Chapter 2

The sharp smell of antiseptic pulled me back to consciousness.

My eyes flew open and I gasped for air.

The searing pain in my belly was gone. In its place was a suffocating emptiness.

My hand trembled as I reached for my stomach.

Before a sob could escape my lips, the hospital room door opened.

The pack doctor stood at the foot of my bed, his expression full of pity.

"Luna, we did everything we could. The fall, the shock… it caused irreversible complications. Your pup… he didn't make it."

My hands clenched the white sheets, tears streaming down my face.

The doctor looked away, his voice dropping lower. "And… the damage was too severe. Your womb… it was destroyed. You can never carry a pup again."

My world shattered.

My wolf howled in agony inside me, then curled up and went silent in the darkness.

Just a few months ago, on Ronan's birthday…

He had knelt by the sofa, pressing his cheek against my slightly rounded stomach, holding the sonogram picture.

It was the first time he'd felt the baby kick.

He'd kissed my belly, his voice thick with emotion. "Amelia, this is our perfect heir. I'll protect you both with my life."

Lies. All of it. Lies!

I ripped the IV from the back of my hand.

Blood welled up, but I didn't care. With a shaking finger, I dialed Ronan's private line.

The call connected. The deafening bass and cheering from a party stabbed at my ears.

"Ronan, hurry! It's time to make a wish!" Jessica's sweet voice came through clearly.

Ronan moved away from the noise. "Be right there," he laughed softly.

When he spoke to me, his voice turned to ice. "This better be important. I told you not to ruin Jessica's big night."

"The pup is gone," I heard myself say, my voice raw.

The other end of the line went silent for a beat.

Then, Ronan let out a short, cold laugh.

No shock. No grief. Just condescending mockery.

"Amelia, are you really so desperate for my attention that you'd lie about our unborn heir? You disgust me."

A sharp pain shot through our mate bond. His rejection.

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.

"I'm not lying," I said, each word like spitting blood. "The door was locked. The apartment was on fire. An assassin tried to kill me. I jumped from the 30th floor to save our pup!"

"Enough!" he snapped.

"Jumped? An assassin? The penthouse has the tightest security in the pack, who could possibly get in?!" Ronan's patience was gone. "You brought this on yourself! You just had to throw a tantrum and ruin Jessica's night!"

Tears finally splashed onto the screen.

"Ronan…" I begged, holding on to the last shred of hope for my Mate. "Please, just come to the medical center. Just for a second. Come see our pup…"

"I don't have time for your crazy act."

Click.

He hung up. No hesitation.

The room was dead silent.

I stared at the dark screen. Inside me, my wolf's cries stopped. There was nothing left but numbness.

I opened the pack's social network, Packnet, my movements mechanical.

At the top of the feed was a new post from Jessica, uploaded five minutes ago.

The photo was full of sparkling lights.

Ronan, dressed in a tailored suit, was looking down, his eyes impossibly soft. His long fingers were fastening a glowing moonstone necklace around Jessica's pale neck.

The caption read: "My Alpha. My Future."

My pupils constricted.

That moonstone necklace.

It's the symbol of our pack's Luna, said to resonate with the pack's well-being. Only the Alpha's true, accepted Mate has the right to wear it.

Three months ago, Ronan took it from me. He said he was sending it to a master jeweler to be cleaned, that he'd put it on me himself the day our pup was born.

He was paving the way for Jessica all along.

My hands shook as I closed Packnet. I messaged Chloe. My best friend. The Elder Council's top expert on mate bonds.

My fingers flew across the screen.

"Get the mate bond severance papers ready."

"Typing..." appeared under her name immediately.

Chloe had obviously seen the post on Packnet. Her reply was filled with fury and shock.

"You finally decided? Amelia, you know breaking the bond will be agony. When do you want them?"

I looked out the window at the black night sky.

Pain?

I've already survived losing my child. What's a little more pain?

I typed back: "As soon as possible."