Chapter 4: The Bond That Destroys

Selina’s head throbbed, and her eyelids felt impossibly heavy as she struggled to open her eyes.

Every muscle ached as if she’d been crushed by a storm. With what little strength she had left, her eyes fluttered open and blinked a few times to clear the blurry vision.

Slowly, she scanned the room around her.

She was lying on a soft bed. A thin tube was attached to her wrist, and a heart monitor beeped steadily by her side. Her brows furrowed slightly.

She was in a hospital.

Confusion washed over her. How did she end up here?

The door suddenly opened and a woman walked in, hurrying toward her. “Luna, are you okay?” she asked gently.

Selina blinked in confusion. 'Luna? Why is she calling me that? Who is she? A nurse?'

Her eyes shut again, this time from the sharp pain stabbing through her body. And then the memories started coming back, crashing into her one by one.

Her mind cleared. The drugs were wearing off, leaving tears pooling at the corners of her eyes.

A deep, unbearable ache ripped through her chest as her trembling hand moved toward her stomach.

“N... Nyra...” The name of her wolf came out in a hoarse whisper. She barely noticed the woman still standing beside her.

“We lost our baby, Selina...” Nyra whimpered inside her head. Something cracked deep within her, and she felt like she was trapped inside a cocoon of thick, suffocating silence.

She didn’t understand how she had ever loved Alaric so deeply, like there was a force compelling her to.

How could she have loved a man like him? Had she been blind or just stupid?

What terrified her most was that even now, every time his face flashed through her mind, she still felt that strange pull. But there was one thing she knew for sure.

It wasn’t love. Because what followed was nothing but a sickening wave in her gut.

She used to believe that their mate bond was a gift from the Goddess. Now she realized it was nothing but a curse.

The only reason her body still reacted to Alaric was because of that bond, and that realization made her even more disgusted with herself.

She was lost in the whirlpool of her thoughts when the door opened again.

Her eyes moved slowly toward the figure stepping inside. Beta Logan. But he wasn’t alone. Several members of the Nightclaw Pack followed behind him.

Maybe they were here to visit. And for some reason, even just a little, their presence brought a flicker of warmth to her shattered heart.

One of the pack members approached with a kind smile. “Selina, are you feeling any better?”

“I’m starting to,” she murmured softly, and everyone around her let out a relieved breath.

“We owe Alpha Raven so much for saving your life. After he took you away, Lyra briefly woke up, and Alaric rushed her to the hospital too, even though she insisted she didn’t need it,” Tomas explained.

Tomas had always respected Selina. Years ago, she had helped him financially when his mother was sick, even giving up all her savings for it.

“Alaric seemed to care only about Lyra. And the shocking part is that Alpha Raven asked the doctors to run a full examination on both of you and sent the results to every pack member’s phone,” Tomas continued.

Selina frowned, trying to process his words.

“The report showed Lyra wasn’t hurt at all. That night she only pretended to pass out. She was perfectly fine. But you... because of her, you lost your baby, and your arms were covered in cuts,” Tomas said heavily.

Selina swallowed hard. Her throat felt dry and tight. She hadn’t known any of this. She hadn’t even seen Raven yet.

“When Alaric tried to visit you, Alpha Raven didn’t let him. He said domestic violence wouldn’t be tolerated and demanded that Alaric face the entire pack. Raven even gathered everyone and dragged Alaric to the square. Alaric was furious, but he couldn’t break free from his cousin’s grip. His alpha aura didn’t affect Raven at all.”

Tomas’s face hardened as he went on.

Selina was speechless.

“Everyone agreed that according to pack law, Lyra should be exiled. But Alaric lost his temper and refused,” Tomas said quietly. “Raven tore into him and said he wasn’t worthy of calling himself Alpha. He even declared that Alaric was a disgrace to the title.”

Selina stared at him, stunned, while Tomas took a breath before continuing.

“In the end, to keep Lyra from being exiled, Alaric accepted two hundred lashes in the main square, right in front of the elders. Lyra was thrown in a cell for a while, and Alaric was whipped by his cousin himself, making sure every strike was brutal and painful. It was hard to watch, but deep down, everyone knew he deserved it.”

Logan, the beta, could only sigh after hearing that.

It was strange, but Selina felt relieved. She never imagined Raven would go that far for her. But no matter how much regret Alaric felt, she would never go back to him. Not after everything that happened.

“She needs rest,” the nurse said, and everyone nodded respectfully before leaving the room.

* * *

Night slowly crept in, bringing with it a silence that felt heavier with every passing hour.

Around midnight, Selina sensed something was off. Her sleep was restless, and when she finally opened her eyes, head still foggy, she saw a shadow standing beside her bed.

Before she could scream, a hand clamped tightly over her mouth, cutting off any sound. Her heart pounded wildly, threatening to burst out of her chest.

Fear surged through her veins as her gaze locked with a pair of familiar brown eyes.

Alaric.