Chapter 2

Diana's POV

I refused to stay there and endure any more humiliation. After hurriedly slipping on my shoes, I walked out of the mansion as fast as my feet could carry me.

However, I had barely made it out of the gated community when a honk sounded twice behind me.

"Ms. Lacroix, Alpha Lucius has asked that you return."

My breath caught in my throat, and I instinctively took a step back.

Knowing Lucius the way I did after all these years, there was absolutely no way he would swallow his pride and make peace with me right after deciding I was just leaving in a huff.

Sure enough, before I could utter a word, the two bodyguards grabbed me and shoved me into the car.

I had no idea how much time had passed before they brought me into a room that smelled sharply of disinfectant.

It felt like a hospital.

A blindfold was tied tightly over my eyes, and my wrists were securely strapped to a bed.

Suddenly, a sharp, biting pain pierced the crook of my elbow, as if a thick needle was being driven deep into my vein.

Immediately after, a wave of biting cold and weakness washed over me as my body temperature gradually dropped.

They were drawing my blood.

Through the crack in the door, the doctor's muffled voice drifted in, speaking to Lucius. "Alpha Lucius, it's true that Ms. Lacroix is a natural-born healer, and her blood can soothe a turbulent pup during pregnancy.

"However, she was just sick a few days ago. She's incredibly weak. If we force a draw of this volume, she might—"

"Just do it," Lucius interrupted, his tone icy. "She's always been healthy. She just likes to play the victim. She'll be fine. Your only job is to stabilize Lucy and the pup in her womb."

A little while later, I heard Lucius' footsteps approaching. He ripped the black blindfold from my eyes, and the sudden rush of sunlight burned my eyes, nearly bringing me to tears.

"Does it hurt?" His voice carried a rare trace of comfort. "Just bear with it a little longer. It'll be over soon."

I turned my head away, refusing to waste my breath on him.

After losing so much blood, my head was spinning, and I could feel my lips turning blue.

Just then, Lucy's cough drifted from the master bedroom next door.

Upon hearing this, Lucius immediately slapped his hand down over the doctor's, stopping him from pulling the needle out, and demanded that they draw twice the amount.

"No, Alpha Lucius. If we take any more, Ms. Lacroix could die!" the doctor retorted.

"Cut the theatrics. A natural-born healer can't possibly be that fragile," Lucius insisted, firmly pinning my shoulders to the bed. "Besides, you can just hook her up to some plasma afterward to make up for it."

I looked up at him weakly. "Once you're done taking my blood, let me go, Lucius."

He froze for a moment before clenching his jaw.

"Diana, considering I needed you to give Lucy a transfusion this time, I'll forgive your attitude. But don't test my patience again. Our marking ceremony is right around the corner. Where exactly do you think you're going?"

The marking ceremony?

No, there wouldn't be one anymore.

I didn't utter another word, and I lost consciousness due to the sheer exhaustion of the blood loss.

…

Two days later, I opened my eyes to find Lucius sitting by my bedside, reviewing paperwork.

"You're awake. How are you feeling?" he asked, bringing a bowl of oatmeal over and awkwardly trying to spoon-feed me.

I shook my head. "I can do it myself."

Lucius' hand froze in mid-air, and his face instantly darkened.

"Know your place, Diana. You're the one who caused Lucy's injury. She's carrying a pup, and all we did was take a little of your blood. Don't let your title go to your head and use it as an excuse for all your temper tantrums."

My place?

The irony was that it was precisely because I finally understood my place that I knew exactly what I had to do.

I was a Luna whom he had never officially marked.

I had no real title and no rightful claim to anything here.

"I think Lucy is calling for you, Lucius," I said, intentionally pricking my ears up and pointing toward the door. "You'd better go check on her. If she gets worked up and it affects the pup, I'm afraid I won't have any more blood to give her."

The moment Lucius left, I quickly dialed a missed number on my phone.

Before I could speak, the voice on the other end came through the receiver, laced with anxiety. "Didn't we agree you'd come to me? Diana, did you change your mind?"

"I'm sorry. I just… ran into a bit of an emergency."

"An emergency? Why do you sound so weak? Damn it! This won't do. I'm coming to get you myself!"