Chapter 2

Astrid's pov

Taylor must have seen that comment too, she hopped on a livestream and I joined, curiosity overriding my pain.

"Guys...thanks for joining my live, I know this might just sound like a flimsy excuse but I had to know idea that's my brother-in-law's mate union anniversary was today!"

She knew.

Like a twisted little game she'd confirm from me every year when the date was, promising she wouldn't schedule anything with Damien on that day and every single time she did.

"... Please don't blame Damien...I mean Alpha Damien, apologies everyone... we're so close that sometimes I forget etiquette and just call him by his name...but if anyone's at fault it's-(coughs)-me...I should have-(cough)-excuse me..."

I watched her reach for her favorite tool in in the box–exaggerating her symptoms. Taylor's constitution was not as weak as she wanted most people to believe, but she had kept up this facade her entire life to garner pity from anyone. No matter what she did everyone would side her the moment she puts on her little show.

As expected the wavering comments all change and were now fully in her favor again while raining curses at me, then Damien's came across the table, she dropped the phone while I was looking up at a golden lightbulb I could still hear them.

"Taylor, stops blaming yourself...let's just enjoy our dinner,"

I ran my eyes over all the food I made the last bit of appetite I had dying in that instant, I was about to turn off my phone and cry myself to sleep when Taylor's coughs came through my phone again.

These ones weren't faked.

Alert and panic rippled through my spine, Damien's shaken voice made it through the phone.

"Stay with me, Taylor... we're going to the hospital!"

I got up so quickly that I knocked the chair I was sitting on a backwards and hardly noticed before zooming through the pack house and leaping into my car in one breath.

Taylor and I might have a complicated relationship but, we still shared blood and I never wanted her to lose her life.

...or her fated mate.

Driving like a mad woman to the only hospital in the pack.

I recalled vividly how I had served Damien mate bond annulment papers…with a raised eyebrow and crossed legs he asked me, "What's this?"

I added a pen to the papers on the table, "a way out for both you and me... Whether you believe me or not I never planned to get between you and my Taylor. It's going to take us a couple of months to finalize everything but by the time we're done you'll be free to..."

I couldn't even recite the speech I had practiced in my head before he grabbed to the papers and tore them into pieces tossing them on the ground.

"Damien?! What are you doing?!" I screamed my voice going a decibel, "Isn't this what you wanted?"

He glared at me like I was the gum stuck under his shoe.

"And who are you to tell me what I want?"

And that was how our union of mix signals began truly, whenever he could sniff out that I was getting fed up he'd do something out of character that made naively believe that maybe this time... He was going to accept me.

Then he'd go back to being his usual mean self.

I arrived at the hospital and found my chosen mate pacing around in the waiting room, sweating buckets despite the air conditioning and probably murmuring every plea to the moon goddess.

When he saw me, he pulled me into a sudden embrace, squeezing me so hard that my ribs nearly broke under the pressure yet I bit back any complaints.

"Astrid, the pack doctors took her straight to the ICU... She was barely even breathing in my arms, what if she doesn't make it?"

"She will," I reassured him over and over again until he broke into tears.

"If anything happens to Taylor, then I'll join her there's no point of seeing another day if she's not in it,"

A lump formed in my throat instantly, blocking the words I wanted to say.

What about me? What about the past 7 years I've been trying to win your heart Damian? I hope nothing happens to Taylor too but... Don't I make you look forward to the mornings?

I remained in his arms but I didn't hold him back, just flopped into his embrace like a dead fish.

How much longer would I have to do this? My father and stepmother's soon arrived, Damien went over to talk to them. Suddenly everyone had forgotten that I was even there, nobody responded when I asked questions about Taylor.

I just sat in the corner with less presence than a decorative vase, recalling the dinner I had a cooked from time to time.

I still wanted to spend time with Damien but I knew that was a selfish request to make, after hours of nobody regarding my existence. I grabbed my purse ready to leave, but surprisingly Damien followed after me.

"Are you hungry?"

The workers at the pack hospital cafeteria had people on duty for night shifts, so Damien bought me an Americano and a chicken sandwich.

"This is your favorite, right?" He said with an unnerving smile as he handed me the Americano. No, it was Taylor's favorite but I was too tired to correct him both emotionally and physically.

He sat across from me with only a cup of black coffee to sustain himself, bringing up mundane topics for us to discuss.

"Damien... What's going on? Is there something you want to tell me? Is it about Taylor?"

The way he drew on his lips told me that I had hit the nail right on the head, he began to fiddle with his cup.

"Well... yes," he admitted hesitantly, "... The doctors say that she's running out of time, they'll be able to resuitate her for today but afterwards... If she doesn't get a kidney donor soon, she'll..."he choked up but managed to continue.

"Astrid... please..." He almost got down on his knees, "You're the only one that can save her."