I Fell in Love with My Dead Fiancé's Face

Olympic Peninsula, Washington State, Blackwood Corporation Headquarters.

Inside the conference room, over twenty executives in tailored suits surrounded the black marble conference table, discussing a ceremony that would reshape the destiny of two major werewolf families.

I sat at the head of the table, flipping through thick preparation files, feeling the weight of twenty-plus pairs of eyes on me.

As the sole heir of the Ashford family, being the center of attention was nothing new, but today was different—these gazes held anticipation, even something approaching religious devotion.

"The floral arrangements for the ceremony have been confirmed—Olympic Peninsula's finest white roses and silver lotus flowers." My assistant's voice was carefully measured. "Media control is also in place. Publicly, we're calling it a business alliance celebration."

I nodded, continuing to review the documents in my hands. Every detail had to be perfect—this wasn't just a mate ceremony, it was a complete reshuffling of power between two werewolf dynasties.

"What about security?" I looked up, scanning everyone present. "This ceremony will have representatives from seven Alpha families in attendance. There can be no mistakes."

"Three security teams have been deployed," Kieran's gentle voice came from my right. "Including elite members from the border patrol units."

I turned to look at him. Sunlight danced in his amber eyes, his handsome features wearing that warm smile that never failed to make my heart skip. He reached out to caress the back of my hand, the familiar warmth instantly relaxing my tense nerves.

Through our mate bond, I could feel his inner calm and confidence. That supernatural connection was more real than any words—his heartbeat, his breathing, even his deep affection for me in this moment, all transmitted through that invisible thread straight to my soul.

"This mate ceremony will be the most important alliance in both families' history." Kieran's voice was deep and magnetic, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. "Blackwood's forest resources combined with Ashford's technological innovation—we'll dominate the entire Pacific Northwest werewolf territory."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the conference room. I felt the determined intention flowing through our mate bond—this was our shared dream, our families' future.

But just then, the conference room door burst open.

"Emergency situation!" Marcus rushed in, his face ashen as death. "Hostile wolf packs have appeared at the Canadian border—they've crossed our territorial markers!"

The conference room fell instantly silent, so quiet I could hear my own heartbeat.

Then my lunar sensing ability suddenly flared—that intuition from deep in my bloodline shot through my spine like an electric current. Danger. Massive danger was approaching.

"What's the specific situation?" Kieran immediately stood, his Alpha dominance instantly released. I felt the air itself grow heavy.

"Moonridge Forest area, at least twenty adult wolves. They've destroyed our territorial marker stones and attacked two patrol members." Marcus's voice was rapid-fire. "This is blatant provocation that must be dealt with immediately."

My lunar sensing warned me again, stronger than before. That danger-predicting ability burned through my veins, telling me something terrible was about to happen.

"Something's wrong." I stood and walked to Kieran's side. My hands trembled slightly, but I fought to keep my voice steady. "My lunar sensing is telling me there's danger. Don't go this time."

Kieran turned, gently grasping my hands. His amber eyes grew deep, showing a determination I'd never seen before.

"Selena, I have to go. As the future Alpha, I can't let hostile packs think the Blackwood family is weak."

"But the timing is too coincidental." My voice began to shake, the lunar sensing warnings growing stronger. "Three days before our mate ceremony, they suddenly appear? This isn't chance."

Kieran pulled me into his embrace. I could feel the warmth of his chest and his strong heartbeat. Through our mate bond, his resolute intention flowed to me, trying to soothe my inner turmoil.

"Trust me, nothing can stop me from returning to your side. We have our mate bond connection—you can feel my every heartbeat, every breath."

He was right. I could indeed feel everything—his courage, his love, and his confidence in our future.

"I'll return to you whole in three days," he whispered in my ear, his voice carrying an irresistible tenderness. "Then we'll have a perfect mate ceremony. After this ritual, our bond will be unbreakable."

I closed my eyes, feeling the warm waves flowing through our mate bond. Maybe I was overthinking. Maybe the lunar sensing was just anxiety-induced.

"Alright," I conceded. "But take enough people, and contact me through our mate bond every hour."

"Deal." He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, then turned to Marcus. "Prepare the elite squad. We leave in one hour."

2:47 PM.

I sat in my environmental tech company office, fingers unconsciously tapping the desk. Through the massive glass windows, Seattle's bustling cityscape spread before me, but my mind was completely elsewhere.

Our mate bond still steadily transmitted Kieran's life signals. Though the distance was vast, I could feel him running through the forest, his Alpha form's powerful strength offering some comfort.

'He's right, we have our mate bond connection,' I tried to convince myself. 'As long as he's alive, I can feel him.'

"Selena, the EPA report needs your signature." My assistant entered, carefully placing the documents down.

"Mm." I absent-mindedly opened the file, picking up my pen to sign. Just as I was about to put pen to paper—

Tearing, agonizing pain!

Not physical pain, but a ripping sensation from the depths of my soul! The mate bond no longer carried warm life signals, but sudden terror and agony!

Kieran's panic flooded my consciousness like a tsunami—the sound of metal impact, shattering glass, something sharp piercing flesh—

"No!" I leaped from my chair, my pen clattering to the floor. "Kieran!"

I desperately tried to find his consciousness through our mate bond, but only increasingly weak life signals responded. I could feel his pain, feel warm liquid flowing from his body, feel him struggling to breathe—

Then, everything fell silent.

The mate bond snapped.

Completely severed.

The sensation was like someone taking a knife to my chest, carving out a hole and ripping my heart out alive. When a werewolf's mate bond breaks, the pain surpasses death—it's having part of your soul torn away forever.

I collapsed to the floor, chest pain making it impossible to breathe.

"Contact all search and rescue teams immediately!" I roared into my phone, my voice hoarse and unrecognizable from pain. "Deploy everyone, find him! Do it now!"

"Ms. Selena, what's happening—"

"I don't care what methods you use, mobilize all Ashford family resources—ground search, aerial reconnaissance, thermal imaging—turn the entire Olympic Peninsula upside down if you have to!"

My Alpha bloodline fully erupted in that moment, the dominance making every window in the office tremble. But I didn't care. I just wanted to find him.

Three hours later, I knelt before the bloodstains at the bottom of Moonridge Forest's cliff.

The search team had found the overturned SUV here. The vehicle was twisted beyond recognition, windshield shattered into countless pieces, dark red bloodstains dried on the seats.

But there was no body.

Even stranger, the scene reeked of hostile wolf pack scents, yet no trace of Kieran could be found.

My lunar sensing ability frantically searched every inch of surrounding land, but only death-like emptiness responded.

"We'll continue searching," the search team leader said carefully. "Maybe he was swept into the river—"

"No, I don't believe it..." My voice cracked, barely above a whisper. "He can't be dead! The bond wouldn't just... it can't just break like this!"

In three days, I should have been wearing a white ceremony gown, completing our sacred union under moonlight.

Now, I had only endless darkness and shattered vows.

I closed my eyes, trying one last time to feel his presence through our mate bond.

But only complete nothingness answered me.