SAMANTHA'S POV
I slowly opened my eyes, blinking against the harsh light that pierced through the dim room. The sterile scent of the pack’s hospital clung to the air, and my body felt as though it had been trampled by a hundred wolves. Every inch of me throbbed with pain, a deep, aching sorrow that dug into my chest, threatening to tear me apart. The weight of it was suffocating.
I turned my head, and there she was—Nancy, the head healer, my only friend in this cursed pack. She was seated beside my bed, her face creased with worry.
Her hand flew to her mouth as soon as she noticed I was awake. “Samantha, thank the Moon Goddess! You gave me quite the scare. They’re all gathered around that shameless breeder’s bed, even though nothing is wrong with her. Luckily, I found you lying there all alone, unconscious and covered in blood before it's too late. You freaked me out!”
I took in her words, trying to focus. My body felt too heavy, my mind too sluggish, but there was one thing I needed to know—one thing that had haunted me since I’d blacked out.
“How about the baby?” I asked, my voice hoarse, as I stared at Nancy with a calm that didn’t match the storm of emotions raging inside me.
Nancy froze, her eyes darting away for a split second, and I knew. She was hiding something.
She hesitated before speaking. “Oh, you mean that breeder’s baby? Her baby is fine,” she said, though her tone seemed too light, too dismissive.
I felt my pulse spike, the anger bubbling to the surface, but I held it back, forcing myself to stay still. “I’m talking about my baby. Don’t play the fool with me,” I said, my words cutting through the room like a knife.
Nancy's face fell, and her gaze softened with sympathy, which only made my stomach churn. She sighed heavily, clearly realizing she couldn’t keep the truth from me anymore. “I thought you didn’t know you were pregnant,” she said, her voice quiet. “I didn’t want to tell you, to spare you more pain. But… you’re right. When I was examining you, I discovered you were pregnant. The baby was still small, only three months along, and very unstable. I’m so sorry.”
Her words didn’t make sense at first, and I found myself just staring at her in silence. My mind tried to process the shock, but it was like a fog had settled in. The numbness had crept in again, so thick that I couldn’t even feel the tears I knew should have been falling.
"But the baby... the baby didn’t survive," Nancy added, her voice breaking.
My body went cold. The words sliced through me, but I didn’t react—not right away. I felt nothing but emptiness, a hollow pit opening inside me.
I continued to stare ahead, blankly, feeling the cool sheets beneath my fingers. I didn’t know how much time passed before I felt something wet on my hand. I looked down, confused, and saw drops of water falling onto it. My gaze shifted upward, and I realized it wasn’t raining outside.
I turned to Nancy, smiling weakly despite the emptiness that consumed me. “Look,” I said softly, my voice almost a whisper, “it’s raining. How can it be raining indoors?”
Her expression faltered, and she blinked rapidly, as though trying to will away the tears welling in her eyes. My body couldn’t even bring itself to mourn. Not yet. Maybe never.
Nancy didn’t respond. Instead, she just gave me a sad, pitiful look, then stood up, as if to give me space.
"Rest, Sam. I’ll be here if you need anything," she said quietly, her words carrying a weight of sorrow I couldn't bring myself to care about.
---
The pack house was just a short walk from the hospital, but the distance felt endless. The pack's halls were unnervingly quiet as I made my way through them, but it wasn't the usual silence that made my heart race. No, it was the sudden, oppressive weight of every pair of eyes that fell on me, staring, judging, whispering.
As I rounded the corner, I saw them.
Brian, with his arm around Bianca, both of them surrounded by a group of pack members. They laughed and chatted like everything was fine, as if nothing had happened. As if I didn’t exist.
Bianca’s eyes locked onto mine, and I saw the challenge in them. She stepped forward, her heels clicking loudly against the floor, her posture dripping with arrogance. “Well, well, look who’s up,” she cooed mockingly, her voice sickly sweet. “Feeling better now, Samantha? Or should I say Luna?”
The title felt like poison in my mouth. I didn’t respond to her bait. I couldn’t. But my wolf, the one that had been silent for so long, growled beneath the surface, furious at the audacity she had.
The Alpha, ever the coward, stood behind her. His eyes flickered briefly toward me, but it wasn’t concern or even indifference I saw in them. It was disdain. Pure, unfiltered disdain. He barely even acknowledged me as he shifted his gaze back to Bianca.
“Don’t bother with her, Bianca,” he said dismissively. “She’s already done enough damage. Let her go wallow in her failure.”
I felt my heart crack, but I held my head high. My hands clenched at my sides, the tension in my body palpable.
It was time.
I took a step forward, my voice steady and calm, though my soul was shaking. “I reject you, Brian. As my mate. As my Alpha. I’ve had enough.”
The words hit the air like a bomb, shattering the silence around us. The pack members stilled, their gazes flicking between Brian and me. Even Bianca stopped in her tracks, her expression faltering as her smug grin slowly faded.
Brian's face turned to stone. “What did you say?” His voice was low, dangerous. The arrogance I had once admired now felt like a noose tightening around my neck.
“I said I reject you,” I repeated, louder this time, my voice unwavering. “You never cared for me. You’re not worthy to be my mate.” I paused, letting my words sink in. “And I certainly would rather endure the pain of ending this mateship than to share my bed to a mere breeder.” I gestured toward Bianca, my voice dripping with finality.
