02

     BELLY 

"Wh—Why won't he come?"

"You know why," she said, her mood sour. "He's still mad at you. Believe me, there isn't a single day that goes by that I don't try to get him to forgive you."

My gaze fell to the floor, my heart thundering so loudly I thought it might burst from my chest.

He wasn't going to come. After I'd put in so much effort to look good for him. I wanted him to see the pretty me, at least one last time before I died.  

"What about Michelle?" I sniffled, trying so hard to hold back my tears so my makeup wouldn't get ruined. "I thought you'd come with her."

"I'm so sorry, sis. She didn't want to come either."

Oh, gods. 

I sank down onto the edge of the bed, my knees giving way. The sheets beneath me were stiff and starchy, cold like everything else in this godforsaken place. My own daughter didn't want to see me. How doomed was I?

"I can't die like this," I whispered, and then the dam burst. The tears fell freely, cutting through the powder on my cheeks. "I can't die without seeing Kage or...or my daughter. I don't deserve this, Annalise."

She rushed forward, sat next to me, and pulled me in a hug. 

"I'm so sorry this is happening to you," she whimpered, also crying. "I wish you didn't have to go now." She pulled back, keeping her arms on my shoulders. "But you have my word, Belly; I'll take care of Michelle like she was my own. She and Eloise are already best of friends. I promise you, Michelle will have the best life."

I smiled, thinking about my little niece. 

Annalise had gotten pregnant for Kage around the same time I did. I had been hurt, but she explained to me that it was a mistake and told me she was deeply sorry. 

I still remember her words: "You know we were in love before he got mated to you, Belly. I didn't want this to happen. I could get rid of the pregnancy if you want."

I forbade her from doing such a thing. Today, I was glad she actually kept the child. At least, my daughter would have a sibling growing up. 

I honestly didn't know what I'd have done without Annalise in my life. She effortlessly filled the space my twin sister left when she died.

She stayed with me for a long time and promised to return the next day. It hurt me to know that Annalise was the only one concerned about me. Apart from her, nobody had come to visit me in this psych facility, not even our foster parents. While everyone saw me as the mad dangerous girl who everyone should steer clear from, Annalise saw me as the sister she had grown up with. 

I wished I didn't have to die now so I could spend more time with her. 

Kage didn't want to see me. Yet, I was so disturbed I couldn't let it be. 

He knew I was very sick but had no idea I was dying yet. I couldn't die without seeing him and our daughter. And unfortunately, the doctors and security here wouldn't let me out. 

He stopped taking my calls three years ago. So, there was only one way I could reach him. 

I waited for one of the doctors to come by and begged him for his phone. Since he knew I was dying, he didn't deny my request.

Alone in my room, I dialed Kage's line. Funny how I had all three of his numbers memorized. 

My heart stopped beating when he picked up the call and spoke.

"Hello?"

Everything around me came to a screeching halt, as if the cosmos had forgotten to spin.

My heart resumed beating, but this time, it was too fast. 

It was my Kage. By the Moon, I hadn't heard his voice in three years!

"Kage?" There was a small tremor in my voice. 

He went silent. I imagined him processing the shock.

"Please, don't end the call," I added quickly when it dawned on me that he could drop it.

I tried to picture him at the moment—probably in our bedroom, shirtless. He always hated having his shirts on when he was alone in the room. 

I pictured his deep blue eyes, the thin, tiny scar he had on the tip of his upper lip, and the tattoos covering his back, arms, and some part of his chest. 

My god-like mate. 

In my twenty-four years of existence, I hadn't met anyone as charming as Kage Keating. I didn't think my poor heart could ever love any man as it did him if I could live longer. 

"What is it, Belly?" His voice was cold. 

It was heart-wrenching how much he still hated me despite pleading for his forgiveness for three years. For three years, I had been on my knees even though I didn't do anything wrong. Even if I'd been unjustly sent to this place. 

But he was adamant and wouldn't even come see me.

"I—I thought you'd come today." I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. "D—Did Annalise tell you I wanted to see you?"

For a moment there, I hoped he'd tell me no. Even though I knew my sister would never do such a thing, a part of me still hoped that somehow, he didn't know I sent for him. 

"She always tells me." His reply crushed my heart, further than I thought possible. "I thought we had an understanding several years ago, Belly? That I'll not be seeing you."

Cold liquid touched my cheek. A tear. 

I couldn't believe I was going to die knowing Kage hated me. 

Well, he'd always been so cold toward me. The one time he was a bit warm was the first and last time we had sex. The night he claimed my virginity. 

He'd come home drunk and suddenly grabbed me, telling me how much he'd always wanted to do this with me. That was the happiest night of my life. But by morning, he yelled at me and accused me of seducing him. 

I was surprised he actually loved Michelle when I gave birth to her. 

"I—I thought we could see each other." One more time.

I cleared the lump forming in my throat. "It's been a long time since you asked me to prepare your potion for you."

That was one of the things I wanted us to talk about when he did come. 

Kage had serious wolf problems. There were times he'd start convulsing, and over the years, my potion was the only thing that had been of help. 

A lot of people had tried recreating it using the formula I provided, but none had been as effective as mine. What they didn't know was that the secret ingredient in my formula was a drop of my blood. Each time I prepared the potion, I added a drop of my blood to it. It was the only way it ever worked. 

Even I didn't understand why my blood made it work. But it was my huge secret. 

Since I'd been locked here for three years, I prepared the potions weekly and handed to Annalise to give to him. But for three weeks, he hadn't asked for more. 

"I don't need it anymore," his reply shocked me to the bone. "Annalise has been making effective ones for me."

Wait, what?