Chspter1

When the pack doctor handed over the results, Kael snatched the parchment faster than I could. A smile curved his lips, and a deep, pleased purr rumbled in his throat.

A second later, his expression darkened as he stared at a blood-red rune at the bottom of the page.

"Kael?" I asked softly.

He didn't answer. When he finally turned to look at me, the husband I knew was gone. I was staring into the eyes of an Alpha weighing a life.

"This child cannot live."

I thought it was a sick joke.

But he was already giving the order. "Tell the doctor to prep a room for a silver-purge."

A silver-purge. Injecting pure liquid silver straight into the womb. It wouldn't just melt the fetus into blood and water—it would scorch my insides and leave me barren forever.

"Are you insane?!" I lunged at him, pounding against his chest.

His massive hand clamped around my wrist, dragging me toward the exit. In the hallway, pack members flattened themselves against the walls, suffocating under his crushing Alpha aura. Just as I was about to be dragged into the operating room, I threw all my weight back and wrenched my arm free.

My hands shook as I pressed the buttons on my phone. "Kael is trying to kill my baby!" I sent the message to my parents.

Kael whipped around, his amber slit-pupils locking dead onto me.

I turned and ran. A desperate, shrill howl ripped from my throat. Several female wolves broke from the crowd to block his path. An elderly woman bared her teeth and snarled, "You dare touch the pup in her belly, Alpha?"

"Stay out of this," Kael growled in a low voice. "She's carrying a dead fetus."

He was lying.

Seconds later, my parents burst in. Morwen rushed forward, shoving me behind her back. Alaric didn't ask a single question; he drove his right fist straight into Kael's jaw.

But Kael merely wiped the blood from his lip and handed over the crumpled parchment.

Alaric snatched the paper, a flash of stark terror crossing his eyes. Then, he slowly raised a shaking fist—and swung at me.

Morwen shrieked, absorbing the blow on her shoulder. "Have you lost your mind?!" she screamed. "Liora's carrying our bloodline..."

Alaric shoved the paper against her chest. He couldn't even speak.

Morwen looked down. After three seconds, she took a slow step back, pushing me out of her embrace. Her lips trembled, her eyes darted around in panic, and a pathetic whimper scraped up her throat.

"No," she gasped. She grabbed Alaric by the collar and whispered into his ear, "Find three rogues. Lock her in with them."

In that moment, the three people I trusted most closed in on me. They dragged me outside and shoved me into a car.

I clawed at the tinted glass, sobbing and begging them to tell me why. No one spoke. Morwen simply clamped a cloth soaked in liquid silver over my mouth.

A dim room. Iron doors. Chains bound me over moldy pelts.

Then, they were shoved inside. Three rogues. They were naked, drooling, and panting heavily.

I fought. Moon Goddess, save me. But facing three mad dogs, my clothes were ripped to shreds. Blood pooled between my thighs, alongside a tiny, gray mass lying on the floor.

My pup.

A week later, the iron door creaked open. Morwen stood in the doorway, wearing a pristine white coat, smiling down at my battered body. "Liora, it's time to go home."

I screamed and lunged forward, trying to snap her neck. Alaric stepped out of the shadows and backhanded me to the ground.

"Ungrateful bitch," Morwen muttered. "Liora has gone mad from the miscarriage. Send her to the dungeon until she wakes up."

The Dark Dungeon. The guards entertained themselves by driving silver needles into my spine and whipping my bare back, just so I would "remember my mistakes."

Kael came every few days. He would stand outside the cell, looking at me with sorrowful eyes. "Don't blame this on me. It's for the pack..."

Three months later, my heart finally stopped beating.

As the darkness swallowed me, the last thought in my mind was: If there really is a next life, I will make them tell me the truth.

Then, I opened my eyes.

A familiar voice drifted back, laced with an easy laugh.

"Honey, this is our first pup. I really can't wait for the day he's born."

I looked up at the man. Golden eyes, a gentle and charming smile. Kael.

"Let's go," he said, taking my hand. "The pack doctor is waiting for us."

I was back. It was the exact morning we went to get the doctor's results.

I fought to compose my expression. This time, I had to see exactly what was written on that parchment before anyone else did.

"Let's go."

Kael nodded in satisfaction.