Chapter 2

After returning to my living quarters, the first thing I did was call for a healer.

"Please help me examine my pup," I requested.

The healer placed his palm over my abdomen. After a moment, he smiled and nodded.

"Your pup is healthy and filled with energy."

Then, he continued, "However, you seem to have been on an emotional roller coaster today. You'll have to avoid any further stress or agitation. Otherwise, you're very likely to experience abdominal pain."

I nodded while giving instructions to a pack Beta named Thomas Newton.

"Throw away all food and tocolytics sent over from the main residence. From now on, nothing delivered from the main residence is to be consumed without prior inspection."

In my past life, it was because I never suspected anything delivered from the main residence that I drank that tocolytic laced with wolfsbane so unguardedly.

It wasn't until the toxins took effect and I lost my self-healing ability that I found out the tocolytics had been tampered with.

In this life, I was definitely not going to give Daphne any window of opportunity.

Close to evening, Cassian knocked on my door with a brand new Moon Goddess' crown in his hands.

I glanced at it and noted that it looked quite familiar.

It looked similar to a casual sketch I'd made during my childhood. He'd actually kept that sketch and even asked someone to forge a crown according to it.

"I'd originally planned to surprise you with this after the bonding ceremony, but now, it looks like the Moon Goddess planned this all along."

I recalled how Cassian also used to be very protective of me many years ago.

Back then, he would bare his claws at anyone who dared to disrespect me without hesitation.

However, ever since Daphne was introduced to the pack as his adopted sister, things had changed. He'd diverted all the affection once solely reserved for me to her under the pretext that she was fragile and in need of love.

"Try it on," said Cassian.

He placed the crown on my head and smiled in satisfaction.

"How do you plan on dealing with Daphne?" I asked him indifferently.

Cassian chose to avoid my question.

"After returning home, Daphne cried until she went into shock. She's already paid the price for her own impulsiveness. You can't hold a mentally ill person to the same standards as an ordinary person. She isn't even aware of what she does during her episodes. Just listen to me and let the matter rest."

After making decisions for me without my input, he took out a catalogue for formal attire.

"I'll take you to get measured for new formal attire tomorrow. The bonding ceremony being postponed for a few days won't affect any of our arrangements."

He clearly hadn't taken my refusal seriously.

I took off the crown and was just about to clarify things again when someone knocked on the door.

Daphne was standing in the doorway with a thermos flask in her hands, looking sickly pale.

"Cassian, I was the one who caused the bonding ceremony to be postponed, so I personally brewed Seraphina a nourishing broth as an apology."

She walked up to me with tears still streaming down her face.

She added, "I've also brought the mate ring. I'll do anything so long as you're willing to forgive me."

Seeing that she was unsteady on her feet, Cassian helped her into the house with an aching heart.

"You still haven't recovered. Don't read too much into things. Sit down for now while I fetch a bowl."

With that, Cassian turned and headed toward the kitchen.

Daphne slowly rotated the ring around her finger, the timidity in her expression fading slightly.

She said, "Cassian says you're very tough. Even without him, you'll be able to take good care of yourself and your pup. I'm different, though. I just can't do without him."

When she received no response from me, she opened the thermos flask and approached me.

"I spent a long time making this broth. I hope that you'll stop blaming me after you drink this, okay?"

As the aroma of the soup drifted over to me, I once again recalled my past life.

"Stay away from me," I said coldly.

I lifted my hand in an attempt to keep Daphne away, only for her to spill boiling soup on my forearm with a flick of her wrist.

The moment the burning pain hit me, my wolf howled uneasily while my abdomen started clenching painfully.

I let out a cry of pain.

By the time Cassian rushed back upon hearing the sound, Daphne was already huddled in a corner.

She screamed, "I'm sorry, Seraphina! Please don't kick me out…"

She gasped out the words between sobs, until eventually, she could barely even breathe right.

"I won't ever go near Cassian again… Just please don't kick me out of the pack…"

Cassian glanced at my forearm and hesitated for an instant.

Then, Daphne let out another pained sob, and he made his decision.

He wrapped Daphne in an embrace and said soothingly, "It's alright. I'm here."

Daphne was crying so hard that she couldn't breathe.

"I just wanted to offer Seraphina some soup as an apology, but she told me to stay away from her! I only acted in a moment of desperation. I don't know why things ended up like this again."

Cassian stroked her head and told her repeatedly, "Nobody's making you leave the pack. Don't be afraid."

I steadied myself on the edge of the table and said, "She deliberately spilled the broth on me—"

Cassian interrupted, "She was here to apologize. You know very well that she has separation anxiety, so why would you deliberately trigger her by threatening to kick her out of the pack? Seraphina, must you really push her over the edge before you're satisfied?"

Daphne was still crying and apologizing.

"Cassian, please don't get into a fight with Seraphina. It's all my fault."

The more she spoke, the more convinced Cassian was that I'd been bullying her.

A sharp pain stabbed through my abdomen. I bit my lip and refrained from explaining any further.

He scooped a still-sobbing Daphne into a princess carry and turned to leave.

"I'm taking her back to the main residence first. You can stay here and reflect on your actions."

From beginning to end, he never asked whether I was in pain, nor did he realize that I'd had a hand over my abdomen the entire time.