Chapter 3

A bad feeling surged in my chest. I had just opened my mouth to beg for help when Ivy shoved a small silver pellet into my mouth.

I screamed as the silver toxin burned violently in my stomach, stealing my breath.

Ivy grabbed a long wooden rod and rammed it hard along my belly, pushing upward toward my chest as she spoke without pause, "Silver toxin will keep the pup quiet. And forcing it back with a rod will buy us a few more hours."

"No! The pup will die. You can’t do this!" I struggled like a madwoman. The silver-nitrate-coated ropes cut into my wrists and ankles until blood seeped out.

Ruby and Hawkins turned deathly pale, trembling uncontrollably.

"This… this won’t do! Elara has already lost so much blood. If this keeps up, it’ll really be two deaths in one. When the Alpha holds us accountable—"

Ivy suddenly raised her voice, cutting her off, "This is the Alpha’s direct order. Everything comes second to Serena. Are you all planning to disobey the Alpha?"

I cried until my throat went raw, my vision blurring. "My pup… my pup…"

Ruby turned her head away, unable to bear it, yet still tried to soothe me. "Elara, endure it a little longer. This is for your own good…"

"Adrian would never treat me like this! You must have it wrong! He promised he would never hurt me or the pup. Stop this now!"

Ivy snorted coldly, her face full of disdain. "Who do you think you are? The entire Whitefall Pack will belong to Serena’s pup in the future. Save your strength and let the pup stay quiet."

"I’ll make every one of you pay with your lives!" I roared with everything I had left, hatred burning as I glared at everyone present.

Ivy’s eyes hardened. She suddenly grabbed a kettle of hot water from the table and poured the scalding, steaming liquid straight onto my abdomen.

My entire body convulsed violently as a piercing scream tore out of me.

"Pups are afraid of heat. Pouring hot water will make it retreat. Elara, stop screaming. These are all the Alpha’s orders!"

As the wooden rod was ground again and again into my distended belly, blood spilled over the edge of the bed.

I stared at the blood spreading across the sheets and at the grotesquely distorted curve of my crushed abdomen, unable to draw a single full breath.

I cried out in despair, my voice growing weaker and weaker.

"Please stop… Elara will really die!" A servant named Daisy Moore finally broke down, her voice choking with sobs.

Ivy spun around and shouted sharply, "This is not your place to speak! Disobeying orders? Do you want to be expelled from the pack?"

"Ivy, the bed is soaked in blood! Please, bring the midwives!"

Ivy stepped forward and slapped Daisy hard across the face. "Are you deaf? The Alpha said that no one is to disturb Serena’s delivery. If anything happens to her, ten lives like yours wouldn’t be enough to pay for it!"

Ignoring the pain, Daisy suddenly rushed toward me, trying to untie the ropes binding my body.

"Stop her! Anyone who disobeys orders… Burn them at the stake!"

Guards stormed in from outside. They shackled Daisy with silver-coated iron chains and dragged her into the courtyard, where firewood had already been piled high.

Moments later, raging flames erupted, accompanied by Daisy’s heart-rending screams.

"No! You animals! Let her go!" I screamed myself hoarse, yet no one moved.

At that moment, the manor gates were kicked open. A commanding voice thundered through the courtyard.

Victor Cole, Adrian’s father and the Progenitor of the Whitefall Pack, stood at the entrance and shouted furiously, "What are you doing? Stop this at once!"