4. Overdosed

Yuri’s pov:

Aurora was nothing if not cunning, butI was thankfully as stubborn as they came. 

I was kneeling still when another maid rushed forward, saying, “This came for you.” 

She had thrust the contraceptives in my hands, and then fled the hall as if the devil himself was on her tail. 

These were the contraceptives for which I had placed the order myself. It was a good thing I wasn’t willing to take any chances earlier, and went the extra mile to make sure I would not fall pregnant. 

“I am not sure what happened to the first lot, but here are the contraceptives,” I let out in a soft, almost mocking tone of voice. 

Of course I knew. I knew that it had been Aurora’s doing. She and I had never been close, much less fond of one another. 

Truth be told, she could scheme all day long, if she so wanted, as long as yesterday’s fiasco didn’t end in a pregnancy, I would be fine – I should be fine.  

I tore the packaging open, showed the contraceptives to everyone around, and took the first pill, swallowing it without batting an eye – without water too. That was how desperate I was to make sure I would not bear Leo’s child.  

I absolutely refused to make another child of mine go through the same hardships. An indifferent father, cold as ice towards both mother and child, a cruel man incapable of empathy and unwilling to listen… that was not the life I wished for. 

I didn’t stop at the first pill, or the second, much less the third. I kept swallowing pill after pill, refusing to stop, despite the tears that stung my eyes. 

The humiliation was almost too much to bear. The glares I was still on the receiving end of were digging into my skin like knives.  

I could feel mom’s worry seeping into her every word, “You’ve made your point, Yuri. We understand. Please stop. You’re going to hurt yourself.” 

She might as well be the only person in the room who cared about my well being, and that made me inwardly smile.

I was then shocked to hear Rodney, my stepfather, speak up.  

“Please, Elder Jason, don’t you see she’s already swallowed many contraceptive pills? Isn’t it enough?”  

He, who had always bowed down to the Alpha, never daring to speak out of turn in front of him or the elders, was stepping forward for me… in an attempt to protect me. 

It was endearing really. And if not for the peculiar situation I was in, I would have believed I was cherished, and loved. But I knew I could never compare to his daughter, Aurora. After all, in my previous life, he must have known about her endless scheming, and yet he never once told her off as far as I knew. He always doted on her, spoiling her so much, she became unreasonable, and different shades of manipulative. 

After the 9th pill, pain began to spread through my abdomen like wildfire. Still, I didn’t stop. Instead, looking at Alpha Leo stubbornly, a sneer threatening to break onto my face, I let out, “Is it enough yet, Alpha?” 

I was showing him the last pill, ready as I was to swallow it too. 

Even though he was pinning with his gaze, he didn’t bother acknowledging my question with a response. He was as indifferent as ever, and a scoff almost escaped me. 

This man, for whom I had devoted myself in my past life, had trampled over my feelings time and time again, and had even killed his own flesh and blood. What was I expecting really? 

I swallowed the last pill, despite the pain, in my heart and in my abdomen too, a rueful smile stretching my lips. 

The elders remained silent through it all. 

They understood that though I had slept with the Alpha, I wasn’t in it for the money or the Luna title… Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken contraceptives.  

Soon, I rose to my feet, under the stunned looks of everyone around. 

My forehead was coated with a thin layer of sweat, and so was my back. The pain was becoming more and more unbearable. I barely took two steps forward when the world began to spin, and I felt nausea bubbling within me. 

I heaved, but nothing came out. I heard mom’s shrill worried voice from beside me, but could not comprehend what she was saying, much less tell her to calm down. My vision darkened. My ears rang. And it wasn’t long before I fell unceremoniously to the ground, unconscious. 

** ** ** ** ** ** 

Waking up to a beeping machine, and the pungent smell of disinfectant, I realized at once that I was in the hospital. I scrunched up my brow in disgust. I hated hospitals. 

Mom’s eyes lit up at the sight of me awake, and called for a nurse immediately. 

“You gave me such a scare!” She chided, her eyes glassy with tears. 

“Sorry, mom,” I offered her a smile. 

“Don’t you ever do that to me again. My heart won’t take it,” she went on. 

“There won’t be a next time,” I assured her with a nod. 

“The doctors said you passed out because you overdosed on contraceptives,” she wept openly then. “But it’s not life threatening, thank God!” 

  

She then handed me a cup of water, and I drank greedily. 

The doctor came to check on me shortly after and told me what mom had just told me, before adding, “You youngsters should be more careful.” 

I nodded at him in understanding. 

“I need to leave the pack, mom,” I told mom in a no-nonsense tone of voice once the doctor left. 

“What? Why?” She both sounded and appeared dumbfounded. 

“It’s for the best,” I said confidently. 

The more distance I would put between me and that wretched Alpha, the better. 

If possible, I would rather never see him again… though that was probably wishful thinking on my part. 

Speak of the devil, I all but growled inwardly as the door opened to reveal the man himself. 

Leo’s expression was cold, his eyes deep and penetrating as usual, when he declared on a scoff, “Looks like you really don’t want to have my child.” 

What did he mean by that? And why did he sound almost upset?  

I offered him a weak smile and didn’t hesitate to reply, “I will never bear your child.” 

Mom stiffened from beside me and looked just about ready to faint, but I wasn’t done.  

“Don’t worry, Alpha Leo. I have no intention of staying either. I would rather leave with dignity than have to suffer another ridicule.” 

Indeed, I might have slept willingly with him, but I hadn’t been the one to drug him. And yet, I had suffered a humiliation unlike any other. He hadn’t even spoken a word as I was taking pill after pill, and now he dared to look pissed? What was wrong with him? 

His eyebrow twitched in what appeared to be the only tell of his growing irritation, before he spat out angrily, “Fuck off!”