Chapter 3

My mind went blank. Ignoring the dizziness, I propped myself upright, my breathing uneven.

"Tobias, I'm already in the terminal stage of silver poisoning. If I don't take the antidote, I'll hemorrhage and die."

His expression stiffened.

Before he could respond, Nicholas suddenly burst into the room, his face contorted with anger. "Mommy, you hurt Aunt Whitney, and now you want to take her antidote too?"

He began to cry, tears of indignation rolling down his cheeks as he turned to Tobias. "Mommy was fine before, and now she suddenly says she's poisoned… You always tell me kids shouldn't lie, so why is Mommy lying?"

I leaned weakly against the bed.

"I'm not lying… Nicholas, I got injured by silver while trying to save you two years ago. You remember that, don't you?"

"That was just a tiny injury. You could've just dealt with it. You always bring it up, and I'm sick of hearing it!"

The cruel, careless words ripped from his mouth, each cutting deeply.

Tobias' face darkened, and for once, he scolded Nicholas. "Watch your tone. Apologize to your mother."

Nicholas seemed to realize he'd gone too far. His eyes reddened as he looked at me with a pitiful, aggrieved expression. "I'm sorry, Mommy…"

I endured the pain in my chest and buried my face in the blanket, refusing to say another word to them both.

After standing there for a moment, Tobias quietly led the sniffling child out of the room. Tears slipped from the corner of my eye, disappearing into the white pillowcase.

Just then, my phone lit up with a message from the Werewolf Affairs Office.

My application to dissolve the mate bond had been approved.

From that moment, Tobias and I had nothing to do with each other anymore.

As long as I took the antidote tomorrow, I would leave for good and never appear before them ever again.

The next morning, Nicholas showed up at my bedside with a bouquet of nightbreaths.

"Mommy, I'm sorry. I was wrong. Can you stop being mad at me?"

His eyes were red, like he'd been crying. He curled into my arms the way he used to when he was younger, his voice soft.

"I shouldn't have made you mad. Daddy already scolded me."

As I looked at the small body nestled against me, the wall I had built around my heart cracked just a little.

"I'm not mad."

It was the first time Nicholas had ever sincerely apologized to me. He was only five. He didn't understand everything, so I shouldn't be too harsh on him.

He looked up at me, his eyes bright. "Mommy, you're really not mad anymore?"

He beamed happily before pouting. "I want to eat barbecue ribs, but Daddy is busy. Mommy, can you take me?"

He immediately clamped a hand over his mouth. "Oh no, you're sick. You can't go out with me."

Despite everything, I took his small hand in mine and offered a gentle smile. "It's okay. I'll take you."

Even though my body was already on the verge of collapse, I forced myself to get dressed and leave the pack infirmary with him.

Once I took the antidote, I would be leaving, so I wanted to have one proper meal with him before I went.

At the market, Nicholas suddenly clutched his stomach. "Mommy, I need to use the restroom!"

He rushed to the restroom, leaving me to wait out there.

But half an hour passed, and there was still no sign of him. My failing body was barely holding itself together, and a sense of unease crept over me.

I slowly pushed the restroom door open and called out, "Nicholas?"

The only response I got was the chilling, metallic click of a lock falling into place.

I instantly sensed something was off, so I turned and rushed toward the exit, but the door had been locked from the outside. In my poisoned state, I couldn't force it open.

"Nicholas, is that you? Open the door!"

His laughter echoed from the outside, bright with satisfaction. "Aunt Whitney's plan worked out perfectly! Now, you won't fight her for the antidote."

A chill ran down my spine, but the pain left me too weak to even pound on the door.

"Nicholas, let me out," I said weakly. "Without the antidote, I'll die."

But Nicholas simply giggled through the door. "You won't die, Mommy. Daddy said he'll get you the next dose. Just let Aunt Whitney have this one to make up for hurting her. Alright, I'm going to go keep her company now. Stay in there like a good girl, Mommy!"

I mustered all of my strength and screamed for help, but it was useless.

My blood cells felt like they were tearing themselves apart from the inside. Every inch of me was rejecting itself, splitting, and collapsing.

I knew what hemorrhaging felt like, but there was nothing I could do to stop it.

The silver spread like a shadow, consuming me bit by bit.

Right before death took me, only a single thought lingered in my mind. When Tobias and Nicholas found out I was dead, would they regret it at all?