Chapter 4

(River's POV)

I clenched my fist as I looked at her enraged. “Why? Why did you do this to me?”

Amber smiled and shrugged. “This way, it was just easier to match the dots and to remove you quickly from Zed’s side. Did you forget that you're only a substitute and could marry him just because I left before the wedding day?”

“I never wanted him! And, you ran away because you didn't believe that he was going to be the Alpha! Don't lie to yourself.”

Amber looked at me with annoyance. “I always hated your indifferent and annoyed look. You're always indifferent to everything, and even now, you claim that you don't love Zed.” She let out a little laughter. “He really thinks that I love him. The only one who could love someone as dumb as him is you, sister. If it wasn't for his Alpha position, why would I want him?”

My face turned hot with rage. “I never care what you think. If you really wanted me gone, I'd have left. But, why did you frame me?”

Amber rolled her eyes with annoyance. “You didn't need to leave. Zed can even kill you if I tell him to. Or maybe, he rather wants to kill you for ‘harming’ me.”

A few tears dropped as I recalled Zed’s disgust-filled face.

Gulping, I asked, “Why did you want to talk to me alone?”

Amber chuckled before she drenched me with water. My wound stung and the floor was colored red immediately as it mixed with my blood. 

“You should thank me for cooling your wound, sister.” Amber mocked.

But as a little time passed, my wound started aching more and more when she laughed again. “Oops, I forgot… we were drinking wine. But, well, it's helpful to clean your injuries, isn't it?” As she said it, she pointed out to her guards, “Help her clean her wound.”

I trembled in fear as both of them approached me. 

They were by Amber’s side since she was young, and followed all her orders, including pushing me, humiliating me, and even drowning me.

Every time I saw them, I curled up in fear. In those years, I was finally free of them, but now, I had to relive the same nightmare again.

I screamed in pain as they roughly scratched my wound, their nails digging deeper into it.

I resisted but Amber only felt entertained watching me.

After a moment, she signalled them to free me. “Sister, I don't want to make things hard for you. I just want you to leave Zed alone from now on, and never return to this pack. Can you do it for me? Everyone will be happy with this.” She said, smiling.

I trembled, backing away when suddenly, my pregnancy report dropped out of my pockets.

“What is this?” Amber glanced towards it when my heart dropped in fear. I immediately rushed to grab it but the guards pressed their legs on my hands and gave the report to Amber.

“WHAT IS THIS?” Amber screamed, enraged by what she saw. “How dare you lay your hands on Zed while I was gone? Did you really think you're something more than a substitute?”

I shook my head, trembling as I gathered my strength to run away from her but they were quick to catch me as they pinned me on the walls. 

“Please… Please, Amber… I promise, I promise to never return to this pack again, and meet Zed… Just, please let us go… Please don't hurt my baby… I promise never to appear in front of your eyes…” I begged, almost on my knees but her eyes were filled with fury.

“There's no way I'm going to let you keep that bastard inside you.” She gritted her teeth and pressed my stomach tightly.

“Please… Please…” I begged again, gasping for breath as each second became more and more tormenting.

It felt like someone broke all two hundred six bones of my body, and then, grinding them into pieces. 

I screamed for Zed’s help but there was no response. I didn't know what hurt more, this physical pain, their torment, or the pain of losing my baby. 

No matter how I begged, Amber didn't listen. 

It wasn't until I finally bled that Amber let me go and then injured herself with a glass before screaming for help.

In seconds, Zed rushed to help, breaking the door down. “Amber, are you okay?”

Amber let out a few tears drops as she lifted her hand covered in blood. Not her's, but mine… my baby’s…

“I didn't know what happened… I just wanted to help her clear the wounds but she started blaming me, and hurt me… Thankfully… Thankfully, my guards stopped her in time…”

“WHAT DID YOU DO, RIVER?” Zed screamed, kicking my bloodied body before rushing towards her.

I laughed in amusement.

How could I even fall for him? She was obviously acting, and I was bleeding profusely, but it didn't matter a single bite to him.

In his eyes, there was only Amber.

Zed carefully bound her wounds before turning towards me. “I'll end you, River. I warned you.”

As he said it, he choked me, without budging. Tears blurred my vision. It wasn't a lie when he said he was going to kill me. I gasped for breath and struggled to free myself but it didn't matter until Amber finally calmed him down. 

“Zed, I don't want you to hurt River. The guards already punished her for injuring me.” Amber said as Zed let me go.

My blood boiled in anger as I looked at the two of them, and then at the blood. Tears scrolled down uncontrollably as I muttered, “I hate you, Zed Hughs. You're nothing but a foolish and blinded man.”

Zed gritted his teeth. “I hate you more than anything else too. You're nothing but a vile woman. How could you even insult me?” He scoffed, before suddenly becoming serious, “From now on, I, Zed Hughs, the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack reject River Stellar.”

My heart dropped and I felt the pain of rejection kicking in. Closing my eyes, I let my tears drop as I said, “I, River Stellar accept this rejection. From now on, we shall have nothing to do with each other.”

As I said it, Zed’s face contorted a little but he again maintained his composure and commanded his guards, “Throw this scheming woman out of the mansion. From now on, she's banished from the pack, and can never return.”

Tears dropped down my eyes as he said those words with no hesitation. But at this moment, all the love I had for him was gone.

I tried to struggle free from the guards’ hands but they threw me out in the rain, out of the mansion.

Rubbing the tears off my face, I crawled towards the hospital, hoping to make it in time.

I didn't want to lose this baby too… And, I'd pay all the people who had done this back one day.