Chapter 2

Ellie's POV

I had a bad headache.

Am I really suffering from amnesia?

Why can't I remember anything?

The weirdo's voice in my head paused. His voice filled with confusion and distain.

"What is this," he asked, "Your new trick?"

"What?" I was a little angry, because of his tone, "And why are you in my head? "

“Ellie, I don’t have time for your games or tantrums. Stop pretending. The Moonstone Pack will be arriving soon, and I need you home. Now.”

Then—silence. The mindlink cut so abruptly, I felt like I’d been slapped.

What... the hell?!

That was rude!

I blinked up at the ceiling, the sterile white lights of the hospital sharp against my eyes. I was searching for anything, any memories, an explanation, but there was nothing.

Who was that?

No—who was I?...Ellie? I'm Ellie?

A low curse broke the quiet. I turned my head, found the redhead still standing over me, arms folded and lips curled in outrage.

“Unbelievable!” she hissed. “You almost died, and that sorry excuse of a husband doesn’t even show up to see if you’re breathing.”

Husband?

I tried to sit up, but my body screamed in protest. But she rushed over and helped me upright, her touch gentler than her tone. “Careful,” she muttered. “The crash was bad. You’ve only been awake for a few hours.”

“Wait.” My voice cracked. “I’m married?”

She froze. Her gaze snapped to mine, searching. “Ellie… don’t mess with me right now.”

“I’m not.” I muttered, “Who am I married to?”

Her face tightened, shocked. “What? Didn't you just connect to Alpha Nolan's mindlink? Wow…You really don’t remember, huh?”

...So that person just now was Alpha Nolan? My husband?

“Well, I’m Rae, we’ve been friends for a long, long time. As for Nolan, you’ve devoted everything to him.”

Rae could hardly believe it all, but she still went on to explain everything to me. “You were always trying so hard to be good enough, yet he was always cruel…You—you just stood by, loving him. I was…never a fan.”

I stared at her. “Why would I love someone like that?”

And I meant it. Something inside me curled at the idea. It felt foreign. Pathetic.

Rae blinked, startled. “Wow. That’s... new. The old you, whenever you mentioned Nolan, you'd defend him for just breathing. Now you're actually saying this about him... that's new.”

I scoffed, "Now that's the thought of a normal person!"

The "Me" that Rae described was utterly unreasonable — giving up everything for a man? Foolish! Why not live for yourself?

Just then, the door swung open and the Healer stepped in again. He looked me over with practiced boredom, his lips twitching with something close to disdain.

Rae frowned. “She doesn’t remember anything. Not even Nolan. You need to do another check.”

The Healer rolled his eyes, but came forward anyway. But when his hands touched me, his expression changed.

He stiffened, eyes flickering. “You have a wolf,” he said softly. “That’s… impossible.”

My throat tightened. “What?”

He didn't answer me. He just moved more quickly now, fingers searching along my temples, my stomach. And then he went still.

“...She’s pregnant,”

Rae shot up. “What?!”

“Only a few weeks. Barely detectable. But it’s there.” The Healer took a step back, his face pale. “And she’s healed almost completely, even from moments ago when I checked. Faster than she should. If she’s wolf-less, a rogue… this shouldn’t be possible.”

He left in a rush, muttering something about needing to speak to the Alpha immediately.

Pregnant. I let the word sit in my mouth, so unreal. The world had tilted, completely untethered. I looked at Rae, hoping she had answers, but all I saw was her crumbling.

“You didn’t know,” I said quietly.

“I didn’t think it was possible,” she replied, dragging her hands down her face. “He’s barely touched you in months. And you’re not even… officially Luna.”

“So I was married to someone who didn’t even want me?”

Rae’s voice softened. “You wanted him. You thought if you tried hard enough, he’d see you. That he’d love you.”

I really wanted to ask Rae, "And did he?" But from her reaction, I already knew the answer.

A cold weight settled in my gut.

Shit.

“...You could run!” Rae said aloud, surprising both of us. “Take the baby. Start over somewhere no one knows you. Honestly, if you wanted an out, nows the time.”

I blinked, instantly overwhelmed. I had just woken up, no memory of who I was, no idea if the woman beside me was truly my best friend. And now, I was supposed to make a life-altering decision—

Could I go out on the street and get into another accident to get my memory back?

Rae rubbed her eyes. “Forgive me, I spoke out of pure feeling. I mean, if you did, I’d support it. But… now that I’m thinking about it, is that fair to the kid? To grow up like we did? As a rogue?”

I fell into silence.

"And... you don’t even know who you are. How could you raise someone else?" Rae spoke softly, hesitated, "Do you consider... getting an abortion?"

"An abortion?!"

"I mean, think of it. You are carrying a child from a man who felt like a stranger to you, and didn’t love you," she muttered, "and you're a rogue. Do you really want to keep this child? "

"I know, but..." I hesitated, "this is so cruel. What if... their father wanted it? This should be a decision for both of us."

“I’ll go home,” I said finally. “See how my husband reacts. Then I’ll decide.”

After receiving permission to leave the hospital, I felt a strange sense of freedom, but also uncertainty.

Home wasn’t what I remembered. Not that I remembered anything, but I expected it to feel… safer.

He was waiting, who I assumed was my husband, Nolan, stood in the center of the den like a statue carved from ice.

His suit jacket was unbuttoned, his tie loose around his throat. He was handsome…but he felt alien to me.

“So the dramatics continue,” Nolan said coldly, arms crossed. “What was it this time? A scratch on your arm?”

I froze.

Hey! Your wife had a car accident!

He stepped closer. “I saw the report, you were nearly ‘dead’ when they found you. I’m so sure, though, you look fine to me. Quit playing the victim, Ellie. You’ve done this before. I'm not falling for it again.”

“What—?” My voice caught.

“Crying to get attention. Collapsing in the kitchen just because I was late. What’s next? A coma?”

I’d faked being sick or hurt in the past? Just for attention?

A woman, curvy and blonde, sauntered into view behind him, all silk and smugness. She was close to him, considering he was supposed to be my husband. “Honestly, Nolan, you should’ve let her stay gone. Rogues are always such a mess.”

I stared at them. I clenched my hands into fists.

...This was my life?

Third-Person's POV

Meanwhile, deep within the heart of the Moonstone Pack…

The crystal orb flickered to life, its pale blue glow casting shadows across the stone chamber.

Alpha Alaric stood frozen, his hand hovering inches from the orb’s surface. Beside him, his son, Cassian, drew in a sharp breath.

“It’s her,” Cassian murmured, voice tight with disbelief. “After all these years…”

Alaric nodded slowly, eyes never leaving the shifting light. The long-lost princess, his daughter, had resurfaced.

And not just anywhere. He knew that pack...

Alpha Nolan’s territory.

The very pack where their princess was — right there!