Greyson

Selina's Point-of-View

"Save Alison Cranwell. That's an order."

Caleb Bright's eyes burned crimson as a low, restrained growl tore from his throat. His wolf was clawing at his sanity, desperate to lunge at Selina Graves, but his reason held him in place.

He could still feel the force of his brother shoving him away before dying. It lingered on his shoulder like a ghost.

"Caleb… take care of Alison and the pup. It's my only request."

On one side, this was the only bloodline left of the brother who died for him. On the other was the she-wolf he had sworn to protect with his life.

He wanted to tear himself in two, but he had no choice.

In the end, he could only choose Alison.

…

The surgical lights were blinding.

Through the haze of my fading consciousness, fragments of my memories surfaced.

I was four months pregnant. That night, my leg cramped so badly I curled up in pain.

He woke up as well. Without a word, he pulled back the blanket, lifted my cramping leg onto his knee, and slowly massaged it, inch by inch.

"I've thought of a name. If it's a boy, let's call him Cain."

His palm pressed against my ankle as his thumb massaged my leg back and forth.

"Our pup will be the strongest heir of the Nox pack. From the moment he's born, he'll know the entire pack and his father stand behind him."

He paused, his voice dropping low.

"And his mother too. Selina, you're the strongest she-wolf I've ever known. If our pup takes after you… Well, that's far better than taking after me."

That night, my heart felt too full to hold it all.

And then, the warmth inside me—the steady, pulsing life of my pup—turned cold.

The little life that kicked inside me, the pup who would've been called Cain, was slipping away.

"I'm sorry, dear. I can't protect you anymore."

When I woke up, my belly was flat.

Only my wolf remained, keening weakly in the depths of my mind.

The door opened. Caleb and Marcus walked in.

I slowed my breathing, pretending to still be asleep.

"She lost too much blood during surgery. The healer said that she's safe for now, but…"

Marcus hesitated, glancing in my direction.

"Tell me."

Caleb's voice was low.

"Her uterus was severely contaminated by silver fragments. It had to be removed. Luna Selina won't be able to have pups anymore."

The words pierced straight through my heart.

Gone was my right to be a mother.

Silence filled the room.

Then, a fist slammed into the wall. Caleb had lost control.

"How is that possible? I thought we'd have more pups!"

"Alpha Caleb, Alison is in a stable condition. It's a male pup."

Caleb fell silent for a long time.

"Don't leak the news. Since my brother's bloodline is safe, raise the pup well. As for Selina…"

He took a deep breath. There was something heavy in his voice, but it was not what I wanted.

"As long as she's alive, that's enough. Later, she can adopt Alison's pup. It's the same anyway."

My heart froze completely.

We had once been fated mates chosen by the Moon Goddess.

On stormy nights, he would cancel important territory negotiations just to stay in his wolf form and keep me warm all night.

Only now did I understand that in the face of his duty and his lingering guilt, I was the expendable one.

"Have you caught the rogue wolf who caused the crash?"

"We did, but he insists it was an accident."

"Investigate. Tear the earth apart if you have to. Find out who's behind this."

Caleb's voice dripped with hatred.

But my pup wasn't coming back.

Caleb, for his so-called greater good, had let go of my hand.

I would leave the Nox pack.

If preserving his brother's bloodline was what he wanted, I would grant him that.