Chapter 3

I stared at those two faces—strange and familiar all at once—and dug my nails into my palms.

The bond of blood didn't lie. They were the pups I'd thought were dead all along.

"Whose children are they?"

Vivian pulled them closer to her sides.

"Mine, of course."

"You're lying!"

My voice was shaking; I couldn't stop it.

"Silver poison destroyed your womb. You can't carry a pup. You never could."

"The healer said it was impossible. Can't the Moon Goddess give me a miracle?"

Her eyes went cold on me.

"Elena, I sympathize with you losing pup after pup. But that doesn't give you the right to claim mine as yours."

She said it so confidently. So righteously.

If I hadn't heard the truth with my own ears last night, I would've started wondering if I was losing my mind.

"They have my blood!"

Vivian let out a laugh and pressed a kiss to each child's forehead.

"Noah's fever? I held him all night. Lia's nightmares? I was there. First teeth, first words, first time they ran with the pack under the full moon—I was the one there for all of it."

"What did you ever do for them? And you think you can just look at them and call them yours?"

The tears came fast.

It wasn't that I didn't want to. It was that Kane told me they were dead.

I never even got to hold them.

My hand trembled as I reached for Noah's face.

"Sweetheart, I'm your—"

"Bad lady!"

Noah slapped my hand away and threw himself in front of Vivian.

"She's my mom! Don't you hurt her!"

Lia clung to Vivian's leg, crying and shoving at me.

"Stop hurting my mommy!"

Every word hit like a needle straight through my chest.

They had my blood. And they were protecting the woman who stole them.

Vivian's eyes gleamed with victory.

"You hear that? They only know me as their mother."

Noah suddenly grabbed the little gray wolf plushie off the nightstand.

The one I'd sewn with my own hands when I was pregnant the first time.

I'd kept it with me ever since the pup "died."

"Don't touch that!"

He threw it on the floor and stomped on it. Twice.

"Don't you make little wolves like my mommy!"

I lunged for it. Noah swung at me—his tiny claws raked across my hand, leaving three bloody gashes.

"Stay away from my mom!"

Blood dripped down my fingers.

Then he grabbed the plushie and threw it into the water glass. The glass shattered. The soaked toy landed in the shards, its head crushed out of shape.

That was the only thing I had left for my pups.

And now my own child was the one who destroyed it.

Vivian didn't stop him. She just patted Noah's head.

"That's right. A real man protects his birth mother."

Noah puffed out his chest.

"Anyone who hurts my mom—I'll bite them to death."

Lia was crying, red-faced, but she still clung to Vivian.

I looked at them. I knew they didn't understand. But I asked anyway:

"If one day, everyone tells you I'm the one who gave birth to you—will you at least hear me out?"

"No!"

Noah didn't hesitate.

"You hurt my mom. I'll never want you!"

My heart shattered into pieces I couldn't put back together.

Vivian picked up the ruined plushie and deliberately dropped it at my feet.

"Even if you share blood with them—what does it matter? In their hearts, I'm their mother."

She rested her hand on my belly and dropped her voice.

"You couldn't even keep two pups. What makes you think you can compete with me?"

That was it. The last thread snapped.

"Don't touch my pup!"

I shoved her hard.

Vivian slammed into the foot of the bed, her cane flying out of her grip. She hit the floor.

"Mommy!"

Noah threw himself at her. Lia was screaming, sobbing. Both kids clutched Vivian, their cries filling the room.

Fast footsteps pounded down the hall. Kane threw the door open.

He saw Vivian on the ground. Saw the two pups crying. He pulled her up, checked Lia for injuries.

He never once looked at my bleeding hand.

Vivian pressed herself against his chest, eyes red.

"Elena kept saying the pups were hers. She tried to take them."

"I tried to leave—and she pushed me—"

"She's lying!"

I locked my eyes on Kane.

"They are my pups. You know it better than anyone."

Kane went rigid.

Noah was sobbing and pounding on his leg.

"Daddy! The bad lady pushed Mommy! Make her go away!"

Kane looked at the kids. Looked at Vivian's pale face. Then he turned to me, and all I saw was cold impatience.

"That's enough, Elena!"

"Noah and Lia are Vivian's pups."

"I know you've lost pups. I know it hurts. But you can't take that pain out on them."

His voice got louder. His anger got sharper.

"Apologize to Vivian."

I looked at the man who'd once shared my soul. And suddenly, I felt nothing.

"I won't."

"Stop this. We'll talk when you've calmed down."

He scooped up Lia, helped Vivian out the door. Noah still stood guard in front of her, watching me like I was the enemy.

The moment the door clicked shut, whatever was left of my love for Kane died.

That evening, Kane came back like nothing had happened. He brought a new ring.

The band was engraved with a full moon. Our names on the inside.

He knelt by the bed and slid it onto my finger.

"After the surgery, we'll do the bonding ceremony again. Just us this time."

I touched the cold ring.

"Kane. Will you ever regret this?"

He thought I meant being with him. He pressed a kiss to my hand.

"The only thing I'll never regret is choosing you."

I almost cried.

At midnight, a duty nurse pushed the door open. Her cap was pulled low.

There was no wolf scent in the air—just faint wormwood.

A witch.

She swapped out my IV bag and tapped the tube three times with her fingertip.

"Tomorrow morning's going to hurt. Are you scared?"

I looked at Kane, asleep beside my bed, still holding my hand.

"No. I just want my pup."

The witch wheeled her cart out.

Kane stirred, like he'd sensed something. His eyes snapped open.

"Elena?"

I pulled him into a hug.

It was the first time I'd done that since I was admitted. And the last time I'd ever call his name in my heart.