Chapter 2

(Evelyn’s POV)

Logan didn’t expect that I would refuse his offer so directly.

For all his power and control, for all the dominance he wielded as Alpha, he stood utterly frozen as the pieces of the cheque fluttered to the floor; the final remnants of something unspoken between us.

The end.

For a moment, silence reigned in the room.

The tension was suffocating, weighing down on me as I stood there, my chest heaving with the effort it took to hold back tears. I could feel his gaze on me, sharp and hard, but I refused to meet it.

Emma, of course, seized the moment.

She let out a pitiful sigh, her voice trembling just enough to make her seem frail.

“I don’t want to affect your relationship,” she murmured, her blue eyes darting between Logan and me. She shifted in the bed, the sheets rustling as she sat up slowly, like a wounded bird trying to take flight.

I watched her in disbelief.

Emma swung her legs over the side of the bed, her movements unsteady. “I’ll go,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

She made a show of standing, gripping the edge of the bed for support. Her knees buckled almost instantly, and she collapsed to the floor in a heap of golden hair and pale limbs.

“Emma!” Logan’s voice cut through the tension like a whip.

In an instant, he was at her side, crouching down to lift her off the floor. He moved with a gentleness I hadn’t seen in years, cradling her as though she were made of glass.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice soft, filled with concern that should have been mine.

I stood frozen, watching the scene unfold as if I weren’t even in the room.

He carried her back to the bed, adjusting the pillows behind her to make her more comfortable. She looked up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes, her hand brushing against his arm as though she were silently thanking him for his care.

The sight was unbearable.

“She shouldn’t have tried to get up,” I said, my voice colder than I intended.

Logan finally turned to me, his expression hard. “What are you waiting for then?” he demanded, his tone sharp. “She needs treatment!”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself to stand taller. “I told you, Logan,” I said, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound strong. “I’m exhausted. I can’t keep doing this. It will result in my end.”

He took a step toward me, his towering presence making the room feel smaller. “You’re a Healer, aren’t you?” he snarled. “This is what you’re supposed to do, Evelyn. This is your duty!”

Something inside me suddenly snapped. “Healing isn’t unlimited, Logan,” I said, my voice rising. “Every time I treat her, it takes something from me. My wolf—” I hesitated, the words catching in my throat. “My wolf is dying, Logan. She can’t take much more of this.”

“That’s your problem,” he said finally, his voice devoid of emotion. “The condition for our marriage was clear. You agreed to this.”

Sacrifices must be made.

I stared at him, the man I had once believed I loved, and felt nothing but a hollow ache.

Of course, I had agreed. I had believed I could endure anything for him. I had been so naive.

He saved me, and this time, I should save the one he loves.

“A life saved should be repaid with a life,” I whispered, the words a painful echo of the oath I had taken when I became a Healer.

I glanced at Emma, her pale face serene as she leaned against the pillows. Her delicate features were perfect, making her look like the goddess herself.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. This would be the last time.

I stepped closer to the bed, holding out my hands. The faint glow of my healing ability flickered at my fingertips, growing brighter as I focused my energy.

“If you do this, Evelyn, we will be no more.” The wolf, my wolf, objects. I cannot concede, not now. We have gone past the point of no return.

“I’m sorry, Ariella,” I whisper, as the searing pain of separation begins to rumble deep in my core. I am not sure I will survive this, at least not whole. I know that when Areila is gone, a piece of me will have died forever.

You agreed.

Emma closed her eyes, a soft smile playing on her lips as the golden light enveloped her.

Logan stands firm, his eyes trained solely in satisfaction on Emma.

The energy surged through me, hot and powerful, but it burned as it left my body. My hands trembled violently as the light grew brighter, spreading over Emma like a warm blanket.

Her breathing evened out, the tension in her face melting away as the fever broke.

But the pain in my chest was unbearable. It felt like something was being ripped from me, piece by piece. Ariella cried out in agony, her voice echoing in my mind before fading into silence.

The golden light dimmed.

I stumbled back, clutching my chest.

My breathing was shallow, each gasp of air feeling like a knife to my lungs.

Logan didn’t even glance at me. He was focused entirely on Emma, his hand brushing against her cheek as he whispered something I couldn’t hear.

I felt hollow and empty. The bond between Logan and me had disappeared, severed completely. I could no longer feel the warmth of his presence or the pull of our connection.

Strangely, it didn’t hurt as much as I had imagined it would. The pain wasn’t as bad as the heartbreak I had felt earlier, hearing his cold, dismissive words.

When he finally turned to me, it wasn’t to thank me. It wasn’t even to acknowledge the sacrifice I had made.

He looked past me. I was a ghost incarnate.

“Beta,” he said, his tone brisk, “let’s go to the study. We need to finalize the plans for handling the rogue rebellion at the border.”

He walked toward the door, his footsteps echoing in the silent room. He didn’t look back.

I collapsed to the floor, my body trembling uncontrollably. Tears streamed down my face as I clutched my chest, the pain threatening to consume me.

“Do you really not care about me at all?” I called out, my voice breaking.

Logan paused at the doorway for a moment, but he didn’t turn around.

“Make sure the distinguished guests are handled properly,” he said to the Beta, as if I hadn’t spoken.

I forced myself to stand, gripping the edge of the bed for support. My legs felt like they might give out at any moment, but I refused to fall.

I wiped the tears from my face, lifting my chin high. I wouldn’t let him see how much he had broken me.

Logan stopped in his tracks. For the first time, he turned to look at me, but his lips remained sealed shut by the bitterness that bound us over so many years.

“Since there’s no bond anymore,” I said, my voice trembling but firm, “let’s get a divorce.”