ELIJAH'S POV:-

　　My phone started ringing. I quickly picked it up without looking at the name on the screen. I hoped it would be Artemis. "Elijah! You need to get to your apartment right now. It's Artemis." Uncle Grey informed me from the other side of the line in a panicked tone. My eyes widened in horror as I heard him. The panic in his voice and Artemis' name made my heart stop for a moment.

　　"I am on my way. Stay with her." I ordered him as calmly as I could. I hung up my phone as I quickly hopped into my feet. I grabbed my stuff and ran towards the office right beside my own office. It was Daniel's office. I opened the door of his office and peeked my head in.

　　"We need to go. Something has happened to Artemis." I growled at him out of panic. Daniel grabbed the car keys and we both ran towards the elevator. Daniel punched the button for the parking lot. The elevator carried us to the floor where Daniel parked his car. As the elevator door opened again, we stepped out of the elevator and made our way towards Daniel's car.

　　We both quickly hopped into the car. Daniel started the engine and drove off. It took us about thirty five minutes to reach my apartment building again. Daniel had avoided all the routes that had traffic. He drove as fast as he could. We stepped into the elevator and carried us to the penthouse.

　　As soon as the elevator door opened again, Daniel and I stepped out of the elevator and made our way straight towards Artemis' bedroom. The penthouse was cleaned up. I found Artemis lying in the group. All her stuff was trashed up. The pieces of shattered glass bottles were stabbed into her skin. Her hair was cut unevenly.

　　Her skin had turned purple, her eyes were closed. A droplet of her blood was on the corner of her lips. She didn't look like someone beat her up. It looked like she lost control over her coyote and her coyote hurt her that way. My heart squeezed as I saw pieces of the shattered glass perfume bottles deep into her skin.

　　"Everyone, please, give them some space. Let's leave them alone for a while." Daniel announced as he guided the cleaners out of her bedroom. There were tears in my eyes. I couldn't hear her heart beating. I couldn't hear her breathing. I could listen to her pulse. Uncle Grey made his way towards me and placed his hand on my shoulder.

　　I balled up my fists tightly and gritted my teeth. "What the hell has happened here? When did it all happen? When did she come back home?" I asked Uncle Grey in an angry tone as I looked at her face. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I didn't know if I was even allowed to hug her and cry. Because I never told her that she was my mate and that's why I tried to protect her.

　　Never in my life had I thought that she would be found wounded in her own bedroom. The very place that I promised her to be the safest place in the whole world for her. I was speechless. I couldn't understand why anyone would try to hurt her. She always tried to help everyone and be there for everyone.

　　"I think she never even left the apartment. She was found in her bedroom like this." Uncle Grey replied to me in a low tone while he was patting my shoulder gently. He was trying to calm me down but I was just too shocked to do or say anything at all.

　　I made my way towards her and sat down on the floor. "Careful, Elijah. She has the shattered glass stabbed all over her body. Even in her back. You will hurt yours." Uncle Grey tried to stop me as I scooped her up in my arms. I pushed him then scooped her up in my arms and pulled her on my lap.

　　I placed my head on her chest to listen to her heartbeat. But her heart went silent. It was not making those beautiful sounds that always made me fall asleep in her arms so peacefully. Her eyes were closed shut. I couldn't believe my eyes. The night before, she and I stayed together in my bed. We slept together in my bed.

　　I couldn't stop myself anymore. I hugged her tightly and started crying. The only reason for my peace was taken away from me. And I couldn't do anything at all. "I saw her bedroom door closed. I didn't check because I woke up late. I thought she might have left. She turned my alarm off because she didn't want me to take her to her college interview. It was supposed to be the last one. And it was her dream college. She was so excited. Why would she do it? No! She couldn't do it at all. Who found her first?" While crying my heart out, I mumbled. Then I asked Uncle Grey a question. There was no way she could ever have hurt herself.

　　At least I knew her that much. She was the happiest when she finally saw her mother. She was excited for her college and her future. "I was the one who saw her first. You told me to supervise. I was supervising. I opened the door of her bedroom and found her lying like that on the ground. I instantly called you as soon as I found her. There was no one inside her room. She was all alone. And by the look of her body, she died hours before the sun rose." Uncle Grey replied to me in a low tone. I stood up and walked towards her bed. I laid her down in the bed. It felt like she was still in pain.

