Chapter 002

Amma’s Point of View

The world around me loses its sound. The beep of heart monitors, the squeak of shoes on tile, Judith's footsteps behind me. It all fades into a rushing roar in my ears.

Evander.

He hasn't changed. If anything, the last five years have carved harder lines into his jaw. The arrogance he used to wear so easily has turned into something else now. Something colder. The Alpha aura rolling off him is thick, suffocating. The suppressants in my veins burn as my wolf claws at the chains, desperate to throw her head back and howl for her mate.

No. He is not your mate. Not anymore.

I shove my hands into the pockets of my lab coat, so he won't see them shaking. I breathe slowly, forcing my face blank. I am Dr. Naya Edwards. A human pediatric surgeon. I am not the broken Luna who ran away in the dead of night.

Evander turns his head. Those dark eyes, the ones that used to look at me like I was something worth keeping, or at least I gaslight myself into believing they did, land on mine. They're frozen now. Unreadable.

" Dr. Edwards," Beta Matt says, breaking the spell. He looks nervous, eyes flicking between us. He is the beta of this pack and of lower rank.

He has no idea who I really am. "Forgive the interruption, but the Alpha King needed medical counsel while he was here, and we recommended you." He is smiling as if it’s an honor to have Evander Colwill seeking advice from a pack like this one. It is. But not right now. Not for me.

Evander steps forward. His size blocks out the hallway light. The scent of strawberries and something sharp underneath hits me, and it drags a wave of memory with it.

" Dr. Edwards," Evander says again. His voice is low, deep, and empty of feeling. He says the fake name smoothly, easy, but his eyes are moving over my face, catching on my jaw, on the pulse jumping in my throat. "A pleasure."

He holds out his hand.

I stare at his palm, at the calluses I used to know so well. If I touch him, this whole thing could fall apart. The injections mask my scent and thin my blood, but a true mate's touch doesn't play by the rules. My wolf would easily break through those chains I have used to rein her in.

"Forgive me, Alpha King," I say, keeping my voice flat and cold, nothing like the woman he used to know. My hands stay in my pockets. "I just came out of a five-hour surgery. I'm exhausted."

Matt frowns beside him, confused, probably about to point out that I wasn’t the one holding the scalpel, not the one lying on the table. One look from me and he shuts his mouth.

Evander lowers his hand slowly, eyes narrowing as he watches me pull away from him. "Five-hour surgery," he repeats, voice dropping low. "You look pale, Doctor. Maybe you should sit down."

Adrenaline spikes through me. Every part of me wants to run back to Isadora’s room, lock the door, and hide her from the man who gave her those exact dimples.

" I'm fine," I say, cold and flat. "So if you'll excuse the lack of pleasantries, what does the Alpha King need from a human surgeon? Surely there are more than enough doctors in your packs."

Of course there are; I had more than five doctors to attend to me when he found out I was pregnant.

"They are," Evander says, taking another step closer, using his height the way he always used to, crowding me back against the wall.

" But we both know why I'm here, Naya” his voice drops dangerously lower. I take a step back, my heart racing.

He didn’t come for medical counsel. I know he came for me.

He says my fake name just a little too hard.

" I don’t know why you are here," I lie, staring straight into the eyes of the man who tore me apart.

I try to sidestep him, but he is fast. God damn him.

" I found you," he says, low, dark eyes locked on mine, something like satisfaction flashing through them. "This is where you've been hiding?"

My stomach twists at the sight of the man in front of me.

" Why are you here?" I whisper, and the bitterness cracks straight through my composure. "Go back to your throne, Evander. Go back to your Luna. You got what you wanted. You're King. Leave me alone."

" My Luna? You are my Luna." His jaw tightens hard, a muscle jumping in his cheek. He reaches out, wrapping his hand around my arm, gentle but firm.

The second his skin touches my coat, electricity sparks through me. My wolf slams against the chains, recognizing her alpha. I gasp, stumbling back, but he only pulls me closer, flush against his chest.

“I'm not your Luna, not anymore. I divorced you; now leave me the fuck alone,” I say through gritted teeth.

" I'm not leaving without you, Amma," he growls, voice dark and possessive, no apology in it anywhere.

"You signed those papers. I didn’t," he says, and my breath catches. Didn’t he sign our divorce papers?

“You are still my Luna in every way that matters,” he says, his hand reaching for my face, “even your body remembers who you belong to.”

Immediately, his knuckles brush over my cheeks; electricity courses through my veins.

“Thought I'd just let you go? No. You're coming home, Amma. Pack your things."

" Don't touch me!" I hiss, wrenching my arm free, chest heaving. "I am never going back with you!"

Before he can grab me again, an alarm suddenly sounded over the speakers, and the door to Isadora’s room creaked open.

Judith came out running. “Naya, it’s Isadora,” She says, panting heavily.

“Page Doctor Mirabel,” I shout, ignoring Evander, then break into a run toward my daughter’s room.

“What happened? She was fine just a few minutes ago?” I ask, skidding to a stop, my heart hammering against my chest as I check her, the monitors beeping so loudly.

“Naya!” Mirabel shouts, coming closer to me. “I got her”

“What’s wrong with her? She was…” I freeze, my chest beating so fast. I can hear it in my ears.

My baby was smiling when I walked out of this room.

“I have her. Let me do my job,” She assures me, then she goes to attend to Isadora while tears fill my eyes.

“Amma?” Evander's voice comes from behind me, and I freeze for a moment. I had forgotten about him for a minute.

Oh shoot, what will I do?

I can't let him see Isadora. One look at her and he will know that she’s his daughter.