16

Lilith’s POV

"I'm Felisha Thronegrave, Lilith's mother. How is she doing?" I overheard a voice from the corridor, and nausea washed over me.

What the hell was she doing here?

"No, I'm not alone. I came with one of my sons, Mark Thronegrave."

"Hello, I'm Mark. We are here to see Alpha Rowan and my sister, Lilith. We heard she is here."

I could imagine his smile, and my body froze. Every sense in me heightened.

That voice—it hadn’t changed.

My hands trembled as I tried to reach for something, anything to defend myself. But I couldn’t even lift them.

A few minutes ago, I was staring at the white lines on the ceiling, hollow, like my only joy had been ripped away. And I wasn’t wrong—the only thing that made me valuable in this pack was gone. As I wondered what they now thought of me, my nightmares appeared.

The door creaked open, and my breath hitched. Air refused to enter my lungs.

They had come to mock me. They should’ve come yesterday—or two days ago—when everything was going well and I was being pampered. But my enemies always knew the right time to show up.

"Lilith! Lilith!" Doctor Harry’s face appeared before me, but I couldn’t relax.

"What’s wrong? How do you feel?" He touched my forehead and gasped.

"You need to talk to me, Lilith. Say something. Do you feel pain anywhere?"

I nodded.

"Where?"

He was already rolling a tray of instruments closer, syringe in hand.

"My chest. My heart," I whispered, realizing he was alone—for now.

But that door would open again, and they would come in laughing, mocking me.

"Lilith, stay with me. You need to stay with me."

"Make them go away. Please. Don’t let them near me." My voice was weak, but Dr. Harry heard. He always did. Sometimes it felt like he could read my thoughts.

"Who? I already told the Alpha and his Luna you wouldn’t be seeing visitors for now. They wouldn’t dare come in."

"Not the Alpha. Them."

"Lilith, breathe. You need to breathe!"

I had forgotten how—or maybe I’d stopped.

"Breathe with me." His growl pulled me back.

I inhaled with him, deep and shaky. He held my hands, guiding me like a newborn.

Pain.

It was the only language I knew. But emotional blackmail? I couldn’t take that, not now.

"Please, I don’t want to see them," I whispered.

"Tell me who, so no one comes in."

"My mother and brother," I muttered.

"They’re here?" He paused, then nodded. "I hear them. But no one is entering, Lilith. Not unless you want them to."

I wanted to believe him, but fear clung to me.

"What are you both doing here?" Alpha Rowan’s voice thundered outside, and for a moment, my heart calmed.

He would defend me—just like he did at my pack when he came to take me.

"Here he is. Thank you," my mother’s tiny voice rang out, and I shivered.

I knew that voice—the one she used to convince my father to give her anything she wanted.

"Alpha Rowan, we mean no harm. I only came to see how my daughter is doing." Her words dripped with false concern. Curiosity—that’s all it was. She just wanted to confirm I was suffering.

"The same daughter you sold to me?" Alpha Rowan snapped. His anger was clear.

"Alpha…" That was Mark, the almighty bully.

"Don’t you dare call my name when you barge into my home unannounced," Rowan barked, and for one blissful minute, I felt good.

Just one.

"Babe, calm down."

Luna Rachel.

"Oh hi. Are you the famous, beautiful Luna everyone—"

Mark. Always trying to charm his way in.

"I’ll pull out your tongue if you address her again!" Rowan barked.

"Is it a crime to see my daughter? We had a business deal. Nothing in it said we can’t visit while she is your surrogate," my mother said smoothly. She always had words to cover her wickedness. "Unless she herself says she doesn’t want us here."

"Lilith! Lilith!" she suddenly screamed, and I froze in bed.

"I know you can hear me!" Her voice was so loud, surely every wolf in the pack heard.

"Go on! Tell them you don’t want your beloved mother and brother visiting you!"

"Mrs. Thronegrave, lower your voice. This is a hospital," Rowan barked.

"She wouldn’t hear you anyway, Mum. She’s wolfless, remember?" Mark laughed mockingly.

"You want them gone, right?" Dr. Harry asked. I nodded instantly, relief and fear tangled together.

He patted my arm. "No need to panic. No one comes in unless you want them."

"Talia. I need her," I whispered.

"She’ll be with you right away."

He left the room.

"Hospital? Why would she be in a hospital?" my mother asked, pretending to be concerned.

"So it’s true. She had a miscarriage," Mark concluded. My mother hushed him, but I felt my tears burn down my cheeks.

They already knew. What else was left?

"Listen, Mrs. Thronegrave. You and this… thing you call a son will never step foot in this house or pack again unless invited by me, my wife, or Lilith. Understood?" Rowan growled.

"Easy, Alpha. You’re so protective of someone useless—someone who couldn’t even give you what you bought her for." Mark’s giggle cut through me, and my chest cracked as tears spilled faster.

"You’re wrong," Dr. Harry said firmly.

Why did it take him so long to return? He had only stepped outside.

"He doesn’t deserve a name," Rowan snapped.

"Whatever he is, you’re disturbing Miss Lilith. She has just given birth and does not need this noise. Leave," Dr. Harry ordered.

Wait.

Given birth… to what? A stillbirth?

The door opened, and before panic could set in, I heard Talia’s voice.

"Princess!" She ran in, crouching by my side, tears streaming. "I didn’t think you’d want me here, I—"

"Easy, Talia. You did nothing wrong," I consoled her, even as my own tears fell.

"Why are you crying, Princess?" Her tears stopped as she noticed mine.

"My mother and brother… they’ll turn this pack against me," I muttered, struggling to keep control.

"What? You can hear that? How? I thought you didn’t have a wolf."

"I don’t. They’re just outside the door. Didn’t you see them coming in?" I asked, almost laughing bitterly.

"What? No, Princess. They’re nowhere near this building. They’re at a distance."