CHAPTER 4

Nadine's eyes widened in terror, and her entire body tensed against the cold touch of the medical instruments that were placed near her.  "I want to talk to my husband. Let me call him Kate. Please?” Nadine begged Kate to allow her in calling Alpha Marcus. But Kate’s response was cruel and final. 

"If he loves you, Nadine, he wouldn’t be with me every night."

The words struck Nadine like a physical blow. Her husband had an affair with her best friend, and her mind refused to process the pain of betrayal from two important people in her life! She already lost Alpha Marcus to Kate, and now, she was on the verge of losing her child as well! At the moment, she felt as if her world  was crumbling before her. 

Then, while hoping for a miracle, Nadine’s gaze darted toward the door. Desperately, her eyes searched for a familiar figure. She also prayed that he would come and realize his mistake before it’s too late. 

But as the doctor raised the scalpel, Nadine's world descended into darkness. Inside the sterile room of the hospital, nobody cared about her screams as her body convulsed with pain. The doctor didn’t even bother to use anesthesia before starting. She clung to the last shreds of consciousness, and her thoughts were consumed by the haunting question: Where was Marcus when she needed him most?

Suddenly, the door opened, and Kate entered again. Nadine forced herself to open her eyes to check if Alpha Marcus was with Kate, but she was alone. She casually walked toward the doctor and gave instructions that terrified Nadine even more. 

“Kill her along with the baby,” she ordered the doctor. 

“Alpha Marcus wants me dead?” Nadine asked in a barely audible voice. It was just like a whisper and she struggled to speak the words coherently. “Kate, answer me!” 

“Yes. He wants you to die,” Kate responded before walking away. 

Trapped with the doctors inside the room, Nadine realized one thing. She was bound to die on the operating table! So, her hands immediately  went to her  stomach and closed her eyes to offer a prayer for her unborn child. How could someone become so heartless as to kill an innocent life? 

Then her trembling hands moved to her stomach and gently cradled it. Closing her eyes, she whispered a prayer for her unborn child. How could anyone be so cruel and so heartless, as to take away the life of an innocent soul? 

Tears filled her eyes and her voice cracked as she softly said, “I’m sorry, my love.” Then, she rubbed her belly because she knew she wouldn’t be able to protect him. There was no way out! 

“Let’s continue,” the doctor’s voice rang out. 

And Nadine could only shed her tears as the doctors started their work. There was nothing more she could do. She met her end. Accepting her fate, Nadine felt her strength slipping away as she lay on the cold operating table. 

The sound of the machines around her grew faint and the faces of the doctors became blurred. Then, her body felt heavy, and it was harder to breathe this time. Tears filled the corner of her eyes as her hand rested on her stomach and felt the small life that she would never get to hold. She wanted to fight, to hold on for her child, but her body was giving up. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered in a weak voice as her breaths became shorter.

Nadine winced in pain when the doctor kept cutting her flesh without giving her anesthesia. She was in pain, so much pain but screaming wouldn’t make her live. When she tilted her head, and glanced sideways, she saw red flowing on the floor. It must be her blood, and it just kept seeping out of her body. 

At first, it was painful, and then she could no longer feel the pain as her body started to become numb. She didn’t want to give up, however, her entire body told her differently. Then, for the last time, her eyes darted at the door, hoping that Alpha Marcus would suddenly come and stopped them from taking her life.

“Moon Goddess, please save me,” she prayed as she was pulled into the darkness. 

Then, she had a hard time breathing. She couldn’t breathe no matter how much she tried! She struggled to open her eyes, but they wouldn’t open! Deep inside, she screamed for help but she was voiceless. 

She became so weak…and breathing her last breath was also a struggle. She didn’t want to die in vain, but she guessed that's how her life ended. Suddenly, Nadine heard a commotion, and then she smiled upon seeing Alpha Marcus rushing towards her. 

He shouted at the doctor and reiterated that he only wanted the baby to die! The doctor claimed there was a complication while performing the surgery. She shook her head while trying to inform Marcus that the doctor was lying. She shouted at him but he didn’t listen!

It seemed he didn’t hear her voice, or even felt her presence! What’s wrong?

When Marcus moved closer to her body, she followed him, and her eyes widened as she got closer to the operating table. Then, tears almost blinded her as she joined her body again. Everything was hopeless! He was late in coming to save her! 

She’s already dead! 

With so much hatred and disappointment in her heart, Nadine closed her eyes, and accepted her end, no matter how tragic it was.

However, her journey to the underworld was disturbed when she constantly heard a bell ringing close to her ears. Gradually, she lifted her eyelids and then she blinked against the unfamiliar brightness. Was it the Moon Goddess coming to get her soul? 

“Nadine?!” 

She kept hearing a familiar voice nearby but who was calling her? Then her nose wrinkled as she smelled a faint scent of lavender around her. Nadine furrowed her brows as soon as she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. 

“Where am I?” she asked herself because she was no longer in the hospital room. She continued to look around and noted that the entire room was also familiar. 

“I am glad you are awake now, Nadine,” someone said. 

Nadine turned around to see who was talking to her, and then she gasped upon seeing Kate Fox again. The woman was smiling at her…and she looked younger than the woman who brought her to the abortion clinic. 

“Kate?” she asked to confirm. 

“Yes, Nadine. It’s me!” Kate replied happily. 

“Where am I?” 

“Gosh, are you still daydreaming? Where else would you be but in your parent’s home?” Kate responded with a question and Nadine immediately rolled over from bed to check something.