Halfdan's pov.
(His End)
The bottle of whiskey was cold in my hand, the burn of the liquid a distant sensation as it slid down my throat. I could barely feel it anymore, barely cared. All I could think of was her. Camilla. My mate. My cunning, twisted, evil mate.
How did it come to this? The memories of that night still clawed at my mind, gnawing away until I felt like I might go insane.
I closed my eyes, but the image of her face filled my head—the way her eyes locked onto mine in those final moments, full of both fear and acceptance.
She was in my arms, her body limp and lifeless, yet her lips had curled in that knowing smile. The same smile she had whenever she thought she had won.
She had won.
Even in death, she had won, taking the slash meant for me, falling in my place. She died in my arms, the blood soaking my hands, the life draining from her body while I could only watch.
And no matter how much I told myself I hated her for all she'd done, for all the evil she brought to our pack, there was still love deep in my heart. It made me sick. But I couldn’t push it away.
I lifted the bottle to my lips again, taking another deep swig, desperate for the warmth to dull the sharp edges of my thoughts.
But nothing worked. The whiskey couldn’t wash away the ache in my chest, the weight of her death pressing down on me.
She had to die, I knew that. She was wicked, treacherous, but she was mine.
The door to the room slammed open suddenly, crashing against the wall with a loud thud. I didn’t bother to look up. I knew who it was. Beta Drake.
He was always storming into my business, acting like he could fix me. He thought he could fix this.
“Alpha, enough!” His voice boomed across the room as he strode toward me, his face twisted in anger and concern.
His breath was fast, like he had been running, but I didn’t care. I didn’t even bother to look at him as I took another sip, savoring the sting in my throat. It was all I had left.
Beta Drake grabbed the bottle from my hand, ripping it away with more force than necessary. “That’s enough, Alpha Halfdan!” he snapped, his voice sharp and filled with authority.
“This isn’t you! You’re the Alpha, damn it! You’re supposed to lead, not drown yourself in booze because of—” He paused, his jaw clenching as if he was holding back the words. He didn’t have to say it. I knew what he was thinking.
Camilla.
My mate. My mistake. My downfall.
“I am leading,” I muttered, my words slurring slightly. “I’m leading myself to forget. That’s all that matters now.”
“You’re killing yourself,” Drake shot back, his eyes burning with frustration. “And for what? For her? For that vile, deceitful woman? Alpha Halfdan, she deserved to die! You know that!”
The rage that had been simmering just beneath my skin snapped, and before I could stop myself, I was on my feet, grabbing Drake by the throat. His eyes widened in shock as I pinned him against the wall, my grip tightening.
“Don’t you dare speak of her like that again,” I growled, my voice low and dangerous. My vision blurred, the edges of the room darkening as the anger consumed me. “I know what she was. I know better than anyone. But she was still my mate. Do you understand that?”
Drake’s hands came up, gripping my wrist as he struggled to breathe. I could see the fear in his eyes, but also the defiance. He wasn’t going to back down, not from me.
“She… was… evil,” Drake gasped, his voice strangled. “She… had to die.”
I knew he was right. Deep down, I knew it. But the pain of losing her, of holding her broken body in my arms, was too much. I couldn’t let go of the bitterness, of the twisted love that still pulsed inside me.
With a snarl, I released him, pushing him away. Drake stumbled, clutching his throat and coughing, but he didn’t leave. He stood there, watching me, waiting for something. For what, I didn’t know.
“Just get out,” I muttered, turning away from him, my hands trembling. “Leave me alone, Drake.”
But he didn’t move. Instead, he took a step forward, his voice softening, as if he were speaking to a wounded animal. “Alpha Halfdan, I know you loved her. I get it. But you have to let her go. You have to let this go.”
I couldn’t. I couldn’t let go of the image of her dying in my arms, the way her blood had soaked into my clothes, the way her smile lingered even as her life slipped away.
She had taken death for me, after everything. After betraying me, after plotting against Astrid, after trying to destroy everything I had built too—she still took the blow that was meant for me.
“I don’t care what she did,” I said, my voice hollow. “I just… I just need her back.”
Drake was silent for a long moment, and then, with a heavy sigh, he stepped back. “You’re going to kill yourself like this. Is that what you want? To follow her to the grave?”
I didn’t answer. Maybe it was. Maybe that would be easier. But I couldn’t think like that. I was still the Alpha. I had a pack to lead. I had responsibilities. But none of it seemed to matter anymore.
Without a second thought, I pushed past Drake, grabbing my jacket from the back of the chair and heading for the door. I couldn’t stay here. I needed to clear my head, to push the memories of Camilla away, even if just for a moment.
“Where are you going?” Drake called after me, his voice tight with worry. I didn’t respond. I didn’t need to explain myself to him. I was the Alpha. I could do what I wanted.
I stumbled out of the house, the cold night air hitting me like a slap to the face. It was dark, the sky heavy with clouds that threatened rain. I didn’t care. I needed to get away. I needed to forget.
The road ahead was empty, stretching out toward the pack mansion in the distance. I started walking, my steps uneven, my head spinning from the whiskey and the weight of everything that had happened.
“Alpha Halfdan, wait!” Drake’s voice called out behind me, but I ignored him. I didn’t want to talk anymore.
I didn’t want to hear his voice, telling me what I already knew—that I was spiralling, that I was losing control.
The sound of his footsteps pounded behind me, faster and more desperate. “Halfdan, stop!” he shouted, his voice growing louder.
But I kept going, my eyes locked on the road ahead, my thoughts a chaotic mess of grief and anger.
Before I knew it, I had reached the highway, the headlights of an oncoming car flashing in the distance. I didn’t care. I just wanted it all to stop. I wanted the pain to end.
I stepped into the road, my heart pounding in my chest, but before I could take another step, the car slammed into me.
The impact was sudden, the force sending me flying to the ground. Pain shot through my body, sharp and overwhelming, but it was distant compared to the ache in my heart.
“Alpha!” Drake’s scream pierced the night as he rushed to my side. His hands were on me, shaking me, but I couldn’t feel them.
The world was fading, slipping away, and all I could see was Camilla. Her face, her smile, her eyes.
“Don’t die on me, Halfdan! Please!” Beta Drake begged, his voice breaking with panic. He grabbed my hand, but I barely felt it.
With the last bit of strength I had left, I bit down on his wrist, marking him. The pain in his eyes was clear, but he didn’t pull away.
“It… belongs to you now,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “The Greenstone pack belongs to you now, Alpha Drake!” I declared when suddenly, I began to feel the darkness closing in, pulling me under.
And then, everything went black.