Aveline’s POV
My breath hitched, and before I knew it, I was already striding toward the kitchen with my wolf clawing beneath my skin.
“You’ll be what?” I snapped.
Evander turned at the sound of my voice, and his face darkened at once.
“Lower your voice,” he said sharply. “You’ll upset her.”
I gave a harsh, unbelieving laugh. “Upset her? Since when do you make decisions in our packhouse without speaking to me first?”
“I’m sorry, Aveline,” Calista said softly, her eyes already shining with tears. “There was a firestone leak in my cottage this morning, and Evander thought it would be safer if I stayed here, especially while I’m carrying a pup. Please don’t be angry. I’ll leave right now.”
I almost laughed in her face.
Her act was so thin, so pitiful, it was insulting.
Still, she pushed herself up from her chair like some frail little thing, swaying just enough to look weak. Before she could so much as stumble, Evander was already at her side, one arm around her waist as though she were precious.
“Sit down, Calista,” he said, his voice gentling in a way I had not heard in months. “Eat. I’ll talk to Aveline.”
Calista nodded and lowered herself back into the chair. Then she reached for the plate in front of her.
My chest tightened the moment I saw it.
Honey cakes.
Evander had made them himself.
I knew because of the little smile he had drawn over the top in honey. It had always been his foolish habit.
The last time he made them for me was seven months ago. He had called them our special dish.
Now he was making them for her.
“Come with me,” he said, the warmth leaving his voice the instant he looked at me again.
He led me to our bedchamber and shut the door behind us.
“Calista is staying here until she gives birth,” he said without preamble. “I will not risk her being alone in that cottage. And besides, you owe her. She ended up in the healer’s den yesterday because of you.”
A bitter laugh escaped me. “As if she was the only one in the healer’s den.”
Evander exhaled through his nose, already sounding irritated.
“I’m sorry I did not answer when you reached for me through the mindlink, Aveline, but I was angry. Calista is carrying a pup. I’m sure you do not understand what that feels like, since you’ve never been pregnant.”
His words cut straight through me.
We tried everything, but we could not save the pup.
The healer’s voice rang through my mind all over again, crueler now because he did not know.
Because he had never cared enough to ask.
“Aveline,” Evander said, his voice softening as though that could somehow mend what he had just broken, “Calista’s father helped me years ago, before he died. He made me promise I would look after her. I failed him. That is why she returned to our territory broken and bruised from that marriage. Every day I blame myself. If I had stepped in sooner, perhaps she would never have suffered so much. Now we finally have a chance to help her. Don’t you agree? It is only for a few months.”
I blinked hard and turned my face away.
The same excuse.
Always the same excuse.
Calista is carrying a pup, Aveline.
I failed her father, Aveline.
Without him, I would not be the wolf I am, and you would not have the life you have now, Aveline.
She has suffered enough, Aveline. Show some compassion.
“Yeah,” I said sharply. “Whatever.”
At once, his expression eased, as though my surrender pleased him.
He stepped forward, wrapped his arms around me, and kissed my forehead.
“You’re the best,” he murmured.
Then he suddenly paused, his nose wrinkling.
“Why do you smell like healing herbs?”
My entire body went still.
Before I could answer, Calista’s voice floated in from outside.
“Evander!”
Just like that, the faint concern on Evander’s face vanished.
He turned and walked out immediately, drawn to her as though I had never been standing there at all.
I stayed in the room until I heard the sound of his carriage passing beyond the packhouse gates. He was likely on his way to the council hall.
Only a few moments later, the door opened again.
Calista stepped inside with a smug curve to her lips, every trace of frailty gone.
“I love this room, Aveline,” she said, glancing around as though she already owned it. “I think I’ll ask Evander to give it to me when he returns.”
I looked at her coldly. “Whatever you want, Calista.”
She giggled and clapped her hands together. “Good. You’ve finally accepted it. That I’m above you. That I’m the she-wolf your mate truly wants.”
“Keep dreaming.”
She laughed, then tilted her head.
“Oh, and one more thing. Evander never saw any of the moonstone messages you sent yesterday. I made sure of that.”
My anger hit so fast I could barely breathe.
“You monster. I could have died.”
Calista only shrugged. “That would have made things easier for my son. I doubt he’d want to share Evander with anyone.”
I stared at her in horror.
“Wait until I tell Evander the truth. He’ll see what you really are.”
She laughed again, louder this time.
“You still don’t understand, do you? Evander is mine. Perhaps you need a harsher lesson before you finally accept it.”
I brushed past her and left the room before I did something I would regret.
I needed air. Distance. Anything but her scent and that smug little smile.
And if there truly was another mouth to feed beneath this roof now, then I needed to bring in more supplies besides.
But more than that, I could not stay in that house another second while she stood there, smiling, knowing I had lost my pup and saying nothing. If I remained, I might have wrapped my hands around her throat and let my wolf do the rest.
But tonight, I told myself, I would tell Evander everything.
He did not know the truth.
He was being deceived by her.
That was what I still wanted to believe.
After buying what we needed, I wandered into the pack library and sat there for a while, pretending to read while trying to steady my thoughts.
I must have lost track of time.
By the time my moonstone chimed, evening had already fallen.
Frowning, I picked it up and saw Calista’s name glowing across its face.
A chill ran through me.
I touched the stone—and a vision shimmered over its surface.
Evander.
Kissing Calista.
The moonstone slipped from my hand and struck the floor with a sharp crack.
I shook my head at once.
No.
No, that could not be real.
Evander would never—
My breath came faster and faster until I could barely stand. I snatched up my cloak and rushed outside, calling for a hired carriage as panic pounded through me.
All the way home, I told myself Calista was lying. That she had staged it somehow. That she only wanted to break me.
But the moment I saw Evander’s carriage waiting outside the packhouse, my heart dropped.
I ran for the door.
Then I heard it.
Low, breathless moans drifting from my bedchamber.
And in that instant, I knew.
