Shattered Bonds: A Second Chance Mate - Chapter 67: Chapter 67

The scent of warm bread and spices hung in the dining room as I walked in, hoping the day would feel a little more normal—less like the shadow of war loomed over us all.
But the moment I saw him, I knew.
Francesco stood near the head of the long table, phone still gripped in his hand, though the call had clearly ended. His broad shoulders were stiff, tension rising like a second skin over him. But it was his expression that stole the air from my lungs.
His golden eyes—usually calm, firm, and full of power—were drowning in sadness.
My feet froze in place.
“What is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he slowly walked to me, as if carrying a weight too heavy to speak. Each step was a silent warning that something was terribly, irreversibly wrong.
When he finally stood in front of me, his hand reached for mine.
“He went to Ruben’s pack,” Francesco began.
And just like that, my heart sank. My eyes widened in horror, my voice catching in my throat.
“No...” I breathed, dread pooling in my stomach like lead.
Francesco's arms wrapped around me the next second, shielding me from the storm his words were about to bring.
“I’m so sorry, Ellaine... Their entire pack has been slaughtered. No survivors.”
A scream tore from my chest, uncontained and raw. My knees gave out, but he held me.
Tears flooded my eyes before I even understood what I was crying for.
Not for Ruben. No. He had rejected me, made it clear I wasn’t worthy to stand beside him. I had long since grieved that bond and accepted his absence from my life. I had moved forward.
But the people…
The families.
The children.
I had grown up with them. I had known their smiles, their voices. I had danced at their festivals and shared meals during celebrations. No matter the rejection, they had been my people once.
They didn’t deserve to die.
“Luca?” I choked out, the name like poison on my tongue.
Francesco nodded, his jaw tightening. “Yes. I’ve already sent warriors and trackers to confirm the scene and collect the bodies for burial. We owe them at least that much.”
“And you?” I asked, my voice trembling.
“I’m going there myself in an hour,” he said.
I lifted my tear-streaked face to look at him. “I’m coming with you.”
His reaction was instant.
“No!”
The harshness of his voice startled me. I took a step back, confusion and hurt flickering in my chest.
Francesco closed his eyes and let out a breath. Then, gently, he cupped my face in both hands, resting his forehead against mine.
“Mi amore,” he whispered in Italian. “I can’t take that risk. There’s a chance Luca or his men are still nearby. I need to know you’re safe here.”
“But I can fight—”
“I know you can,” he interrupted gently. “But right now, I need to be Alpha. I need to end this. And I can’t do that if I’m constantly worried about losing you.”
His words wrapped around me like chains and warmth all at once.
He was right.
But it didn’t make it easier.
I nodded softly, tears dripping down my cheeks as he leaned forward to press a kiss to my forehead.
He pulled me close into his embrace, and I held him tightly, breathing in his scent, grounding myself in the one thing that still felt safe.
But as he pulled away, the questions began to return, faster than I could suppress them.
Why Ruben’s pack?
Why now?
Was it random?
Or… was it personal?
Did Luca know that Ruben was once my fated mate? That his rejection had left a mark on my soul?
Was this a message?
I didn’t have answers.
But the fear curled around me like smoke.
From the balcony of the manor, I watched Francesco depart. Six sleek black vehicles were parked in front, warriors gathering supplies and weapons with grim efficiency. I saw Beta Alfonso standing near me, giving orders. He would remain here to protect the territory while the Alpha was gone.
Francesco approached me one last time before leaving.
He kissed me, longer this time. As if saying all the words he didn’t have time to speak.
“I’ll come back,” he said. “I swear it.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. “Just come back safe.”
He turned and walked away, flanked by his elite guards. Some wolves in shifted form would follow through the forest trails, hidden from the roads, swift and invisible.
The moment he disappeared beyond the gates, I felt a cold emptiness take his place.
Beta Alfonso approached quietly. “Luna, let’s head inside.”
I didn’t argue.
But I didn’t return to my room either.
Instead, I made my way to Francesco’s office and slipped into the adjoining library. The scent of old books welcomed me—a strange, comforting presence. I ran my fingers along the spines until I found the one I needed.
A thick leather-bound journal.
My Diary - Anastasia
I opened the book, setting it on my lap as I sat in the velvet chair near the window.
“I can’t sit here doing nothing,” I whispered to myself.
Then quietly, I called to the voice within me.
‘Help me, Mika.’
My wolf stirred, her presence a soft warmth in my chest.
“I’m here whenever you need me, Ellaine.”
And for a moment, I didn’t feel alone.
I turned the pages of the book, immersing myself in the story of Anastasia—Francesco’s late mate. She had once stood where I was now. Alone. In danger. Waiting.
I could learn from her. From her strength. From her losses.
But as I read, an image surfaced in my mind.
Ruben.
His face as I once knew it—young, proud, handsome. His smile. His cold rejection.
And then… his son.
I had never met the child in person. But I knew he existed.
My chest tightened, and tears silently streamed down my cheeks again.
The boy hadn’t done anything wrong.
He had just been born to a man who had made the wrong choices.
And now… he was likely gone too.
A whole pack reduced to ash.
I mourned. Quietly. Deeply. Alone.
Not for my lost mate.
But for the souls who would never see another moonrise.
Third-Party Perspective:
In the dense woods that circled the Italian territory, hidden beneath layers of enchanted camouflage and scent barriers, a man crouched beside a moss-covered boulder. His cloak, woven from shadow and wolf pelt, shifted with every breath of wind.
He was not alone.
All around the forest, cloaked figures lingered—spies, trained to move as shadows. Silent. Deadly.
They had been placed here for one purpose.
To confirm that the Lycan Alpha had truly left his territory… without his mate.
Their orders were clear.
“The moment he is gone, we take her. Alive.”
“She’s his weakness,” one of them whispered through the mind-link. “Luca said it himself. She’s the reason Francesco Totti has grown softer.”
The leader of the spies narrowed his eyes in the direction of the manor.
“She’s more than a weakness,” he replied. “She’s a symbol. The perfect tool to bring down the Alpha Lycan from the inside.”
They had been watching her for weeks. Her routines. Her emotions. Her connection to their greatest enemy.
And now… she was alone.
Protected, yes—but not invincible.
They only needed one chance.
And they would strike before Francesco returned.
Because war wasn’t just about strength.
It was about timing.
And Ellaine Rollin had just become the center of it all.