What If Kaine Won?
WARNING: Character Death, Extreme Violence
Kaine's claws tear through my throat.
I'm dying. Know I'm dying.
Through the bond, I feel Luca's terror. He's watching. Kaine made sure of it—forced him to watch his mate die.
Just like Marcus.
"Say goodbye," Kaine taunts.
I'm sorry, I send through the bond. I tried. I love you.
No! Rian, no! Luca's screaming. Fighting his restraints.
My vision fades. The bond starts breaking—
Then silver light explodes.
Luca's magic—raw, untrained, desperate—blasts Kaine backward.
But it's too late. I'm gone.
Luca's POV
"NO!" I break free, crawling to Rian's body. "No, no, no. Stay with me!"
But he's gone. The bond shattered. Empty.
Kaine laughs. "Two mates. Both dead. The Blackwood curse continues—"
My magic explodes again. Not controlled. Pure rage.
Silver light wraps around Kaine, squeezing. I don't know what I'm doing. Don't care.
"You took him from me!" I scream.
"He took you first," Kaine gasps. "Forced you—"
"HE WAS MINE!" The magic intensifies. "And you killed him!"
Kaine's neck snaps. He falls, dead.
I don't feel satisfaction. Only emptiness.
Rian is gone. My mate. My love. My everything.
I tried to hate him. For months, I tried.
But I loved him. Completely. And now he's gone.
Six Months Later
I rule the Northern Pack now. Temporary Luna turned permanent Alpha through right of vengeance.
But I'm hollow. Empty. Dead inside.
The pack tries to help. Damon especially.
"You need to eat," he pleads.
"Why? So I can live without him longer?" I stare at Rian's grave. "I don't want to live without him."
"He'd want you to—"
"He'd want to be here!" I break down. "We were just starting. Just finding real love. And Kaine took it."
"Kaine's dead. You avenged Rian—"
"Vengeance doesn't fill the void." I touch Rian's headstone. "Nothing fills it."
One Year Later - My Death
I join Rian in death. Not dramatically. Just... stopped trying to live.
The bond's absence killed me slowly.
They bury me beside him. Kai—orphaned at two—will be raised by the pack.
"I'm sorry, baby," I whisper before closing my eyes for the last time. "Mama and Daddy will watch over you. From wherever we go."
I die with Rian's name on my lips.
They find us in the afterlife—two souls, finally reunited.
"Took you long enough," Rian teases, pulling me close.
"Had to make sure Kai would be okay." I kiss him desperately. "Missed you."
"Missed you more." He holds me tight. "Never leaving each other again."
"Never," I agree.
In this world, Kaine won the battle. But lost the war.
Luca's vengeance was brutal.
But their love? That transcended even death.