　　I turned around to look at Uncle Grey. "Call everyone to the apartment right now. I will pay the cleaners online. Send them away. I don't want anyone else to see her like this." I growled at him angrily. Uncle Grey nodded his head and walked away. I sat down on the ground to stay with her. I was brushing her hair gently with my fingers.

　　"Who would hurt you like this, my baby? Why didn't you call me for help if you were in trouble? I was supposed to protect you. I promised you. I promised your mother." I was crying crazily while I was asking her all those questions. I just wanted her to answer me. I wanted to hear her response once. I wanted to hear her voice for one last time.

　　I sensed Daniel behind me. I tried to wipe my tears but they couldn't stop. Daniel walked towards me and patted my back. "You don't have to be ashamed of it. You lost someone most precious to you. You are allowed to mourn like all of us." Daniel spoke in a low tone. I turned around and we hugged each other.

　　Daniel helped me up and pulled me out of her bedroom. "Clean her up. Make sure she doesn't feel any pain." Daniel ordered Lauren and Gregory as he pulled me out of her bedroom. He took me towards my bedroom. I was crying and my wolf was howling in pain. It felt like someone ripped my heart out of my chest.

　　"We will find out whoever did this to her. For now, you need to get some grip. You will have to inform her mother." Daniel whispered as he was patting my back. Hearing her mother's name made me cry even more. I had promised her mother to always protect her. There was no way I could tell her that her daughter died in my apartment.

　　I turned to look at Daniel and shook my head. "No! I can't. I can't do it. I promised her mother to protect her. How am I ever going to face that woman again? I can't do it." I refused to listen to Daniel. I didn't have that much courage to face her mother. She got her child back in her arms decades later. And I screwed it all up.

　　"Her mother was insisting to leave Artemis with her for a night. But I refused immediately. I was selfish. Now I am thinking, if I would have left her with her mother, she would have been alive. How will I look into her eyes and tell her that her daughter died in the place where I promised her security?" I added in a low tone while wiping my tears.

　　Daniel hugged me tightly as he heard me. It took me a while. I finally calmed down. A few minutes later, Lauren knocked on my bedroom door. I looked up and she bowed her head. "Alpha, she is ready. You can go to her." Lauren informed me in a low tone. I nodded my head and stood up from my bed. I made my way towards her bedroom. Her bedroom was cleaned up. She was bathed and changed into new clothes. Lauren and Gregory patched up all of the cuts on her body.

　　I pulled my jacket off. Then I stripped my shirt off. I kicked my shoes off. Then I crawled into her bed. I laid down in her bed beside her. As always, I gently wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to my chest. Whoever was behind that sin, messed up her face badly. I pecked her forehead lovingly and cuddled up with her. I wanted her to be in my arms for one last time.

　　I wanted to sleep with her in my arms for one last time. I knew it was wrong and I was selfish. But I couldn't help myself. "I wish I would close my eyes with you in my arms and I will never open them again in this world. So I will be able to hold you in my arms in the next life." I whispered in her ear, hoping she would hear me.

　　I never thought I would lose her like that. We had planned so much about our future. She never said much but she always had a part of me in her future. She never really wanted any future without me. She never said that she loved me. But she never denied it as well. She cared about me.

　　Artemis was always around me since the day I saw her lying in my bed. Dean stopped me from taking her. And I was glad he stopped me. Her scent made it impossible for me to keep my hands off of her. I wanted her that night. I just wanted her to be happy in her life. I made sure to give her everything she wanted.

　　But she was not a greedy kind of woman. She never asked me for expensive perfumes, clothes, jewellery, bags and cars. All she had ever wanted was for us to spend some time together. She liked to dine out. But the shine in her eyes that I saw whenever I cooked for her at home was out of this world.

　　I closed my eyes while weeping. I couldn't help but cry. That was the only thing I could do. She was leaving me. I was trying to sleep with her in my arms for one last time before I was supposed to give her in the arms of the ground. But I couldn't sleep. So I decided to just hold her in my arms and stay in her bed with her for a while. She looked so peaceful. As if she was sleeping.

　　A few minutes later, I opened my eyes. I gently laid her back in the bed. I pecked her forehead lovingly for one last time. I crawled out of the bed and wore my clothes again. I could hear chattering sounds from outside the room. The pack was there and waiting for me. I looked at her beautiful face one last time before I walked towards the door. I was about to open the door when I heard something. Something that was actually impossible.