Chapter 3

The next morning, just before he left, Ethan brought out a pink diamond pendant on a fine platinum chain. He reached around my neck and carefully fastened the clasp.

“Happy anniversary,” he murmured in that warm voice that used to undo me.

I looked down at it. I recognized the pendant: it was the complimentary piece that came with the bracelet he'd given Paige.

My fingers shook when I touched it. Knowing what he'd chosen to give me hurt more than I wanted to admit.

I held on to my smile. “Happy anniversary. It's beautiful.”

He kissed my forehead, still playing the devoted mate. “You make everything so easy, Claire. I never have to worry about you.”

Before I went to the private clinic, I made a short detour to my parents' house.

I had just reached the doorway when I heard them inside.

Paige sounded wounded and petulant. “Who does Claire think she is? She knocked my hand away yesterday! Some sister she is.”

My mother, Helen Brooks, immediately soothed her. “She won't be feeling so pleased with herself much longer. Your father and I are on your side. When you wanted her mate, didn't we make sure you got him? Ethan is yours, too.”

My father, Martin Frost, sighed heavily. “You need to be more careful. You're married to Ryan. If his parents find out about this pup, we'll have a disaster on our hands. If he rejects you, even Alpha Ethan won't be able to shield you.”

Then I heard Ethan himself.

“Don't worry, Paige. I've brought the results from yesterday. Everything is going well with Claire's pregnancy. Now we just wait for the pup.”

He went on, addressing my parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Frost, you have my word. There's nothing I wouldn't do for Paige.”

I went cold. Then the pain hit, so fierce I felt as though I might come apart where I stood.

My wolf gave a broken howl. In the space we shared inside my mind, she crumpled, too devastated to get back up.

All of them. They'd arranged this together.

I was the only one who hadn't known. They'd kept me ignorant because to them, I was useful, not loved. Something to be used until they'd gotten what they wanted.

I tore off the necklace. The fine chain snapped, and I left it at the threshold when I walked away.

Later, I learned what happened after I left. A member of the household staff came to the door with drinks. Ethan opened it to take the tray—and stopped at the glint of platinum on the floor.

It was the broken necklace he'd put around my neck that morning.

He went pale and swallowed hard. Then he rushed outside, searching in every direction. His wolf was alert, and he could no longer hide his panic.

He kept reaching for me through our mind-link.

When the connection finally opened, his voice came through in a frantic rush. “Claire, where are you? Please listen—”

I didn't answer.

“Claire!” The panic grew sharper. “Don't do this. Where the hell are you?”

A clear, composed female voice spoke beside me.

“Luna Claire, we're ready for your procedure. Come with me, please.” It was a trainee healer from the private clinic.

Ethan fell silent.

Then his voice faltered. “Procedure? What procedure? Where are you? What are you doing?”

He was shouting now, his fear unmistakable as he demanded to know what procedure I was about to have.

I sat without moving and listened. Then, without a word to him, I swallowed the potion I'd bought from a witch to cut off the mind-link.

Neither Ethan nor the family who had betrayed me would be able to sense me through it anymore.

They wouldn't be able to use it to find me.