Chapter 1 : Goodbye
Arthur Steelheart was a broken man, betrayed by his own. Alpha Grey Steelheart, his fiancé, was now moon-bound to an Omega—and not just any Omega, but Elias Steelheart, Arthur's younger brother.
Arthur had always been a target of gossip within the Steelheart pack. He was a dominant Alpha, not an Omega, yet he'd been tossed aside. Everyone had seen Grey and Elias's bond strengthening, but no one had ever suspected Grey's Omega would be his own brother. The betrayal left Arthur hollowed out.
Grey and Elias's wedding had broken him even more. He'd thought he could endure, that he could let go, but seeing them together, exchanging vows, was a torment. He was standing near the edge of the crowd when the pain became unbearable. With a ragged gasp, Arthur startled shifted. His human clothes shredded as his wolf, the crimson-eyed beast of the Steelheart line, emerged and bolted from the ceremony.
He ran. He didn't look back, just put distance between himself and the pack, running until the sounds of their disappointment and his brother’s cries, muffled as Elias was comforted by Grey, were completely lost.
Finally, miles away in a desolate clearing, Arthur stopped. He threw his head back and howled—a primal, mournful cry directed at the indifferent moon. His knees gave out, and he collapsed, the effort of the run and the sheer despair forcing him to unshift. He lay there, naked and sobbing, until his tears finally ran dry.
His red eyes went hollow as he slowly rose, unsteady on his feet. He walked to the edge of a jagged cliff, looking down at the stretched river, the bay, and the trees far below. The height was dizzying, but he felt nothing.
He inhaled the crisp night air one last time and whispered the word that sealed his fate:
“Goodbye.”
Then, he leaned forward and let himself fall to his death.
Meanwhile, at the wedding dinner party, the celebration was in full swing. Grey and Elias were being toasted by the pack when Grey suddenly felt a sharp, inexplicable pain. His hand flew to his chest as his wolf whimpered deep inside him.
Elias immediately turned, his innocent eyes filled with worried concern. "Grey? Are you okay? You look pale. Do you want to rest early?"
Grey quickly shook his head, forcing a reassuring smile. "No, no. I'm fine, Eli. Just a sharp stitch, I think. This is our wedding. I wouldn't miss a minute of it." but he was still feeling unease at his chest.
The celebration continued. Everyone in the Steelheart pack had already forgotten about Arthur running out of the wedding in his wolf form, dismissing it as a childish tantrum.
But Arthur's father, Throne Steelheart, hadn't forgotten. He was furious and wasn't pleased to deal with him later. Yet, Throne Steelheart wouldn't know this would be the last time he ever saw his son.
