Everyone in the social circle of Kingsford said I was nothing more than a lapdog raised by Charles Mankin. I was always at his beck and call. I did every filthy, ludicrous thing for him under the sun. When he street raced, I rode shotgun. When he drank himself senseless, I made him hangover soup. When he chased girls, I prepared protection for them. Over time, everyone knew: Charles had a dog who never ran, never bit back, no matter how hard he kicked. They all said I must be madly in love with him. Even Charles started to believe it. So he pushed further, more freely, more cruelly, crossing lines as if they never existed. Then came my twenty-fifth birthday. He, in a rare stroke of mercy, said he'd celebrate it with me. But instead, what he got was the news that I was leaving the country. He went berserk, charging through the airport like a man possessed. I peeled his fingers off my wrist one by one, smiling like I'd never been happier. "Don't be stupid," I told him, still smiling. "That was never love." That night, Charles smashed apart his family home like a rabid dog.
더 보기“Please don’t do this.” I begged over and over, but no one was listening. I thrashed against their hold, but nothing. “I am your luna.” I screamed at the top of my lungs, but then his laugh from the other room broke all the fight in me. “Luke please.” I begged once more time, my voice horse.
“Kill it once it’s done. Toss her out. She will have to survive on her own from here on out.”
He can’t mean that. This was our baby. “Our baby.”
“Is a mistake from the Moon Goddess. One I will rectify.” His voice called again from the other room. He wouldn’t even face me. “Now do it. That’s an order.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
It was a mistake to come here.
It was a mistake to give him everything.
“Oh, and doctor?” Her sweet voice called from the other room. My stepsister, Shannon. I gritted my teeth. “Don’t use any anesthetic. She should feel everything.”
“Yes, Luna.” The doctor turned back to me with sad eyes, but when he picked up the scalpel, I knew I was screwed.
I’m sorry, baby. Momma couldn’t save you. She wanted you so, so much. I tried to rub my stomach, but the nurses had strapped me down. When the doctor approached, I realized he was using a silver blade.
“Silver?” My whisper was almost silent, but he nodded. I knew then that Shannon didn’t want me to survive. She wanted my life so badly that she lied about me cheating on my mate, showing photos as proof. But I never touched another wolf, nor would I again, not after this betrayal.
Why, Moon Goddess, why would you give him to me just to take him away? My pup.
I cried silently as the doctor cut into my abdomen, and I felt my baby thrash inside. He knew it was too early to be born. This was a death sentence for both of us.
“Bring me the body of the pup.”
“Yes Alpha.” I felt every slice as he cut into me, and finally I could take it no longer. I started to scream, soon I felt the blood trickling down my side, every drip off of me hitting the floor. I thrashed against the restraints. But the silver had made me weak.
I’m sorry, baby.
They weren’t trying to keep me alive, which I expected, but I wished wasn’t true. I used to love my mate, but I felt the love die in me when I saw my pup being ripped from my belly.
“Please, let me hold him once.” I tried to move my arms to reach for him, but I was still tied down. The doctor, who was shedding tears, brought my pup and laid him on my chest.
He was perfect. I rubbed his scent on my face and mine on his. He would forever be a part of my soul.
My missing piece.
“Doctor, now.”
“Yes Alpha.” The doctor picked the baby up and rushed out, leaving me spread open to the elements.
I felt my life slipping away as the door opened and Shannon came in. Her smug smile was firmly in place.
“I told you I would take your life, Amy. I would have your mate. And I have, over and over, since he found out of your betrayal.” Shannon walked over and laid a kiss on my face as I snarled. “He is perfection. And don’t worry. I will give him another son.” She laid her hand on her stomach and I started to laugh. “What’s so funny?”
“I can smell the beta on you. That’s Derek's child, and it’s a girl. Nice try though.”
She snarled and raised her hand, growing her claws to deliver the final blow, but the door was ripped open and my mate, the man I now hated most in the world, stepped inside. His eyes were red, and I started to laugh again.
“You bitch!” He snarled and struck out, whipping Shannon to the other side of the room.
“Brandon!” Shannon shrieked as she hit the wall. “What’s wrong?” She staggered to her feet, but more blood dripped out of me and I closed my eyes.
“You lied!” He screamed, shaking the walls as his aura struck out, but I could barely feel it. I felt the silver travelling in my veins getting closer to my sluggish heart. “This was my pup. I can smell me on him. He was mine.” Brandon's eyes grew redder as the tears gathered. “You said she cheated on me and that it wasn’t my pup.”
“She did cheat on you. I guess I was wrong about the pup.”
“You said you smelt it.” From the sound of it, he lunged for her again, but him clutching our baby in his arm was the last thing I saw. And I wanted to never see it again. He did this to us. Not Shannon.
She played her part well, sure, but him not believing me, not waiting for a few more days to smell the pup, that was his fault. And all of our downfalls.
I prayed for the moon goddess to take me. I no longer wanted to be here. I wanted to be with my pup.
“Save her.”
“No!” Shannon screamed. “I am the Luna now, you marked me last night.” Ah, so that was the pain I felt last night. His betrayal had bile shoot into my mouth. “I am bearing your pup.”
I started to laugh again. I cracked my eyes to see my mate, Brandon, hovering next to me. “Stay with me Amy.”
“Beta’s baby. She is fucking…the beta.” I choked out the words and laughed as horror bloomed in his eyes. Blood flew from my mouth as I smiled again.
