Chapter 6 The Miscarriage

Evelyn's POV

I had to be dreaming. How else could I be seeing high-school Liam again? He was as handsome as ever, his face cold, but he picked up my books for me like a perfect gentleman.

That was just good manners, nothing to do with me. I knew it, but I still couldn't help falling for him.

In a blink, Liam was a grown man, broader and even more handsome. He sat behind his desk and pushed a contract toward me. "Read the terms carefully. I don't want you changing your mind after you sign."

He needed an obedient mate to keep certain elders happy.

My heart raced anyway. I heard myself answer with forced calm. "Okay, Alpha Dudley."

My hand shook with excitement as I signed my name. I looked shyly at Liam, but his face was blank. To him, this contract was no different from any other piece of work.

My vision blurred, and Liam's face changed. He had a different haircut and stood on the other side of Marcus.

This was our mate bonding ceremony. Only Liam, me, and Marcus, the elder who led the ceremony, were there. I wore a white dress, the closest thing to a wedding gown I could find. I was so nervous, but Liam never looked at me once. His eyes were on his phone the whole time.

I slipped the ring onto my own finger, a simple diamond band. Liam reminded me calmly, "It's only for the elders to see. Other than that, don't let anyone see it or know what you are to me."

I opened my mouth to say something, but Liam disappeared. In his place was a bright, sunny room, and children's laughter rang out from behind the curtains.

"My babies..." I stumbled toward it. "It's my babies."

I called out to them, but the room kept stretching. No matter how hard I ran, I stayed in the same place, watching helplessly as the window receded and the children's laughter faded.

Everything vanished, and I was left alone in the dark.

"No." I collapsed where I stood, covered my face, and sobbed. "Don't leave me alone. Please, don't leave Mommy alone."

The steady beep of a monitor filled my ears. I opened my eyes. Tears still clung to my lashes, a reminder of that painful dream.

"Evelyn, you're finally awake." It was Aurora, my best friend. She stood up and leaned over me, her eyes swollen from crying. "You've been unconscious all night."

I laid my hand on my belly, the IV tugging at it. It was still flat, but I could feel that something was missing.

"Where are my babies?" My voice was hoarse.

Aurora's face fell, and tears filled her eyes again. "The doctors did everything they could, Evelyn, but it was too late. They couldn't save the babies."

My heart shattered. I couldn't accept it. "No..." Tears ran from the corners of my eyes and soaked my hair. "I didn't even get to tell them I quit my job, that I found a new one, that I was going to start painting again, that I was going to get everything ready for them to be born. Why did this happen?"

"I know, Evelyn. I know."

Aurora held me, giving me what warmth she could.

I was too weak to keep crying for long, and at some point I passed out again. When I opened my eyes, it was dark outside the window, and the nurses were whispering outside the door.

"Do you know Lily Berkeley? She's at the hospital next door, and our Alpha is watching over her."

"Of course. For a bruised wrist, Mr. Dudley called in three pack doctors and even brought in a doctor from Geneva to treat her. He's probably still sitting by Lily's bed right now."

"..."

Their laughter grated on my ears. The best doctors. All-night care. Constant attention... Liam could do all of it. He just never had for me.

Evelyn, your life really is pathetic.

I thought Liam would stay with Lily the whole time, but he came the next day after all.

He stood at the door. "The doctor says you'll make a full recovery."

But my babies would never come back to me.

I gave a mocking smile and looked up at Liam. "How's Lily?" With Liam fussing over her, a little bruise like that should've healed by now.

"She's fine. She's being discharged today," Liam said.

"Well, that's good news."

I said it calmly, but Liam frowned. "Evelyn, what are you trying to say?"

What could I say? What was there to say? In Liam's eyes, no one was allowed to offend Lily.

The phone on the nightstand suddenly buzzed.

It was an email from Marcus. A dissolution contract, already signed by a witch. My way out, and my way forward. As soon as Liam signed his name, everything would be settled.

"What are you looking at?" Liam walked over.

Without hesitating, I turned the screen toward him. When Liam saw what it was, he froze, every muscle going rigid.

"The dissolution contract." I'd never imagined I could be this calm. I felt no pain or hatred over the years I'd spent loving him. Only relief. "Sign it. Let me go."

Like my babies, I would leave Liam behind.