Chapter 2

"I'm the Alpha. I know everyone in this Pack inside and out." Kaelan's brow furrowed as he held Seraphina. "She's dying. We draw the blood. Now."

When I didn't move, his voice dropped—lower, harder. "Beckett. Take her to the drawing room."

"No." I stepped back.

Kaelan went still.

"Elara!" He hurled my name like a weapon, fire in his voice. "Do you not understand? She's dying. When someone's life is on the line, how can you be this selfish?"

"I'm pregnant. I can't donate blood." I held his gaze. "And it's yours. The pup I'm carrying is yours."

"I know you don't like me. I know you want me dead." Seraphina's voice came out thin, reedy—perfect for someone on the edge of death. "You don't have to save me. Just don't use pregnancy as an excuse. The Healer said your uterus was damaged. Said you'd never carry."

"But I am pregnant."

Kaelan called for the pack physician anyway.

Five minutes later, the results came back negative.

I stared at the screen. That wasn't possible. That couldn't be—

Kaelan's jaw tightened, anger flickering through his eyes. "We're wasting time. Save her."

"No." I grabbed my suitcase.

"Stop."

He shifted Seraphina's weight to one arm and caught my wrist with the other. His grip was iron. My bones ground together beneath his fingers.

"You say you love me. You've always said it." His eyes flickered gold—wolf pushing through. "And now you'd let her die? This is how you love me, Elara?"

"Let go."

"After you donate." He pulled. Dragged me toward the house. "It's fifteen milliliters. Maybe twenty. It won't hurt you."

Two steps. Three. My legs went soft beneath me.

I hadn't eaten since yesterday. Hadn't slept. Hadn't drunk anything. And there was a pup inside me, drawing what little I had left.

"Kaelan." Beckett's voice came hesitant. "She doesn't look good. Maybe we should—"

"What could be wrong with her? The test was negative." Kaelan cut him off. "She's Pureblood. A few milliliters of blood won't kill her. After you donate, we'll do the mating ceremony. Right here. Right now. Happy now?"

He glanced back at me like he was offering a favor. Like this was a gift I should be grateful for.

And in that moment, after all these years, I finally saw him clearly.

I thought of the night he saved my life. Years ago. Before any of this.

Consider this repayment for that night.

"Fine." My voice came out flat. "I'll do it."

Beckett guided me to a chair. The needle slid in. Dark red filled the vial.

Kaelan took it the second it was full and turned away.

"Kaelan."

He didn't stop.

I watched his back—broad, familiar, already walking toward her—and said the words clear and slow.

"We're even."

He hesitated. Half a step. Then kept going.

The world went dark.

---

When I opened my eyes, I was staring at a white ceiling. Antiseptic burned my nose.

"Awake." Theron sat beside the bed, his expression grim.

I tried to move. My body wouldn't cooperate. Hollow. Scraped out. Empty.

"Don't." He pressed a hand to my shoulder. "You've been out for a day and a half. Do you understand that?"

A day and a half.

"The pup?" I asked.

"Still there." Theron's eyes locked onto mine. "But you're not. Your body has nothing left. Six months. No stress. No blood loss. No injuries. Do you hear me?"

He left after that. But the door didn't close all the way.

Two nurses. Voices low. I wasn't meant to hear.

"That woman in there—Theron's been texting her mate all day. Not one reply."

"I heard the phone call. The guy said, and I quote, 'What do I care if she passed out? She's not my mate.'"

A pause. Then: "Wait. So she's the other woman?"

I closed my eyes and let the tears fall.

Two more days. Just two more days until my travel clearance came through. Then I could leave.

---

Evening came. I forced myself out of bed and made it to the Moonlight Garden. Needed air. Space.

I'd barely taken three steps when footsteps fell in behind me.

"Well, well. If it isn't Elara."

I turned. Pack Council Members. Three of them. The one in front I recognized—Damon. Newly promoted Captain of the Guard.

"Heard she faked a pregnancy so the Alpha would mate her." Damon's gaze crawled over me. "Heard she tried to bargain with her Pureblood blood a couple days ago. Wanted the ceremony in exchange."

Laughter from the others.

"Desperate much?" another one chimed in. "You can't force something that isn't meant to be. Why make yourself the other woman?"

Damon stepped closer, smile ugly. "You know, you're not bad-looking. Forget him. I don't have a fated mate. I could give you a ceremony. A real one. With me, you wouldn't be second best."

I said nothing. Walked around them.

"Stop." Damon's hand shot out, blocking my path. "I wasn't finished—"

"Say that again."

Kaelan's voice cut through the garden like a blade.

I looked up. He stood at the entrance, silhouetted against the dying light.

The Alpha command in his voice hit them all at once. They shook where they stood. Trembled.

Kaelan didn't wait for Damon to repeat himself. He crossed the distance in three strides and closed his hand around Damon's throat. Squeezed. Held until Damon's face went purple, until his eyes rolled back, until he was maybe a second from death.

Then he dropped him.

"Get out."

The others scattered like leaves in a storm.

Kaelan walked to me. Stopped inches away. Looked down.

"You shouldn't be out here if you're unwell." His brow furrowed. "Theron said you passed out. Didn't think it was that serious."

He turned to leave. Stopped.

"And stop trying to get my attention like this. Fainting? It's just pathetic, Elara."

A beat.

"The mating ceremony will happen. But let's be clear—it's a transaction. Nothing more."

Transaction.

His voice came from somewhere above me. Like he was tossing scraps to a beggar.