The training grounds buzzed with activity as pack members gathered for the mandatory session. I stood at the edge, my hand instinctively resting on my stomach. Two weeks had passed since Catherine's plea, and still, Garrett's heart remained elsewhere.
"Everyone pair up!" Delta James shouted, his voice carrying across the field. "We're practicing defensive maneuvers today."
I scanned the crowd for Garrett, but he was nowhere to be seen. Probably with Eliana, preparing for their next betrayal.
A sudden explosion shook the ground, sending birds scattering from nearby trees. Shouts erupted as pack members scrambled for cover.
"What's happening?" I cried, clutching my stomach protectively.
"Rogues at the northern border!" someone yelled. "They've breached the perimeter!"
Chaos erupted. Warriors shifted into wolf form, racing toward the commotion. The training ground emptied quickly, leaving only a handful of us behind.
"Emily!" Delta James called. "Get inside! Now!"
But before I could move, a massive gray wolf burst through the trees—Eliana in her shifted form. Her eyes locked on mine, gleaming with something that made my blood run cold.
"Emily," she growled, her wolf's voice thick with malice. "Perfect timing."
She stalked toward me, her massive paws silent on the grass. I backed away, my wolf snarling inside me.
"Eliana, stop! The Rogues—"
"I know exactly what I'm doing," she snapped, circling me. "This is the distraction I arranged. Didn't you wonder why I needed those patrol routes?"
My heart pounded as I realized what was happening. This wasn't random—it was planned.
"You're insane," I whispered, backing toward the trees.
Her wolf lunged forward, teeth bared. "Insane? No, I'm practical. There's only room for one Luna in this pack."
I turned to run, but Eliana was faster. She slammed into my back with brutal force, her heavy wolf body propelling me forward. I screamed as I flew through the air, my arms wrapping instinctively around my stomach.
The world slowed as I hit the rocky outcrop at the edge of the training grounds. Pain exploded through my abdomen, sharp and tearing. I crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Alpha!" I cried out, my voice breaking. "Garrett! Please!"
Blood pooled beneath me, warm and sticky against my skin. I could feel it—the life inside me slipping away.
Eliana shifted back to human form, clutching her ankle. "Oh no," she whimpered loudly. "I lost control! The stress of the attack—I couldn't stop myself!"
Footsteps pounded toward us. Garrett appeared, his face pale with shock.
"Emily?" His eyes widened at the sight of my blood.
"Help me," I begged, reaching for him. "Our pup—"
A pained yelp from Eliana cut me off. She limped dramatically, tears streaming down her face.
"Garrett, I'm hurt," she sobbed. "My paw—I think it's broken."
I stared in disbelief as Garrett rushed past me to Eliana's side.
"Let me see," he murmured, gently examining her ankle while she leaned into him.
"Garrett," I gasped, the pain intensifying. "Your son is dying."
But he didn't look up. His hands cradled Eliana's foot, his attention completely focused on her minor injury.
"It's just a sprain," he told her softly. "You'll be fine."
Strong arms lifted me from behind. "I've got you, Luna," Gamma Marcus said grimly. "The Healer is waiting."
I watched through tears as Garrett helped Eliana to a sitting position, completely ignoring my blood staining the ground.
---
"The pup is gone," Dr. Helena Stone said gently, her hands still glowing with healing energy. "I'm so sorry, Emily."
I stared at the ceiling, unable to process her words. The emptiness inside me was physical—a void where life had been moments before.
"I felt it happen," I whispered. "The bond... it snapped."
Helena's eyes filled with tears. "The Moon Goddess blesses us with these bonds, but sometimes they're fragile."
A commotion outside drew her attention. "Alpha Garrett is here."
"Don't let him in," I pleaded, but Helena was already moving toward the door.
Garrett burst into the infirmary, his face ashen. The scent of Eliana still clung to him—her perfume, her tears, her deceit.
"Emily," he breathed, approaching the bed cautiously. "I came as soon as I could."
I turned away, unable to look at him. "You came too late."
"Is it true?" His voice cracked. "Did we lose...?"
"Our son is dead," I said flatly. "While you were comforting her."
Garrett's knees buckled as he sank to the floor beside my bed. "Emily, please—I didn't know—"
"You didn't want to know," I corrected him, my voice hollow. "You chose her. Even now, you reek of her."
His hands reached for mine, but I pulled away. The mate bond between us stretched thin, weakened by his betrayal and the loss of our pup.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, but the words meant nothing.
Sorry wouldn't bring back our son. Sorry wouldn't heal the wound in my heart. And sorry certainly wouldn't change the fact that when I needed him most, he had chosen another.
As I lay there, empty and broken, one thought crystallized in my mind: This was the end. The beginning of the end of everything we had once been promised.
