Chapter 1

After confirming that my sister, Violette Adams, had regained consciousness, I finally managed to pull myself together and stared blankly at Kane Taylor's profile picture on my phone.

It had been two full days since I sent the request to disconnect the Mate-Link, but Kane had not responded at all.

[Please send our son's favorite toy, and bury it with him.]

Three seconds after I sent the message, my phone started vibrating wildly. Kane's angry growl almost shattered the earpiece.

"Selena, are you cursing your own child to death just because I missed your message?!

"I told you to stay in the pack's territory while raising my heir, but you insisted on taking him everywhere! You sent seven Mind-Link requests when I didn't respond immediately. Are you crazy?!

"A snake appeared in the garden, and Lyris got scared, causing a threatened miscarriage! What could be more important than two lives?

"I'm warning you. Stop threatening me with the child! If you keep this up, I'll reject you!"

Right then, I heard Lyris Loren's weak voice on the other end.

"Kane, don't be mad at your mate. She's just worried about you. It's my fault—"

"This has nothing to do with you, Lyris."

The call abruptly ended.

I slowly lowered the phone and let out a self-deprecating laugh. The blood from my nails digging into my palm didn't hurt nearly as much as the wound my mate had torn into my heart.

My poor baby was tortured and killed just like that. He could not even talk yet.

The rogue, smelling like decaying flesh, held my child hostage to threaten me.

He pressed a silver knife to my child's vulnerable neck.

"Your mate attacked my home! Now I'm a homeless stray! I'll hold you both until your mate returns my home to me!"

I sighed in relief when I heard his specific demand. At least I could keep my child alive as long as I agreed.

I kneeled and sent seven Mind-Link requests. All of them were cut off without mercy.

The last time I made a phone call, Kane's angry roar filled my ears. It was even worse than the rogue's punches.

"Stop trying to get my attention with these childish tricks!"

Kane's words made me feel worthless in the eyes of the kidnappers.

I kneeled on the broken stones, begging as my forehead bled.

"Please, let my child live—"

The only response was the sickening sound of the silver knife being pulled out, tearing through muscle.

My child was gone.

He had been laughing happily in my arms just that morning.

I fought the rogues desperately.

I tore apart the rogue who killed my baby, but there were too many of them, and I started losing ground.

My child was dead, and I did not want to live anymore. I laid down and stopped resisting.

Just when the darkness was about to swallow me whole, a wolf's howl pierced the night.

Violette was battling the rogues alone, trying to get me out.

However, the silver dagger, stained with my blood, pierced her pregnant belly, where my unborn nephew still lay.

I forced myself to stand up, and we stood back-to-back. Together, we managed to injure the remaining rogues, forcing them to flee.

"Why didn't you connect to my Mind-Link?" Violette asked, putting pressure on her wound, her eyes full of anger.

"What if I hadn't found you using bloodline sensing? Were you just waiting to die?

"Adrian! Send a healer!"

Violette connected to the Mind-Link again shakily, but all she got was a cold response.

"I’m helping Lyris to recover. Leave me alone."

She called for soldiers, but there was no response at all.

Violette had no choice but to contact our father, who was miles away.

We supported each other and walked through the heavy rain that washed away the blood from our bodies.

In the distance, there was a loud rumble—the sound of a mountain collapsing.

Slowly, I closed my eyes and tried to accept that it might be my fate.