Ch. 2

Olivia’s PoV.

I walked through the darkness for what felt like an eternity, searching for my wolf.

“Vanilla, come back.’ I sobbed.

Please answer me, I can't lose you. The pain in my body was excruciating, but the pain in my heart was unbearable. My other half was gone. Torn from me in the cruelest of ways.

I kept calling her, but no answer ever came. The flames that had consumed me had taken her.

My dear Vanilla was gone.

My mate killed my wolf with his own hands to use my life as a life bank for another woman.

I opened my eyes and found Damian holding my hand, next to my bed. “Olivia you’re awake! Thank the Moon Goddess!” His eyes widened with fake relief and concern.

I immediately tried to pull my hand, but I was so weak I couldn’t even move it.

Was I paralyzed? My chest rose and fell rapidly, the look of horror on my face must have alerted Damian.

“Shh, calm down, Olivia.” He squeezed my hand and kept stroking my shoulders, trying to sooth me.

It didn't work for me. I frowned in pain. I just wanted to know what was wrong with my body. I felt strange.

“You’ll be weak for a while,” he said softly, “but soon you’ll be back to normal.”

I could sense that he was lying.

“I can’t feel vanilla anymore.” I said weakly. “My wolf is gone.” I said with a pained whisper.

“Don’t worry, Olivia. I will always protect you. Nobody will harm you with me by your side.”

He spoke as if losing my wolf was something trivial. For werewolves, losing our wolves was like losing our souls, our spiritual pillars. Even the strongest of werewolves would crumble at the loss of their wolf.

I was already feeling it. I felt weak, old, as if I had aged a hundred years. Something terrible was happening to me. If only Vanilla was still with me, my bottom lip trembled, thinking of her. Damian stroked my hair softly, but I sensed no guilt in him. He felt righteous, justified.

“Alpha, Vivian is awake!” Katherine, Damian’s Beta, appeared at the door.

Damian’s semblance changed. A sheet of happiness washed over his face. Relief shining in his smile, a smile I hadn’t seen in weeks.

“Olivia, your sacrifice was worth it,” he said, already moving toward Vivian’s room. “Both mother and child live.

We will forever be grateful to you! I need to check on Vivian first, be good.”

His steps quickened as he exited the room. Then he was gone. Leaving me broken. Wolf-less. Soul-less… mateless.

“Rest, Olivia. I’ll comeback after I see Vivian!” He shouted from the hallway.

Katherine lingered by the door. Her look of pity was unbearable. She approached me, trying to sound soothing.

Katherine was the first female beta in the history of Red River Pack. She was also my first friend here. She was strong, independent and loyal. If anyone would be able to understand my pain, it was her.

“I am so sorry, Luna, I can’t stop Alpha from doing this to you.” She stood by the bed. Guilt spread on her face.

I tried several times to say something, and then I realized I only wanted to know one answer. Goddess, I really hope she was not part of this since the beginning.

"Did you know this before Damian tried to cast this curse on me?"

“No. I swear I did not know.” Katherine said quickly, “Alpha ordered me and several other insiders to keep that secret after you were rushed to the hospital.”

A sense of relief washed over me.

She didn't betray me.

You might think that I was too easy to believe another person after experiencing the cruel betrayal of my mate.

But I could feel that Katherine told me the truth, which was a kind of skill that I had learned when I grew up in the royal palace. I know how to recognize your true friends and enemies and how to unite your friends to deal with your enemies. Only my blind love for Damian made me judge his character completely wrong. But how could I have ever imagined that the person who’s supposed to love and cherish me the most could be the one to betray me?

“I believe you,” I said revealing a weak smile.

She blinked to prevent tears from falling. I wanted to raise my hand to wipe out her tears, but I was too weak to do that. Katherine saw through my intention and put her palm on my hand. I could feel her trembling emotions.

“You need to have a rest and take care of yourself.” She said this with a serious tone, and then she pressed her lips and looked towards the door, lowering her voice, hesitation flickering in her gaze until she finally whispered.

“Levi’s death truly affected Alpha Damian… he has not been the same since then. It broke him. He even announced to the pack’s council that Luna Vivian’s child will be the heir of the Red River Pack.”

Just when I thought that he couldn’t stoop any lower. My heart lurched and I felt it slam in my body like a physical blow.

“Vivian’s son? His heir? But what about...?”

With weak trembling hands I pressed them against my stomach. I felt it flutter. What if life was already growing inside? For weeks I had been feeling odd. Vomiting early mornings. Always feeling nauseous. The changes in my body, fatigue, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting. I had gone to the pack’s clinic for tests and was still waiting for the results. I did not wait for them, wanting to be home when Damian came back.

Terror crept on my chest. What if this witchcraft not only killed my wolf, but my unborn child. I couldn’t breathe… what if I’m pregnant or was?

I couldn’t move and couldn’t scream. I cried silently. The necklace stung on my neck reminding me of the chains that bound me.

"Goddess, not my baby.”

“Please Luna, rest. We will think of something.” I heard Katherine retreat as I curled into a ball cradling my stomach. Damian has already condemned us, and my world has shattered once more.