Aveline’s POV
On the day I lost my pup and nearly lost my womb, my husband was across the hall in another she-wolf’s room, tending to her because she had an allergic reaction.
“I’m sorry, Luna Aveline, there was nothing we could do. You’re fortunate you were brought in on time. If you had stayed out there any longer, you would have lost your womb,” the pack healer said, her voice echoing in my head.
That day had started like every other day.
Evander woke before dawn and dressed for his duties. It was the first time he had slept in our chamber in the past two weeks. He had returned late last night from the southern territory, and I had prepared his favorite meal for him.
He left after a brief goodbye.
A few hours later, his voice sounded sharply through our mindlink, ordering me to prepare seafood and bring it to the pack house.
At first, I was confused. Evander hated seafood. He could barely stand the smell of it. But before I could ask why, he cut the link and told me to hurry.
Like a dutiful mate, I went to the market, bought everything myself, and prepared the meal.
When I was done, I climbed into the carriage and made my way toward the pack house.
Then, out of nowhere, a blizzard struck.
It came so suddenly that the road disappeared beneath the snow, and panic spread among the travelers. Several wagons collided. My own carriage was thrown off the road and left hanging over the edge of a cliff.
I struggled to breathe.
The carriage had rolled several times before it caught on the edge. My whole body ached, bruises covered my skin, and a sharp pain tore through my abdomen.
I cried out for help, but the storm swallowed my voice.
Shaking, I reached for Evander through the mindlink.
The bond connected at once.
“Evander…” I whispered weakly.
“How can you be so vicious, Aveline?” His cold voice cut through me before I could say another word.
“But Evander—”
“Seafood. It was a simple thing, yet you couldn’t do it. I provide everything for you, but you can’t even help me with this. Don’t reach for me again.”
Then he severed the link.
I tried again and again, but he shut me out every time.
Then the carriage shifted.
I screamed as it tilted farther over the cliff, as though it meant to drag me down with it. No one heard me.
And then it fell.
I closed my eyes, heart heavy with pain and anger, knowing my husband had refused to hear me—refused to save me—over seafood he did not even eat.
But before the carriage could crash below, it was caught.
One of the patrol wagons had reached the lower pass just in time. They stopped the fall and pulled me out, then rushed me straight to the healer’s den.
That was when the pack healer told me I had been with pup for three weeks.
The pup hadn’t survived the accident.
And if I hadn’t been found when I was, I would have lost my womb from the bleeding.
“Is there anyone you’d like us to call for, Luna Lily?” the healer asked gently.
I blinked, trying to clear the fog in my head as the last few hours came flooding back.
I shook my head, swallowing hard against the grief rising in my throat.
My pup was dead before I had even known it existed.
“What about your husband?” the healer asked.
Her words struck a nerve as I stared down at the moonstone on the table beside me. I had reached for Evander more than forty times through the bond. Not once had he answered.
How could he be so cruel?
The healer seemed to understand my silence. She adjusted the blanket over me and sighed.
“I’ll leave you to rest. We’ll discharge you tomorrow once we are certain the bleeding has fully stopped.”
I barely acknowledged her as she turned to leave, but she paused at the door.
“If you need someone to speak with, we can send for the mind-healer.”
I gave her a blank look as she slipped out and closed the door softly behind her.
A few moments later, I reached for Evander again.
This time, instead of his voice answering through the bond, I heard his familiar voice just down the hall.
Hope bloomed painfully in my chest.
Evander hadn’t abandoned me completely. He was here.
I pushed myself upright, ignoring the pain in my body, and stepped out of the room.
I moved slowly down the hall and stopped at the next room when I heard his voice again.
Before I could think, I pushed the door open.
What I saw chilled me to the bone.
