Chapter One. Shocked.

Ruby 

My wolf and body were drained and worn out from the profound effort of birthing our child.

All this while, I had underestimated the pain of a child's birth, and I never knew it would be this agonizing. What made it all worse was the fact that I had to endure the pain alone without my mate, who was the only one that could ease my ache, but for some unknown reason he was yet to be seen.

This was the most important day of our lives—the moment we had dreamt of since our childhood, yet he disappeared after receiving a call just the moment my water broke. How unlucky of me, but thankfully my bodyguard, Andrew, was kind enough to carry me in his arms, bringing me to the hospital.

My ears perked up upon hearing the sound of the doctor's footsteps. Weariness met anticipation, and I lifted my gaze despite being exhausted and smiled warmly. I had endured twelve hours of labour, making my body crave sleep.

Saying that I was beyond exhausted would be an understatement, and all I yearned for was to cradle my baby in my arms and bring him closer to my chest.

My tired eyes met Dr. Williams brown eyes, which are normally warm and compassionate. However, his eyes seemed to darken as he walked towards me, like they were hiding some secret.

My heart sank as I noticed he wasn't holding a baby wrapped around a blanket like I had expected, and I clutched the edges of the hospital bed unintentionally, digging my claws into them.

"My baby... where's my baby doctor? Where's Alex?" I muttered, my voice trembling.

My Alex. My baby. My precious son. I need to hold him.

Alex was the name I and Liam had always thought of giving our first son, and it was also the name of his late father, making it so special, especially to him. But right now, I didn't need the doctor to tell me what was going on, as I could clearly read the writing on the wall from the way his lip corner pulled down.

"No, there must be some mistake. Please, tell me you're wrong," I implored, desperation lacing my voice, as if by sheer willpower, I could undo this tragic reality.

He hesitated, a fleeting moment of uncertainty crossing his features. "I wish I were, Luna. We did everything we could, but the complications were severe. I'm truly sorry for your loss."

The room blurred as tears welled up, streaming down my cheeks without my approval.

 "Why?How could this happen? I heard my son cry; he sounded fine." I choked on the words, the pain in my chest making each breath an effort.

What would I tell Liam? Our precious baby was gone, and we didn't get to hold him for a second.

"It may be the will of the moon goddess; she gives and takes," he offered, a subtle flicker in his eyes revealing more than his words conveyed. I had known Williams for a long time and trusted him, but right now I was doubting every part of our friendship.

Regaining the last strength in me, I raised my hands, signalling for him to come closer, and he obediently did. Before he could say anything, desperation fueled my actions as I swiftly brought out my canines, sinking them into his ear—not enough to tear it off, but enough to make a point.

His eyes widened, and a scream of pain escaped his lips. I smirked, looking at him with deadly eyes.

"What do you know about giving birth, Williams? Do you have a womb in you, or do you know how much I suffered in bringing out that child from my vagina, you asshole? You better tell the moon goddess to bring my baby, or I will send you to her instead." I screamed, gripping his white coat tightly.

"Luna I understand your pain very much, so please don't say that. What happened was beyond our control and nature," he said, making me more angry, and I released his coat, letting him go out of frustration.

"Why do I sense something more behind those eyes? Give me my child." I demanded, my grief turning into a quest for answers. He sighed, glancing around cautiously.

"Luna, there were complications, but there's an investigation underway. I can't say more right now." He said not meeting my eyes, and confusion and anger intertwined with my sorrow.

 "Investigation?What happened to my baby? Tell me the truth!"

"I understand this is devastating, but we need time to gather all the facts. It's painful for me too," he explained, choosing his words carefully, and I couldn't help but cry loudly, disturbing the once peaceful hospital as I longed for the comfort of my mate.

As if reading my thoughts through the mate bond, Liam walked in, slamming the door with a deafening anger in his eyes. But what took me by surprise was when I saw another woman cling to him, intensifying the ache within.

Before I could share the heartbreaking news about the loss of our baby, he hurled pictures at me, each one a painful reminder of what we had lost.

"Why, Ruby? What did you do?" He spat, his accusations stinging like salt in an open wound. I tried to speak, to share the unbearable truth, but my words were lost in the chaos of shattered images and a love torn apart by grief and betrayal.

I gently picked up the scattered pictures, my heart sinking as I examined one closely. It captured a moment with Andrew, my bodyguard, standing close—innocent, yet the angle could easily misinterpret it as something more. I sighed, realising how appearances could deceive.

"It's not what you think, Liam; let me explain." I began to explain, but my mate stormed forward. His eyes blazed with fury, and before I could utter another word, his grip tightened around my throat, the air escaping my lungs, and the only sound I could hear was the unfamiliar voice of a woman laughing.

Panic and fear filled my eyes as I struggled to convey the truth, silenced by the painful squeeze that threatened to choke away not just my words but the very breath of understanding between us.

Gasping for air, I desperately tried to make eye contact with him, seeking any sign that he would listen. The pictures slipped from my grasp, forgotten on the cold floor.

"Please, listen." I managed to wheeze; my voice was strained. Tears blurred my vision as I attempted to convey the innocence behind the captured moment with Andrew. His grip tightened further, and anger radiated from him.

 "Explain?You think I'd believe your lies like I had done for fifteen years?" He spat, his words laced with venom. The room felt like it was closing in, my throat burning as the lack of oxygen took its toll. Panic surged through me, not just for the misunderstood photograph but for the unravelling of the trust we once shared.

"I didn't; you should know better." I gasped, my hands weakly reaching for his, trying to loosen the suffocating hold.

"It's not what you think." I muttered, watching painfully as his eyes, once filled with love, now held only fury. He remained unmoved, unyielding. As darkness threatened to consume my vision, I felt a profound sense of loss—not just for the child we had lost but for the connection slipping away, shattered by a twist of fate and a cruel misunderstanding.

Thankfully, in the nick of time, just before Liam could snap my throat, Dr. Williams rushed forward, grabbing my mate's arm in an attempt to set me free, but unfortunately, his strength was nothing compared to Liam's.

"Stop! You are hurting her. The Luna is weak and exhausted. Please, Alpha, let her go," Dr. William pleaded in a firm voice, and reluctantly, my mate released his grip, his chest heaving with rage.

Dr. Williams guided him away, creating a physical distance that matched the emotional chasm growing between us.

Clenching my eyes shut, I let a few fat teardrops roll down my cheeks. The blazing anger in his eyes and the accusations in them were too strong to bear. It literally hurt to look into his steel grey eyes, which were now burning with hatred towards me.

“You should have died along with your bastard baby; that way, you would have at least saved me from this disgrace. I can’t believe I ever fell for a woman like you, and I wish I could turn back time to take back my love for you, but then again, it’s never too late for rejection."

"No, please, Liam, don't do this. We love each other. Give me time to heal and explain. Let's talk this through." I begged in excruciating pain and crawled towards him, my tear-streaked face pleading for a second chance.

"Please, let's try again. We can make another baby right now if you want," I begged, my voice broken and desperate.

"A slut like you doesn't deserve a second chance," he spat, his words like venom cutting through my heart like a knife had stabbed my chest.

"I love you." I whispered, despite his harshness, feeling my heart bleed internally from pain and my wolf slowly vanishing due to heartbreak.

"I, Alph Liam, reject a lowlife slut like you, Ruby, as my Luna and true mate," he said, pushing me away with a force that sent me crashing to the floor.

The impact was brutal, and unintentionally, my head collided with a concrete table. The world blurred, and as darkness closed in, I felt the weight of his rejection and the physical pain intertwining—a cruel symphony of agony—before everything went silent.