Chapter 2

After I died, for reasons I still don't understand, my soul drifted over to Graeme.

I watched him just finish putting Lucien to sleep, his hand patting the boy's back gently. He lowered his voice and asked Darius. "Is Evelyn sorry yet? It's her birthday today, too. Order her a cake. She's been looking forward to her thirtieth for a long time."

My heart clenched like someone had reached into my chest and twisted. So he did remember.

Darius kept his head down, not daring to look up. "Alpha, Luna was still throwing a fit just now. Should we let her out now?"

Graeme's expression shifted. His voice went cold. "Looks like I've been spoiling her too much. That's why she keeps pushing boundaries. Let her sit in there and think. A Luna this reckless—how's she supposed to run an entire pack?" He squeezed Lucien's hand, his face full of tenderness. "When she's ready to apologize to Ayana and Lucien, then she can come out."

Darius hesitated. "So the cake—still strawberry?"

Graeme paused for a second. "Forget it. In a few days, when she realizes her mistake and says sorry to Lucien and Ayana, I'll make it up to her."

Last time, Lucien pushed me down the stairs. I clutched my cramping belly, my face going white from pain. Graeme panicked. He scooped me up and carried me to the couch. "Evelyn, I swear—whoever did this to you, I'll make them pay."

Then Lucien admitted it was just a prank. And Graeme let it slide. Brushed it off with a few lazy words. "Good thing you're not hurt. I don't know what I'd do otherwise. Lucien didn't mean it. He's just a poor pup who misses having a father. He already knows he was wrong. You're the Luna. You should be more forgiving."

That night, I stared at the two pink lines on the pregnancy test, my whole body shaking with fear. One step. One step away from losing my baby.

When I grabbed the test and went to show Graeme, I heard Lucien calling him "Daddy" in that sweet little voice. Ayana stood nearby, all timid and trembling. "Alpha, Lucien just wants to know what a father's love feels like. You don't mind, do you?"

Graeme ruffled Lucien's hair, his smile dripping with affection. "Not at all."

Later, he skipped out on me, passed out at home, to go to Lucien's parent-teacher conference. I spent three days in the hospital. The doctors called him to come stay with me. He never showed. Just one phone call. "I got you the best healer in the pack. I'm not a professional. What's the point of me being there?"

He always put Ayana and Lucien first. Always. When Lucien got hurt, Graeme was at his side every single day, taking him to treatments. But me? He didn't even ask how I was doing.

I asked him too. Again and again. The answer was always the same. "You're stronger, Evelyn. Ayana was abandoned. I only feel sorry for her."

My soul floated in the air above them. I watched Ayana lean her head against Graeme's shoulder, and my heart twisted all over again. So even the dead can still feel pain.

I felt like a clown. Pathetic. Laughable.

"Let me go check on Evelyn—see if she's learned her lesson yet—" Graeme started to get up, but Ayana grabbed his arm, her voice shaking. "What if she blames me for taking you today? I'm so scared she'll hurt Lucien again. Can you please stay with us?"

Graeme chuckled and traced his finger across the tip of her nose. "Silly girl. I won't let anyone make you suffer. I'm staying right here. Not going anywhere. Not until Evelyn apologizes to both of you."