Forbidden Love

Epilogue

Ryder

Two days since her death, and I still feel just as empty. It was different from when she was kidnapped. She was still alive and I could still feel her. Now, it was just empty. As if someone took a memory from me and I knew it.

Her funeral passed hours ago. Sometime during the day, different people stood up at the front and talked about how good she was. How she was such a charming person and didn't deseve to die the way she did.

Just thinking the word die had my throat constricting. I don't think my mind fully wrapped around the fact that tomorrow, I wouldn't wake up and see her. I would never be able to smell her sweet scent again.

Now it was night time, the moon shining brightly. It cast a forlorn look on Skylar's purple casket. It took a lot of money paying for the casket, since I had it custom made. The edges were lined with real gold, making the purple stand out. I knew it was her favorite color, which is why I picked it out.

Her body was still above ground. I told the people to put her body underground tomorrow. Somehow, that made it final. She was gone. Skylar Ramirez, my beautiful mate, was now dead.

I lift the casket lid, trying to ignore the pungent scent. I didn't focus on how slacky her skin looked, how pale. She still looked beautiful. Her perfect hair was curled and trimmed. Her make-up done to match her blue dress. It was long, and cost $12,056, but I didn't care. Everything about this service screamed money. I wanted her to know that there was no amount of money I wouldn't spend on her.

I wasn't supposed to open the casket. Since she died of stab wounds, it was a closed-casket funeral. But I couldn't let them put her underground without looking at her first.

With one last sorrowful stare, I close the casket. She looked so peaceful. But I saw her die, and it was anything but peaceful. I could see the raw pain in her eyes. The pain. She wasn't ready to die.

And this is all because of Nate. I tore him to pieces. His hands were no longer connected to his arm, his head seperated from his neck. His death didn't make me feel any better. Skylar was still dead. His death wouldn't bring her back. Nothing could bring my beloved back.

The night was silent. There was no chirp, no scurry, no hoot from an owl. It was as if the animals were mourning with me.

Their silence was anything from comforting. I needed something else to concentrate on, anything but her death. Thinking about it made me want to claw my heart out and howl at the same time.

The wind blows against my skin. It was soft, like a caress.

Like a caress. I sounded like a weak human. But I couldn't help it, I was weak without Skylar. She was my strength and my life. I feel like nothing without her. Even with moments when I was so angry at her that was all I could focus on, I felt alive. I still felt connected to her, and I still loved her.

Nothing in this world could ever make me stop loving her. I've loved her since the first time I've seen her. And I wish I had told her then. Maybe I would've scared her, but she would've known.

I don't know if she belived me when I told her I loved her. She looked astonished and astounded. So surprised, as if I didn't love her.

If I'd told her from the beginning, she would know. She would at least die knowing that her King mate wasn't just controlling, but that he loved her.
I look down, and am surprised to see that the casket is wet. With my tears. I've only cried three times in my life: when I was born, when my parents died, and now. I was always a strong person, even as a child. I never liked crying in front of people, or crying at all. My Father  always taught me that real men don't cry. I don't know if it's true or not. Right now, there was nothing holding in my tears. I was too overcome with grief and loss to even try. She was only seventeen, and we'd only known each other a short four months, most of which we spent arguing.