Amber's going through it.
AmberThe silence after the nurse’s final words was louder than her shouting.Do you really want his death on your conscience, Dr. Queen?I gripped the edge of the sink, knuckles bone-white, my pulse thudding in my throat like a warning bell. My entire body still felt like it was vibrating—nerves, anger, disgust, fear… it all crashed into me at once, a tidal wave I couldn’t outrun.I didn’t move. Didn’t speak.Olivia stood there, arms folded, jaw tight, waiting.I closed my eyes.Images flickered behind my eyelids. His blood. His body. His scent. The mark on my neck that I scrubbed so raw it bled when I was eighteen. The heat. The rut. The rejection. The shame.Rayne Hunter was the worst thing that ever happened to me.And now he was on my table.Dying.And I was the only one who could stop it.I wanted to say no.Goddess, every part of me wanted to say no. Wanted to scream that he deserved it. That this was karma, destiny, justice. That whatever was happening to him now was only a fr
RayneWaking up felt like drowning in molasses.Everything was thick. Slow. Heavy. Like my body was underwater and my brain was a full ten seconds behind every breath I took.The first thing I noticed was the sound.Beeping.Soft. Steady. Mechanical.The next thing was the pain.Not sharp, not screaming—but everywhere. Deep, aching pressure that pulsed through my body like a warning siren. My skull throbbed as if a drumline had set up camp inside. My abdomen felt tight, bandaged, heavy. And my leg—when I shifted slightly—shot a bolt of pain so intense I almost passed out again.I hissed, biting down a groan.Machines were attached to me. I could see the IV in my arm, feel the leads taped to my chest. The sheets smelled like bleach and latex. Cold. Clean.Hospital.What the hell happened?I tried to sit up, but my muscles screamed in protest. A sharp sting tore through my midsection. I looked down—thick white gauze wrapped around my lower abdomen, stained faintly pink at the edges. My
AmberI stood outside the hospital room door, my hand hovering just above the handle, willing my pulse to slow.The hall was quiet.Too quiet.It gave me too much time to think.To remember.To feel.Don’t do that, I told myself. Don’t feel anything. Not now.This wasn’t personal. This was procedure. Post-operative follow-up. One of a dozen I’d done that week. He was just another patient on my list.I took a breath. Straightened my spine.And walked in.He looked exactly how I left him—only now his eyes were open. Alert. Wild with disbelief.I didn’t flinch when I saw his expression.Didn’t react when his gaze snapped to me like I was a ghost he thought he’d buried seven years ago.He looked pale, bandaged, exhausted. But underneath the bruises and the haze, his shock was unmistakable. It poured off him like heat.And it filled me with something I hadn’t expected—pride.Not the vain kind. The quiet kind. The kind that whispered, You never thought I’d become this, did you?He had writt
RayneMorning crept in through the blinds like a soft ache behind my eyes. The light wasn’t harsh—more like a warm haze—but it still made my head pound a little harder.I blinked against it, letting my eyes adjust, waiting for the room to settle back into focus.And when it did, I saw him.Reed.Curled up in the plastic chair beside my bed like he’d been there all night. Elbows propped on the edge of the mattress, chin resting on his arms, staring at me with wide, worried eyes.There was no anger in his expression.No hurt. No distance.Just relief.And love.Like the night before had never happened. Like he hadn’t stood in the hallway with fire in his eyes and divorce in his mouth.“Hey,” he said softly, sitting up straighter when he saw my eyes open. “You’re awake.”“Yeah,” I croaked, my voice still raw. “Barely.”His face lit up. “Thank the goddess.”Before I could say anything else, he was fussing—reaching for the cup of water by the bed, checking the blanket, fluffing my pillow l
Rayne I looked at him.He smiled.He meant it. That was the worst part.It wasn’t a figure of speech.It wasn’t even romantic.It was... unsettling.But I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to turn the moment into another fight. Not when we were just starting to breathe again.Reed seemed to sense my unease because he shifted, his tone softer now.“I’ve been struggling, Rayne. A lot more than I wanted to admit. Being Luna isn’t easy. People expect perfection. Strength. Confidence. And I—I’ve been so damn insecure lately. Every time I see you drift or pull back, it feels like I’m losing you.”I stayed quiet, letting him speak.“That’s why I said what I said. I was overwhelmed. But I shouldn’t have dumped it all on you. I shouldn’t have scared you with the divorce threat. That was... extreme. And manipulative. I know that now.”He took a deep breath.“I’m sorry. Truly.”I nodded slowly.“I swear, if I ever feel that way again, I’ll talk to you. We’ll figure it out together. No more thr
AmberIt’s official.The Moon Goddess is a sadistic bitch. There’s absolutely no changing my mind about that.I don’t care how sacred she’s supposed to be. Or how many songs were written about her “divine will.” Screw all of it.It’s the only explanation for why I keep getting dealt such a shitty hand. Again. And again. And again.I had just finished my rounds, clipboard tucked under one arm, my head pounding faintly from hours on my feet. All I wanted was to return to my office, throw back the last of the cold coffee waiting on my desk, and finally breathe.But no.Apparently, peace wasn’t part of the divine plan for me.Because just as I turned the corner past the nurses’ station, I froze.Dead in my tracks.There they were.Rayne and Reed.Reed was pushing Rayne’s wheelchair down the hallway slowly, talking animatedly about something I couldn’t hear. His hands were light on the handles, careful and gentle. Rayne sat back, bandaged and pale, but with that same stupid soft look he alw
