Second Chances

Prologue: One Last 'I Love You'

Prologue: One Last ‘I Love You’

February 9, 2008

He felt the pain, like a knife piercing him right in the heart. Lucas’s breathing halted, panic surging through him. Glancing down, he saw it wasn’t him that had been stabbed. And the other option, the only other person that could’ve happened to, left him wishing it had been him.

He scrambled to pull his cell phone from his pocket, and dial the number. For a while, it rang. Just rang, with no one answering. As he crushed his phone in his hand, Lucas ran away from his pack. Away from the werewolves he was soon to lead, and ran into the woods. Quickly shedding his clothing, he turned into a giant wolf mid-run.

He pushed his legs, paws hitting the ground and causing the damp, snow-covered leaves that littered the forest floor to fly around him. Only one thing occupied his thoughts. One person. 

Brittanie Cotton. A nineteen year old human girl. His mate, his everything. He loved her even before he knew she was fated to be with him. She had a heart of gold, with a beautiful face to match. And she didn’t deserve anything that came to her, to have her entire life and promising future ripped away from her.

And then, he was there. In that clearing, caught in a moment that would forever haunt him. Because there she lay.

Changing out of his wolf form, he hurried to her side. “Brittanie!” he cried, smoothing her hair out of her face.

“Lucas. Lucas,” she breathed, his name from her lips robbing her of energy. Her face contorted into an expression of pure agony, as her back arched. Tears poured from her eyes, and they knew her time was very nearly up.

“Brittanie,” he choked, gripping her hand. Her hold was weak. “You’re not supposed to die yet, Brittanie. Not yet. Not now!”

A humorless chuckle escaped her lips, alongside a small bubble of blood. “You may not be human, but I am. I’m human, Lucas. We’re weak, and I’ll never make it like a werewolf would.” A violent cough interrupted her words, causing more blood to spew. “But with all I am, I love you.”

“I love you, Brittanie,” he whispered.

She swallowed thickly. Another wave of pain crashed through her body, and she blindly grasped at the ground around her.

And Lucas hated himself then. At that moment, as she died right there in his arms, his self-loathing was unmatched. If he wasn’t so selfish, so determined to take the role as Alpha, she wouldn’t be there. She wouldn’t have to face death in the eye. Hades wouldn’t have to take her soul, the light from her eyes.

“I love you, Brittanie,” he repeated hoarsely. “Dammit, Brittanie!! Brittanie!”

The intelligence was rapidly fading from her gaze. He could feel the pain in his chest dulling, as she began to succumb to death. There was an acceptance to her gaze, though, as she looked in his eyes. She was so calm about her death, about the fact she was murdered.

“I’m so sorry, Brittanie,” he told her, tears thick in his voice.

And then her heart stilled. The gentle rhythm he laid his ears over in the summertime to lull him to sleep quit beating. Before he had the chance to comprehend it, she was gone.