“Save her.”
“No!” I slammed out, putting all of my power in it. “Don’t move.” I used my Alpha strength to freeze everyone, including my mate.
“How?” Brandon looked down at me, pleading. “Let me save you.”
“I am descended from the Moon Goddess, and you don’t deserve to save me. You don’t deserve our pup. You were weak. And now you lost everything.” I smiled up at him as I felt my life from my body.
And then I was free.
Inside the box, a familiar blue crystal pendant lay quietly.And with it, memories I thought long buried were suddenly set alight.After the accident, I had wandered to the rooftop of a tall building just off the street. Not because I had any particular thought in mind, only because I wanted a place with a view, somewhere silent, somewhere to be alone for a while."You were the guy on the rooftop that day?"It hit me all at once.I stared at Tyler, my mouth hanging open in disbelief.But he looked nothing like the boy I remembered.Back then, he was all angles and shadows—gaunt, hollow-eyed, worn out in a way that made him seem already halfway gone. Lifeless, almost.Tyler smiled softly and gave a small nod. "Yeah, that was me.""That year I was applying to college," he said. "My parents pushed me into business. I didn't want it. I never wanted it. My life felt like a marionette's—someone else always pulling the strings. I couldn't sleep for months. My mind started slipping in
There's something different about the streets of France in early winter.I was walking back to my apartment alone after class. The sound of hurried footsteps behind me made me tense. Instinctively, I quickened my pace.But whoever was behind me only closed the distance faster.Panic swelled in my chest. I broke into a run, turning corners without thinking, until I crashed into something—someone—solid and cool."I've been waiting forever," a man's voice murmured above my head, calm and low. "Took you long enough."He spoke in fluent, effortless French—clearly for the benefit of the people behind me.From behind, someone cursed under their breath and turned away, footsteps fading into the distance.Only then did I lift my head.The first thing I saw was Tyler's face. As cold and striking as I remembered, but thinner now, more worn. The disheveled stubble, the slight slump in his shoulders—he looked like a man who had lost things along the way."What are you doing here?" I asked,
"You're clever," Madam Mankin said, her voice low and tight, "but you should also know—only certain kinds of people are truly capable of keeping secrets."I raised an eyebrow, calm and unshaken."I wouldn't have come here alone unless I was ready," I said. "All the evidence is scheduled to be sent from a secure email. If I don't make it to my flight, it'll go straight to George. But if I get on that plane, it vanishes. For good.""And why should I believe you?" Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her emotions clearly pushing against the seams."Because you don't have a choice. You have to."I knew her weakness better than anyone. After a lifetime of manipulation, I understood what she valued most. It wasn't the police she feared. It was her husband, George Mankin.The moment he discovered who was truly behind the death of his beloved son, everything she built would crumble.This was a game neither of us could afford to lose."Who are you?" she asked, her voice low, eyes narrowing.
It was as if Charles were caught in the grip of some unfathomable, fatal dilemma.His expression faltered—confused, adrift."Mindy," his voice came from behind me, low and hoarse, "it shouldn't be like this. Even if you're in love with my brother... we look so alike. Why don't you feel anything for me at all?"I didn't stop walking. Didn't even glance back.A man like him—perhaps someone like him could live his whole life without ever truly understanding what love is.He had imprisoned himself in the past, wrapping it around him like a safety blanket, too afraid to see that it was already threadbare. But me—I wanted to move forward.Inside the inner hall, Madam Mankin was already waiting for me.She lifted her face slightly, then stroked the cross in her hand.When she heard my footsteps, her fingers paused."Mindy," she said gently, "I've always known... you were just a child back then. What happened—it wasn't your fault."I stared at her, expressionless. Not a flicker of em
Madam Mankin stepped out from the inner room.She glanced at Charles before turning to me."He called earlier to check in," she said. "I mentioned you'd be dropping by. So he came."I forced a dry and awkward smile but didn't respond.Madam Mankin, clearly sensing my reluctance, let the subject drop. Instead, she turned to Charles again. "I need to speak with Mindy about something. Go clean yourself up. Just look at you."I didn't spare him a glance. Without a word, I followed Madam Mankin toward the inner hall.We were just passing the couch when, for reasons I couldn't begin to understand, Charles suddenly lost it.He shot up from the sofa like something inside him had snapped. In a few long strides, he was beside me, eyes bloodshot and feral, like something wild and cornered.Before Madam Mankin could say anything, he grabbed my wrist and started dragging me toward the door."I need to talk to her," he said. "Just the two of us. Something private."The agreement had long s
I hadn't expected it to be Tyler who called me."You ran off again?" His voice crackled through the receiver, edged with accusation."Sorry, Dr. Ford," I said. "I'm just not the kind of patient who follows orders."The wind was howling around me, and the roar of waves crashing onto the shore must've reached him too, because he paused. I could almost hear him stiffen."Where are you? Are you at the beach? Mindy, don't do anything stupid. That bastard Charles isn't worth it. Listen to me—if you're even thinking about ending it all, I swear I'll destroy him. I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life, I—"He'd clearly misunderstood.There was a new panic in his voice now—hurried footsteps, the clatter of things knocked over, some object shattering somewhere near him.I quickly spoke up to calm him down. "Relax. I'm not going to do anything reckless. Dr. Ford, I think I may have given you the wrong impression last time. Maybe I wasn't clear. Whatever I'm going through, it's n
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