Chapter 3

Outside, thunder cracked, and lightning split the sky. My soul cowered in a corner, trembling. I, too, had always been afraid of storms.

Once, Simon would hold me, soothe me, and read me stories. Now, the stories he told weren't for me anymore.

Late into the night, after Gracie was finally asleep, he left. In the darkness, she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, chuckling victoriously. "Oh, Simon… From now on, you belong only to me."

My soul froze. Why would she say that? Could she have been the one behind the silver solution that mysteriously appeared in the bathroom?

I wanted to stay and hear what she would say next, but the same invisible force yanked me back to Simon's side.

In the study, he traced his fingers over our bonding ceremony photo. "The marking ceremony is around the corner, Juliette. Why won't you just give in? When will you grow up and understand accountability?"

He sighed deeply, then stood by the window to light a cigarette.

I was fuming. Why did he want me to apologize? I hadn't hurt Gracie! She framed me!

At first, when she moved into our place, I was happy, thinking that I had gained a younger sister. I bought her pretty clothes and jewelry and even tried to make her feel at home.

Slowly, over time, I noticed how she looked at Simon, how her feelings for him were special. I tried to protect her pride, even buying her a new apartment so she could move out gracefully.

Then, the setup at the staircase happened, and everything fell apart between Simon and me. Suddenly, I became the selfish, cruel villain.

My explanations paled in comparison to his trust in Gracie. It made me feel like they were the destined pair, while I was just an outsider.

The day before the marking ceremony, the guards in the estate went to Simon after deeming my silence concerning. "There has been no movement in the bathroom for the past two days. Should we let the Luna out?"

"A few days won't kill her," Simon snapped. "If she's too stubborn to admit she's wrong, she stays locked up until she does!"

He was so angry that he kicked over a vase.

"The bathroom's eerily quiet… Do you think something happened?" another guard muttered nervously.

Simon's expression froze for a moment. He strode toward the door, only to be blocked by Gracie. "Simon, where are you going?"

"Juliette still hasn't given in after all this time! I need to see what tricks she's up to," he growled.

She hurried after him. "I came to talk to you about this. Let her out. I'm worried about her."

He nodded. As soon as they arrived at the estate gates, she suddenly fainted. He scooped her up and rushed into the infirmary, staying with her all night.

The next morning, Connor brought over my delivery. The parcel read, "Ms. Knight, here are the imported prenatal vitamins you ordered. Please take them as directed."

Reading the contents of the package, Simon was overcome with emotion. "I'm going to be a dad. I'm going to be a dad!"

A flicker of mockery and jealousy crossed Gracie's eyes, but she quickly forced a smile and congratulated him. "You should let her out now, Simon. She's pregnant—the pup should come first."

Her sense of timing and reason calmed him slightly.

"No… She must've colluded with the courier on purpose, making sure it arrived right now," he muttered.

"Simon, whatever it is, just let her out," she said softly. "I don't want you two fighting because of me again. It'll only make me feel worse."

Simon lowered his head, silent for a moment, his expression conflicted.

"What's the matter?" Gracie asked, unsure of how to read him.

"Nothing… I just feel uneasy," he replied, then signaled for Connor to bring the healer along.

Perhaps he was worried that keeping me locked up these past few days had affected the pup. Fine. This way, with the healer present, they could witness my death firsthand.

I wondered what kind of expression Simon would wear when he saw my bones.

The car raced through the winding roads and finally parked outside the estate. He pushed open the door, revealing a quiet, heavy-aired living room.

"Juliette!" he called from the staircase. "Come out!"

The lack of response irritated him. He strode upstairs and kicked the bedroom door open. It was eerily quiet, the air thick with the stench of decay. My phone lay on the floor.

Simon didn't even glance at it and went straight into the bathroom. Gracie followed, covering her nose with a handkerchief. The bathroom door was locked. He twisted the handle, and it didn't budge.

"I'll give you ten seconds, Juliette," he warned coldly. "Open the door right now, or the marking ceremony is off!"

Silence.

"Ten, nine…"

Connor stood in the hallway, his face growing paler by the second. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but Simon's glare forced him back.

Simon lifted his foot and kicked the door with full force. The frame groaned under the impact, cracking a little. Another kick, and the door slammed open.

A terrible, overwhelming stench assaulted their noses. Gracie shrieked and stepped back, pressing a handkerchief to her nose.

Shaking, Connor volunteered by stepping forward. "Alpha, I'll… head in and check."

He held his breath and stepped into the bathroom. What he saw next made him let out a scream that tore through his throat. Stumbling backward, he tripped over the threshold and scrambled out frantically.

"No… No, no, no, no…" he babbled, face pale and lips trembling, struggling to form a sentence.

Simon shoved him aside and went into the bathroom himself. He stopped a few paces from the bathtub. Then, a piercing scream echoed through the entire estate.