Chapter 6

Nadia's POV

"Don't be silly. You always look pretty to me. You're still recovering, so don't overthink about it, OK?" Lucian's voice was incredibly gentle, carrying a deep, magnetic warmth and a sense of protection.

"Do you really mean that?" Abbie's soft, flirtatious voice drifted through the crack in the door, laced with the hopeful anticipation of someone who had survived a nightmare.

He answered without a second of hesitation. "Of course. I'll marry you, once you get better. I'll throw the grandest ceremony possible, so everyone in the pack will witness you becoming my Luna".

"Really?"

"Yes. Now, eat something. You need strength to restore your energy".

"Lucian, you're so good to me..."

I stood frozen outside the door. Those light, airy words felt like hammers smashing into my already shattered heart. A self-mocking smile touched my lips, my eyes reflecting an endless sorrow.

I didn't mean to eavesdrop, and there was no point in rubbing salt into my own wounds. But rather than pushing the door open and intruding, I believed that I should wait outside for now.

After the room went quiet, I gathered my strength and knocked on the door with my slightly trembling hand.

"Come in," a voice rang out, instantly shifting back to a cold, detached tone.

I pushed the door open and saw Lucian standing by her bed. He was still in yesterday's suit, his collar slightly disheveled, and there were faint shadows beneath his eyes. It was obvious that the proud Alpha had spent the entire night at the hospital by her side.

As he turned to look at me, his handsome face froze almost instantly. There was no warmth in those deep eyes, only a flicker of annoyance at being disturbed, as if I were some stranger who had wandered into the wrong room.

I gripped the clothes bag in my hand, my footsteps halted, keeping a safe distance from them.

"Hi, Nadia," Abbie spoke up weakly. She leaned against her pillows, a faint, apologetic smile on her pale face. "I'm so sorry to make you come all the way here in the morning..."

With that, I lowered my gaze.

Abbie was beautiful, the type that made you want to adore her. She was pale, her silky hair spilling over her shoulders; because she had been asleep for so long, she radiated a fragile, broken beauty. To any Alpha, that aura was a fatal lure for their protective instincts.

A breakfast tray sat before her with a bowl of warm chicken and mushroom soup—the easiest energy supplement for a werewolf with such a weak condition.

However, the rich smell of the chicken made me want to throw up.

A wave of intense nausea surged up my throat without warning. My wolf paced restlessly inside me. It was an extreme reaction from the Alpha pup in my womb toward external scents. I slammed my hand over my mouth, retching violently.

For a moment, the air in the room fell deathly silent.

Lucian's brow furrowed, his gaze traveling over me with confusion and irritation. "What's wrong with you? Bringing a bag of clothes over makes you that uncomfortable?"

Abbie bit her lower lip, her eyes instantly reddening as her voice trembled. "Do I look so bad that it makes you feel sick? Or... Are you still blaming me for taking up Lucian's time?"

I pressed a hand to my chest. Once I regained my breath, I took a steadying inhale and spoke flatly. "No. I probably didn't sleep well, and something I ate last night didn't sit right. Sorry about that."

Forcing my weak body forward, I held my breath as much as possible and set the bag on the nightstand. "Here are the clothes, and they're all brand new. Also, there's a calming energy crystal. I thought you might find it useful".

Abbie reached out to take it, her face lighting up with a surprised smile as she looked inside. "Nadia, you're so considerate! They are all my favorite styles, and they are all my size!"

Her favorite styles?

I looked at Lucian, a bitter, desolate smile tugging at my lips. It turned out that for the past year, the gorgeous dresses that appeared in the walk-in closet were all meant for Abbie. I was nothing more than a caretaker for her wardrobe.

Filled with self-ridicule, I straightened my spine and looked Lucian dead in the eye. "If you have a moment, can we discuss the arrangements following the Mate Bond Severance? "

"Nadia..." Abbie gasped, tears spilling over. "Are you mad at me? I know you're still Lucian's mate. I shouldn't have called him over last night just because I was scared, but I..."

She began to sob, her thin shoulders shaking violently. "I didn't want to disturb you two last night... But I have no family here. I only know Lucian... Please don't fight with him because of me..."

"Abbie, that's enough!" Lucian leaned over to stop her, his touch gentle as he wiped away her tears, his voice thick with worry. "The doctor said your spiritual core is unstable; you can't have these emotional outbursts. You need rest, OK?"

After Abbie stopped sobbing, he stood straight slowly. When he turned back to me, the concern in his eyes was gone, replaced by a judgmental look.

"Abbie hasn't recovered yet. She needs to rest. Do you not understand that?"

I stared at him in disbelief, my chest feeling as if it had been stuffed with cold iron. I had done nothing wrong, yet in his eyes, my very existence was a threat to Abbie.

I couldn't help but ask him in my mind, "Lucian, am I always the one to blame, no matter how hard I try?"