Chapter 5

Nadia's POV

"I'm coming over now. Just take a deep breath and try to calm down, OK?"  Lucian's jaw was set tight. Even though his tone remained calm and steady as usual, I saw the sudden flare of darkness in his eyes after hearing Abbie's words.

That bait regarding the truth behind the massacre had perfectly hooked the Alpha's deepest concern.

"OK, I'll wait for you," Abbie's voice sounded through the Mind Link, filled with a tinge of joy.

After cutting the link, he looked at me. His golden amber eyes held emotions I couldn't quite read—was it urgency? Guilt? Or a deeper resolve driven by duty? He did not explain, not even a goodbye, and turned to stride out the door. It was the silhouette of a ruler, one who never paused for anyone.

As the roar of the engine echoed through the silent night, I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of the master bedroom, watching the black SUV disappear into the shadows of the forest.

The glass reflected my face—pale, lonely, and wearing a look of near-desperate indifference.  A self-mocking smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. My mind kept replaying the look on his face when he was worried about Abbie. 

He truly loved her. How could a "temporary Luna", who had forced her way into his life with nothing but a bit of healing talent, ever compare to a fated bond that transcended life and blood?

Lucian didn't come home that night.

I knew he was guarding Abbie by her bed like a loyal protector. In the year since we had this temporary mate bond relationship, this was the first time he had stayed out all night.

I didn't disturb him through the Mind Link, nor did I act like a jealous she-wolf and demand answers. I fought to maintain my dignified, gentle, and forgiving persona as a perfect Luna.

Ever since I was chosen as Lucian's mate, my mother, Jenna, had constantly warned me: Be a good mate and never irritate the Alpha. Hide your claws, and be as submissive as possible.

I listened. I did my job well—so well that even my wolf whimpered in the depths of my soul.  But I didn't understand. Why, after giving all my loyalty and healing energy, had Lucian never felt a single shred of true affection for me?

Thinking it over, there was only one reason.

He already had his irreplaceable "true mate" etched into his heart. I was nothing more than a potent painkiller he used when he was wounded. Once the medicine worked and the wound healed, he wouldn't need it anymore.

"He doesn't love me. He never will," I whispered to the dark air, over and over, trying to patch my bleeding heart.

That night, the severed mate bond and the Alpha pup inside me drained my energy, and I barely slept. It wasn't until dawn broke that I felt a hint of drowsiness, but a sudden, powerful mental pulse forced my thoughts open.

It was Lucian.

"What's going on?" My voice felt raspy and exhausted through the mental link.

"Are you up?" He was as cold and efficient as ever.

"Yes."

"Get two outfits ready and bring them to the hospital. She doesn't want people to see her like this, so bring them over yourself," he commanded.

My eyelashes fluttered. In the mirror, my face was pale, with dark circles under my eyes.  I paused before speaking hoarsely, "You want me to bring them to the hospital?"

"Yes."

"I don't really know Abbie," I said mockingly. "Do you think she'll mind?"

"She won't mind. Just get here as soon as you can."

I bit my lower lip hard. The feeling of humiliation hit me alongside a dull ache in my abdomen.  Was he punishing me this way? Because Kaleb drove me home yesterday? Or because I actually dared to suggest leaving him?

This would be the last time, I told myself. This would be the last time I gave up my dignity for him.

"I'll be there in an hour." I cut the link calmly before he could respond.

I tried to suppress the tidal wave of emotion inside, but the more I fought it, the clearer the pain became. If this was a test to re-establish his authority, then he won. He won ten years of my secret crush, my healing energy, and now he wanted to win my last bit of dignity.

Abbie was awake from the coma, and this was only the beginning.

From now on, she would have all his attention. I couldn't imagine how I'd hide his pup in the days to come, or how I'd survive this slow torture.

I pulled two brand new dresses from the closet. I even grabbed a crystal infused with calming energy—the instinct of a healer, even though that woman was taking everything from me.

When I reached the hospital and stood outside the ward with the clothes, their conversation from inside drifted through the cracked door.

"Lucian, I must look terrible right now. Will Nadia laugh at me if she sees me?" As a woman who was deeply cherished, Abbie's voice carried a trace of that unmistakable vulnerability."

My hand froze in mid-air, my nails digging deep into my palms.

Should I go inside now? Would he be mad at me then?