Chapter 2

Perhaps because the live stream had ended, Arthur sent me a message:

“Your mother's belongings are still here at the manor. Aren't you coming to collect them? Bella, as long as you can accept her and the pup, I promise everything will remain exactly as it was before.”

I did not reply.

When I arrived at the manor, Amy approached me with a deliberate sway, affectionately linking her arm through mine. "Bella, thank you for coming to see me. I didn’t know the master bedroom belonged to you. Arthur said it gets the best sunlight, which makes it easier to care for the pup, so he had me move in temporarily. Please don't be angry. Once the pup is a bit older, I will move out on my own."

I coldly pulled my arm away and ignored her, focusing entirely on Arthur instead. "Where are my mother's belongings?"

Amy's eyes welled with tears instantly, and she looked at Arthur with deep grievance. "Does the Luna dislike me? Maybe... maybe I should move out right now..."

The subtle smile Arthur had been wearing instantly vanished. "Bella, Amy is talking to you. You should at least respond to her politely."

I took a deep breath and turned to look at the tearful Amy. "Congratulations on successfully seducing my future mate and giving birth to the heir of the Silver Moon Pack. Keep planning well. I wish you a speedy rise to becoming the Luna."

"Bella!" Alpha Arthur growled at me.

Amy bit her lip, looking up at me with a face covered in tears. "Bella, I never intended to ruin your relationship. The healer said it would be very difficult for me to ever get pregnant again. In this lifetime, I'm afraid this pup is all I'll ever have..."

As she spoke, Amy clutched her chest and crouched down, her tears splashing heavily onto the floor.

Arthur's voice trembled instantly as he tightly embraced her. "What's wrong? Is your heart acting up again?"

Amy panted, her face deathly pale as she continued to explain. "You won't have to wait long. Just until the pup turns a month old... No, just two weeks! As soon as my body feels a bit better, I will leave immediately. I will absolutely never appear before you and the Alpha again!"

Having said that, she looked up at Alpha Arthur and then lowered her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been wandering around Moonlight Park that night. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have run into the Alpha, wouldn't have given birth to the pup, and most importantly, wouldn't have broken Bella's heart..."

Amy wept until she could barely catch her breath, collapsing weakly into Arthur's arms.

The look he gave me was piercingly cold. "She apologized. Are you satisfied now?!"

"She's putting on the exact show you like to watch. What does that have to do with me? Give me my mother's belongings, and we'll be even from now on."

Arthur blocked my path, refusing to move.

Seeing this, Amy put on a helpful front. She stood up, picked up a box from the sofa, and walked toward me. I recognized it immediately; it was the box containing my mother's belongings.

When she reached the fireplace, Amy suddenly looked at me with a provocative smirk. I instantly realized something was wrong.

The next second, she intentionally flipped her hands, tossing the contents of the box straight toward the roaring fireplace. Amy then faked a trip, crashing heavily onto the floor.

"No!"

I rushed forward frantically. My mother’s favorite scarf, the oil painting she had personally painted, and her thick journals... everything was caught by the flames, turning to ash within seconds.

I thrust my hands directly into the fire to rescue what I could, desperately trying to salvage anything. Both of my hands were severely burned, but it was entirely futile.

"Bella!" Arthur held me back in a panic. "Dammit, you're going to scar yourself!"

I turned and glared at Amy, raising my hand to deliver a sharp slap to her face!

Amy clutched her cheek and wailed, "I'm sorry, Alpha. I just wanted to help Bella, I didn't expect it to turn out like this. It's all my fault for being too weak and accidentally falling..."

Arthur lifted Amy onto the sofa and then stood directly in front of me. "Bella, apologize to Amy! No matter what, you shouldn't have laid a hand on her."

Amy crawled over and wrapped her arms around his leg, begging. "Alpha, don't be like this. She just lost her mother, she's too heartbroken... just let her take her anger out on me! I beg of you, for the sake of the pup, forgive Bella just this once! Bella, I don't need you to apologize. I forgive you. Please don't fight with him, okay?"

I violently shook off Amy's hand.

Seeing that I had absolutely no intention of apologizing, Arthur’s face finally turned completely cold. "Someone, lock her in the basement so she can reflect on her behavior!"

At his command, several warriors materialized and pinned me down.

"Bella, I am ordering you right now in my capacity as the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack to reflect on your mistakes. I will let you out in three days."

I raised my chin high. "By what right? I am not in the wrong!"

After a long silence, Arthur took a deep breath. Avoiding my gaze, he suppressed his rage, suddenly pulling me forcefully into his chest. "Alright, Bella. Amy isn't holding that slap against you, and neither will I. But you must go and reflect. This is to ensure you learn your lesson."

Arthur turned and walked away, and the guards dragged me down to the basement.

My hands shifted into wolf claws as I scratched violently against the heavy wooden door, roaring into the empty hallway until my strength was completely depleted and I collapsed onto the floor.