Chapter 3

Outside the door, a few pack members' chatter woke us.

"Did you see that? To bandage Lilian's leg, Kevin literally propped her foot up on his own lap. And Simon was leaning against her, wiping her down—he was practically about to press his face to hers."

"What's so special about this Lilian anyway? She barely scraped her skin. Why are they freaking out over her like that?"

"Ugh, I heard Katherine and Vera got attacked by rogues. And those two, for that woman, just left their own pregnant mates to fend for themselves..."

Vera was shaking with rage, too furious to speak. I gripped the bedsheet until my knuckles went white, forcing down my own grief, trying to calm her.

Then the healer walked in.

She looked at us, then let out a long, heavy sigh.

"Katherine, Vera... I'm so sorry. The babies didn't make it."

"And your bodies are badly damaged. I'm afraid... you may never be able to conceive again."

I'd rehearsed that outcome in my head a thousand times.

But when it became real, Vera and I broke down sobbing anyway.

After a long while, I wiped my tears, and my voice came out calmer.

"Healer, could you deliver a letter to the Council for us?"

"Vera and I intend to break our mate bonds and leave the pack. For good."

The healer froze, her mouth opening and closing, words catching in her throat.

Then she simply said:

"Okay."

She took the letter and walked out.

But hours passed, and there was nothing.

No reply from the Council. No plea from Kevin or Simon. Nothing.

The sky darkened. I ran out of patience first and linked Kevin.

He must have been busy—it took forever for him to answer, and his voice came through annoyed.

"Katherine, you used to be so understanding. What's gotten into you today?"

"You dragged our personal business to the Council—do you have any idea what that does to my approval rating? I had to bust my ass to bury it."

He sighed, his tone thick with exasperation.

"Katherine, I know I've been neglecting you lately. Tomorrow's the selection ceremony. Once I take over, I swear I'll make it up to you—double, triple, whatever you want."

"Just be good and stop distracting me, okay?"

Before I could get a word out, Kevin cut the link instantly.

My chest split open like a blade had gone through it.

The healer had delivered the letter to the Council herself.

If he'd cared even a little—

If he'd taken five minutes to actually read it—

He'd have known right then that Vera and I were gravely wounded and had lost our babies.

But he didn't.

The man he was now—just a demon devoured by power.

I looked down, running my finger gently over the ring.

I still remembered the day of the binding ceremony. Kevin knelt on one knee and slid the ring onto my finger with such tenderness.

His eyes went red as he swore to the Moon Goddess he'd be faithful to me forever—that he'd never let me suffer.

But now, no matter how wronged, how furious, how broken I was;

He dropped me without a second thought.

The man who once looked at me like I was his whole world died the moment he became the heir.

I pulled the ring off and tossed it to the ground without a care.

Then I took Vera's hand and said coldly:

"If they won't even care whether we and our pups live or die, then we don't owe them a damn thing."

"Tomorrow is the Alpha selection ceremony. Before that—we break the mate bonds. Then we leave. Forever."