickly after him, avoiding the eyes of everyone as I passed. Despite the intense shame and embarrassment burning in my chest, I did my best to push it to the side and focus on figuring out what was going on with Ryker. I stepped through the doors he’d gone through, and could see his retreating figure in the distance. He was heading back to the main pack land. It looked like his gait was fast and urgent. I was about to open my mouth to call out to him, when, suddenly, a hand was pressed against my mouth, and I was being dragged backwards into someone’s chest and to the side of the pack’s church. I struggle against them, but their grip is tight and unyielding. “Hello, Luna.” I shivered in disgust at the man’s voice in my ear, and the feel of his hot breath on my neck. “Remember me?” My nerves prickled at his words. Remember him? He keeps holding me and pulls me into the treeline, only letting go once we're a few feet away. He pulls his hand off my mouth, but grabs my wrists and holds them together. He turns me around, and pushes my face against the nearest tree roughly. I barely even have time to look at him or register what’s happening. “What do you want?!” I cry as I struggle against him desperately. Stupidly, all I could think about was how my wedding dress was getting torn and dirty as he held me against the rough bark of the tree. The man laughs bitterly, and leans close to my ear to whisper, “I’m the one you and your Alpha kicked out because of a mistake. Tell me you remember the man whose life you ruined.” His voice is angry and full of venom, and his words make my blood run cold. Because I did remember him. Alexander Faller, a previous member of Ryker’s pack. He was fairly high ranking, in charge of a large portion of the border patrol guards. He was trusted enough to supervise other pack members and left in charge of keeping the borders safe, a very important job. However, he got cocky. He got sloppy with his duties, and a few rouges managed to sneak in and attack a group of young wolves being led by a teacher through the pack grounds. The teacher had ended up dying to protect the kids, and the mistake fell on Alexander’s shoulders. He’d been off drinking with the other guards, and because of it, a pack member died in cold blood. He had to be exiled. And now, it seemed I was paying the price for it. Did I have some say in the choice? Yes. Was I the one who made the final ruling? No. That was Ryker. So why was he here, with me instead of him? “That’s a lovely wedding dress you’re wearing, Luna.” He hisses in my ear. “I’m sure your new husband would be awfully distraught if something were to happen to you.” A choked sob escapes my lips at this, trying as I might to hold it back. I can hear him laugh, but it’s humorless and cold. “Crying won’t save you now. But maybe your Alpha can.” He grabs me by the back of the hair, and starts dragging me through the woods. I stumbled over my feet, his rough hand making it difficult to walk. I can feel my hair breaking each time I almost trip and he yanks me back up to my feet. I can feel the tears streaking down my face, hear his heavy breaths as he drags me along. “What do you want?” I sob as we break through the trees, and come to a stream with a small lazy waterfall supplying it with flowing water. He walks closer to the water, throwing me down roughly. My head bounces on the rocks, and my vision blurs as I sit up quickly, scooting away from him. I stop when my hand touches cool water. He crouches in front of me, his cold eyes watching me try to escape him. “I want your Alpha to feel the pain I did when you two took my life from me.” He says flatly, void of emotion or regrets. He reaches into his pocket, and pulls out his phone. He flicks it at me, and it lands on my stomach. “Call him. Now. Beg him to save you.” He’s almost trembling with anticipation, and it makes me feel sick. My hands shake as I pick up the phone, my eyes still having a hard time focusing as I type in Ryker’s number. It rings a couple of times, then there’s his voice. “Hello?” “Ryker.” I sniffle. “Ryker, someone has taken me, and he’s going to kill me.” There’s silence for a moment, then a heavy sigh that makes my blood run cold. “Lucia, stop acting up. "Are you really doing this right now?” “...What? What do you mean? "I’m being serious, Ryker, please!” I beg, my voice getting more and more desperate. I do my best to ignore the smug grin spreading on Alexander’s face as he listens to my pleading. “Look, I don’t know how you found out, but I assume you know about Jezebel. Is this all an act to get attention back to you?” I swallowed thickly, shaking my head despite knowing he couldn’t see me. “What?! No, what would I know about Jezebel? Please, Ryker, this is serious!” “Enough.” Alexander stands up then, and snatches the phone from my hand. I back further into the water to get away from him as he flings the phone down the stream, where I hear it land with a thud and splash. “Wonder why he didn’t believe you…” He mutters as he squats back down, this time, reaching into his waistband and pulling out a gun. “Please.” I beg, now soaked with water, my face stained with tears, my hands scraped up from being thrown about. Alexander grins, and points the gun at me. “Oh well. At least I get the pleasure of taking you out. That will make me feel a bit better.” And then a bang, and darkness.