The Alpha’s Last Breath Chapter 07

The Alpha’s Last Breath Chapter 07

Julian’s death didn’t bring me the satisfaction I had once imagined. No rush of triumph. No sense of justice served. 

I heard his funeral was nearly empty, a few distant pack relatives, some nervous business associates, and his father, who looked like a ghost. 

Luna Sterling didn’t show up, they said. She lived in a studio 

apartment in Queens now, working as a cashier, her social 

circle shrunk to people who didn’t know her past. 

I poured myself a glass of wine on my balcony, looking out 

over New York’s glittering skyline. The city lights blurred. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I could finally breathe. 

A month later, a legal notice arrived. Julian’s will. 

I almost threw it away unopened. But curiosity got the better 

of me. I tore open the envelope. 

He left me everything. The Manhattan penthouse. The cabin in 

the Adirondacks. The trust fund. All of it. 

Inside the envelope was a handwritten note, separate from the formal documents. The paper was thick, the handwriting 

shaky. 

[Mia, 

I know you want nothing to do with me. I don’t blame you. But please take these things. Use them to build the life you deserve, far from my shadow. 

I’ve instructed my lawyers to make sure my mother doesn’t 

get a penny. Let this be my last gift to you. 

I’m sorry I realized too late. I’m sorry I let them drive a wedge 

between us and turn me against you. I hope you find a love that never makes you feel small. 

Julian.] 

I read it twice. Then I burned it. 

I accepted the inheritance, but I put every cent into a foundation that helps young women escape abusive wolf 

packs. I named it after my mother. 

The scars on my heart are still there, but now they’re hard as 

gold. Unbreakable. 

I’m no longer the girl who hid in the shadows, waiting for a 

scrap of kindness from an Alpha who saw her as nothing. 

One crisp autumn night, I left a gallery opening alone. A figure 

stepped out of the shadows at the valet stand. 

Ethan. 

He looked older. More tired. The old arrogance was gone, replaced by a quiet dignity. He didn’t come closer. Just stood 

there, waiting. 

I sighed inwardly. 

“Hey,” I said as I walked up to him. 

“Hey,” he said softly. “You look good.” 

“Yes,” I replied, my voice calm. “What do you want, Ethan?” 

He hesitated, looking down at his hands. “I heard about Julian. I… wanted to see you. Apologize again. For everything. For being one of them. For not speaking up sooner.” 

“I accept your apology,” I said honestly. Letting him off that hook cost me nothing. 

He looked up, surprised. “That’s it?” 

“That’s it. I don’t hate you, Ethan. I don’t hate Julian either. Hate takes energy. I need mine for better things.” 

A faint, sad smile touched his lips. “You have a mate now, don’t you? I can feel it. Your bond… it’s different. Clean.” 

I neither confirmed nor denied it. He was right. The witch’s potion had severed the fated mate bond between me and Julian, leaving a hollow ache that took years to heal. 

But recently, a new bond had begun to form. 

“Take care of yourself, Ethan,” I said, turning toward my car. 

“You too, Mia,” he called after me. “I’m glad you got out.” 

I drove through the city, windows down, cool air blowing through my hair. 

I parked in front of the brownstone I now owned. The moment I stepped out of the car, a light flicked on in an upstairs window. A figure moved behind the curtain. 

I walked inside and dropped my keys in the bowl. The scent of old books welcomed me. I climbed the stairs and pushed open the bedroom door. 

He sat by the fireplace, reading. He looked up, his eyes warm, his smile genuine. He crossed the room to me, placed a hand lightly on my waist, and brushed his lips across my forehead. 

“How was your night?” he asked. 

“Better now,” I said, leaning into him.