Ten Dollars, Two Lives

Everyone in the Blood Moon pack is whispering that Alpha Cassian Ward only allows his pack to spend ten dollars a day.

Yes, ten dollars.

It's not a pack tradition, nor a decree from the elders. The rule comes from his new financial planner, Mira Langford.

Even as Luna, the moment they discover I've spent a single dollar more—on medicine, no less—they drag me out and whip me 20 times in public.

By the second lash, my back splits open, blood soaking through my skirt.

My personal maid, Elsie Quinn, throws herself forward, sobbing. "Stop, please stop! Luna Sutton is fragile! She won't survive this!"

But Mira only lashes harder. "Alpha Cassian said 20 lashes for every extra dollar. Who dares defy him?"

I clutch my belly and manage a whisper. "Bring Alpha Cassian here..."

A while later, Cassian arrives with his entourage. When he sees the blood streaking down my back, a flicker of pity crosses his eyes. "Mira, that's enough."

Tears brim in Mira's eyes. "You said everyone would answer to me when you brought me back. I haven't even begun to be strict, and you're already going back on your word?"

With that, she turns to leave.

Cassian catches her hand. "Fine. I won't interfere. Don't tire yourself. Let the guards finish it."

As the whip strikes me again and again, a warm, sticky pool of blood forms under me.

A caustic laugh escapes my lips as tears streak down my face and into my tangled hair.

By the time Cassian remembers me the next morning and finally sends for a healer, Elsie is bent over my body, trembling with grief.

"Luna Sutton, how could this happen? You're gone, and so is the pup."

...

When I finally came to, my back was nothing but a canvas of searing pain. The whipping had torn my skin, and the fabric of my dress was now a second skin, dried and stuck to the wounds. Even the slightest movement sent a burst of fire through me.

Worse than that, a sharp cramp twisted in my lower belly as warm blood pooled beneath me.

A horrifying wave of dread washed over me as I realized it was the pup. My pup!

Cassian Ward and I had been mated for three years, and I was finally pregnant, barely two months along. I hadn't even had the chance to tell him yet.

Panic flooded me. I couldn't lose our pup.

The faint spill of light from a window revealed my location—Cassian's sister, Vivian Ward's private art studio. She never let anyone inside, yet they had locked me here to make a point.

I forced myself to calm down and reached for my phone to call for help, but my hand came up empty.

Then, I remembered that before they dragged me out to be whipped, Mira Langford had stripped everything off me so that nothing would break and cost them money.

"Help! Somebody, help me!" I rasped, my throat raw. Each word scraped like a wound, and the sound of my own voice was a pathetic, broken plea.

Just then, I heard footsteps outside, and a spark of hope flickered within me.

"Is anyone there? Please, help me!" I called, dragging myself toward the door.

The steps stopped. A moment later, the door eased open, and a familiar face appeared.

It was Vivian.

I clung to her like she was my lifeline. "Vivian, take me to the healer's lodge. I'm bleeding. I think I'm losing the pup!"

She didn't show a shred of concern. Her eyes were full of disgust instead.

"Sutton Hale, what stunt are you pulling now? Since when are you pregnant? I don't see it!

"You're faking it just to make me spend money on you. If you hadn't blown through so much cash, Cassian wouldn't have brought Mira in to run the pack, and my exhibition wouldn't be delayed. This is all on you!"

I had never squandered a single thing. Every purchase was for the pack.

"I didn't waste money," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. "Please, just take me to the healer first. I'll answer anything you want later!"

Cold sweat beaded on my forehead as another vicious cramp knifed through me. The room wobbled, and a dizzying darkness crept at the edges of my vision.

"I'm two months along! I'm bleeding! Please help me save my pup! I have claustrophobia. If you leave me here, I'm going to die..."

The studio was sealed tight, and the air felt thinner by the second. My breath hitched, coming out in quick, shallow gasps.

Vivian hesitated. She knew about my claustrophobia, but she wasn't sure about the pregnancy.

With a put-upon sigh, she pulled out her phone. "Fine. I'll call Cassian and ask what he wants me to do."

Cassian picked up at once.

I poured what strength I still had into a shout. "Cassian, help me! I'm pregnant! Please send me to the healer now!"

All I heard was silence on the other end.

Color drained from Vivian's face. She looked scared, a hint of genuine fear in her eyes that she might actually be held responsible for the death of a pup.

Cassian sounded uncertain. "Vivian, what's going on?"

For a second, I felt a flicker of hope, but it vanished when Mira's sweet, saccharine voice came through the speaker. "Alpha Cassian, don't be fooled. I've never heard a word about her being pregnant. She's just trying to dodge the consequences. She's vain and reckless with money. This is just another trick."

With a few light remarks, she managed to twist my agony into an elaborate act.

Cassian's voice turned cold and hard. "Vivian, you can't even handle something this simple? Don't call me about this again. Leave Sutton there to reflect! A vain Luna can't be trusted!"

The line clicked off.

Stung by his rebuke, Vivian aimed all that anger at me. She shot me a hateful look. "You almost fooled me and got me yelled at. That's on you!"

She slammed the door shut, turned the lock, and killed the lights.

I was swallowed entirely by darkness and fear.