The Third Letter
+25 BONUS
The Third Letter
Scarlett’s POV:
The morning sun had barely risen when Sarah delivered my third letter. I watched as Lucian snatched it from his mailbox with trembling hands.
He’d been up all night, pacing our bedroom, torturing himself with memories. Now he sank into his office chair, unfolding the paper carefully.
“My dearest Lucian,”
“As I write this, I can feel my time growing shorter. Each day is precious now, and all I want is to spend every moment with you.”
“Today you told me about the blessing ritual you’re organizing My heart soared with hope for the first time in so long. Even before it begins, I feel better just knowing you care enough to try.”
Through our bond, I felt his breath catch. He remembered that ritual- the one interrupted by Lily’s dramatic collapse.
“Maybe the Moon Goddess will be kind. Maybe she’ll grant me a little more time with you. Just enough to hold you again, to kiss you a few more times.”
His fingers traced over my words, and memories flooded through our bond.
“Do you remember the days just after we were married? Those were the days when we were glued to each other every day and every night, when we wanted to kiss and cuddle every moment, when you insisted that I sit on your lap, in parliamentary meetings, in the office when you were taking care of business, saying that you couldn’t concentrate if you didn’t have me by your side. You took me on border patrols, even when I slowed down your progress.
“If this ritual works, if I could heal, there’s so much I want to do with you again. I want to eat breakfast on the balcony like we used to, watching the sun rise over the pack lands.”
Tears splashed onto the paper as Lucian read. Through our bond, I felt his heart breaking all over again..
“I want to walk the forest paths where we first fell in love. Remember that clearing where you taught me to hunt? How patient you were, showing me again and again even though I could never shift.”
“I want to cook your favorite venison stew, the one that takes all day. You’d hoyer in the kitchen, stealing tastes when you thought I wasn’t looking. Then stabilize me hard when I find out.”
“I promise,” he whispered to the paper. “When you come back, we’ll do all of it. Everything you want, my love.”
But as he turned to the second page, my handwriting changed – becoming shaky, desperate.
“I’m sorry, my love. It seems the Moon Goddess had other plans.”
“I lost my wedding ring today. Or rather, I gave it away at your request.‘
The color drained from his face as he read.
+25 BONUS
The Third Letter
“Did you know that ring was keeping me alive? All these years, its healing magic was the only thing holding back the curse.”
“But Lily needs it more than I do now. She’s carrying your child, after all. Of course you want to protect them.”
His hands were shaking so badly he could barely hold the paper..
“I just wish I had a little more time. A few more days to cook for you, to love you.
“But it’s okay. The ring was yours to give, just as my heart has always been yours to break.”
“I hope Lily and the babies stay safe. I hope the ring protects them as it protected me.”
“I’m just sorry I couldn’t be strong enough without it.”
The letter fell from his trembling fingers. Through our bond, I felt the exact moment realization hit him.
He had done this. Not just the betrayal with Lily, but the final act that ended my life.
“No,” he whispered, picking up the letter again. “No, no, no…”
He read the words over and over, horror growing with each pass.
“I told you to give her the ring,” his voice cracked. “Lordered you to save them…”
Memories crashed through our bond – me slipping the ring off my finger, passing it to Lily as she writhed in fake pain. The moment my last defense against the curse was gone.
“I killed you,” he breathed. “I killed you with my own words. It’s me. It’s me. Lottie, I’m sorry.”
I drifted closer, watching his breakdown with cold satisfaction. Finally, he understood the full weight of what he’d done.
He scrambled for his phone, dialing Sarah again.
“The ring,” he choked out when she answered. “Did you know? Did you know it was keeping her alive?”
“Of course I knew,” Sarah’s voice was ice. “We all knew. Why do you think she never took it off? Why do you think she wore it even to sleep?”
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Would it have mattered?” Sarah asked coldly. “You were too busy with Lily to notice Scarlett was dying. Too wrapped up in your pregnant mistress to see your mate fading away.”
“I didn’t know,” he whispered. “I swear I didn’t know..”
“That’s worse,” Sarah spat. “You should have known. You’re her husband. Why wouldn’t you know? Because you had that bitch on your mind when you were on her pillow, and you were too busy betraying her to notice that she was moving away from you.”
She hung up, leaving Lucian alone with his guilt.
He picked up the letter again, reading through tear–blurred eyes.
The Third Letter
+25 BONUS
Every word was a knife in his heart. Every memory a reminder of what he’d thrown away.
I watched as he traced my uneven handwriting on the second page, where pain and loss of the ring’s magic had made my usually neat script shake.
“I did this,” he kept whispering. “I killed my own mate.”
Through our bond, I felt his self–hatred grow. He had betrayed me with Lily, abandoned me for her, and then with one thoughtless command, stripped away the only thing keeping me alive.
The sun climbed higher outside, but Lucian didn’t move from his chair. He just read the letter over and over, torturing himself with each word.
Let him suffer. Let him drown in guilt. It was exactly what I’d planned when I wrote those words.
His pain w
just beginning, and I intended to make sure he felt every bit of it.
After all, he hadn’t just betrayed my love – he’d literally commanded me to my death.
Watching him suffer now, I still feel like it’s not enough.
