Chapter 3

After the Elders handed me the bond-severing scroll, I made my way back home in a daze.

Night had fully settled in, and snow had piled on my shoulders.

I pushed the door open and found Theodore kneeling on one knee. He was crouched in front of the couch, cradling Marlene's foot in his hands, kneading it gently like he was afraid she might break.

Marlene reclined against the couch cushions, her stomach softly rounded, Edward curled up in her arms.

What a warm little scene.

It practically painted me, the Luna, as the intruder in my own home.

Theodore used to say an Alpha's knees never bent for anyone. Now he'd tossed that principle aside completely. Turned out his convictions weren't as unshakable as he'd claimed.

I closed my eyes, said nothing, and turned to head upstairs.

"Ms. Sinclair, you're back!" Marlene was the first to notice me. She cradled her belly protectively, playing the picture of a frightened little thing who thought I might hurt the pup inside her.

Theodore looked up at me. His gaze caught on the bloodstained bandage around my leg, and lingered there for a second. A flicker of something like concern crossed his eyes, gone so fast I wondered if I'd imagined it.

"So you finally decided to come home."

Theodore's tone was as cold as the snow outside. "You put on quite the performance. Anyone who didn't know better would think you actually had a pup in there."

I ignored him.

Marlene tugged Edward along and hurried after me, grabbing the hem of my dress, tears streaming down her face.

"Ms. Sinclair, I know I broke my promise. You can hit me, yell at me, whatever you want. Once this pup is born, I'll leave the territory and never bother you again. I only ask that you accept it as your own. Don't let it grow up without a family just because you hate me."

Theodore closed the distance in a few steps and pulled her hand off my dress, nothing but displeasure in his eyes.

"Eleanor, whether you accept them or not, both of these pups are my blood. If you want to keep your place as my Luna, you'll rein in that attitude and apologize to Marlene. I'll let today go."

I lifted my head and said, slow and deliberate, "Theodore, you two are the ones who did something wrong. Why should I be the one apologizing? Do you even know that I was carrying a pup too..."

"Are you still trying to sell me this pathetic lie?" He cut me off, disappointment etched deep into his eyes. "You're still refusing to see reason."

I opened my mouth, wanting to tell him it had been real, that his own hands had ended it. But watching him stand there shielding Marlene, I suddenly didn't want to say anything at all.

He'd never believe me anyway. He never had.

"Since you refuse to come to your senses," his voice went hard and cold, "go wait out on the ice stone terrace in back. Come back whenever you've figured things out."

That terrace was where the territory went to cool off during the summer heat. Even on a snowy night like this, it wouldn't count as much of a punishment for a wolf with a strong, healthy body.

But I'd just lost the pup inside me, and my body was already worn down to nothing.

A cold wind cut through every gap in my clothes, and I couldn't stop shaking. I wrapped my arms around myself as tightly as I could, but it did nothing.

Guards stood around me, making sure I couldn't slip away.

I couldn't help the tremor in my voice.

"Theodore, I'm not lying. My body genuinely can't handle this right now. Please let me go back inside."

Theodore's brow furrowed, but the second he heard Marlene call for him, he turned away.

Watching that, something in me just gave out.

The next second, I couldn't hold on any longer. Everything went black, and I collapsed straight to the ground.

Right before the darkness took me, I heard fast footsteps rushing toward me.