Chapter 31: Death comes knocking.

"She's not breathing," Maya cried, pressing her trembling hands against Lydia’s chest. Her voice cracked as she turned to Jack, panic flooding her eyes.

"What do you mean she’s not breathing" Jack leaned in quickly, placing his fingers under Lydia’s nose. His breath hitched, he felt nothing, no warmth, no air. His eyes widened in horror.

Suddenly, Lyra jerked beside them, a choked gasp leaving her lips as white foam spilled from the corner of her mouth.

Peter’s voice came low and grim. “She’s dead.”

Maya staggered back, a gasp escaping her lips as her hand flew to her mouth. “No… no, this can't be happening…”

"Lydia!" Jack cradled her limp head in his lap, his hands shaking. "Get up!" he shouted, his voice raw. “Come on, Lydia, wake up!” Tears streamed down his face, dripping onto her cheeks as he clutched her closer.

Damien stumbled back, his knees buckling beneath him. He hit the floor hard, chest heaving, eyes wide with disbelief as tears burned down his cheeks.

“This is your fault, Jack!” he roared, pushing himself up, his fists clenched tight beside him. His body trembled with rage. “I warned you not to take her out! I told you!”

Jack didn’t speak, he couldn’t. His lips parted, but no words came. All he could do was stare down at Lydia’s lifeless face.

Damien stormed forward, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “Look at her!” he snapped, grabbing Jack’s shirt and yanking him up. “Look at what you’ve done!”

“I…” Jack’s voice cracked. “I didn’t know… I just…”

“Just what? Taught that you were doing the right thing?” Damien snapped, his voice breaking. “Look at what you've done.” He turned away, burying his face in his hands, shoulders trembling.

Jack clung tightly to Lydia’s cold hand. “What do we do now?” he choked, his voice barely a whisper.

Maya swallowed hard, her eyes flickering between Lydia and Jack. “We… we’ll have to bury her.”

Jack’s breath hitched. “How?” he asked, the question escaping on a sob. “How do I bury her?”

“Calm down, Jack,” Maya said gently, her voice thick with emotion. She knelt beside him, placing her warm palm over his trembling hand. “This isn’t your fault. It could’ve happened to anyone.”

The room was tense, silent except for the soft hum of grief. Peter leaned against the wall, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Damien paced restlessly, dragging a hand through his hair, his jaw clenched.

“You don’t need to comfort me, Maya,” Jack said hoarsely. “Damien’s right… it's my fault.” He wiped at his wet cheeks but more tears kept falling. “I should’ve listened.”

“No matter how hard you try, Jack, you’re human,” Maya whispered. “There’s no way you could’ve known how a hybrid would react.”

She gently patted his shoulder, grounding him.

Jack lowered his head into his hands again. “But I should have listened…”

Maya turned to Damien, silently asking him to step in.

Damien hesitated, then moved forward. “Ja… Jack,” he said, his voice softer now. “It’s okay, don’t blame yourself.”

Jack gave a bitter laugh. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better. But it won’t change anything.” He looked up, eyes red. “It won’t change the fact that I killed someone I loved.”

Maya leaned in closer, her voice shaking. “No, no, no… you didn’t, Jack.”

Before she could say more, Peter cut in sharply. “This isn’t your fault, Jack. It’s the true Alpha’s fault.”

Maya’s eyes narrowed, her lips tightening. “Peter, stop. Just stop talking.”

Peter stepped forward, irritation flashing in his gaze. “What, Maya? You want to shut me up again?” He gestured toward Damien with a sharp flick of his hand. “Just look at him.”

Damien stood stiff, his jaw clenched as Peter’s voice rose.

“He doesn’t know how to protect his pack. If he keeps leading like this,” Peter’s tone dropped to a dangerous whisper, “you’re all going to end up dead.”

Damien’s fists tightened at his sides, knuckles white. “At least I didn’t kill my pack,” he snapped, his voice low and cold.

Peter’s lips curled into a bitter smirk. “ There's no difference with what you did,” he said, stepping in closer. “I ended their pain. You’re just letting yours suffer while you play high school hockey and hope for wins.” His eyes darkened. “It’s your fault she’s dead.”

Jack flinched, tears sliding silently down his cheeks.

Peter didn’t stop. “And I promise you, one day you’ll die by my hands.”

“Peter,” Maya snapped, cutting him off.

“Don’t shout my name,” he barked, spinning to face Damien. “If you’re too weak to handle this, you can give it all up, leave the title and return to your human self.”

Damien’s eyes narrowed. “How?” he demanded, stepping forward. “Tell me how to do that.”

Peter’s lips curled into a dark smirk. He turned without another word and stormed out, his boots slamming against the wooden floor.

As the door slammed shut, Lyra rushed in, her eyes immediately falling on the motionless figure on the couch.

“Lydia!” she gasped, hurrying to her side. “What’s wrong with her?”

She looked around the room, eyes pleading. No one answered.

“Someone tell me what’s wrong with her!” she cried out.

“She’s… dead,” Maya whispered, barely audible.

Lyra froze, her lips parted in disbelief. “W..what?” Her knees buckled as she collapsed beside Lydia, grabbing her cold hand. “No, no, this can’t be real…” Tears streamed freely down her cheeks. “She was just fine. She was just..”

“It was the hybrid,” Maya said quietly. “He watched her… waited for the perfect moment.”

“And it was all my fault, I caused it. I killed her and here I am doing nothing." Jack mumbled over his tears.

Lyra clutched Lydia’s hand tighter, her sobs shaking her shoulders.

Damien turned abruptly, striding toward the door.

“Damien, where are you going?” Lyra called after him.

He paused at the threshold, his shoulders tense. “I need to clear my head,” he murmured, his voice low and strained. “I’m not sure I can do this.”