Chapter 3 : I Gave My Heart to Blake

Elena‘s  POV

I'd been sitting in the same plastic chair for two hours, waiting for my test results. At some point, I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, someone was saying my name.

"Elena?"

I blinked awake and a familiar face swam into focus,

"Jacob?"

He sat down in the chair beside me. "I thought that was you. What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

Jacob.

 I hadn't seen him in almost four years. We'd dated briefly before I met Blake, nothing serious, just a few months of shy glances and awkward first kisses. He'd wanted more, but then I found my fate mate, and everything changed.

"I'm fine," I said automatically. "Just a routine checkup."

He studied my face, and I knew he could see the lie. I'd lost weight since we last met. 

"I heard about Blake's campaign," he said, changing the subject. "Running for Alpha is such  a big deal."

"It is."

"You must be proud of him."

I smiled, but it felt hollow. "He's worked hard for it."

Jacob nodded slowly. 

"Elena?" A nurse appeared in the doorway, clipboard in hand. "Your results are ready."

I stood, my legs unsteady. Jacob stood with me.

"I'll come with you," he said.

"You don't have to—"

"I want to."

We followed the nurse down a long hallway to a small consultation room. She handed me a folder and left without a word.

I opened it. 

The artificial heart was deteriorating faster than expected. My body was rejecting it completely now. It had a written note at the bottom: Recommend immediate hospitalization. Prognosis: weeks, not months.

Jacob was reading over my shoulder. I heard his sharp intake of breath.

"Elena..." His voice cracked. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"There's nothing anyone can do."

"Does Blake know?"

I closed the folder. "No."

"You have to tell him. He's your mate, he'd want to be there for you."

I thought about Blake's face when he left yesterday. The way his eyes had lit up when his phone rang. 

"Maybe," I said.

Jacob drove me home. The whole way, he kept glancing at me like I might shatter if he looked away.

"Blake loves you," he said as we pulled into the driveway. "Whatever's going on between you two... he loves you."

I unbuckled my seatbelt. "Thank you for the ride, Jacob."

"Elena—"

"I'll be okay. Take care of yourself."

I walked toward the house without looking back.

"Where were you?" I whirled around with a hand to my heart when I shut the door.

“Blake…”

His arms were crossed, his jaw tight. The moment I stepped through the door, he was on his feet.

"The hospital, I had a checkup."

"And Jacob? What was he doing there?"

"We ran into each other. He gave me a ride home. That's all."

"That's all?" He laughed, but there was no humor in it. "You expect me to believe that? You're sneaking around with Jacob—"

"Sneaking around?" I took a step backwards, "I was at the hospital, Blake. Getting test results, while you were out doing goddess knows what with—"

I stopped myself but it was too late.

Blake's eyes narrowed. "With who? Say it."

"Forget it."

"No, you started this so finish it."

I stared at him and suddenly I was so tired. 

"It doesn't matter," I whispered. "None of it matters."

Something in my voice must have reached him, because his anger drained away.

"Elena..." He stepped closer. "I didn't mean—I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused you like that."

He pulled me into his arms. I stood there, stiffly while he stroked my hair and murmured apologies into my ear.

The test results were still in my hand. I thought about showing him. Instead, I walked to the kitchen and dropped the folder in the trash.

What was the point? He didn't love me anymore. Telling him I was dying wouldn't change that. It would only make him stay out of obligation, out of pity. 

The next morning, I woke before dawn and slipped out of bed and went to the kitchen.

The smell of bacon and eggs eventually drew him downstairs. He appeared in the doorway, rumpled and sleepy, and smiled when he saw me at the stove.

"You're cooking."

"Someone has to feed you."

He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Remember when we used to do this every morning? Back in the old apartment?"

"The one with the leaky roof?"

"And the broken heater." He pressed a kiss to my temple. "We were so poor but I was happy."

So was I, I wanted to say. What happened to us?

But we didn't talk about last night, we just ate breakfast in silence and pretended everything was fine.

"I was thinking," Blake said, setting down his fork. "We should go try on your wedding dress today. Sarah's been asking about it."

"Okay," I said. "Let's go."

I wore the necklace Blake had made for me, seven small diamonds on a delicate chain, one for each year of good fortune. He'd given it to me when we were engaged fastening it around my neck with trembling fingers.

Now I touched it like a talisman as I stepped out of the dressing room.

The gown was beautiful. It was white silk, hand-embroidered lace with a train that pooled around my feet like moonlight. Blake had designed every detail himself.

Sarah gasped when she saw me. "Elena, you look stunning."

Blake's eyes went soft. "Beautiful," he murmured. He knelt to adjust the train, smoothing the fabric with careful hands.

I opened my mouth to say something when my eyes caught the television at the corner of the boutique.

Lydia's face filled the screen.

"So, Lydia," the interviewer was saying, "some people are suggesting your promotion to Chief Warrior has more to do with Blake than your own abilities. Care to comment?"

Lydia laughed. "Blake and I are just colleagues. But I will say..."

 She leaned forward conspiratorially. "I can’t take all the credit, I owe all my progress to my boyfriend, who  is incredibly romantic. He sends me moonflowers every week. Can you believe it? And he's always surprising me with little gifts. Rings hidden in ice cream and custom-made dresses."

My blood ran cold.

“He is so sweet," Lydia continued, flashing a smile at the camera. "I'm a very lucky woman."

All the things Blake had done for me. Every romantic gesture, every thoughtful gift, he'd given them to her too.

Did you tell her about us? my wolf howled. 

Did you share our memories like gossip? Or did you just... recreate them? Give her everything you gave me, as if I never mattered at all?

A viewer comment scrolled across the bottom of the screen: Blake's gifts to his actual mate are even more generous. Clearly he loves her more.

Lydia's smile flickered, just for a second.

I turned away from the television to hide my shaky hands.

We built this pack together. I stood by his side through every battle, every setback, every long night. I helped him rise from nobody to Beta. I loved him when he had nothing.

And Lydia? She was supposed to be a temporary distraction. Something that would burn out and fade.

But it hadn't faded. 

It had grown and now she had moonflowers on her table and diamonds on her finger and a castle with her name on the gates.

What do I have?

The answer came to me slowly, painfully, like a wound that wouldn't stop bleeding.

You have a failing heart because you gave your real one away.

Three years ago, Blake had collapsed during a hunt. Heart failure, the healers said. He was dying, and there was only one cure, a transplant from a compatible donor.

I was a perfect match.

I didn't hesitate and gave him my heart without his knowledge.

I touched the necklace one last time.

I gave you my heart, Blake. Literally. And you didn't even notice when you broke it.