RayneOne, two, three, four… Eight weeks.It took just over eight painful, frustrating, mind-numbing weeks to feel human again.Which was ridiculous considering how fast wolves were supposed to heal.But even with accelerated recovery, nothing about this process had been easy. The surgery had left me weak and sore for weeks. My abdomen still pulled uncomfortably when I bent the wrong way. The cast on my leg had only come off a few days ago, but the real hell was physical therapy.The fracture itself had healed—technically. But regaining full function, learning to walk without stiffness, without pain, without limping? That was the real battle.I’d had to use crutches for the first three weeks post-op, even as my wolf protested the entire time. Eden hated the helplessness. Hated the weakness. Hated the slow, humiliating pace of everything.But I did it.Because I had to.Because Reed showed up to every session. Pushed me through the frustration. Carried the parts of me that couldn’t car
RayneReed busied himself tucking my discharge folder into his messenger bag, still humming to himself with uncontainable excitement. He was already planning which takeout we’d order tonight, how he’d light candles in the bedroom and sprinkle rose petals on the floor and bed, make it “romantic but relaxing,” his words.But even as I smiled and nodded, there was something clawing at me from the inside.I couldn’t leave without saying thank you.To her.Amber.It didn’t make sense. She’d made it perfectly clear she wanted nothing to do with me—and I respected that. But I couldn’t walk out of this hospital and pretend like she hadn’t saved my life. Like she hadn’t stitched me back together with those tiny, fierce hands of hers.I owed her something. A thank you. That’s all.Just closure.A gesture.Nothing more.“Hey,” I said, interrupting Reed mid-sentence. “Can you do me a favor and go pull the car around? I don’t want to be limping through the parking lot for an hour.”Reed looked up.
Amber“Daddy, please stop,” Evalie giggled breathlessly, her curls flying with the motion. “You’re going to make me dizzy!”Rayne finally slowed down and held her close against his chest. His voice was low, raw, sincere.“I’m so sorry I’ve been away for so long,” he murmured, hugging her tighter. “I didn’t mean to leave you and mummy alone. But I promise, sweetheart, I’ll never leave again. No matter what. I’ll work VERY HARD to be the best daddy in the whole wide world.”Evalie’s little gasp was full of wonder. “Yay! We’re gonna have so much fun!” she started rambling. “I’ll show you all my drawings and we’ll go to the zoo and I’ll tell Miss Diana that my daddy’s back and you can take me to school and—”Her words tumbled out like a stream of joy.And I stood there like a fool, swallowing emotions I didn’t want to feel.I hated that all of this was getting to me.I hated how good he was with her.Rayne wasn’t supposed to be the kind of man who could hold a child like she was the most
AmberThe courtroom was thinning out—people filling out steadily, murmured conversations fading into hallway echoes. The judge had long since left, and yet I still stood frozen in place, Evalie’s small hand clutching mine tightly, as if grounding me in this moment.I was tired. My head pounded, not from the proceedings, but from everything that had come before and everything I knew would come after. I wanted nothing more than to get Evalie in the car, drive away from this building, and breathe. Just breathe.But as we turned toward the exit, Evalie tugged on my sleeve and tilted her face up at me, green eyes shining with hopeful excitement.“Mummy,” she said, her voice soft but clear, “can I meet my daddy now?”I stopped dead in my tracks.The question hit harder than I expected. Not because I didn’t know it was coming. I had promised her. I told her she would meet him today. But hearing her say it aloud—so innocent, so trusting—struck something deep in my chest that I hadn’t braced f
AmberI heard gasps. Felt every stare pierce through me.Robert didn’t wait.“And there you have it!” He announced triumphantly. “She admits it. Out of her own mouth. She denied a child her father. She let her grow up without the emotional support, the discipline, and the presence of a stable Alpha figure—because her pride was hurt. This wasn’t protection. It was punishment.”He stepped forward. “Miss Queen’s selfishness has already damaged this child. And now she wants the court to let her continue the damage unchecked? At what cost to Evalie’s development? Her future? Her identity?”I wanted to scream. To cry. To collapse and disappear.But Ichika squeezed my hand.I looked down. Her grip was firm. Unshakable. You’re not alone, it said.Robert sat back, oozing victory.Ina rose again.“Your Honor,” she said, her voice like flint, “I request permission to speak.”“Granted.”Ina faced the court like a queen facing her people.“Miss Queen had good reason to withhold Evalie’s identity f
