Chapter 3

Sabine POV

The heart monitor beeped steadily in the background while Dominic waited for my answer.

I knew nothing about acting, but I realized I would never leave this hospital room alive if I couldn’t give him a convincing lie.

Putting on a confused expression I hoped looked genuine enough, I said, “My past?”

“Yes,” Dominic said patiently. His large hands twitched on the bed sheet and he leaned closer, his eyes boring into my soul. “The last time you had an accident, you lost your memory. For some people, having another experience like an accident helps them remember. I was wondering if that was the case for you.”

I shook my head slowly and winced even though I felt no pain right then. I lightly touched my bandaged head.

“I still don’t remember,” I said, letting just the right amount of sadness and regret seep into my voice. “The past… is still a blank.”

Dominic’s shoulders relaxed. He began to exhale but caught himself in time. This time the smile reached his eyes.

“Don’t worry, darling,” he said. “Look on the bright side. You didn’t lose all your memories again. That could have seriously affected your position as Luna.” He said it, but it sounded like a threat.

I looked down at my hands and used every ounce of self-control I had not to lash out at the bastard who called me Luna. I was supposed to be Alpha, but like a fool I had handed him the title.

As Alpha for all these months, he had gathered enough influence and power to strip me of my Luna title if he wanted. I couldn’t let him do that.

I would keep pretending everything was fine. I would gather enough evidence against him and then destroy him.

Dominic tilted my chin up and smiled into my eyes. “It’s a good thing I’m Alpha and can protect you, right?”

I forced the muscles around my mouth to relax into a smile.

“Of course, Dominic,” I said. “I’m very lucky to have you.”

Then the doctor walked in.

“Ah. There you are,” Dominic said, finally turning his attention from me to the doctor. “I was about to send for you. Check on my wife. Let me know if she’s fit to be taken home immediately.”

The doctor paused in the middle of removing the stethoscope from around his neck. Whatever he had expected from Dominic, it wasn’t that.

“Forgive me, Alpha,” he said, “but I don’t think that’s a good idea. Luna has just regained consciousness. She still needs to be monitored closely here so we can be sure there are no other complications.”

Dominic waved a hand impatiently. “I know. I know. All of that can be done at home, right? I have to consider her safety, Doctor. She is Luna, so she can’t stay here where it would be easier for our enemies to reach her. Home is the safest place for her.”

Another truth clicked into place in my mind and I finally understood why Dominic had never let me have a long hospital stay after I lost my memories.

He was afraid the doctors would actually help me recover them. And what about the herbal medicine he had been giving me?

What poison had I been taking into my system all this time?

“Alpha,” the doctor said. “As for security, you can—”

“Dominic,” I interrupted. “I can stay here. I really don’t mind.”

“No. You’re going home today. End of discussion.” He smiled to take the sting out of the order, but it was an order all the same. To the doctor he snapped, “Do your job!”

The doctor nodded and hurried to examine me.

“Well?” Dominic said when he finished.

“She can be moved,” the doctor answered, still not looking happy about it. “For now she’ll need a wheelchair because her body is still very weak.”

Dominic jumped to his feet instantly. “Excellent!” he exclaimed. “Get us a wheelchair then.”

Thirty minutes later we were on our way back to the grand estate. Sitting as far away from him as possible in the car under the excuse of taking a short nap, I couldn’t stop thinking about why he had done it.

Why had he killed my parents—the very people who had wanted me to marry him? Had they caught him doing something wrong? Or was this all about gaining complete control of my family’s wealth?

When I found no answers, my mind drifted to the things I would do to him once I regained my strength… I hadn’t worked out all the details yet, but it was going to be very slow and very painful.

I pretended to wake up when the car stopped at the estate. I saw Lilian, my best friend, waiting out front. And the sight of her familiar freckled face sent a wave of relief flooding through me.

“Oh, Sabine,” she cried the moment the doors opened.

She ran to me, sweeping me into her arms. I hugged her tightly and didn’t let go at first when she started to pull away. She was the only person I could trust now. With her help, I would get through this and take revenge on Dominic.

She crouched beside me and took my hand, her eyes clouded with worry.

“I was so worried about you I almost lost my mind,” she said. “I prayed so hard for you to be okay.”

I smiled weakly. “I’m fine. Just a little weak.”

She clicked her tongue. “Oh, poor thing. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.”

“I know,” I said.

Dominic approached, glanced at the blazing sun, and told Lilian to take me to my room.

Lilian nodded and began pushing me inside. Once we reached my room she closed the door and moved past me to open the curtains. But I grabbed her hand.

My nails dug into her wrists so hard she flinched.

“What’s wrong, Sabine?” she asked.

“I have to tell you something—” I began and almost broke down then.

The tears were close, but I fought to hold them back with effort.

“Sabine—”

“Listen! Please. After this accident, my memories came back. I remembered everything.” I told her breathlessly.

Lilian’s eyes widened. “E-everything?”

“Yes!” I glanced back at the door, half expecting to see Dominic standing there, but it was still closed. “It was like the crash shook something loose in my brain. I remembered what happened to my parents and who killed them.” I paused and fought the urge to scream. “Dominic did it. He poisoned them. We need to start gathering evidence against him right now. He’s already gained too much power. We can’t let him get any more.”

Lilian stared at me, her face slack with surprise.

I shook her. “Lilian! Did you hear what I just said?”

She shook her head slowly and laughed.

“We were so close, so fucking close,” she said to herself. “Why did you have to get your memories back now?”

She shook her arm free, stepping away from me.

“What are you saying, Lilian? I don’t understand.”

But she continued in the same low voice. “We were so close to taking everything… the lands, the seventeen percent stake in the bank, and finally it would have been the right time to get rid of you.” She sighed and clasped her hands. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for that part.”

“What are you…”

I trailed off. My mouth fell open and suddenly everything clicked into place as I stared at her. Why hadn’t I seen it before? How could I have been so blind?

Only three people had known about my parents’ allergy: me, the doctor, and—

“You told him,” I whispered, and even as I said the words I still struggled to believe it was true. “You told Dominic about the erythropoietin. You—you—”

I felt the blood drain from my face and a bead of sweat ran down my back as my chest tightened.

Lilian smiled maliciously—an expression I had never seen before.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost, dear friend,” she said with a laugh. “Are you surprised?”