Chapter 2

Christine

The moment the fire exploded, the entire ballroom turned into a nightmare.

Screams filled the air.

The beautiful music that had been playing moments ago was replaced by panic and terror.

People pushed against each other, desperate to escape.

The same people who had been smiling and praising Alpha Zack moments ago were now running for their lives.

Smoke covered the ceiling.

The smell of burning wood and magic filled my lungs, making it difficult to breathe.

My wolf, Lyra, immediately became restless inside me.

"Christine… move." Her voice trembled.

Even she could feel the danger.

I tried to move.

I really did.

But before I could reach the exit, a strong force pushed through the crowd.

Someone bumped into me from behind. My heels slipped against the floor. I stumbled. And then... My dress caught on the edge of a broken chair.

“No…”

I pulled at the fabric desperately. My fingers shook as I tried to free myself. The fire was spreading faster. People were running past me.

Nobody noticed.

Nobody stopped.

My heart pounded painfully. “Help!” My voice came out weak.

I tried again. “Someone, please help me!”

But my voice disappeared among the screams.

The smoke became thicker. My eyes burned. My breathing became harder. And then... A terrifying sound came from above.

A crack.

My head slowly lifted and my blood ran cold.

The massive crystal chandelier hanging above the ballroom was shaking.

The magical flames had damaged the ceiling.

No.

No, no, no…

My instincts screamed at me.

My wolf screamed. "Move!" But it was too late.

The chandelier fell. Time slowed. For one second, I saw everything.

The terrified faces, the falling crystals, the flames reflecting against the glass. And then... Pain.

A pain so violent that I couldn't even scream at first.

The heavy chandelier crashed into my body.

My back hit the floor and my breath disappeared.

Every bone in my body felt like it had shattered.

Then the pain moved straight to my stomach.

My hand immediately went there and my entire body froze.

No.

Please.

Not my baby.

“Ahhh!” A scream tore from my throat.

I looked down..And my world stopped.

Blood.

There was blood everywhere... Too much blood.

My hands trembled as I pressed them against my stomach.

“No…” My voice broke. “No, no, no…”

My wolf began crying inside me. Not growling, not fighting... Crying. Because she knew. She knew something was wrong.

"Our pup…" Lyra’s voice was filled with fear. "Our pup is in danger.

A cold wave of terror washed over me.

My baby.

My baby was inside me.

My child.

The only innocent thing I had left.

I tried to move, I tried to crawl. But my body refused to listen. The pain was unbearable.

Tears blurred my vision. “Zack…” His name escaped my lips without thinking.

Because even after everything… Even after all the pain… My heart still searched for him.

My mate.

The man whose arms were supposed to protect me.

The man who promised before the Moon Goddess that he would always choose me.

“Zack!” I screamed louder, my voice broke. “Zack, please!”

Through the smoke, I saw him.

My heart jumped as relief flooded through me.

He was standing near the exit. He was holding Eva in his arms. For a moment, our eyes met.

And I saw shock and fear on his face when he saw the blood.

He saw me trapped beneath the chandelier.

He knew.

He knew I was hurt.

The mate bond between us pulled painfully.

I felt his emotions. Fear, confusion, and guilt.

For one second, I believed he would come. I believed my mate would choose me. I believed the man I loved for four years would remember that I was his Luna, his wife, and his mate.

“Zack!” I reached my hand toward him. “Please… our baby…”

His eyes widened and

“What?”

“I’m pregnant.” My tears fell harder.

The words barely left my mouth.

But he heard them. The entire world seemed to stop.

Zack stared at me. “You’re…”

His voice was filled with disbelief.

“I’m pregnant with your child,” I cried. “Five months, Zack. Our baby is five months old. Please save us.”

His face changed.

For a second, I saw my Zack.

The man who used to hold me under the moonlight.

The man who promised me forever.

The man who once told me I was the only woman he would ever love.

He took one step toward me. My heart filled with hope.

But then... “Zack!”

A frightened voice interrupted.

It was Olivia.

I looked past him.

She stood there. Perfectly fine.

Not a single injury. Not a single drop of blood.

Her eyes were wide with fake fear.

“I’m scared.” That was all she said.

Two simple words.

And my mate stopped.

My heart shattered slowly.

“No…” I whispered. “Zack, please.”

He looked between us.

Me.

His injured mate.

And Olivia.

The woman he betrayed me with.

Then Olivia walked closer.

“Zack…” she whispered, grabbing his arm. “I don’t feel safe.”

My fingers dug into the floor.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I was bleeding. I was losing our child. And he was worried about her.

“Christine is lying.”

“What?” My head snapped toward Olivia.

Her expression changed.

The sweet, innocent face disappeared.

“She’s lying to you.”

“Olivia…” My breathing stopped.

“She just wants attention,” Olivia said softly. “Think about it, Zack. If she was really pregnant, wouldn’t she have told you earlier?”

My lips parted.

I couldn't believe it.

“You…” My voice shook. “You know I was pregnant?”

Her eyes flickered. Just for a second. Enough for me to see the truth.

She knew.

She knew everything.

She knew about my baby.

She knew I was planning to leave.

She knew.

And she still smiled.

“She’s probably just trying to ruin our night.”

My heart cracked. “Zack…”

I looked at him.

I didn’t look at Olivia anymore.

I looked at my mate.

The man who was supposed to know my heart.

The man connected to my soul.

“Please.” My voice became a whisper. “Feel our bond.” I cried. “You know I’m telling the truth.”

Silence.

A painful silence. Because he didn’t answer. He didn’t come. He didn’t reach for me.

Then Vivienne’s voice came.

“Zack, stop wasting time.”

I turned my head.

His mother stood near him. Her face showed no concern.

Only irritation.

“She is probably exaggerating again.”

My eyes widened.

Exaggerating?

I was dying. My child was dying.

And they thought I was exaggerating.

“Zack…” I looked at him one last time. “Don’t leave me.”

Those words came from the deepest part of my soul.

Not as a Luna.

Not as a proud woman.

But as a broken mate begging the man she loved.

For a moment…

I thought he would choose me.

But then he looked away.

And said the words that destroyed me.

“Olivia comes first.”

My heart stopped.

The bond between us screamed.

My wolf howled in pain.

No.

No, no, no…

He walked away.

He picked Olivia up in his arms. And he left.

He left me on the burning floor.

He left me with our dying child.

He left the woman who had built his entire world.

I stared at his back.

Unable to breathe.

Unable to cry.

Unable to understand.

The man I loved walked away from me.

The man who was supposed to protect me became the person who destroyed me.

The fire grew closer.

Smoke filled my lungs.

My vision became blurry.

My hand remained over my stomach.

“I’m sorry…” A broken sob escaped my lips. “I’m sorry, my baby.”

My tears fell onto the floor. “I couldn’t protect you.”

My wolf cried with me.

The pain was too much.

The betrayal was too much.

Then everything became dark.

Just before I lost consciousness…

I heard a voice.

A deep, powerful voice.

“Someone is still alive inside.”

Heavy footsteps approached. A strong scent filled the air.

Not Zack’s.

Not my mate’s.

It was something different. Something powerful.

A stranger.

Strong arms lifted me from the ground.

My weak fingers grabbed onto his clothes.

“Please…” My voice barely existed. “Save my baby…”

The stranger froze. Then his voice came softly.

“Hold on, Luna.”

Luna.

He knew who I was.

But before I could ask anything…

Darkness swallowed me completely.

And the last thing I felt…

Was a stranger carrying me away from the man who abandoned me.