Valea gave no reply and slowly shut her eyes.
"So you choose silence? Fine. Then stay silent forever," Renwick said with anger. He rose from the side of her bed and strode out of the chamber.
Outside, he spoke to a servant. "From this day on, Luna Valea is not allowed to step beyond this manor. She will be given only dry bread and water each day. Let her learn how the low ranks survive. No other food is to be given."
In the days that followed, she lived on nothing but bread and water. Her body grew weaker, her frame thinner with each passing day.
This gave Davinia more control within the pack house. She used it to torment Valea, ordering the servants to bring her hard and stale bread.
Valea endured it by reminding herself that her bond would be severed in five days. She spent most of her time inside her glass greenhouse, surrounded by quiet and plants.
One day, she heard the maids whispering outside, believing she could not hear them.
"Oh my... I have never seen Alpha Renwick so wild under the moon. He has never been like that with Luna Valea."
They giggled.
"I pity the Luna. She has no idea that while she’s locked away, her mate is sharing a bed with another woman just beyond her door."
"Lower your voice. You know Luna Valea is as cold as winter ice. She must be dull as a mate. No wonder the Alpha lost interest. Besides, everyone knows that five winters ago, his true love was Davinia. The death of the second young master must be tied to him, so he could claim his brother’s mate. Arion must be his true blood son. Why else would the Alpha name him heir of the Valloren Pack?"
"Of coure. Ever since Lady Davinia came into this pack, the Alpha smiles more. He treats her like a queen. They travel across distant territories together, just the three of them, the Alpha, Arion and Lady Davinia. They’re the real family."
Valea’s hand tightened around the watering can as the maids walked away.
She stepped out of the greenhouse and collided with Arion, who was running through the hall. He almost fell.
Valea caught his hand before he hit the ground.
"Arion, I have told you many times not to run like this. You will get hurt," she said softly.
Though Arion was Davinia’s son, Valea had raised him since he was a newborn. Her heart still held affection for him.
"Stop acting like you care. You’re not my mother. I hate you," Arion snapped, shoving her away.
"Arion," Valea said with a heavy gaze, "even if I didn’t give birth to you, you shouldn’t speak to me like this. I have raised you and cared for you all these winters."
Arion let out a mocking laugh.
"You only act kind because you fear my father will cast you out. You’re a barren she wolf who envies my real mother. If you beg me nicely, maybe I will ask Father to let you stay, you useless she wolf!"
Valea stared at him, her chest aching, her voice trembling. "Arion, who taught you such cruel words?"
"Isn’t it the truth? You cannot bear a pup. My father only loves my mother. You forced her to leave the pack and stole me from her. If not for you, we would have lived happily long ago."
Arion pushed her with force.
Valea fell hard onto the stone floor. A sharp pain struck her abdomen at once. Her face lost all color.
"Arion, don’t act so roughly."
Renwick appeared suddenly with Davinia at his side. He scolded Arion and pushed him aside without thinking, then turned to Valea with a hint of concern.
"Are you alright?"
"My stomach..."
Before she could finish, Arion burst into loud cries.
"Father doesn’t love me anymore. Mother, it hurts."
Renwick’s focus shifted at once. Arion was in Davinia’s arms, crying. His small hands were scraped, blood staining his palms.
"Renwick, I am sorry for Arion’s behavior. Please don’t treat him so harshly. He’s still a pup. How could he possibly push someone as grown as Valea to the ground?" Davinia said, her voice trembling. Tears streamed down her beautiful eyes as if her heart was breaking for her son.
Guilt flashed across Renwick’s face. He quickly pulled Arion into his arms and soothed him. "I am sorry. Father was wrong. Don’t cry anymore."
"Father, it hurts. My hands are bleeding..."
"I will take you to the healer hall at once." Renwick stood, his voice filled with urgency.
"Renwick, my stomach hurts..." Valea called weakly, her voice fading from the pain.
Renwick turned away without even looking at her and walked off.
Davinia cast Valea a victorious smile before following after him.
Valea lowered her gaze to the cold floor. Her shoulders slumped, as though all strength had left her. She covered her face and let out a hollow laugh. For a brief moment, she had thought Renwick cared. That fragile hope shattered in an instant.
Her laughter soon turned into cries.
Pain spread through her body. She curled into herself as warmth flowed down her thigh. Her face turned pale when she saw blood staining her leg and pooling beneath her.
"Ah, Luna." A passing gardener saw her and rushed over in panic. "I will call the Alpha."
Valea grabbed his hand at once. "No. Call a carriage. Take me to the healer hall. And tell them to keep my identity hidden."
They arrived at the healer hall. As she had asked, the healers kept her presence a secret.
"Where is the Alpha? We have called him, but he doesn’t answer," a healer said anxiously. "We need his mark on the consent scroll."
"Luna, what should we do? I have called many times using your crystal, but he doesn’t respond," the gardener said, worry clear in his voice.
The head healer spoke with gravity. "We cannot wait any longer. Her condition is dangerous. The pup cannot be saved due to the delay and her body is severely weakened from lack of nourishment."
Valea turned her head and took the scroll. "Begin the procedure. This pup... I don’t want it anymore."
She had waited fifteen winters for this pup. She learned of its existence today and lost it on the same day.
Renwick had always longed for this pup. Yet when the moment came, he was nowhere to be found.
Valea removed her mating ring and threw it into the waste bin.
"Understood. We will begin at once, Luna."
Valea lay on the stone table, staring at the ceiling. Her face was pale, her lips drained of color and marked from where she had bitten them.
The healers moved around her, preparing their tools.
"Luna, we will begin. We will give you sleeping herbs so you won’t feel pain."
"No. Don’t give me anything."
She needed to remember. She needed to feel the moment her pup was taken and remember that Renwick was not there.
"Very well. Begin."
"Yes, Master Healer."
Valea felt something being drawn from her body. The pain grew sharper, cutting deep. She tried to stay silent, but tears flowed freely from her eyes.
"It’s done, Luna. The pup has been removed."
Her body went limp. Darkness swallowed her vision.
Tears slipped quietly from the corners of her eyes.
