Chapter 4

At the pack's medical den, Marcus suddenly felt his heart skip a beat.

An overwhelming sense of panic gripped him instantly. His breathing became labored and shallow.

Although wolfsbane had prevented me from mind-linking before, the pain was probably too intense and he seemed to feel it through mate bond.

Through our connection, my heart-wrenching screams echoed directly into his consciousness.

"Save the child!"

The words were so shrill, so desperate. So utterly real.

It didn't sound fake at all.

He frowned in irritation, but his eyes kept darting toward his phone. Something was gnawing at him.

In the birthing room, Elena's sharp instincts caught his moment of distraction immediately.

A flash of venomous jealousy blazed through her eyes.

But she quickly masked it with her practiced expression of gentle concern.

"Marcus, I'm perfectly fine here. The pack healers and midwives are all taking excellent care of me. Maybe you should go check on my sister? Her screaming just now was quite terrifying. After all, she's still your destined mate."

Marcus forcibly suppressed that strange uneasiness building in his chest. His tone turned sharp with irritation.

"Check on her? To watch her put on another performance? Don't waste my time! She's just being dramatic as usual. What could possibly be wrong with her? She just can't stand seeing you happy! Focus on giving birth and stop worrying about someone like that."

Elena studied his expression carefully.

She wanted to add more poison to his thoughts, but a powerful contraction suddenly seized her. She had no choice but to set aside her scheming and concentrate on delivering her child.

The birth proceeded smoothly. Within minutes, a strong baby's cry rang out from the birthing room.

A pack midwife emerged holding the cleaned and swaddled infant, her face glowing with joy.

"Congratulations, Alpha Marcus! It's a healthy baby boy. Mother and child are both perfectly safe."

Looking down at the tiny, wrinkled child in his arms, Marcus's heart melted despite everything.

He released a long, relieved breath and turned to Beta Connor with an urgency he didn't even recognize in himself.

"Go check on Lyra immediately. Tell her that Elena has successfully given birth. Doesn't she always make such a fuss about wanting to have a child? Well, now the birthing room is available. Tell her to hurry up and deliver! Stop dragging this out and putting on an act!"

Beta Connor quickly departed.

Marcus cradled the newborn, but that strange uneasiness continued to plague him.

He kept reassuring himself that I was definitely fine. I was probably lounging around with my phone, smugly waiting for him to come crawling back with regrets and apologies.

A woman like me would never actually risk my own life.

After what felt like an eternity, frantic and chaotic footsteps finally echoed from the end of the hallway.

Beta Connor returned looking pale as death itself. He appeared as though he'd witnessed something absolutely horrific.

"Alpha Marcus..."

He opened his mouth several times but seemed too shocked to form coherent words.

Marcus felt extremely uneasy.

He shouted impatiently.

"Where is she? What kind of tricks is she playing now?! Speak!"

Beta Connor visibly trembled at his Alpha's harsh tone and suddenly collapsed to his knees.

"Alpha... Luna... Luna is dead! There was so much blood covering the ceremonial chamber. The pup died with her too!"