The Secret That Refused to Stay Buried and That Followed Us Home 4

The Secret That Refused to Stay Buried and That Followed Us Home 4 Summary

Scott is devastated when the police confirm that Elena was on the bus that crashed and burned, and he finds her half-burned moonstone necklace among the wreckage. Despite the overwhelming evidence, he refuses to believe she is dead. Returning to the pack territory, Scott faces anger and accusations from his father, who blames him for nearly getting Elena killed and for her supposed death. Their confrontation escalates into a violent fight, only to be broken up by the Luna.

 

Scott learns from his parents that Elena had come to say goodbye because of a prophecy foretelling that if they stayed together, they would die saving each other in ten years. She left behind what appeared to be a bond-severing ritual, but it was actually an ancient “Alliance Blessing” meant to forge a political alliance between Scott’s pack and Joanna’s family. This reveals Elena’s selfless desire to protect Scott and their pack, even as she was leaving.

 

Seeking answers, Scott visits the Shaman, who reveals a deeper conspiracy involving Joanna, who used soul-draining magic under duress from the Bloodfang pack. Joanna was threatened with exposure of her family’s secret dealings with vampires, which would result in her exile from the werewolf world. Scott is furious and demands to confront Joanna, who arrogantly admits to exploiting Scott’s rejection of Elena to manipulate him and weaken herself.

 

Joanna harshly criticizes Scott for failing to trust or protect Elena, accusing him of letting her walk away alone to die despite all she sacrificed. Enraged and broken, Scott orders Joanna’s imprisonment and the exposure of her family’s dark secrets to the other packs. Alone and grief-stricken, Scott realizes he has hurt Elena repeatedly and lost everything because of his pride and fear. Just as despair consumes him, he receives a glimmer of hope: the police report that one female body is missing from the crash, suggesting Elena might still be alive.

Scott’s POV 

“No way! That’s not her!” 

Scott slammed his fist down, shattering the glass table in front of him. Blood dripped from his knuckles, but he didn’t even notice. 

“Alpha, the police have confirmed it,” Beta Luke reported cautiously. “Elena’s name was on that bus manifest. All the passengers…” 

“Shut up!” Scott roared, his golden eyes flashing dangerously. “Get the car ready, now!” 

Thirty minutes later, Scott stood at the edge of a cliff, looking down at the charred wreckage of the bus. The search and rescue team was still at work; a few burned bodies had already been brought out. 

“A real tragedy,” a human police officer said, shaking his head. “Guess we’ll need DNA for IDs.” 

Scott sniffed the air, trying to catch any trace of Elena. But all he could smell was gasoline, burnt flesh, and death. 

“She’s not here,” he muttered. “It can’t be her…” 

But then, a rescuer pulled something from the wreckage–a half–burned necklace with a moonstone pendant. 

Scott’s heart stopped. It was the one he’d reluctantly given Elena at the Moon Hunt Festival. Part of the marking ritual. 

“No…” He sank to his knees. 

Back in the pack territory, Scott moved like a ghost through the main gate. Everyone avoided his eyes. No one dared go near the Alpha; his grief and rage were like a physical darkness, making the air heavy, suffocating. 

He pushed open the door to his home, and his father’s fist met him. 

Scott stumbled back, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. 

“You fool!” the former Alpha roared. “For an outsider, you nearly got your own mate killed! And now you’ve let her die out there!” 

“She wasn’t an outsider,” Scott snarled. “She’s my mate.” 

“Oh? You realize that now?” his father sneered. “Yesterday you couldn’t wait to sever your bond with her!” 

Scott lunged, and he and his father crashed together. Furniture toppled, glass shattered, and the roars of two Alphas shook the whole house. 

“Enough!” The Luna’s sharp command cut through the air, and an unseen force pulled them apart. 

Scott gasped for breath, blood dripping from his forehead. “Tell me, what did you do to her? Why did she leave?” 

“She came to say goodbye,” his mother’s voice was suddenly quiet. 

“What?” 