AmberThe courtroom wasn’t what I expected.It was colder. Quieter. A looming silence, only broken by the shuffle of papers and the creak of benches as people took their seats. High ceilings. Fluorescent lighting. A lone judge perched behind the bench, half-obscured by the mahogany podium before him.We took our place on the left side of the room—Ina, Evalie, and I. Ichika, Ken and Ian sat quietly behind us, their presence a fortress of calm I didn’t know I’d need until this moment.Across the aisle sat Rayne and Reed.Rayne looked like stone, his jaw locked tight and his hands folded, knuckles white. Reed, by contrast, looked like he belonged in a different kind of arena—like he was auditioning for an award instead of preparing for legal war. That smug little smirk never left his face.I focused on Evalie, who sat quietly beside me with a coloring book Ichika had brought along to keep her busy. Her small hands moved the crayon slowly across the page, completely unaware of the storm g
AmberThe air felt heavier than usual this morning.I’d barely slept, caught between nerves and the ache behind my ribs that always came when Evalie clung to me in her sleep. Her tiny hand still rested over my stomach as I lay there for a moment longer, memorizing the shape of her breathing.Today, everything could change.I slipped out of bed carefully, tucking the blanket around her. Her blond curls splayed against the pillow, the same soft shade as Rayne’s. I pushed the thought away.The house was already buzzing. I could hear Ichika clinking something in the kitchen—probably forcing Ken to eat breakfast even though his stomach was just as twisted as mine.I went to the bathroom and stared at my reflection. I didn’t recognize the woman looking back. She looked…braver. Or maybe more resigned. I wasn’t sure which one I needed more.By the time I stepped back into the bedroom, Evalie was sitting up, rubbing her eyes.“Morning, pumpkin,” I said, keeping my voice light.Evalie blinked,
AmberEvalie blinked up at me, visibly confused, the way kids often get when something doesn’t click right away. Her little brows scrunched, and I could almost see her mind turning the words over like puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit—yet.I smiled gently and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.“You know how the other kids in your school have two parents?” I asked, voice soft, steady, though my heart pounded like a drum. “Well… that man from earlier—he’s your other parent. He’s your daddy.”She went very still.The silence that followed was thick. Not heavy exactly—just full. Like the air was holding its breath. I braced myself for her confusion, maybe even tears or questions I wasn’t ready to answer. My stomach clenched. I shouldn’t have waited so long. I should’ve told her sooner, eased her into it. But there was no going back now.Evalie’s lips parted slightly as she processed it… and then—without warning—her entire face lit up.“Really?” she whispered. “I have a daddy?”Be
AmberIt was happening. No more delays. No more hiding.Tomorrow at 10 a.m., I’d walk into that courtroom and face Rayne for the first time in seven years—not as a broken Omega begging for mercy, but as Evalie’s mother fighting for the right to keep her child safe.The weight of it settled over me like a thick, scratchy blanket I couldn’t shake off. After Reed’s impromptu and unpleasant visit last week, the house had been blessedly quiet. No more knocks on the door. No more unwelcome Alpha energy polluting my space. Just peace—and tension so sharp it made my spine ache.Still, I had done what needed to be done. I’d contacted Ina like Ian suggested.From the moment she heard the details of my case, Ina had been all in. It didn’t take much convincing. The second I mentioned Rayne’s name and the pack he was from, she was intrigued. When I explained what I’d been through—the assault, the threats, the power imbalance, and Evalie being the child in question—Ina’s voice grew tight with purpo
AmberReed’s face twisted with rage, eyes flashing like a cornered animal. I saw it— the mask crack. The real him bleeding through.“You slut,” he hissed, venom coating every syllable. “You fucking whore. You always were. Pretending to be some innocent little victim when you’ve been spreading your legs for whatever Alpha shows the slightest interest. Don’t act high and mighty with me.”I said nothing.“You think I don’t know how you got where you are?” He sneered, stepping closer. “You fucked your way through med school. Slept with the right people. Used that pathetic Omega allure of yours to get whatever you wanted. That’s what you do, isn’t it? It’s all you’re good for.”Still, I said nothing. But my hand was tightening on the doorframe so hard my nails were digging into the wood.He leaned forward, eyes dark. “You think this little war you’ve started is noble? That you’re some kind of martyr? You’re not. You’re just a selfish, bitter bitch who can’t handle the fact that she lost. R
AmberI had just gotten off the phone with another lawyer Ichika had managed to reach out to. So far? Things weren’t looking good.They acknowledged I had a solid case—on paper. But in reality, not many lawyers were willing to go up against the literal Alpha of the Pack. Alpha Rayne Hunter. The man had too much influence, too much reach. “It would be bad for business,” one of them said. “Dangerous even.” Another admitted, “Our reputation could suffer long-term if we cross the wrong people.”Their voices blended together into a nauseating chorus of fear and cowardice. It stung. I knew this wouldn’t be easy, but the sheer number of rejections was exhausting. And the ones who did consider the case? They were even worse.There was one woman in particular—an Omega, like me. I’d thought that would make a difference. I’d thought she would understand. I don’t know what I expected—compassion, maybe? Solidarity? But what I got instead was gall.The nerve.She had the audacity to chastise me. To