Chapter 2

Philia's pov

"Mommy, Will daddy come see me before I die?,"

After all these my daughter's tiny desperate voice stills ghosts across my ears and my lips still tasted bitter with the lies that flowed through.

"You won't die my little moon,"I wept, "...your Daddy will be here soon, he promised," the warmth was already draining from her small fingers as I clutched them like a lifeline, the beeps of the machines attached to her was the only thing that cut through the silence.

Most days it feels like I never walked out of that ward, my mind had reconciled with the truth.

But my heart refused to.

I swiped off a glass from the waiter's tray as he strolled by me at the shadowy corner of the foyer, downing the rich amber liquid in seconds.

Murmurs spilled from the guests, their judgmental stares crowd all over my skin like cockroaches, I ignored them all after all I was used to the stares.

After my daughter passed away, her life core dimmed down to darkness. I had rushed to the hospital to see her, at least what was left of her.

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

I came to an empty bed where she once laid, the entire room had been cleaned and was void of her scent when I demanded to know where she was I was fed at the same hogwash that I have been given for years.

"Luna Philia, she has been transferred to another hospital abroad with a distant uncle, supposedly they had better facilities. "

I was never given the location of this supposed distant uncle or even his name, when I first heard the lies being fed to me I lost my mind going berserk and had to be injected and suppressed in the hospital, this sweat through the entire pack like a wild fire smearing my already fragile image. From then onwards I was the unstable Luna, the one people got ready to whisper about in hushed voices while stealing looks at her as if she was a zoo attraction rather than a person.

Another slim glass found itself around my fingers, my eyes scraping through every inch of the Crescent hall searching for the stranger that had sent me that message.

Perhaps I was mad like the people said, I have come here on the basis of unverified text surrounded by dozens of wolves without an inkling as to who it was amongst them.

Maybe I should leave, return back to sulking to the empty grave of my daughter.

But something-I don't know what-kept my legs glued to the floor.

I couldn't leave even in the onslaught of artificial scents, puddle deep chatter and concocted interactions.

Then as if tonight was not already difficult enough, Veil came up to me her Entourage escorting her. She was dressed to the nines as usual, a baby blue dress that flared from her waist, matched with a blue diamond jewelry set.

She was the very embodiment of the word cherished.

"Philia, you finally decided to Honor my invitation, it's so lovely to have you here!" She rose her normally soft voice high with intent, she wanted to draw attention to me, in another chip attempt to humiliate me.

But I had enough alcohol in my system too lower my inhibitions and careless about her feelings so I responded swirling like less than the content within.

"I mean I was curious about how the party I always prepare to during the night, it could have been better but It's alright,"

Her cheeks flushed red, and I could already picture her running to complain to Rowan later.

So far she seems to be standing her ground on her own.

She came towards me entangling her fingers in my free one and meaning towards my shoulder.

"Why does everyone look so surprised?"she said staring at her friends, "As the Luna of the pack Philia is also Brammy's mother too. It's only natural that she wants to do everything possible to make sure that the future Alpha is raised properly."

I found myself grinding my teeth, even though Bramwell was the only son right now, she was a concubine and had no right to declare him as heir especially as Rowan had not done that himself.

My fingers were taken away from hers the alcohol digging deeper into my system.

"Concubine Veil, how can you make such a declaration? Don't you know it's against the laws of the pack? Oh are you just intentionally trying to be obtuse?"

Instantly like a switch had been flipped tears bubbled in the corner of her eyes and she covered her face, her friends looked at me as if I physically assaulted her instead of drawing a line and they took her away.

I thought nothing of it and was still doing my search through the crowd when Rowan came up to me.

"I just heard what you did to Veil,"he said grabbing my arm in public, "there will be consequences for that I promise you," he left leaving that vague threat in the air.

I tried not to think much of it but the discomfort continued to build inside of me turning into worry that was enough to sober me up because Rowan could over look everything, until it came to her-his treasured concubine.

The party continued and just when I was thinking of giving up and making my exit Rowan's deep voice flooded the hall as he tapped on the mic.

"Everyone in the owner of my son's fifth shifting ceremony I have a very important announcement to make," the crowd naturally gathered and instinctive reaction to his alpha voice, I was also pulled towards it though not with the same gravity then all of a sudden someone grabbed me they grab that was firm yet gentle.

"Come with me," came a deep unfamiliar voice, pulling me through the crowd.

Was this the person who sent me this text? I wondered.

My thoughts were broken off when Rowan's voice came again.

"It is my utmost joy to tell you all that I have chosen an heir and that is no one else than my son, Bramwell.”