“When she came to see us, she said she was leaving for good,” the Luna sighed. “She… she told us about a prophecy.” 

Scott froze. “What prophecy?” 

“That if you stayed together, in ten years, you would die saving her,” his father cut in, the anger in his eyes slowly fading. “She described it in such detail… a silver–laced bomb from the Bloodfang pack… your insides… blown apart.” 

Scott’s face went white. He remembered what he’d said to Elena: “If you really want to please me, just disappear from my 

1/3 

Chopter 4 

+25 Bonus 

world.” 

“And this,” his mother said, holding out a scroll. “The ‘bond–severing ritual‘ she left.” 

Scott unrolled the scroll, his shock deepening. It wasn’t a bond–severing ritual. It was an “Alliance Blessing“-an ancient magic that let an Alpha, even without a mate, forge a strong political alliance with another pack. 

Elena was paving the way for him. Even as she was leaving, she still wanted to make sure he and Joanna’s family could form a 

solid alliance. 

“Why would she…?” His voice cracked. 

“Maybe you should ask the Shaman,” his mother said quietly. “He seems to know more.” 

Scott raced to the Shaman’s hut. When he burst through the door, the old Shaman was gazing out the window at the moon, as if he’d been expecting him. 

“Where’s Elena?” Scott demanded. “Is she really dead?” 

“Instead of asking that,” the Shaman turned slowly, “shouldn’t you be asking yourself why Joanna used soul–draining magic?” 

Scott froze. “She told me it was because of pressure from the elders…” 

“Lies,” the Shaman scoffed. “I just got word from the Bloodfang border. They found something interesting on a prisoner.” 

He tossed Scott a flash drive. “Take a look.” 

Scott opened his laptop and plugged in the drive. An image of Joanna meeting secretly with a Bloodfang wolf appeared on the 

screen. 

“Are you sure this will hurt Black Moon?” Joanna asked. 

“Of course,” the man sneered. “As long as you use the soul–draining magic like we planned, weaken yourself, we’ll keep your family’s secret safe.” 

Scott’s hands started to shake. 

“They had something on her,” the Shaman explained. “The Bloodfangs threatened to expose her family’s secret, forced her to weaken herself.” 

“What secret?” 

“Her family’s dealings with vampires,” the Shaman sighed. “Enough to get her completely cast out of the werewolf world.” 

Fury burned through Scott. “Take me to her.” 

Joanna was brought to the council hall. She looked healthy again, as beautiful as ever, but there was an undeniable arrogance in her eyes. 

“Why?” Scott demanded. “Why did you lie to me?” 

“Lie?” Joanna scoffed. “I just used your weakness.” 

“What weakness?” 

“Your rejection of your own fated mate,” she said with contempt. “You were so desperate to escape your destiny, you never trusted your own heart, and you certainly didn’t trust your mate. That’s why you believed my lies so easily!” 

Every word was like a knife twisting in Scott’s heart. 

“Do you have any idea what Elena did for you?” Joanna went on. “She gave up her life essence to save me, someone who hurt her. And you? You didn’t even thank her. You just let her walk away, alone, to die!” 

2/3 

“Shut up!” Scott roared. 

“You’ll never deserve her,” Joanna delivered the final blow. “Alpha? What a joke! You can’t even protect your own heart!” 

Scott completely shattered. He roared, “Lock her up! Permanent imprisonment! And release the evidence of her family’s dealings with vampires to all the packs!” 

As Joanna was dragged away, the smirk finally vanished from her face, replaced by genuine fear. 

Scott sank to his knees, alone, his world collapsing around him. 

The truth seared into him like a red–hot poker–Elena had never betrayed him, but he had hurt her, again and again. He’d put his own pride and prejudice before true love, and now he’d lost everything. 

“Elena…” he whispered, tears streaming down his face. “How am I ever going to find you?” 

Then, the sharp ring of the phone. Scott’s second–in–command finally had good news. 

The human police had just confirmed it: one female body was missing from the bus crash. 

Support 

Share